Glenn Kaiser introduces the SOL's new coaches and highlights some of the top returning wrestlers in District One and Distirct 12.
SOL WRESTLING NOTEBOOK (First Edition)
Glenn Kaiser
Head Coach Hatboro-Horsham & District One Steering Committee Member
With the 2013-14 high school wrestling season underway, lets take a look at what teams, coaches, and individuals return this season to seek precious metal in Chocolate Town, USA.
Suburban One League Welcomes Old Coaches Back, New Coaches In All 3 Divisions
Wrestling coaches never get old; they just get better. The Suburban One League (SOL) is the largest conference in District One (D1), and its history is rich when it comes to coaching, Ralph Wetzel (Hatboro-Horsham), Vic Stanley (Council Rock), Ed Klavon (North Penn), John Tomlinson (Central Bucks East), and Bob Lorence (Plymouth-Whitemarsh) are all PAWCA Hall of Famers. Some may call coaches who come back retreads, but just look at Stan Smith at Souderton who has saved the wrestling program more than one time over the years, and you’ll know that the rubber really hits the road when it comes to dedicated wrestling coaches.
The most notable returning to the coaching ranks is Steve Romesburg back at Central Bucks West. Steve never left the mat, having coached in the midgets and middle school for years in between his last stint as the head coach at West. The Bucks will miss coach Joe McGinley, but Romesburg has the potential to return the magic of the past back to the program. Romesburg himself was a standout wrestler and a football player for the Bucks, and he knows what it takes. Here’s wishing CB West the Buck Fever!
Doug Hansbury returns to coach the Owls at Bensalem. And former William Tennent headman Joe Rigous takes over for the retired Craig Deacon at Central Bucks South. Rigous doesn’t skip a beat as he heads home to Warrington to take over where his son Dom recently graduated. Dom is now wrestling in state for Clairion.
New guys on the block include Anthony Incollingo, taking over the rich in tradition Neshaminy program. Ben Madden replaces Rigous at William Tennent, and Justin Giovinco takes the reigns from Nate Wachtner at Plymouth-Whitmarsh. Giovinco, a former 2x PIAA (AAA) Champion, will coach at his alma mater, and for sure will make Hall of Famer Bob Lorence a happy man.
All told, that makes six new coaches in the SOL; three coaching changes in the National Conference (which includes: Council Rock North & South, Pennsbury, Neshaminy, Bensalem, Abington, William Tennent, and Truman); two in the Continental (Hatboro-Horsham, Quakertown, Souderton, Pennridge, North Penn, & Central Bucks South, East, and West); and one in the American Conference (Upper Dublin, Upper Moreland, Springfield, Wissahickon, Plymouth-Whitemarsh, Upper Merion, Cheltenham, and Norristown).
State Placewinners Headline Returning Wrestlers (Complete D1 & D12 Preview)
District 12 leads the way with returning individual PIAA (AAA) State Champion Joey Galasso (Father Judge). Galasso is one of the most accomplished, if not the best ever in the city of Philadelphia. Galasso is projected to take the mat at 145 lbs in 2013-14 and looks to add many more wins to his 128-10 career record as he defends his title. The lightweights are the headliners in D1 as Edgar Garcia (Avon Grove) and Anthony Petril (Upper Darby) will look to Hershey from the 106 lb weight class. Jason Rinaldi (Marple-Newtown) and Quakertown’s Collyn Dorney move up to 113 with Upper Darby’s Austin Petril to ride the road to Hershey. The 120 and 126 pound weight classes could see the most activity as Pennridge’s duo of Scotty Parker and Ben Ross will surely return to the Giant Center in seek of precious metal. Others in this star-studded field include a host of lightweight standouts: Michael Marino (Garnet Valley), Derek Gulotta (Owen J Roberts), Dan Martoccio (CRS), Dustin Steffinino (Upper Perk), Phil Torresani (H-H), Wade Cummings (Downingtown East), & Kolton Veit (Souderton). This senior-laden group hopefully shakes out in different weight classes, as this is an extremely talented group, which intends on making noise in Chocolate Town, USA.
Colby Frank (OJR) and Tommy Stokes (Bensalem) lead the way of studly middleweights from the Southeast Region, projecting at 132 pounds. They’ll be accompanied by Stokes’ biggest rival, Evan Wilson (CB East), at 138 along with D12’s Greg Konieczny from La Salle. Francesco Fabozzi (CBE) looks to headlock another medal, while Methacton’s Joe Staley enters his senior year looking for a ride to the Giant Center. Owen J Roberts will once again be a strong dual meet team with the likes of Dom Petrucelli at this weight class. Mikey Springer also looks to headlock a medal with a return trip to the PIAA’s, and continue Norristown’s postseason success at the 152-pound spot. SOL Continental rivals Jeff Reimel (North Penn) and CB West junior Riley Barth also look tough here. OJR’s Demetri D’Orsaneo and Jon Cooper (Spring-Ford) carry the PAC 10 banner here as well.
The preview at 160-170 pounds finds the PAC-10 again leading the way with Perk Valley’s Nick Giangiulio a 2013 state qualifier, Pottstown Darian Hain, along with Boyertown’s Cody Richmond. Others here include D12’s Joe DePhillippo (Bonner), Unionville’s Mike Caldwell, and the Bucks Bryan Jastrzebski. Jastrzebski, if healthy, could achieve the same heights as his brother, Chris, now wrestling at Maryland.
