NEW YEAR BRINGS HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR SOL WRESTLING
by Glenn Kaiser
Pennridge closed out the 2022 dual portion of this current wrestling season with an impressive win over Quakertown 37-34 on Dec. 22. The Rams win in this epic rivalry was somewhat unexpected but certainly not shocking. Pennridge has taken on two of the Southeast Region’s best teams to start off the 2022-23 dual season, and they have been downright mighty. Dropping a close one to Council Rock South 27-33. and then rattling off four straight wins in the Bear Duals to place second as a team after losing in the championship finals to powerful Easton 40-19, the Rams look ready to battle all the way to Hershey. Additionally, the ‘Ridge took down Neshaminy in another non-conference SOL dual 41-28 to move to 6-2 overall before embarking in SOL Colonial League action here in 2023. They open up against a solid Souderton squad this Wednesday.
Meanwhile, CR South keeps building for March Madness with one of the toughest schedules in all of Pennsylvania. The Golden Hawks wrestled up in the Valley of at the Bethlehem Holiday Classic (at Liberty H.S.) and came away with a 7th place team finish (120-points) in a stacked field that included winners Nazareth (167.5-points) who edged Easton (2nd-165), along with Jersey power Phillipsburg (3rd-151) and AA stalwart Saucon Valley (5th-140). However, Quakertown finished ahead of South in 6th place in the team race with 132 points. The Panthers finished with two champs in Colin Gaj at 145-pounds and Calvin Lachman at 215. Mason Ziegler was the runner-up at 121-pounds. South crowned one champ in Gavin Cole, who has impressed at 152-pounds. Bek Sadriddinov finished second to one of the nation’s best wrestlers in Dagen Condomitti (Northampton) at 160-pounds. Thus, it looks like a battle royale here in the SOL for District One (AAA) team supremacy with CR South, Pennridge and Quakertown heading into the New Year. Full dual results and tourney results can be viewed at
PA-wrestling.com.
Meanwhile, individuals and other SOL teams did battle at Hatboro-Horsham in the 21st (22nd if you count the non-Covid contest year for H-H) Wetzel Holiday Wrestling Classic for their own cause in the 2023 march to Chocolate Town, USA. Thirteen SOL teams competed at the Wetzel, which saw local District 12 power Conwell Egan walk away with the title with five individual champions. Pennsbury (182.5) finished second overall in the team race with Shane McGurrin (160) and Walker Murray (189) winning titles. Neshaminy is not going away with their individual talent, as they were third with 156.5-points and two-runners up Dan Hansbury (152) and Jesvin Matthew (189), who lost to Murray 4-2 in the championship final. SOL champs at the Wetzel included Central Bucks West’s Chris Dennis (114) and CB East big man Joe Collins, who won in sudden victory overtime 4-2 over Saint Marks (DE) Aiden Zellman. Additional SOL runners-up were Abington’s Matthew McCaughey (121), CB West’s Patrick Kelly (127), H-H’s Chris Staub (145) and Wissahickon’s 215-pounder Tyler Prince.
The 21st Wetzel featured teams from Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The Philadelphia Catholic League was well represented, as well as PA Prep schools. The Wetzel featured a JV tournament which saw CR South junior varsity grapplers excel.
Upper Dublin continues to improve, as the Cardinals finished 6th as a team in this 32-team field with 128.5 points. Dan Gorman (139) and Austin Pendleton (152) garnered bronze for the Flying Cardinals, as Jake Evans (107) and Tommy Clayton (160) finished 5th in their respective weight classes. UD had seven placers overall, the tournament placed out 1st thru 8th place. SOL teams will open up league competition this Wednesday with many key duals, Souderton (4th at Governor Mifflin Holiday Tournament) at Pennridge looks like the most intriguing Colonial matchup, along with H-H at Plymouth-Whitemarsh (who finished 5th at the Gov Miff) in the Liberty.
Council Rock North returned to the Powerade tourney as Eren Sement cemented his crown at 127-pounds with a 1-0 victory over Tennessee’s Caleb Uhorchuk from Signal Mountain. Council Rock North and South tangle in the old Unity Cup match at South in the Patriot. Other key bouts include North Penn at CB East, always a good one, and an improved Central Bucks South team at CB West.
It all starts to get interesting now, with the 2-pound Christmas weight-allowance and league competitions moving ever closer to the District One Team Championships and the SE Regional to be held at Souderton H.S.
SOL Team Rankings (1/2/23):
1.Council Rock South (3-0)
2. Pennridge (6-2)
3. Quakertown (0-2)
4. Pennsbury (5-0)
5. Neshaminy (5-2)
HM-Upper Dublin (4-0), Plymouth-Whitemarsh (6-1) & Central Bucks South (4-1)
Colonial:
1.Pennridge (6-2)
2. CB South (4-1)
3. Souderton (3-3)
Freedom:
1.Upper Moreland (6-2)
2. Springfield (5-2)
3. William Tennent (3-6)
Liberty:
1. Quakertown (0-2)
2. Upper Dublin (4-0)
3. Plymouth-Whitemarsh (6-1)
Patriot:
1.CR South (3-0)
2. Pennsbury (5-0)
3. Neshaminy (5-2)
*First SOL Individual Rankings will be released this Thursday
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