Rough Round In Hershey
By Glenn Kaiser
HERSHEY, PA-For some SOL wrestlers in Hershey, the first round of championship action was a rough one; nonetheless, some of the Southeast Region’s best advanced to the quarterfinals. Kyle Waterman (Council Rock South) moved into the quarterfinals at 106-pounds, while Kyle Hauserman was not so fortunate. Hauserman suffered a first-round loss to preliminary winner Mason Prinkey from Connellsville. Prinkey took down Hauserman to capture the sudden victory at the start of the overtime period.
Waterman will wrestle Saturday against Red Land’s Wyatt Fox. Waterman downed Bethlehem Catholic’s Dante Frinzi 4-0 in his first match of these championships. CR South’s Max Mendez lost to preliminary winner Karl Shindledecker of Chambersburg. Shindledecker, just a freshman, finished third in the Southcentral Region but shattered Mendez’s hopes for a final’s appearance at 113-pounds.
However, Golden Hawk teammate Shane Hanson-Ashworth followed up his regional championship performance with a perfect 8-0 win over Susquehanna Township’s Kody Evans to advance to the quarters at 120-pounds. Evans downed Quakertown’s Corey Cope in prelim action 6-3. The SE Region is especially strong here with four SOL wrestlers. CR North’s Luke Lucerne was all business, advancing 8-1 over Belle Vernon’s Logan Seliga. He will face the always tough Will Betancourt (Manheim Central) in quarterfinal action Friday at 2:15pm. T.J. England (William Tennent) dropped to the consolation bracket with a prelim loss to Hempfield’s Ethan Berginc 13-3
CR South’s third SE Regional champ, Braden Ricchini, edged Chambersburg’s Cole Grove 3-2 at 126-pounds to advance, as he got some revenge on the Trojans for Mendez’s loss. Neshaminy’s Colton Jordan was not as lucky at this weight class, as he was torched by East Stroudsburg South stud Patrick Gould 12-7. At 132-pounds, Truman’s Gunnar Fuss was dispatched in round one by freshman Tyler Dilley (St. Mary’s) in a close one 5-4. Fuss will have to wrestle back to medal. Although Dominic DeFalco (Quakertown) and L.J. Kahn (CRS) won their preliminary bouts at another well-represented weight class by the SOL, they both dropped first round matches, and were eliminated from the 132-championship bracket.
Souderton’s Tyler Wililiams (138) executed a picture perfect 17-1 tech fall in his first-round tussle, advancing to face Ty Linsenbigler (Hempfield). Linsenbigler upset Jefferey Boyd from McDowell in his first match in the Giant Center. Williams will look to move on to the semis and return to the state title tilt in Chocolate Town, USA. A.J. Tamburrino (Tennent) advanced at 145-pounds in his first ever PIAA Individual Championship bout, and will have to battle Becahi’s Ryan Anderson in the quarters. Anderson is the #1 ranked wrestler in the county at this weight. Cam Robinson (CRN) cruised 13-1 in first round action over Nazareth’s Nathan Stefanik. Stefanik defeated CR South’s Eric Woloshyn in prelim action 5-4.
In the 152-pound bracket, the SOL was rocked as Dillon Sheehey (CRN) and Cole Flanagan (CRS) both were moved down below to the consis with losses in the first round and prelims respectively. However, Neshaminy’s Jackson Erb was victorious, handling Clearfield’s Mark McMonigal 7-1. Erb will tangle with Becahi’s touted Cole Handlovic in his quarterfinal squabble Friday afternoon. The SOL suffered a similar fate at 160, as Patrick O’Neill won his first, but was decked, in his second match, by Kiski stud Jake Blumer the Southwest champ. Golden Hawk freshman, Matt Colajezzi was bounced by Luca Frinzi (Becahi) 7-1 in his first ever match in these state championships. Both will have to wrestle back down below to reach the podium.
At 182-pounds, it was tough sledding for both Dan Keller (Wissahickon) and Giani Gilch (CRS) as both were downed early in prelim action. Pennridge’s Logan Green was able to win his prelim match but was pinned by Cathedral Prep’s returning state champ Carter Starocci in his second match of the evening. Max Russell (Q-town) and Souderton’s Bruno Stolfi will also have to take the long road back, as they to lost their initial matches here in Hershey. Big men Paolo DiSanto (Plymouth-Whitmarsh) at 220-pounds and John Klewin, Bensalem heavyweight both advanced to the quarterfinals in their weight classes.
Consolation Action:
Several SOL wrestlers advanced in the consolation brackets after first round action down below. Quakertown’s Corey Cope needed all 7:30 minutes of his match against Belle Vernon’s Logan Seliga in his 120-pound match. Cope was able to ride out Seliga in the Ultimate Tiebreaker after a 0-0 regulation finish, in which no wrestler scored. Neshaminy’s Colton Jordon righted his ship with a 12-3 major decision over West Chester Rustin’s Josh Viarango. Jordan’s teammate, Zach Martin did the same at 132-pounds with a 3-1 decision over Hayden Butterfield (McDowell).
Gunnar Fuss (Truman) kept his medal hopes alive, winning by fall over Seneca Valley’s Jason Geyer at the same weight as Martin. CR South’s Eric Woloshyn was a winner at 145-pounds downing Brashear’s Joe Mweta decisively 14-2. Fellow Golden Hawk Cole Flanagan moved on at 152-pounds, along with Matt Colajezzi at 160-pounds. Bruno Stolfi (Souderton) decked Quakertown’s Max Russell to stay alive at 195, and Wissahickon’s Mark Thompson secured a pin fall on D1 foe Tom Bramwell (Ridley) for head Coach Anthony Stagliano, keeping their medal hopes open.
Most of the other SOL wrestlers in the consolations will get after it later this afternoon after receiving byes. Council Rock South is in fifth place overall in the team standings with 21 points. Nazareth is out in front with 27 points.
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