Glenn Kaiser’s wrestling notebook features the top performances this weekend’s Southeast Region Tournament and also predicts the winners at the upcoming state tournament. (Photo courtesy of CR South wrestling)
COUNCIL ROCKS ON A MISSION
By Glenn Kaiser
The field of teams that make up the Southeast Region are happy the Council Rock School District doesn’t have only one high school wrestling team, because if they did everyone else would just be going for second place. Council Rock South and Council Rock North finished one-two at this past weekend’s SE Regional Wrestling Championships at Souderton Area High School and did so with flare. Both teams captured three individual championships, with CR South stealing some thunder from some big guns in District One.
The Golden Hawks’ Shane Hanson-Ashworth shocked West Chester Henderson’s returning state runner-up, Killian Delaney at 120-pounds, winning a perfectly executed match 3-1. Many in the Souderton gymnasium were surprised by the Hanson-Ashworth big win, but not Shane, nor his coaches Brad Silimperi and Trappe McCormick. It all seemed to be part of the plan for CR South. Hanson-Ashworth put an exclamation point on CR South’s dominant performance, both individually and as a team, as the Golden Hawks amassed 197.5 points, leaving the rest of the teams of the Southeast in the dust.
A regional title usually puts you in a good spot in the PIAA Individual Championships’ brackets, and pays dividends in Hershey. And for the Golden Hawks, that is exactly what they set out to do. South will send nine wrestlers to the state tournament, more than half of any other team. Braden Ricchini would not be outdone by his teammate and workout partner Hanson-Ashworth as he turned the tide on Neshaminy’s Colton Jordan at 126-pounds, winning in sudden victory with a takedown to win 3-1. This was the third title for South of the first four weight classes at regions. Max Mendez, an expected CR South wrestler to win a title, edged West Chester Henderson’s Sam McMonagle 3-2 with an early takedown to capture the 113-pound title.
South’s neighbor, and District partner if you will, Council Rock North did not disappoint in the finals either. The Indians Kyle Hauserman continued his dominance over the Golden Hawks’ Kyle Waterman, winning the 106-pound title 2-0 for his third win over Waterman this season. These two could very well meet again in Chocolate Town, USA, this coming week. Wrestling kicks off Thursday (4:00pm) at the Giant Center and runs through Saturday, culminating with the finals on FloWrestling at 7:00pm.
North’s Cam Robinson shut down William Tennent’s A.J. Tamburrino attempt at redemption, winning the 145-pound crown 7-5, in this rematch of last weekend’s D1 East title tilt. Tamburrino built an early 4-1 lead with two first period takedowns, but Robinson rallied for the victory and the SE Region title. The Indians also had a surprise winner in the 145-pound finals as Dillon Sheehy avenged a D1 East final’s loss to Jackson Erb (Neshaminy), reversing the score 3-2 in his favor. The SOL showed its dominance early in the Regional finals, as half of the first eight weight classes were rematches from a week ago, and 30 SOL grapplers advanced to the 2019 PIAA AAA Individual Championships, the most of any league throughout District One.
At 132-pounds, Gunnar Fuss (Harry S Truman) a Columbia signee, dropped a tough 6-4 loss to Downingtown East’s Lukas Richie 6-4. Fuss, however, was the winner of the SE Region Official’s award for sportsmanship, announced prior to the start of the finals. Souderton’s Tyler Williams continued his quest for a state title, dominating Antonio Petrucelli 9-3 in the 138-pound final. CR South’s freshman Matt Colajezzi qualified for states as the runner-up at 160-pounds after dropping a 2-0 decision to Strath Haven’s John Crawford. Only four weight classes did not have a SOL finalist, those divisions were 170, 182, 195 and 285-pounds.
Paolo DiSanto silenced all his critics with a return to Hershey as he reached the finals but was denied a title by returning state champion at 220-pounds, Hunter Catka (Sun Valley). Catka decked DiSanto quickly in :46 seconds. Two weight classes were completely dominated by SOL wrestlers, 120 and 132-pounds. CR North’s Luke Lucerne downed Tennent’s T.J. England 8-3 in the consolation finals at 120, and Corey Cope capped his fine season with a state berth, winning 1-0 over Spring-Ford’s Quinn Tobin for fifth place.
