SOL WRESTLING WRAP
COUNCIL ROCKS COME UP SHORT AT STATE DUALS
By Glenn Kaiser
Council Rock North, the District One runner-up, ran into neighborhood foe CR South all the way up in Altoona, PA, in an elimination bout at the 2025 PIAA Team Championship and came away empty handed. North got rocked by South 44-15 in the first round of wrestle-backs. South then had to grapple with D1 Team Champion Boyertown in the consolation semifinals for a chance to place in the top four in AAA. Unfortunately, it was once again another similar outcome for South, as the Boyertown Bears were too much for the Golden Hawks eliminating them 39-22. CRS took out CRN in a league dual prior to the D1 Duals 42-20 to win the SOL Patriot Division title, and South was the victim of an earlier loss to Boyertown 37-27 in the D1 semifinals.
It should be noted here, that it is time to change the PIAA Team Championships to include the best teams from across the state to have a shot at a title. Not only do D1 teams run into each other later in the tournament, it seems every year, with a top spot on the line (which isn’t necessarily a bad thing), but some of Pennsylvania’s best teams are left home with no chance to hoist the team trophy every year. Especially this season, as District 11 left at least three potential medaling teams back in the Lehigh Valley. Why can’t the PIAA consider either expanding the bracket, adding teams from other Districts or just seed the tournament with the best teams each year?
Around the League: The Colonial Division of the SOL is possibly still up for grabs with this week’s league individual tournament on tap, as Pennridge and Souderton are both 4-1 in league dual action, so points at the individual event Wednesday will matter. There could be a slight edge on paper for the Rams, but it all depends on team’s individual entries here and how many wrestlers can post points in the team race. Upper Moreland is a perfect 5-0 in Freedom duals and should come out on top, and in the Liberty, Quakertown looks to finish with yet another league title for head coach Kurt Handel who owns over 350 dual meet victories (355-147 Career Record).
Nonetheless, it is a great way to finish for teams at the state tournament. Now we turn our attention to the individual championship season. Things get underway in the PIAA Feb 22, 2025, at Quakertown HS for most SOL teams in a one-day tournament. The top six individuals advance from each weight-class. This will be a grinder of a qualifier for wrestlers to advance to the Southeast Regional that will be hosted by Souderton. The top five at Regionals move on to Hershey to compete in the greatest show on Earth, the PIAA Individual Championships. This is a significant change from last season, in which there were four Sectionals in District One with the top four advancing to Regionals. Thus, the field at Q-town will be the best of the three new Sections here in D1. There will be no easy passes, and to punch your ticket out of the D1 North Section to Regionals will be a huge accomplishment for individual wrestlers. Most important will be placement here for seeding at the SE Regional.
The SOL has many top-ranked individuals who will compete against one another right out of the gate in the first-leg of the state tournament. Dom Morrison (Hatboro-Horsham) 114-pounds, Anthony Mutarelli (CR South) 133lbs. and Colin Gaj (Q-town) 160lbs. are all top-ranked in their weight classes by PA Power, and CR North’s Eren Sement (145) is ranked #2. However, the list of other potential place-winners in Hershey is a long one. There may be some wrestlers who move up or down in weight for the postseason as they look beyond local competition, but all know the road to Hershey is a long one that requires grit, determination, the will to win and some good luck to advance to Chocolate Town, USA.
Some others to keep an eye on are light-weights at 107 Chase Williams (CB East), Dom Powell (Upper Dublin) and A.J. Kane (CR North). Pennridge has Quinn McBride (127) and Colby Martinelli (133). At 139-pounds, Pat Woloshyn (CR South) is having a stellar season, and H-H’s Ryan Allgeier is looking for his first trip to Hershey in his senior campaign at 139. CB West has Patrick Kelly (145) and Chris Dennis (160). 160-pounds is outrageous with CR South’s Ben Brillhart and Neshaminy’s Bek Baiyshbekov. 152 features Q-town’s Gavin Carroll and North Penn’s Joey O’Brien who is finally healthy heading into the postseason. Gavin Cole (CRS) leads the way at 172-pounds, while Pennsbury’s Walker Murray is a force at 215. The heavy-weight division has some dark horses in CR South’s Jeff Gessner and Neshaminy’s Owen Swartz. These are just a few who will rise on the podiums here in the Southeast Region, with dreams of precious metal at states.
Count no one out until the final whistle blows.
Panther Open at William Tennent: Plymouth-Whitemarsh won the team title Feb. 8 with 217 points way out in front of a 16-team field that included five SOL squads. P-W enters the postseason hot with a dual win over H-H 32-28 and three champs at Tennent. Kahleef Leonard (114), Jacob Plant (133) and Shi Nobi Morffiah (215) wrestled to titles at the Panther Open. Other SOL champs included Upper Moreland’s Maximus Stevenson at 121, Truman’s Dominik Bucci (127) and Malik Kelly (152), host Tennent’s Brock Rudy (139) and Cheltenham’s Arthur Gordon 172). P-W gets to avoid the battle in the North, as they will travel to the Central Section which features the rugged Pioneer Athletic Conference teams. Souderton will also compete at Perk Valley in the Central Section. Both the D1 North and Central consist of 20-teams while the South (at Oxford) has 21 teams.
- Log in to post comments
