Glenn Kaiser makes his predications for each weight class heading into the Southeast Regional Tournament, the final stop of the season before Chocolate Town, USA.
Last Stop Before Chocolate Town, USA
By Glenn Kaiser
The Road to Hershey is not an easy one for wrestlers in District One, but for many SOL grapplers the last roadblock at Oxford this weekend will be nothing but a speed bump. However, the Southeast Regional is always a grind, and provides for many exciting matches, with rematches, revenge matches, and some of the best wrestling a fan will see prior to the PIAA Individual Championships March 8 thru March 10, 2018 at the Giant Center in Hershey, PA.
Here is a look at the individual weight classes and my predictions:
106-pounds: A rematch in the finals here between Kyle Hauserman (CRN) and Kyle Waterman (CRS) is inevitable. However, danger is lurking for both, as Waterman will need to wrestle into the championship bracket and face Coatesville’s Brennan McBride (27-2), who has just two losses on the season. Hauserman must deal with fellow freshmen Matt Vulakh (PJPIII), the younger brother of standout Ryan Vulakh (145-pounds), in the lower half of the bracket. Both will prevail in their semifinal matches, Hauserman wins his first regional title, as he seems to have Waterman’s number.
113-pounds: Max Mendez (CRS) is peaking at the right time, and he will have his hands full with a 26-1 Jared Kuhns from Upper Perkiomen. Kuhns has plenty of experience, but Mendez is primed for a spot on the podium at the Giant Center. West Chester Henderson’s Killian Delaney is also wrestling extremely well as the top seed, and he’ll see Luke Lucerne (CRN) in the other semi. Look for an all SOL final here as well, Mendez over Lucerne in a repeat of last week’s D1 East final result. Mendez can go with anyone on his feet when he is at the top of his game.
120-pounds: Doug Zapf (Downingtown West) is a reigning state champion and will see Brandon Meredith (Spring-Ford) in the finals. Meredith’s only loss this season is to Zapf in the D1 Team Championships. Zapf was the better wrestler that day, Meredith had a good week in the state duals, downing tough competition, and is prepared for the rematch. Zapf and Meredith might very well meet in the state finals as well. This will be a great match. Meredith wins in an upset if you will, with a takedown in the third. CR South’s Shane Hanson-Ashworth wins the consolation bracket.
126-pounds: Easily the most difficult weight class for a wrestler to advance. Look for Gunnar Fuss (Truman) to be atop the podium. His finals opponent could be a SOL foe, as Anthony Colella (Tennent) and Josh Stahl (Quakertown) are in the top half of the bracket along with a dangerous Lukas Richie from Downingtown East, who is on a mission of his own. Gut feeling is Collela is Fuss’ opponent in the final. He has had some great wins over tough competition all season.
132-pounds: With the absence of Tennent’s A.J. Tamburrino, Tyler Williams will carry the SOL banner here with CR South’s Ben Radner. Methacton’s Kibwe McNair wins the weight class over Cade Mareno (Unionville). Radner and Williams make the trip to Hershey though.
138-pounds: Cam Robinson (CR North) will tangle with Nick Lilley (DTW) in the finals. Lilley, a senior, gets the nod over the sophomore, Robinson.
145-pounds: Pope John Paul II’s Ryan Vulakh is ready to win state gold, Jackson Erb from Neshaminy will be his opponent in the finals. Vulakh hands Erb his second loss of the season. Pennridge’s Evan Widing gets out of this rugged weight class with a berth to Hershey.
152-pounds: Owen J Roberts has a stud in Daniel Mancini that will dominate this weight class. CR North’s Dillon Sheehy is a threat, he and CR South’s Cole Flanagan both advance to the Giant Ctr. Gavin Hale will out scramble Sheehy in the bottom bracket semifinal.
160-pounds: Talent abounds here, and anyone can win this title. North Penn’s Patrick O’Neill has the edge, Henderson’s Ray Martin could derail him, and Methacton’s Michael Blackmore is up top with a host of others. In the bottom bracket, Colin Hulrey (WCR), a returning state qualifier, may be back to form after a long layoff due to injury, and Logan Green (Pennridge) will test him early. Ricky McCutchen has flown under the radar most of the year and could be the sleeper. I’ll go with O’Neill over Hurley. Don’t be surprised though if three SOL wrestlers make the trip to Hershey. Hatboro-Horsham senior Matt Needleman is a 3x regional qualifier and Zach Fisher is 2-1 versus Needleman this season. O’Neill over Hurley.
170-pounds: Nick Korbich will advance to states, but it will be Jason Zollers (OJR) over West Chester East’s Andrew DiBernardo in the finals.
182-pounds: Pennridge’s Josh Stillings wins another regional title over Boyertown’s Jacob Miller. Stillings has only one goal, win a state title. Upper Moreland’s Harry Green will follow Stillings to Hershey.
195-pounds: Boyertown’s Elijah Jones is the victor over DTE’s Josh Wileczek. Bruno Stolfi (Souderton) makes the trip, but will have to do it from the wrestle-backs.
220-pounds: Nick Chapman (H-H) gets revenge over Sun Valley’s Hunter Catka. Owen Verespy (NP) is third here. Chapman is 33-1 with 32 falls, Catka is 34-1 and handed Chapman his only loss of the season this year at the CB East Duals.
285-pounds-Ryan Cody (NP) is atop the bracket, Nick Cooper (Bensalem) on the bottom of the bracket. DTW’s Jesse Cook is on a mission to get to Hershey. He will and will face Cody in the finals. Another hunch, Cook reigns heavy.
The team race will be a photo finish: CR South, DTW and OJR will be in the picture. But don’t count out Pennridge, CRN and NP. Schools with the most wrestlers usually get this title, but the number of individual champions may dictate the team champ this year. I’m going to stick with some home cooking and pick the Golden Hawks to win another SE Region title…boring…LOL.
Best of luck to all of our SOL wrestlers, see you in Hershey…
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