SOL Stars Shine at 17th Annual Wetzel Classic

Glenn Kaiser recaps the 17^th Annual Wetzel Classic, highlighting some of the top individual performances as well as the top team showings.

2017 GOES OUT SMELLING LIKE A ROSE

SOL STARS SHINE AT 17^TH ANNUAL WETZEL CLASSIC

By Glenn Kaiser

HORSHAM, PA- Abington freshmen Jake Rose started and ended his 2017 portion of this wrestling season with two individual championships.  Rose opened the 2017-18 season with a title at the New Hope-Solebury Tournament and closed the first half with 120-pound crown at the 17^th Annual Wetzel Holiday Wrestling Classic at Hatboro-Horsham H.S.  Rose has been impressive for the Ghosts, and his second individual title is no surprise with an overall record of13-1.

His coaches and teammates have known from the beginning that he would have success.  His older brother, Shane, wrestled for the Ghosts and had success late in his scholastic career.  Jake is not struggling with the younger brother syndrome but rather has stepped up his game early in his first year in the PIAA.  Rose spoke modestly after winning his championship bout 3-0 over Avon Grove’s Justin Howard.  Along the way, Rose knocked off the number one seed In Lower Merion’s Christian Hodges 5-4 in the semifinals.

Asked about the possibility of winning four Wetzel titles, he said, “I am just focusing on the here and now.”  Knowing that every match is important and the cliché of taking one match at a time is the approach, Rose appears mature beyond his years.  Winning two titles in local tournaments “has been great, but I have to work hard and stay focused,” said Rose.  The wrestling season is still a young one like Jake, but it’s never too early to look towards the post-season, and if you met Jake, you could tell he is determined, focused, and motivated as he has high expectations come March.

Another young SOL talent, A.J. Tamburrino (William Tennent), repeated as a Wetzel champ at 138lbs, and was also the Outstanding Wrestler for the second straight year.  Tamburrino, ranked #12 in AAA by PA Power Rankings, dominated the weight class, recording two falls, a major decision and a tech fall in the finals versus Brett Horne (Downingtown East).  Tamburrino was crowned gold along with Anthony Colella (126-Ranked 18th) and Kyle Clements (182) as Tennent captured three titles in all, the most of any school in the 28-team event.  They also sported the most finalists with four as Yusuf Alidinov was denied a title at 195-pounds as he lost a narrow decision 3-2 in the finals and had to settle for the silver medal.

In the team standings, it was the hosts Hatboro-Horsham finishing the best of the SOL schools in 2^nd place behind only team champions Downingtown East.  H-H had its best showing at the Wetzel in several years as they garnered six medals.  Nick Chapman led the way with a title at 220lbs and a clean sweep of the weight class with four pins, upping his record to 14-0 with 14 falls in a row.  Chapman is currently ranked #6 by PA Power Rankings.  CJ Grier, only a sophomore, impressed, reaching the finals at 182 but was downed by Clements by tech fall.  H-H Warrior Matt Needleman (170) avenged a quarterfinal loss to DTE’s Matt Romanelli with a 5-3 win in the consolation finals for 3^rd place.  Brad Mallon (145) and Nick’s brother, Patrick Chapman (160), finished in fourth respectively, and Alanna Barberio was seventh at 106-pounds to round out the scoring for H-H.  Tennent was third overall in the team race.

Other SOL wrestlers that won the Wetzel were Wissahickon’s Nick Senderling (160), Bensalem’s Davud Esenov (170) and Nick Cooper (285-#8).  Esenov downed Upper Dublin’s Mason Novak (#15) 10-4 in the 170-pound title tilt.

NOTES:  All in all, the SOL won gold in 8 out of the 14 weight classes.  CB West ninth grader Chris Cleland looked promising at 106 (2^nd Place), advancing to the finals with three falls before losing to DTE’s tough Keanu Manuel.  Pennsbury’s Antonio Martoccio was upset by Abington’s Nick Castorina 7-6 in a first round match but wrestled back for 3^rd place at 126 for his 100^th Career Win.  Nick Cooper (Bensalem) recorded four pins in the championship bracket to win the Most Falls in the Least Amount of Time Award.  However, Martoccio notched five falls, the most over the two days.