This week’s notebook featured Jesse Prante and also recaps the Escape the Rock Tournament.
By Alex Frazier
Meet…Norristown’s Jesse Prante
Jesse Prante’s natural weight is around 185.
Many 185-pounders would seriously consider cutting to 170. But in Prante’s case, he can’t beat Shane Springer.
OK, so 182 would be an easy cut and make life a lot easier. Only problem is that he can’t beat Tyler Letrinko.
Ditto for 195-pounder Larry Gordon.
Bottom line, Prante can pig out and wrestle 220.
You’d think that giving up 35 pounds, Prante would be struggling to stay afloat.
Not so.
After last weekend where he placed fourth at the tough Escape the Rock Tournament, he is 20-6 with 12 pins.
Although Prante faces bigger and stronger opponents, he has managed to adapt his style.
“It’s a different style of wrestling, wrestling stronger kids,” he said. “I take a more aggressive approach because they’re not as quick as lighter kids. I go out with a more offensive style.”
Whereas most heavy weights like to go upper body, Prante stays away from tie-ups and shoots singles and high crotches.
Prante started wrestling in fourth grade with the Norristown Youth Wrestling Club.
Last year he began the season but quit before he wrestled a match.
“I didn’t have the same feel for it,” he said, “but then I started missing it and came back.”
Fortunately, his return coincided with Tyler Letrinko’s broken hand injury. His first matches came in the second round of the District One Duals.
He finished the season at 9-8.
Prante’s success is even more remarkable when you consider that he doesn’t even wrestle year-round. He is one of those rare throwback three-sport athletes. In the fall he is the goalie on the soccer team, and in the spring he plays attack on the lacrosse team.
“I’ve always played three sports every year,” he said.
Right now wrestling is his favorite, although he admits this will most likely be his last year, but he is considering playing lacrosse next year in college.
His first choice is the University of Hartford, where he would like to major in communications.
There’s still over a month of wrestling left, and Prante hopes that his misfortune will become his fortune.
“In the beginning it was frustrating going up,” he said, “but now I’d rather wrestle up at 220. I have a chance to do good things up there.”
No Escape –
Forget about the Beast of the East and POWERade.
You don’t have to travel to Delaware or western Pennsylvania to see top-notch wrestling.
One of the best tournaments in the nation takes place in our own backyard.
Last weekend 32 teams and over 400 wrestlers converged in the Golden Hawk Arena at Council Rock South for the Fifth Annual Escape the Rock Tournament.
Teams are chosen in several ways. The tournament director will research good teams and send out official invitations based on their resumes. A lot of teams also contact Rock to get into the tournament. In fact, there is even a waiting list.
“The seeding committee goes through the list and sees what different teams have to offer,” explained Council Rock South coach Brad Silimperi.
Basically the goal is to get a good cross section of teams from different districts in Pennsylvania as well as different states.
“You can’t have all teams from your local area,” said Silimperi.
The tournament originated as a dual-meet tourney back in 2005.
In 2007 ETR became a 24-team individual tournament. Last year the tournament expanded to 32 teams
The 2011 tournament featured seven eventual state champions, 47 state place winners, 81 state qualifiers and four National Prep place winners.
This year’s field of 31 teams was equally impressive. Seven of the top 12 AAA teams and three of the top 10 AA teams from the recent PIAA State Tournament, including the PA State AA Dual Champion, along with three New Jersey Group State Champion teams and three teams that were in the top ten at the Virginia State Tournament competed.
Headlining the newcomers were Pennsylvania’s Chambersburg, LaSalle, Westmont Hilltop and Saucon Valley; New Jersey’s Delbarton and David Brearly; Delaware power Smyrna; and Forest Park, Virginia. Also returning after a hiatus from Escape the Rock was Pa. State Dual runner-up Ft. LeBoeuf.
“The past few years the teams have been getting better and better,” said Silimperi, who was quick to deflect credit to a host of individuals who helped put the tournament together.
“To put an event like this together, trying to make it a prestigious event, takes a lot of people,” he said.
In particular, he mentioned the efforts of tournament director Ted Ebens. “He’s made it a passion,” said Silimperi. “He’s the cog that makes everything go. He doesn’t leave a stone unturned.”
The booster club, headlined by Margaret Rappo, also plays a huge role.
“I’m humbled by what these people do for the kids,” said Silimperi.
The purpose of the tournament, as Silimperi explained, is to provide top-notch competition for local wrestlers and to showcase Council Rock South’s beautiful facility.
The ETR has gained enough recognition that it has also become a recruiting tool for college coaches.
