In his latest wrestling notebook, Glenn Kaiser features the SOL conference races In all three conferences and also includes the SOL team rankings. Photos of the first round action of the SOL teams participating in the Big Red Duals provided by Keith Clemens Photography. CLICK HERE to go directly to our WRESTLING GALLERY.
Whacky Week In SOL
By Glenn Kaiser
The tide is changing here in the New Year for several SOL teams, and some teams are on the rise, while others are in the flux of the ebb and flow. With injuries mounting midseason and line-ups changing on daily, SOL wrestling teams are discovering who they are as a complete team at the moment.
Central Bucks East surprised many with a 42-32 Continental Conference win over a depleted Pennridge squad that is missing their top performer in Josh Stillings. Stillings suffered an injury a week ago and is out of the line-up along with several other Rams. With Pennridge hurting, it has opened the door for both CB East and Souderton, as they will soon face a North Penn team that has won two straight Continental titles and looking for a three-peat. East holds wins over Souderton and Pennridge and will not face the Knights until Feb. 7, 2018, in a match that could be a battle for the crown should they both remain undefeated in the league competition. Souderton is on the outside looking in, as they will battle against the Rams and North Penn in back-to-back weeks starting this coming Wednesday.
In the National Conference, Council Rock North is suffering from the injury bug as well and has struggled to fill an early season star-studded roster. The Indians were defeated by Bensalem this past week 36-34 with the Unity Cup match looming Jan. 18, 2018, against CR South. The Golden Hawks remain the top dog in the District One and look like they are gaining momentum as the District Duals approach. The first round is set for Jan. 25, 2018, at South and West Chester Rustin. Harry S Truman had solid wins over Pennridge (42-30) and Bensalem (41-33) in Matsplosion held at Franklin & Marshall last weekend. However, it may be Neshaminy that has risen the most recently, as they placed third at the Big Red Duals at Souderton, downing the hosts 33-31 there.
The Redskins have upped their record to 9-4 overall and are 2-1 in the National Conference with their only blemish in conference play to CR South. Freshman contributions in their 2017-18 campaign have been made by a trio of lightweights in Shawn Marion (106), Zach Martin (113) and Liam Moss (120). Add in post-season veterans Colton Jordan (126) and Jackson Erb (145), both juniors, to complement seniors Austin Saba (132) and Brock Leinbach (170), and you can see why the Redskins are wrestling well.
In the American Conference, it is all Quakertown as they dismantled Hatboro-Horsham 48-18 to all but seal the title once again. The Panthers will have to take down a Wissahickon team with promise in the final league dual at the end of the season to do so. The Trojans, like the Hatters, have been inconsistent and have not been able to find their true identity as team just yet. H-H and Wissahickon battle this Wednesday evening at H-H to see where the tide will take them through the rest of the season.
Teams need to declare their District Duals intentions by this coming Thursday if they plan to be eligible for the 16-team selection Sunday 1/21/18.
NOTES: H-H’s Nick Chapman set a school record for most consecutive falls, running off 19 straight pins while keeping his record perfect at 19-0 after posting three wins at the Dallastown Duals yesterday. Chapman is the #1 ranked 220-pound wrestler in D1 and 7th in the PA Power Rankings. Other #1 ranked D1 wrestlers at their weight include Kyle Waterman, CRS (106), Max Mendez, CRS (113), Anthony Collela, William Tennent (126), Gunnar Fuss, Truman (132), Cam Robinson, CRN (138), Josh Stillings, Pennridge (182) and Bensalem’s Nick Cooper at 285-pounds. The highest ranked wrestlers by PA Power Rankings in the PIAA (AAA) include Sillings #2, Waterman #3, and Chapman and Cooper both ranked #7 at their respective weight classes.
SOL DUAL RANKINGS (1/14/18)
Rankings based on current team composition
1-Council Rock South 5-2 Overall/2-0 SOL
2-North Penn 8-4/2-0
3-Quakertown 6-2/3-0
4-Neshaminy 9-4/2-1
5-Council Rock North 8-3/0-1
Under consideration in order of strength: Central Bucks East 4-2/3-0 & Pennridge 3-3/1-1
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