Class AAA Team Championship Bracket Set for the Giant Center in Chocolate Town, USA
Quakertown Ousted by Wilson West Lawn 38-23
By Glenn Kaiser
The Quakertown Panther Wrestling Team has had an amazing 3-day excursion. After downing Sun Valley 39-33 in the quarterfinals, the Panthers nearly knocked off the #1 AAA team in the state, Council Rock South at Upper Dublin HS Saturday, dropping a 33-31 semifinal match in the District One Team Championships. Q-town was riding high as they entered the state bracket Monday despite their 36-31 loss to Boyertown in the D1 Team consolation-finals. That loss sent the Panthers to Wilson (West Lawn) to take on District 3’s #3 team for a spot in Hershey on the line.
Quakertown never got it going Monday evening, as they only won four bouts in a 38-23 loss to Wilson. It was no surprise who those winners were: Mason Zeigler (127), Gavin Carroll (145), Collin Gaj (152) and Calvin Lachman (285). This Fantastic Four has been the core of the Panthers’ lineup over the past few seasons, and they carried the team into the state bracket with a Marvel-esque effort. Zeigler has been nothing short of amazing with his weekend wins bumping up in weight-class, Carroll decked a rugged Ben Brillhart in the CR South dual, Gaj has been nothing less than a defending state-champion, and Calvin Lachman is on a mission in the heavyweight division. But dark horses often have their dreams shattered just as things seem possible.
Thus, the 16-team bracket is set for the 2024 PIAA Team Championships this weekend. It all kicks off on Thursday at 6 pm in the Giant Center in Hershey, PA, for the SOL’s Council Rock South and Pennridge wrestling squads. In prelim action, CR South will take on Franklin Regional, which downed the Obama Academy 69-6 Monday night. Franklin Regional was the District 7 #3 team. Pennridge will battle District Ten champ Cathedral Prep from Erie at 8 pm Feb. 8.
This year’s AAA Team Championship is wide-open. Perennial power Bethlehem Catholic is in a “down” year but cannot be counted out after defeating Easton for the District 11 title. Nonetheless, both CR South & Pennridge will be challenged out of the gate against formidable foes. If they both can advance to the quarters, it will most likely be Central Mountain (D6 Champs) for South and either Wilson or D7 Champ Connellsville for the Rams. Don’t be surprised to see both SOL teams in the semifinals, which could very well set-up a rematch of the D1 final for the state title. It’s one match at a time, and both teams will need some breaks, which would need to include good matchups and solid efforts from every wrestler up and down their lineups. Hopefully, both can be wrestling for one of the top three team spots in the greatest state for wrestling in our great nation.
No predictions yet, stay tuned.
WILSON (WEST LAWN) 38, QUAKERTOWN 23
285 - Calvin Lachman pinned Logan Kurzweg, 2:25 (0-6)
107 - Trevor Hertzog dec. Gunnar Jozefowski, 8-3 (3-6)
114 - Isaac Eidle maj. dec. Julian Moonlight, 14-6 (7-6)
121 - Reese Eidle maj. dec. Waylen Strzelski, 11-3 (11-6)
127 - McKaden Speece dec. Isaac Williams, 7-2 (14-6)
133 - Mason Ziegler won by tech. fall over Jameson Mckeown, 24-8 4:42 (14-11)
139 - James Garcia pinned Evan Hilton, 1:45 (20-11)
145 - Gavin Carroll pinned Dominic Delgado, 2:37 (20-17)
152 - Collin Gaj pinned Ricardo Tinoco, 2:18 (20-23)
160 - Matteo Garcia dec. Maxwell Hibsman, 7-2 (23-23)
172 - Blaise Eidle pinned David Clayton, 2:48 (29-23)
189 - Ethan Brownback dec. Dylan Fenstermacher, 8-6 (32-23)
215 - Ryan McMillan won by forfeit (38-23)
Wilson (West Lawn) wrestlers in bold.
PIAA Class AAA Duals results
PIAA CLASS AAA Tournament Bracket
https://www.piaa.org/assets/web/documents/2024_TW_3A_Brax.pdf
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