“We have tons of college coaches that come and recruit,” said Silimperi. “It’s becoming a major recruiting event for colleges all over the country.”
Wrestlers at the ETR also receive national recognition through FLOWRESTLING, which came on board this year. ETR is now a FloNationals Major. PA Premier Rankings streamed the semifinals and finals.
“It’s growing and is a prestigious event that kids and fans hopefully like to come and watch,” said Silimperi.
District Duals – Which is the best team in District One? Is it Norristown or Owen J. Roberts? Or maybe one of the Council Rocks or a Spring-Ford or Marple Newtown?
We’ll soon find out. The District One Dual Meet Championship begins next Thursday.
Here’s the schedule:
Jan. 26: First and second rounds at Upper Perkiomen, Pottsgrove, Interboro, Rustin
Feb. 3: Quarterfinals, wrestlebacks and semifinals at Upper Dublin High School
5 p.m., weigh-ins
6 p.m., quarterfinals on four mats
8 p.m., wrestlebacks and semifinals on four mats
Feb. 4:
12 Noon, weigh-ins
1 p.m., AAA consolation semifinals and AA semifinals
4 p.m., AA and AAA finals and consolation finals at Upper Dublin High School
Number Advancing to State Championship
AAA – 4 Teams AA – 1 Team
Around the league
Lehighton Indian Duals
Pennridge’s Scott Parker (103) moved to 19-0 for the year with six big wins at Lehighton. He collected five pins and a forfeit. His pin against William Tennent helped the Rams pull out a 38-37 win. Dylan Gerhart’s first period pin of Jordan Smith in the final 138-pound bout turned out to be the deciding match. As a team the Rams were 4-2.
Cavalier Duals
Hatboro-Horsham went 4-2 as a team at the Cavalier Duals (Md.) last weekend.
Most notably 103-pounder Phil Torresani was a perfect 6-0 with an undefeated streak now extending to eight.
“I feel really good about my season so far,” he said. “I’m on a roll.”
Among his six wins at the Cavalier Duals, Torresani pinned Sarah Gompper of George Mason. It was the second time in his life that he had to wrestle a girl, the first coming in a club match when he was 10.
Torresani knew the night before when coach Glenn Kaiser told him he was going to bump him up to 113 because George Mason didn’t have a 106-pounder, and he wanted him to get a match.
Well, he was only out on the mat for 44 seconds before he decked Gompper with a half nelson.
“It was interesting,” said Torresani. “I really didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do. My teammates were all making jokes about it the night before. I tried to get it done as fast as I could.”
Hatter teammate Connor Bodnar (152) had five falls in going 5-1.
The Hatters are now 8-9 on the season.
Escape the Rock
Three local teams competed in this tournament.
• Council Rock North finished 19th as a team. Tyler Callender placed fifth at 220, and John Dutrow was fourth at 132.
• Council Rock South finished ninth. Dan Martoccio (106) and PJ Steinmetz (195) finished third, Tommy Trampe was second at 285 and Billy Rappo won the 113-pound title, defeating Darian Cruz of team champion Bethlehem Catholic, 5-1.
“It was the best he’s wrestled all year,” noted CR South coach Brad Silimperi.
• Norristown finished fifth, two places ahead of widely respected Owen J. Roberts.
Shane Springer (170) and Larry Gordon (195) finished fifth. Zach Fuentes (113) and Jesse Prante (220) finished fourth and Mike Springer (138) was third.
Brett Harner (160) lost in the finals 9-2 to Central Mountains Brian Brill.
Harriton Ram Duals
Upper Dublin defeated Academy Park 49-18 to win the dual-meet championship. The Cardinals won 10 bouts, five of them with falls. Jacob Henry (152), Brian Carson (182), Yaroslav Tochinski (220), Steve Volovar (132) and Drew Betteridge (138) all pinned their opponents.
NHSCA Wrestling Festival
Souderton’s Kolton Veit (120) lost his first match of the season Saturday, dropping a 10-7 decision to East Stroudsburg South’s Colby Ems. He rebounded to major Tyrique Dowdell of Springfield Central and pin Cedar Cliff’s Michael Cropf. Combined with a first-match decision over Northampton’s Brandon Summer, Veit is now 16-1.
SOL Top 5
1. Norristown
2. Council Rock North
3. Council Rock South
4. Central Bucks South
5. Pennsbury
Top Guns
106—Scott Parker, Pennridge
113— Billy Rappo, Council Rock South
120—Kolton Veit, Souderton
126—Josh DiSanto, Pennsbury
132—John Dutrow, Council Rock North
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—Andrew Van Buskirk, William Tennent
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