Alex Frazier features Wissahickon’s Kevin Yannes and also recaps all of last weekend’s tournament action.
By Alex Frazier
Meet…Kevin Yannes
Having qualified for districts last year as a fourth place finisher in Section Three, Wissahickon’s Kevin Yannes was pleased to be mentioned as a pre-season honorable mention candidate at heavyweight this year.
“I was pretty surprised that I was ranked at heavyweight since I wrestled 215 last year,” he said. “It was surprising to see who I was ranked with because I know a lot of those guys and they’re pretty good wrestlers and to be ranked with them was a big confidence boost.”
Yannes came to wrestling late in life. He started at Wissahickon in ninth grade, mainly because of his brother who was two years ahead of him.
“I just followed my brother when he started wrestling,” said Yannes. “I jumped into it in ninth grade. It was something I wanted to do, but I didn’t know how good I would be.”
Since starting, he has improved every year.
He wrestled mostly jayvee as a frosh but got into two varsity matches finishing 1-2, his only win a forfeit.
As a sophomore, he became a full-time varsity wrestler, finishing with a 9-13 mark.
Last year, his off-season Greco and freestyle wrestling finally paid dividends. He finished fourth in sections and didn’t make it out of districts, but he had his first winning season with a commendable 24-16 record.
Last year he also placed third in the state in Greco-Roman wrestling. He has also been to freestyle states twice. He enjoys both styles of wrestling.
“Freestyle is more of a complex style of wrestling but it’s easier for me because it’s more flowing,” he said.
Yannes is beginning the season at heavyweight, but plans to drop to 220 when he gets the additional two pounds in January.
“It’s a pretty big drop but it’s definitely doable,” he said
“He could do real well at 220,” said coach Anthony Stagliano.
Not only will that help him, but it will also make Wissahickon a stronger team.
“We’d have a lot stronger lineup,” admitted Yannes.
“He’s a good kid,” said Stagliano. “He’s been around the sport a long time and knows how to wrestle.”
Stagliano said that Yannes’ nemesis has been mistakes he makes at key times.
“He’d be winning a match and just make a mistake,” he said. “He probably lost five matches last year that he was winning.”
Although not a team captain, Yannes is still looked up to by his teammates.
“He’s a senior and he’s a big guy,” said Stagliano, “and he’s had a good career.”
Right now, Yannes isn’t expecting to wrestle in college.
“If I get an offer, I’ll take it,” he said.
More likely, he’ll spend next year at Montco, getting some of his general education courses out of the way and raising his GPA before transferring to a four-year school.
“That’s the best thing for me and will save some money,” he said.
He has his sights set on Miami of Ohio because it is strong in his interest area—film and entertainment.
“I like it out there,” he said. “I’ve traveled out there before and it’s really nice.”
Yannes is an intern at Wissahickon’s TV station and has been learning how to edit videos and blogs.
As he has every year in the past, Yannes is hoping to take another step up this year.
“I want to make it further than last year,” he said. “I want to make it to regionals. I hope to get least 25 wins this year.”
Around the league
• West Chester East Colley Classic
Souderton’s Kolton Veit (120) was named Outstanding Wrestler. The Indians placed third as a team behind Central Bucks South (240.5).
The Indians and the Titans met up twice in the finals.
Veit decisioned C.B. South’s Nick Haegele 9-7, while Joe McNamara won the 220-pound weight class with an 8-1 decision over Nick Cassalia of CB South.
The Indians’ Bobby Jenne (126), Brett Hale (132) and Ryan Eisenhart (152) finished third, while David McPherson (145) came in fifth.
North Penn’s Joey O'Brien (113) and Alex Price (160) took home gold medals at West Chester.
Price’s gold medal was his first one in high school. Last week he lost to John Grossi from Germantown Academy in the SE Classic and ended up third.
“It felt really good just because it was my first place at a high school match,” he said. “Last year I took second there, and to come back and take a first place felt good.”
Price said that working with his coaches, especially his workout partner Zac Fryling, has helped him improve.
“It made it a lot easier,” he said.
As a freshman last year, Price started out at 171 and dropped to 160, where he’s starting this year.
Last year he finished fourth in districts but didn’t make it out of regionals. This year he has set his goals higher.
“I’m hoping to make it to states and take home some hardware,” he said.
It looks like he’s off to a good start.