At 132-pounds Quakertown’s Dominic DeFalco defeated L.J. Kahn (CRS) 3-0, making it a clean sweep for all four 132-pounders advancing to Hershey, with Neshaminy’s Zach Martin returning to the Giant Center with a fifth place showing. Other qualifiers included third place finishes by Bruno Stolfi (Souderton) at 195 and John Klewin (Bensalem) at 285. Wissahickon had two qualifiers in Dan Keller (5th-182) and Mark Thompson (4th-285). Eric Woloshyn (CRS) downed Pennridge’s Evan Widing 4-2 at 145-pounds, Cole Flanagan was fourth at 152 and Giani Gilch (4th) advanced at 182 to round out the Golden Hawks team qualifiers.
Quakertown advanced three grapplers, as Max Russell (5th-195) joined teammates Cope and DeFalco on the road to Hershey for Coach Kurt Handel and the Continental League champs. Souderton’s Bruno Stolfi returns to states with his third-place finish at 195-pounds with a win over Pennridge’s Logan Green. Green will join Stolfi in Hershey in this big man bracket. North Penn’s returning state medalist, Patrick O’Neill, advanced to try and repeat a trip to the podium. O’Neill won his fifth place bout over Downingtown East’s hot Spencer Uggla with a perfect tech fall 15-0.
There are never guarantees in Hershey, but this group of SOL wrestlers, who have reached their goal of getting through the postseason grind to wrestle on the Giant Center mats, will have plenty of opportunities to secure multiple medals. Possibly the most ever from the SOL in any one state tournament. Likewise, District One wrestlers in total have a chance at earning up to 24 medals based on my predictions.
Here is a look at the brackets:
106-pounds: Hauserman (CRN) and Waterman (CRS) look like good bets for earning heavy medals, and perhaps will meet again to do so. Finals: Carter Dibert (Franklin Reg) over Kyle Waterman (CRS)
113-pounds: Mendez (CRS) is on a mission to get on the podium. Finals: Alexander Herrera (Seneca Valley) over Tai-Reese Flemming (Liberty)
120-pounds: Shane Hanson-Ashworth (CRS) is primed for a run to the finals with his Regional crown, and Lucerne (CRN), England (WT) and Cope (Q-town) are all capable of medaling. Finals: Kurtis Phipps (Norwin) over Sean Pierson (Nazareth)
126-pounds: Richinni (CRS) and Jordan (Neshaminy) will need great efforts to medal, in this talented weight class state-wide. Finals: JJ Wilson (Cedar Cliff) over Colton Camacho (Franklin Reg)
132-pounds: Fuss (HST) is the most likely medalist here out of the SOL’s four qualifiers at this weight. Finals: Sam Hillegas (North Hills) over Kenny Hermann (Becahi)
138-pounds: Does Tyler Williams become Souderton’s second state champ? Finals: Ed Scott (Dubois) over Jeff Boyd (McDowell)
145-pounds: Robinson (CRN) and Tamburrino (WT) may meet yet again, they will both earn medals regardless. Ryan Anderson (Becahi) over Cam Robinson (CRN)
152-pounds: Dillon Sheehy (CRN) has positioned himself well with a Regional title, Erb (Neshaminy) will need to be his best to medal here. Finals: Cam Connor (Kiski) over Cole Handlovic (Beahi)
160-pounds: Colajezzi (CRS) just a freshman and O’Neill (NP) with experience here are in the same bracket with Kiski’s Jake Blumer and Becahi’s Luca Frinzi, they will have to wrestle thru the weekend at a very high level to earn spots on the podium. Finals: Clayton Ulrey (Lower Dauphin) over Jake Blumer (Kiski)
170-pounds: Ed Ruth (Susquehanna) over Gerrit Nijenhuis (Cannon Mac)
182-pounds: Outside chance for Gilch (CRS) and Keller (Wissahickon) to medal. Finals: Connor Starocci (Cathedral Prep) over Luke Stout (Mt. Lebanon)
195-pounds: Two undefeated wrestlers in both half of this bracket, but weight class is viable for upsets and a chance for Stolfi (Souderton) and Green (Pennridge) for a top-8 finish.
Finals: Cole Urbas (State College) over Max Shaw (Thomas Jefferson)
220-pounds: Paolo DiSanto has a good a chance to medal here as any, but Hunter Catka (Sun Valley) gets his second state title over. Finals: Hunter Catka (Sun Valley) over Nate Schon (Sellingsgrove)
285-pounds: Several undefeated heavyweights loom here, if John Klewin (Bensalem) gets back on track he can medal. Finals: Kawaun DeBoe (Cathedral Prep) over Jake Slinger (Upper St. Clair)
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