ROBINSON CLOSES THE GAP ON ANDERSON, BUT SETTLES FOR SILVER
SOL Wrestlers Bring Four Bronze Medals Home
By Glenn Kaiser
Council Rock North’s Cameron Robinson was able to keep the scoring to a minimum against Bethlehem Catholic’s Ryan Anderson, but he could not find way to beat Anderson in the 145-pound 2019 PIAA Individual State Championship final. Robinson lost 3-2, and had to settle for silver against the #1 ranked wrestler in the country at 145-pounds. Anderson scored a takedown on his patent dump in the first period and added an escape to complete his scoring and the 3-2 win. The Indians Robinson put up a good defensive battle on his feet but could not create angles or get shots on Anderson, despite his two escape points, and a chance to win at the end with a takedown. The strategy to keep it close, and score was a good one, but Cam could not execute a takedown of his own as he clenched in repeatedly under hooks throughout the match, to block Anderson’s attacks.
Cam Robinson and Council Rock North will go back to Hershey again in 2020, and they will look to build on their 2019 success. The Indians surged ahead of neighboring CR South in the team standings with three state medals earned, finishing in eighth place overall with 53 points, three points ahead of the Golden Hawks (50 pts.). Becahi won the team title with 93 points, with Anderson’s crown, a runner-up finish and three fourth place finishers.
CR North’s Kyle Hauserman wrestled all the way back through the consolations to capture bronze with a 6-2 win over Cedar Cliff’s Aiden Lewis. Hauserman was impressive, winning five straight matches and earning big points for the Indians in the wrestle-backs. Council Rock South also picked up a medal at 106 as Kyle Waterman, despite making the semifinals, lost three straight matches and finished in sixth place. It was an all Council Rock consolation final at 120-pounds, as North’s Luke Lucerne took on South’s Shane Hanson-Ashworth for the bronze. Hanson-Ashworth needed a takedown in overtime to win 3-1 in sudden victory.
Hauserman, Lucerne and Robinson are all underclassman for the Indians and will return next season along with junior, Dillon Sheehey (152) to improve on their 2019 successes. Council Rock South head coach Brad Silimperi guided nine wrestlers to Chocolate Town, USA, the most of any AAA team at these championships. He was named the Coach of the Year by the PA Wrestling Coaches Association. The Golden Hawks put four grapplers on the podium, joining Waterman and Hanson-Ashworth were Max Mendez at 113-pounds (8th) and Branden Ricchini at 126-pounds (7th). Only Waterman returns next season, as CR South will lose several state qualifiers due to graduation, including medalists Mendez, Hanson-Ashworth and Ricchini, who are all seniors.
SOL wrestlers were busy and successful in the consolation finals, earning four bronze medals in total. Often taking third here is like finishing second when a grappler wins the consolation bracket. Tyler Williams (Souderton) completed his senior campaign with the bronze at 138-pounds. Williams defeated Hempfield Area’s outstanding sophomore, Ty Linsenbigler 5-3. William Tennent’s A.J. Tamburrino took-down Northampton’s Jagger Condomitti in overtime winning 3-1 in sudden victory to bring home the bronze at 145-pounds. Tamburrino’s only loss in the tournament came at the hands of state champ Ryan Anderson. Tamburrino, a junior, went 5-1 in Hershey during his first trip to the PIAA Individual Championships. Tamburrino did not compete in the postseason last year due to illness.
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