Photo provided courtesy of Tracy Valko. Please click on the following link to view the gallery of the Pennridge/Quakertown match: https://solsports.zenfolio.com/p114406833
SOL WRESTLING NOTEBOOK
12/25/21
Merry Christmas Everyone!
by Glenn Kaiser
Another week is in the books of this early 2021-22 wrestling season, and it keeps getting better as we head into the Holiday Wrestling Season, which means tournaments, tournaments and more tournaments. Then of course the New Year!
SOL Wrap
Local duals kicked off prior to the Winter Holiday break, featuring some cross-division SOL teams, so let’s take a look at the results and the implications. At Pennridge, former standout Quakertown
wrestler (State Champion 1987 @ 132-pounds) and former Pennridge head coach John Rittenhouse was inducted into the Hall of Fame Wednesday evening as the Rams took on mighty Quakertown in their backyard brawl. Quakertown prevailed in dominant fashion, dismantling Pennridge 50-15. The Panthers will be tough to beat and are clearly the favorites to run away with the SOL Liberty Division. Match Highlight: The Panthers Todd McGann decisioned the Rams Sam Kuhns 3-1 in a match between the two best 132-pounders in the Southeast Region. Pennridge will attend the Hurricane at Bethlehem Liberty HS over the break and will take on North Penn to kick off the race for the Colonial title on January 5, 2022.
At the Battle of the Border, Hatboro-Horsham flexed their muscles with a 45-24 victory over crosstown rivals Upper Moreland despite handing 18-points to the Golden Bears with three forfeits. The H-H Wrestling Warriors have a nice mix of young and experienced talent, and with a full line-up should be able to thrive throughout the season both individually and as a dual team. H-H newcomers Chris Staub (132) and Ryan Allgeier (106) are off to hot starts along with seniors Joe Martini III (152) and Hunter Long (189). Match Highlight: Owen Dunleavy was UM’s only winner of a contested bout at 215-pounds with a quick fall in eight seconds over H-H’s Bryan Acevedo.
Central Bucks East continues to roll, and they have established themselves as an elite District One team as they downed Council Rock North 43-23. The Patriots already have wins over Spring-Ford & CR North, two traditional powers in D1. East looks like the team to beat in the SOL Colonial Division. Match Highlight: CR North freshman Eren Sement (11-0) continued to establish himself in Pennsylvania with an 8-2 win over East’s Ethan Bean at 120lbs. Sement is ranked #1 in D1 and #5 in PA Power at 113-pounds. East is loaded with talent, led by senior Quinn Collins at 215lbs. Collins is currently ranked second in the state PA Power Rankings, behind only neighborly rival Carl DiGiorgio who is ranked #1 at 215-pounds. DiGiorgio has recently committed to wrestle for the United States Coast Guard Academy. The big man was fifth a year ago at Hershey and is 6-0 on the season. DiGiorgio beat Collins in the medal match then, and they will surely do battle again this season for the top spot in the state at 215.
Springfield Township (AA) downed Wissahickon 40-22 and improved to 4-2 on the season, and will be the team to beat in the Freedom. Match Highlight: Spartan Roderick Porter’s match clinching pin at 132 over Wissahickon’s Ethan Terrenzio. Upper Dublin notched a win over William Tennent 54-14 and Cheltenham 66-3 in six day, and the Cardinals are led by Colin Higgins (126) and Dan Gorman (132). Match Highlight: Caden Cerminaro’s quick decking of Tennent’s Anjaleen Siddiqui at 120lbs. in a run of five straight falls for the Flying Cardinals. Unfortunately, the Flying Cardinals will struggle in the Liberty, as Q-town, H-H, Plymouth Whitemarsh and Abington all loom later in the season in-league.
HOLIDAY TOURNAMENTS:
The Annual Wetzel Classic at Hatboro-Horsham celebrates its 20th year this season (12/29 & 12/30/21) due to Covid cancelling the event last year, along with the entire H-H wrestling season. Many SOL teams will compete in this tourney, which features some of D1’s best grapplers, not to mention PA state qualifiers and medalists.
The always tough Hurricane Classic (Liberty HS) 12/29 & 12/30/21 will feature CR South, North Penn, Pennridge and Quakertown from the SOL. There should be some outstanding wrestling from the quarterfinals on, and the tournament will feature multiple state place-winners throughout.
Plymouth-Whitemarsh will make their annual trek (12/29 & 12/30/21) to Governor Mifflin and CB East travels to Fairleigh Dickinson (NJ) to the Sam Cali Invitational (12/27 & 12/28/21). Upper Dublin heads to the Delco Duals at Academy Park on 12/27/21.
The MyHouse Trojan Wars will be held at Chambersburg HS on 12/29 & 12/30/21 and will feature Bensalem, CB South and Souderton. CR North will test their mettle at Powerade hosted by Cannon-Mac the same two days in one of the nation’s top scholastic tournaments.
Good Luck to All…
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