Jeffery Reimel (145) placed second, Nick Gill (285) was fourth, Dalton Hogle (106), Richie Liberio (126) and Riley McFadden (138) captured fifth, Ben Brandolph (180) took sixth and Max Myers (132) finished eighth. The Knights were sixth out of 12 teams.
Central Bucks South’s Chad Haegele (106) and Dominic Rigous (170) went 4-0 to win their weight classes. Nick Haegle (120) and Greg Frasch (195) placed second.
• Battle at the Beach
Scott Parker (106) and Ben Ross (113) of Pennridge captured first places while Ryan Harrison (160) and Forrest Short (170) took fifth places.
Last year as a freshman, Parker was wrestling at 103 weighing 95 pounds. This year he has grown into the new weight class, but just barely.
“I haven’t had to lose any weight,” he said. “I’ve pretty much been right on.”
After his first tournament of the year, he didn’t give up weight or strength.
“I didn’t have to worry about them being heavier than me or stronger than me,” he said. “I felt more in control.”
Indeed.
In the finals of the tournament he faced an opponent from Bound Brook High School (NJ) that he has scraped by 3-2 over the summer.
This time he cruised to a 6-0 victory.
“I felt pretty good,” he said. “It looks like my off-season work is paying off.”
He’ll have another good test next week at the Hurricane Classic.
• King of the Mountain
Council Rock South finished in ninth place in this tough tournament. The Golden Hawks advanced four to the semifinals, but Billy Rappo was the only one to win. Rappo then lost to Kitanning’s Jason Nolf 3-2 in the finals to finish second. Dan Martoccio (106) finished fourth as did heavyweight Tommy Trampe. PJ Steinmetz (195) came in third, while Tim Riley (220) had to medical forfeit in his fifth place bout.
In the same tournament, Neshaminy’s Sam Rudolph (106) finished sixth.
• Ghost Town Duals
CB East’s Ben Marquis (160) led off a string of four wins to give the Patriots an insurmountable lead heading into the final two bouts and edge Wissahickon 39-34.
CB East went 2-3 at the Abington Duals. Besides Wissahickon, the Patriots rolled over Jim Thorpe 63-18, and lost to Pennsbury 52-22, Abington 39-32 and Father Judge 43-30
Individually, Patriot 113-pound freshman Evan Wilson was 5-0 with four falls and classmate Matt Cascioli (120) was 4-1. Sophomore Francesco Fabozzi (138) was also 5-0 with four falls.
Pennsbury’s Josh DiSanto (132) pinned and Jason Bing won by technical fall to pace the Falcons to a 41-28 win over Wissahickon. Easily the highlight of the match was the bout between Wissahickon’s Aaron Rodriguez and Pennsbury’s Anthony DiEmidio. Rodriguez won the first round 6-5.
Overall the Falcons finished 4-1 as a team.
Abington went 3 - 2. Even with three starters out of the lineup, Abington defeated Central 46 - 27, Hatboro Horsham 42 - 30, and C.B. East 39 - 32. The team lost to Upper Darby 47 - 21 and Father Judge 43 - 18. Senior Adrian Deangelo (138 and 145) led the Ghosts with victories in all five matches he wrestled. Junior Mike Molz (126) and senior Brandon Scheitrum (182) also went 5 - 0 on the day. Sophomore Justin Osei (145 and 152) wrestled several tough matches and came away with a 4 - 1 record for the day.
Beast of the East
Norristown’s Brett Harner (160) placed third at the prestigious tournament. Harner defeated Millbrook’s (Va.) Jake Crawford 3-2 in the finals. Teammate Shane Springer (170) finished fifth, pinning Connellsville’s Jeremy Baslinger in 3:23.
SOL Top 5
1. Norristown
2. Council Rock North
3. Neshaminy
4. Council Rock South
5. Central Bucks South
Top Guns
106—Scott Parker, Pennridge
113—Zach Fuentes, Norristown
120—Billy Rappo, Council Rock South
126—Harry Wilson, Neshaminy
132—Kevin Flack, William Tennent
138—Mike Springer, Norristown
145—Justin Staudenmayer, Plymouth Whitemarsh
152—Seth Ehlo, Central Bucks West
160—Brett Harner, Norristown
170—Shane Springer, Norristown
182—Larry Gordon, Norristown
195—PJ Steinmetz, Council Rock South
220—Tim Riley, Council Rock South
285—Tommy Trampe, Council Rock South
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