Heavies could steal the show in the SE Region
Super sophomore Jordan Wood looks to battle 3x State Champion Thomas Haines (Solanco) once again in the finals should Haines stay down at 220 pounds. Mike Boykin (Coatsville) and Tyler Callender (Council Rock North) are the returning #3 and #4 respectively in the State at the AAA level. The trio of Wood, Boykin, and Callender make a case of being possibly the best returning group at any weight class in D1 this year, or any year for that matter! Other upper weights with good credentials include: at 182 lbs-2013 SQ Rashon Lusane, Norristown, Caleb Edwards (Avon Grove), and Gabe Hale (DTE); 195 lbs-North Penn’s 2013 SQ Alex Price; Adam Pleines (DTE), Jordan Wertz (Boyertown), and fellow senior Sonny Armstrong (Penncrest). Another trio of big men at 285 pounds are Methacton’s Tracy Green (6th 2013), Sean Snodgrass (Downingtown East) returning state qualifier, and 2012 state qualifier Matt Gould (Interboro).
So look for big things from start to finish this season in District One and District Twelve, as the quality and quantity is mounting. D1 teams as always will take to the road at the start of the season and over the holidays to take on not only the state’s best, but the nations best. Some of the teams watch in D12 include Catholic Schools La Salle and Father Judge and Public’s Central, Northeast, and George Washington, and in D1 (AA) Lower Moreland as they go for a fourth straight title.
First Weekend Results:
16th Annual Mule Classic at Solanco H.S.
Five District One teams (three SOL Continental teams) traveled to Quarryville, PA, on the opening weekend of Pennsylvania high school wrestling. Central Bucks East, Souderton, Hatboro-Horsham, Sun Valley, and Oxford got tested early in Central PA. CB East’s Senior 145 pounder Francesco Fabozzi (Princeton bound) stole the show by winning the championship in the most competitive weight class, downing Solanco’s Kody Hart by major decision 20-7, thus garnering the tournament’s most outstanding wrestler award. The top half of the bracket featured four solid D1 wrestlers, with Fabozzi tech falling Souderton’s Brett Hale in the quarters, and Brad Humski (Hatboro-Horsham) decking Sun Valley’s Steve Okoorian in the quarters. Fabozzi won by injury default over H-H’s Humski after securing a commanding lead in the semis, with Humski unable to stop a severe nosebleed.
With the seeding, somewhat out of whack throughout several weight classes, the SOL Continental still managed to garner four golds with Fabozzi at 145, teammate Evan Wilson at 138, Souderton’s Kolton Veit (defeated CBE’s Ryan Chalifox in the finals with a 7-1 dec.) at 126, and H-H’s 152 pounder, Connor Bodnar, holding off Northern-Lebanon’s Luke Funck 1-0. All in all, D1 had 10 finalists. H-H’s Zach Tuerke (182 lbs) reached the finals, and Phil Torresani placed 3rd at 120 pounds.
CB East (172.5 pts.) led the way in team scoring for D1 and the SOL with a third place finish behind team champs John Carroll (MD) 207.5 points, and runner-up Solanco (193). CBE Patriot Evan Wilson won the most falls in the least amount of time award. Souderton was 6th (106.5) and Hatboro-Horsham 7th (102).
Boyertown Duals
As expected, the Boyertown Bears opened their 2013-14 dual campaign by winning the Brian Bealer Memorial Bear Duals. The hosts went a perfect 5-0 on the day capping the finals off with a 56-9 defeat of Governor Mifflin. Boyertown is clearly the frontrunner to represent D1 at the State Dual Championships in Hershey this season. PAC-10 rival Owen J Roberts did not fare as well during pool competition with an upset loss to Harry S Truman 39-30.
Council Rock North went 3-2 on the day beating Unionville 31-30 in the 5th place bout. Unionville had a seesaw day beating Truman 33-30 but losing to OJR 38-27.
Owen J (2-3) has been the head of the class in D1 as a dual team for the past several years, but the tide may be turning in the Bears favor with these early results. One thing for sure, the PAC 10 will continue to excite fan interest in every one of its contested duals this season with the likes of Spring-Ford, Upper Perk, and Methacton. The Bear Duals are typically the first barometer of where teams are in D1. Next weekend at the Ghost Town Dual hosted by Abington, Spring-Ford, Upper Darby, Hatboro-Horsham, Wissahickon and Pennsbury will rumble to see how they stand with the elite in D1. Joining these AAA schools will be defending AA Team Champion Lower Moreland.
Central Bucks West was the team runner-up at the New Hope Solebury opening season tournament with two champions in Riley Barth (145) and Bryan Jastrebski (160). Kevin Gerbecki (106) and Jason Douple (152) secured bronze, while Jason Stout (138) bolstered the team scoring with a runner-up finish.
At the Quakertown Duals, host Quakertown looked impressive with wins over Upper Perk 44-27, Neshaminy 45-32, and Pittston Area 48-30. Meanwhile, in Quakertown, Neshaminy knocked off Upper Perk 42-34, and defeated Plymouth Whitmarsh 52-22. Freedom (D11) reigned supreme, beating the Quakertown Panthers 33-30. A solid Pennridge Rams team travelled to North Carolina to compete in the Wildcat Duals at Lake Norman H.S. and came home 3-1 record that included a win over always tough Christiansburg (VA) 43-32. Wissahickon hosted their own Dual Tourney and came out with a 3-1 record with a victory over Wyomissing 43-21, and a loss to D1’s Pottsgrove 42-31.
*Individual Rankings will appear prior to the Holiday Break
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