The Pine Bush wrestling team got off to a fast start on Wednesday against the Newburgh Free Academy Goldbacks but struggled in the upper weights and lost a 42-27 Orange County Interscholastic Athletic Association meet.

The meet was held without spectators in the new gym due to the resurgence in COVID-19 cases due to the Omicron variant.

It was the Bushmen’s second loss of the week as Monroe-Woodbury beat them, 46-18 the night before in Central Valley.

The Bushmen got the first points of the meet when Saul Abrego opened with a 6-3 win at 285 pounds before falling behind when Newburgh’s eighth-grader Cooper Merli pinned Gabriel McNally to give the Goldbacks a 6-3 lead.

However, Pine Bush claimed a forfeit at 110 pounds and then Logan Pennell pinned Jordan Busby to give the Bushmen a nine-point lead, 15-6, their largest of the meet.

The big lead was short-lived as Newburgh’s Matthew Mercado cut their lead to three points with a pinfall victory over James Duffy at 126 pounds. The Goldbacks tied the match at 18-18 when Jackson Merli pinned Logan Moran at 138 pounds.

However, the Bushmen lost the lead for good when Joseph Longobardo was pinned by Anthony Manzi at 172 pounds. The Goldbacks won the next two matches to finish the night.

The Bushmen got wins from Richard Urena (132), Devin Greer (160) Abrego (215) and Pennell (118). McNally got them a forfeit win at 102 pounds.

The Bushmen were schedule to visit Wallkill on Tuesday for the first two rounds of the Section 9 Duals tournament. The 10th seeded Bushmen were scheduled to open against No. 7 Cornwall. The winner would go on to face No. 2 Monroe-Woodbury.

Two wins on Tuesday would put them in Wednesday’s semifinals at Minisink Valley High School.

Monroe-Woodbury 46, Pine Bush 18
132: Richard Urena (PB) def. Marco Piazza, 6-2
138: Grant Barczak (MW) pinned Logen Bekgran, 0:19
145: Jordan Brown (MW) pinned Ethan Conrow, 1:11

152: Marcus Charlot (MW) pinned Edward Morley, 1:11
160: Devin Greer (PB) def. Nicholas Hansen, 13-10
172: Michael Zrelak (MW) pinned Joseph Longobardo, 0:22
189: Craig Ladka (MW) won by forfeit.
215: Saul Abrego (PB) def. Eryk Shammgod, 3-2.
285: Daniel Jabbour (MW) pinned Sullivan Toback, 1:00
102: Gabriel McNally (PB) won by forfeit.
110: Devin Charles (MW) won by forfeit.
118: Logan Pennell (PB) def. Liam Hayes, 7-4.
126: Maxim Javorsky (MW) def. James Duffy, 17-8.

Newburgh 42, Pine Bush 27
285: Saul Abrego (PB) def. Aiden Harrison, 6-3.
102: Cooper Merli (NFA) pinned Gabriel McNally, 0:37
110: Bryan Alzamora (PB) won by forfeit.
118: Logan Pennell (PB) pinned Jordan Busby, 0:41

126: Matthew Mercado (NFA) pinned James Duffy, 4:06
132: Richard Urena (PB) def. Kevin Segali, 3-0
138: Jackson Merli (NFA) pinned Logan Moran, 0:41
145: Ethan Conrow (PB) def. Tyler Busby, 6-2
152: Alec Grogan (NFA) pinned Edward Morley, 0:24
160: Devin Greer (PB) pinned Aiden Harrison, 0:14
172: Anthony Manzi (NFA) pinned Joseph Longobardo 1:29
189: Christopher Leggett (NFA) won by forfeit
215: Joseph Ponesse (NFA) pinned Sullivan Toback, 1:13