Glenn Kaiser previews the upcoming District One Duals Team Championships and also highlights the top performances at last weekend’s prestigious Escape the Rock Tournament.
By Glenn Kaiser
SOL Teams Fill Out 2019 District One Team Championship Bracket
It is no surprise that the two-time defending champ Council Rock South is the overall #1 seed in the 2019 District One Duals, and it is not surprising that the Golden Hawks are joined in the bracket with six other SOL teams. As per usual, the Pioneer Athletic Conference will have three very strong teams in the field of 16, led by #2 Spring-Ford and #3 Owen J Roberts. The #4 team hails from the Ches-Mont League in West Chester Henderson. CR South will take on #16 Great Valley at Hatboro-Horsham H.S. Thursday, Jan. 24, 2019 (7:00pm).
Perhaps the biggest match-up in round one of these dual championships will be #8 Neshaminy versus #9 Quakertown at Hatboro-Horsham H.S. Thursday night at 7:00pm. The ‘Skins are on a roll this season and aspire to reach the 2019 PIAA Team Championships. However, Neshaminy will have to get by the Panthers to just advance to the Elite 8. The two teams have not wrestled each other in several years, and both teams were eliminated in first round action a year ago. One of them will advance this year. It should be an epic battle with a slight edge in match-ups on the ‘Skins side.
At Hatboro-Horsham at 5:30pm on Thursday evening, #12 Souderton will grapple #5 Boyertown (PAC). Souderton has won four straight matches, and with top guns Tyler Williams (138-pounds), Connor Trowbridge (145) and Bruno Stolfi (195) should give the Bears a challenge. If Boyertown’s line-up is complete, the Indians will need to secure big bonus points and avoid giving up bonus points to an experienced post-season team. Look for a match-up with PA-Wrestling.com’s #1 wrestler at 195-pound Jacob Miller (Boyertown) to grapple with #3 Bruno Stolfi (Souderton).
#14 Hatboro-Horsham will face a tall task to take down perennial D1 dual team Owen J Roberts, seeded #3. This match is also slated for 5:30pm at H-H. Owen J Roberts will wrestle Spring-Ford (Wednesday) evening for PAC supremacy. H-H was eliminated last year in the first round by Downingtown West. Council Rock North seeded #10 will battle #7 Downingtown West at West Chester Rustin Thursday at 5:30pm. Downingtown West cannot be counted out this season, as they have experience in the D1 duals, advancing to Hershey just a year ago. The Indians have experience too; nonetheless, the edge here goes to the Whippets, as CRN may be without standout Sammy Hayes (152).
At West Chester Rustin, #11 Wissahickon returns to the D1 Duals with high hopes as they will face off with #6 Garnet Valley from the rugged Central League at 7:00pm. Wissahickon has the studs to get the upset, but will need to wrestle solid up and down the line-up to get it done. Match-ups will be key here, and on paper Wissahickon has a slight edge.
TOURNAMENT NOTES: The SOL enters seven teams, the most of all the represented leagues in D1. The Ches-Mont has four entries, the PAC has three teams and the Central League two teams. Quarterfinal action and the finals will be hosted by Upper Dublin H.S. Feb. 1 and 2. Teams must apply for the tournament, the teams that enter are then seeded by the District One Wrestling Committee coaches.
Few Escape The Rock
The Escape the Rock tournament hosted by Council Rock South, in its 14th year lived up to the hype with some of the nation’s best wrestlers competing. That being said, only one SOL wrestler reached the finals. CR North’s Cam Robinson wrestled his way thru only to see his hopes for an ETR championship belt dashed by the #1 wrestler in the country at 145-pounds, Ryan Anderson (Bethlehem Catholic). Robinson dropped a 9-3 decision in the finals. Bethlehem Catholic won the team title with 162.5 points in a field of over 50 teams, edging out Ohio power LaSalle (155.5 pts).
North’s Kyle Hauserman placed fourth at 106-pounds and teammate Dillon Sheehy was fifth at 160-pounds. CR North placed 16th in the team standings with 61.5 points. The host, Golden Hawks had two medalists in Kyle Waterman, sixth at 106-pounds and Nik Korbich, 5th at 170. CR South accumulated 74.5 points to place 11th in the team scoring.
Neshaminy posted 59 points to finish in the top-20 in 18th place with lone medalist Jackson Erb at 152-pounds. Erb dropped an overtime sudden victory loss to Paulsboro’s George Worthy 5-3 to place fourth. William Tennent’s A.J. Tamburrino was spectacular at 145-pounds, capturing bronze with a 3-0 victory over St. Joseph’s (NJ) Regional’s Stefano Sgambellone. Tamburrino now stands at 25-2 this season, and suffered only one loss at ETR, going 7-1 over two days. Fellow Panther, T.J. England also stood on the podium with a seventh-place finish.
Pennridge’s Logan Green pinned Paulsboro’s Anthony Morina in 2:20 to place seventh at 195-pounds. Green was the lone wrestler competing for the Rams at ETR.
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