Glenn Kaiser previews the upcoming Southeast Regionals.
SOUTHEAST REGIONALS WILL DETERMINE STATE HOPEFULS
District One wrestlers that qualify for the PIAA Individual Championships will be determined this weekend at Souderton Area High School on Friday, March 3, and Saturday, March 4, 2017. The SOL will look to send not only a good amount of athletes, but top notched wrestlers to Hershey for states. And the opportunity to reward our high caliber wrestlers this year has increased, as the top five place winners will advance to Chocolate Town, USA. And there will be plenty from the SOL who will not only advance but plan to win a state title.
District One East Champions with legitimate shots for Gold in Hershey include:
Council Rock North’s Luke Lucerne at 106-pounds, who downed CRS’s Max Mendez for the second week in a row, 8-3. Matt Parker (Pennridge) will be a contender at 120, for sure. Parker beat Aiden Burke (CRN) in the semis and Ben Radner (CRS) in the finals 7-1 at the D1 East tourney. Gunnar Fuss (Harry S Truman) is back in top form with his district title at 126 over Souderton’s Brandon Bach, 2-0. At 132, Zack Trampe is poised to win his first state title in his senior year, as he too repeated with a victory in the D1 East finals over Cam Robinson (CRN), who he downed last weekend at leagues. Trampe was superior on his feet with a 30-15 technical fall. Cary Palmer is in the mix at 138, and his brother Riley Palmer will contend at 145-pounds. Colin Shannon (North Penn) grabbed his first district title at 152 and will be looking to rise on the podium at the Giant Center. Junior Josh Stillings from Pennridge is on a mission to be crowned the champ at 160. Central Bucks East’s Collin Stevens, undefeated at 182-pounds cannot be overlooked, and Joe Doyle (CRS) is set to battle Upper Darby’s Brian Kennerly the rest of the way to get to the top of the podium at 220 in Hershey.
The SOL American wrestlers were shut out at Quakertown in the D1 Central Championship but advanced ten wrestlers to the SE Region. 106-pounder Josh Stahl (Quakertown) was runner-up to Doug Zapf (Downingtown West), who is the #1 Ranked wrestler in Pennsylvania by PA Power Rankings. Stahl will be a contender over the next two weeks. Marco DiBattista (Plymouth-Whitmarsh) was the runner-up at 113, and he looks to gain a berth to Hershey this weekend at regionals. Wissahickon’s Nick Senderling is hot, advancing to regionals after finishing second at the D1 Central Championships, but he is in an extremely talented weight class with one of the best in the state in Chase Stevens (Coatesville), who decked Senderling in the 152-pound final. Noah Wood was second, dropping a tough 4-2 decision over Cole Zapf (Downingtown West) at 195-pounds.
August Gershwin (Cheltenham) is in one tough weight class at 138, but he advanced finishing fourth, and he will have to up his game to make it to states. Mason Novak (Upper Dublin) advanced finishing third with a victory over Downingtown West freshman Tyler Mousaw (4-1) in the consi-finals. Novak redeemed himself with the victory, as Mousaw upset Novak with a spladle pin in the quarterfinals.
Plymouth-Whitmarsh advanced the most wrestlers from the SOL American to regionals with four, as Tommy DiSisto (170-4th), Scott Horry (182-4th) and Nick Sudell (220-3rd) will join DiBattista at Souderton. Hatboro-Horsham’s Nick Chapman was impressive with three falls to finish third at 285-pounds after suffering a tough loss in the semis to Avon Grove’s Josh Walls. Chapman will look for rematch at regionals with a state birth on the line this weekend.
Others to watch:
From the SOL Continental:
113-pounds: Shane Thompson (CRN) D1 East champ is the third seed, and Chris Eck (CBE) is having a great senior season, but he is in a rugged group at regionals.
120: Harrison Andrade (Souderton) can beat anyone, but he will have to be outstanding to wrestle back to states from the top half of the bracket.
132-Freshman AJ Tamburrino (Tennent) may have the easiest path here away from Trampe, and he should be able to wrestle out to Hershey.
138-Pennridge’s Evan Widing, only a sophomore, will have to be at the top of his game to advance.
145-Will Laughlin (NP) is tested, but this weight is stacked as usual in the Southeast.
170-David McCoy (Tennent) is one tough customer.
195-both Brandon Ullman (NP) and Jack Morgan (Souderton) both have outside chances to advance and surprise. D1 East champ Paul O’Neill (Pennridge) will be in a good spot to advance.
220-Owen Verespy (NP) is away from Doyle here, and should have enough of what it takes to move on. North Penn’s Ryan Cody is the best heavy in the East, but he will be tested at Regionals after his district crown; he earned it with two sudden victories 3-1 over Nick Cooper (Bensalem) in the semis and Neshaminy’s Kyle Osterhoudt in the finals.
The National Conference boasts a talented group that could make the trek to Hershey, here are a few not mentioned above:
113-East champ Shane Thompson (CRN) has work to do in this talented weight class, and Braden Ricchini (CRS) is peaking at the right time.
126-Antonio Martoccio (Pennsbury), third in the East, and Jackson Erb (Neshaminy) are both dangerous.
132-Freshman Cam Robinson from CR North has been second to Trampe two weeks in a row.
152-Nick Nucero is another CR North wrestler that has flown under the radar.
160-Abington’s dark horse Shane Rose keeps advancing.
182-both Nik Korbich (CRS), second at districts, and Alex Litz (HST) can follow Stevens here.
195-Tyler Gettman (CRS) has some big wins for the Golden Hawks but will need to upset someone.
All in all, the three District One Tournaments went as expected from a team standpoint with Council Rock South winning the East and advancing 11 wrestlers, Downingtown West the Central, and Boyertown the West. Look for CRS to come out on top at the SE Regional in the team standings, and Pennridge (six Individuals), CR North (seven), and North Penn (six) could be in the top five as well when all the team points are tallied up at regionals. The action should really heat up this weekend up at Souderton H.S. in their beautiful facility. First whistle Friday night at 5:30 pm, and wrestling continues Saturday morning at 9:30 am.
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