SOUTHEAST REGIONAL QUARTERFINAL RESULTS: SOL GRAPPLERS SHINE AT OXFORD
By Glenn Kaiser
Oxford, PA – Twenty-six SOL wrestlers advanced to the semifinals of the 2024 PIAA Southeast Regional Individual Wrestling Championships Friday evening - that is exactly half of all semifinalists. A remarkable, yet expected, result after day-one of the final-leg of qualifying for states. It is no surprise that the SOL is flooding the gates to get that precious ticket to Chocolate Town, USA, stamped. Favorites to win a state title at their prospective weight-classes include Hatboro-Horsham’s Dominick Morrison (107), Colby Martinelli (Pennridge) at 114-pounds, Mason Ziegler, Quakertown’s 121-pounder, #1 seed at 133, Eren Sement (Council Rock North), Gavin Carroll (Q-town) at 145, defending state champ Collin Gaj (Q-town/152), Golden Hawk Bek Sadriddinov (172) and big man Calvin Lachman from Quakertown lead the way heading into Saturday’s action in cow country, or should I say mushroom country.
There is no question that a 121-pounder from the SOL will win a SE Regional title, as all four semifinalists hail from the SOL. It will be Mason Ziegler from Q-town unless there is some disturbance in the earth’s rotation. Four other weight classes feature three SOL wrestlers and four others have two SOL grapplers ready to punch their tickets to Hershey in the semis. The lower half of the 107-pound bracket features the #1 and #2 ranked wrestlers in the state with
H-H’s Morrison and Alex Diaz from CR North along with Upper Dublin’s Dominick Powell up top versus the #3 ranked wrestler Max Tanicni from Perk Valley. Martinelli will take on Connor Lenahan (CR South) at 114. Martinelli received a nice shiner in his quarterfinal pin-fall win over Upper Perk’s Gabe Tulone and is ready to win a regional title, especially with Ridley’s Curtis Nelson pinning himself in his quarterfinal loss. Martinelli versus Nelson was expected to be a great final here near the Maryland border.
We could see Eren Sement (CRN) vs. Pennridge’s Quinn McBride in the 127-pound final without the absence of CR South’s Pat Woloshyn here. CB South’s Jake Neill is out with an injury at 139-pounds, which set up an all-SOL semifinal with Patrick Kelly (CB West) and North Penn’s Johnny O’Brien. Ben Brillhart (CRS) will battle Q-town’a Carroll one more time at 145, and H-H’s Chris Staub is in the lower half semi, which should set up an all-SOL final here. Carroll won over Brillhart 6-0 last week at the D1 East Sectional tourney final. Q-town’s Gaj will most likely have a rematch with Pennrige’s Sam Kuhns at 152. Kuhns sees Nehaminy’s Bek Baiyshbekov in the lower half semi here.
Gavin Cole (CRS) looks to be headed to the finals against SOL foe Ryan Gallagher (Pennridge) if Gallagher can get past the host’s Jon Smith from Oxford in the semis at 160-pounds. Cole takes on Ernazar Baiyshbekov (Neshaminy) up top. #1 in the state at 172-pounds, Bek Sadriddinov could very well face a hot Pennridge Ram, Talan Hogan, in this final, if Hogan can down a solid wrestler in Sam Gautreau from Owen J Roberts. #3 ranked Calvin Lachman of Quakertown will await the winner of Dean Bechtold (OJR) and John Pardo (Kennent) who round out the top-five of the 285-pound weight class.
There has already been absolute craziness here in Oxford, and day-two of this SE Regional will be like no other. But one thing is for sure, the SOL grapplers will be making a historic prospect of precious metals come Saturday night.
The team race also will feature the SOL, as Pennridge (65.5-points), Council Rock South (53) and Quakertown (45.5) are currently 1-2-3 and will be in the hunt for the team title. CR North (30) stands in sixth-place and Hatboro-Horsham (24) is tie for ninth making the top-10 ten teams top-heavy with five SOL representatives.
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