Glenn Kaiser highlights some of the top SOL performances at year-end tournaments.
Year-End Tournament Highlights & Featured Dual Meets
By Glenn Kaiser
Upper Dublin had a busy holiday weekend last week wrestling three straight days in the Delco Duals at Academy Park H.S. and at the Wetzel Classic at Hatboro-Horsham H.S. The Flying Cardinals split their duals at Academy Park, losing to the hosts 48-28 and Great Valley 46-33. However, they were able to up their record to 5-4 with lopsided wins over Bishop McDevitt 72-6 and South Philly 60-15. 182-pounder Mason Novak extended his win streak to 13-0, remaining undefeated on the season after capping of the Wetzel Classic with the 182 lb. title. Freshman Colin Higgins wrestling at 106 lbs. upped his record to 12-1 with a Wetzel title, as he is off to a hot start to his high school career. Sophomore Brett Rama has added some punch to the U.D. line-up at 120 lbs. with a 10-4 record as the Cardinals are gaining traction again this season.
Council Rock South once again traveled for individual tourney action to the Lehigh Valley, this time it was back at Bethlehem Liberty in the Holiday Classic. The Golden Hawks finished fifth in the team standings with 147.5 points. CRS finished behind four District 11 teams as they were the highest finishing District 1 team at the event. Liberty won at home with 225 points outdistancing themselves from Valley foes Northampton (211 pts.), Nazareth (170.5) and Saucon Valley (161). Kyle Waterman finished with the bronze medal after downing the Koncrete Kids’ Alexander Hanley in this annual rugged tourney. Eric Woloshyn finished fourth at 145 lbs., as four Golden Hawks placed fifth in their respective weight classes. Max Mendez was victorious over Quakertown’s Corey Cope 4-2 at 120 lbs. Shane Hanson-Ashworth (126), Branden Ricchini (132) and Nik Korbich - who pinned Wissahickon’s Dan Keller at 182 lbs. - all finished fifth. Giani Gilch finished sixth after forfeiting to Wissy’s Brian Fennell at 195 lbs. Matt Colajezzi, wrestling at 170 lbs., lost his final match of the tourney 8-4 to Saucon’s Jarrett Hirschbeck to finish in eighth place.
A pair of SOL wrestlers captured the gold in Bethlehem, as Evan Widing from Pennridge and North Penn’s Patrick O’Neill won their brackets respectively at 152 and 160 pounds. Widing is back to form as he decisioned Brandon Connor (Wilson West Lawn) 5-2. O’Neill, with only one loss on his record at 16-1, continued his quest for Hershey gold, downing his Texas foe, Eric Lance (James Martin H.S.), 3-3 in an ultimate tiebreaker. O’Neill’s only loss is to Wyoming Seminary’s Owen Davis. Pennridge’s Logan Green won bronze at Bethlehem with a 6-1 victory over Northampton’s Jayden Bertz, 6-1. North Penn freshman William Morrow was fourth at 132 lbs. Wissahickon’s heavyweight Mark Thompson also finished fourth. Other SOL medalists at Liberty included Q-town’s Dom DeFalco (6th-138 lbs.) and North Penn’s Amir Pickens (6th-285 lbs.).
At the Governor Mifflin Holiday Tournament, Neshaminy (164 points) placed third in the team standings behind champs Boyertown (188.5 pts.) and State College (166.5). The ‘Skins had a pair of runners-up in Colton Jordan (126 lbs.) and Gunnar Spain (170). Neshaminy had eight placers in all with Zach Martin grabbing bronze at 132 lbs., fifth place finish by Jason Pasucci (182), Jackson Erb (6th-152), and Shawn Marion (106), Zack Magdelinskas (220) and Matthew Soska all finishing in eighth. Plymouth-Whitmarsh had a successful tournament as well at Governor Mifflin as Paolo DiSanto was the silver medalist at 220-pounds, dropping a 4-1 decision to ‘Stoga’s Paul Pelhalm. DiSanto was joined on the podium with Issac Avelino (3rd-145), Mike Miller (4th-285) and Dylan Moore (6th-106).
At Chambersburg in the MyHouse Trojan Wars, Souderton crowned a champ in Tyler Williams at 138-pounds. Williams won 7-5 over Lower Dauphin’s T.T Elhajj. Williams is now 13-1 on the season. Bruno Stolfi made the finals for the Indians but had to settle for the silver with a loss to Southern Columbia’s Gaige Garcia. Souderton’s Brydon Bateman was fifth at 152, and Connor Trowbridge won his fifth-place medal with a decking of Red Lion’s Brock Holloway.
Council Rock North traveled to Cannon Mac to the prestigious Powerade Tournament this past weekend and managed to secure three medals. Kyle Hauserman, down at 106-pounds, dropped a 4-3 decision to Franklin Regionals Carter Dibert for fourth place. Dibert is ranked #2 and Hauserman #3 in the PA Power Rankings at 106 lbs. The Indians’ Cam Robinson suffered a 1-0 defeat in his battle for bronze to Brayden Roberts (Parkersburg South, WV) and finished in fourth place as well. Dillon Sheehy placed eighth at 160 lbs. for CRN.
Council Rock South (#4 PA Power Team Rankings) cruised to a dual victory over sister school CR North 51-23 in the Mike Sipler Unity Cup at CR South on Wednesday 12/12/18 (this match can be viewed on YouTube on pa-wrestling .com’s website). North’s Kyle Hauserman shocked South’s Kyle Waterman at 113-pounds with a stunning pin in :39 seconds to cap off the match.
Hatboro-Horsham dispatched Plymouth-Whitmarsh 42-33 a week ago, to set-up a potential American Conference battle for supremacy with Wissahickon on Wednesday January 3, 2019, at H-H (this match will be broadcast by pa-wrestling.com). However, don’t count out an improved Abington team that is now in the American Conference.
In the Continental Conference, Quakertown downed Souderton handily 52-24 this past week, and after suffering an early season loss to CRS 53-12, will look to take down North Penn on 1/16/19. CRS will take on Neshaminy Wednesday in what should determine the SOL National. The New Year will be celebrated by some big-time dual meet wrestling in the SOL. It will be a test of commitment, dedication, hard work and honor for wrestlers as they return right back to the mats after the holiday break.
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