Bears season ends just short of regionals

BETHLEHEM — Pleasant Valley had a chance to survive another week of the wrestling postseason, but those hopes were dashed Saturday afternoon at Liberty’s Memorial Gymnasium during the District 11 3A tournament.

Senior Alexander Womack (160) was the Bears lone qualifier in the medal round, but his fate in the fifth-place match was doused by Bangor’s Jared Reto.

After decisioning Reto 7-3 in the quarterfinals, Womack couldn’t duplicate that success in their rematch for the fifth and final place to this week’s Northeast Regional tournament. Reto earned the spot by pinning Womack in 2:00 in the medal round bout.

It marked a bittersweet ending for the Bears, as well as head coach Justin Micklos, who was excited about Womack’s chances coming into the tournament.

“A couple things could have went our way, but they didn’t,” said Micklos. “It’s hard for Alex, it’s hard for the coaching staff and it’s hard for the team to see him finish the way he did. We all wanted more from this weekend, and it’s just tough for it to end now.”

Womack came into the tournament as the third-seed, and made his way to the semifinals, before losing to Northampton’s Traisach Roland, 6-1.

That dumped him into the consolation round semifinals, where he met Liberty’s Christian Reid. The Hurricane jumped out to an early lead in the bout, getting two near fall points in the first period en route to a 4-1 lead before picking up the fall in 2:21.

That led to the rematch with Reto, where Womack earned the first take down of the match in the second period, only to be reversed and then lose by fall again to finish a spot short of qualifying for regionals.

Junior Chris Frable (195) was the Bears second closest to advancing to the medal round, as he lost in the consolation quarters to Northampton’s Kyle Perl by fall in 1:13.

Frable will return and look to be the Bears top wrestler next season, as Micklos hopes his trek at districts this year can help him make a run to regionals next season.

“We had more kids make it to the second day this year than last year,” Micklos said. “It’s good for the kids to see us taking the next step too. Hopefully next year Chris can make that jump.”

TEAM CHAMPS ... Nazareth came home with the team title with 291.5 points, easily eclipsing second-place Bethlehem Catholic with 243.5 points. The Blue Eagles crowned five champions on the night and advanced 12 wrestlers to regionals. Bethlehem Catholic had three gold medalists, including Evan Gleason’s (138) shocking fall over Nazareth’s Dashawn Farber in 2:23.

BEST OF THE BEST ... Northampton’s Jagger Condomitti (145) was named the Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament after scoring a 7-3 overtime victory over Becahi’s Cole Handlovic in the final marquee bout of the night. Condomitti scored a takedown and earned back points in the extra frame to secure the win.

DISTRICT 11 CLASS 3A TOURNAMENT

TEAM STANDINGS: 1. Nazareth 291.5 points; 2. Bethlehem Catholic 243.5; 3. Northampton 215.5; 4. Easton 129.5; 4. Stroudsburg 129.5; 6. Liberty 123; 7. Pottsville 110.5; 8. Emmaus 107.5; 9. Freedom 81.5; 10. Parkland 67; 10. Whitehall 67; 12. Dieruff 53; 13. Blue Mountain 51; 14. Bangor 50; 15. Pocono Mountain East 44.5; 16. Pocono Mountain West 41; 17. East Stroudsburg South 40; 18. East Stroudsburg North 39; 19. Southern Lehigh 29; 20. Pleasant Valley 26; 21. Allen 20.

CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS

152 - Nathan Stefanik (Nazareth) dec. Matt Lackman (Bethlehem Catholic) 6-4 (SV).

160 - Connor Herceg (Nazareth) dec. Traisach Roland (Northampton) 9-2.

170 - Lenny Pinto (Stroudsburg) dec. Dominic Falcone (Easton) 3-2.

182 - Drew Clearie (Nazareth) pinned Isaiah Reinert (Easton) in 6:00.

195 - Shane Quick (Pottsville) pinned Sonny Sasso (Nazareth) in 5:46.

220 - Stephen Schott (Nazareth) dec. Matthew Cruise (Easton) 1-0.

285 - Karam Chakif (Dieruff) dec. Riley Craft (Southern Lehigh) 3-1.

106 - Tyler Kasak (Bethlehem Catholic) dec. CJ Horvath (Freedom) 4-0.

113 - Braxton Appello (Easton) major dec.. Javien DeLeon, 10-2.

120 - Andrew Smith (Nazareth) dec. Matt Mayer (Bethlehem Catholic) 7-6.

126 - Wiley Kahler (Pottsville) dec. Dagen Condomitti (Northampton) 3-1 (SV).

132 - Kenny Herrmann (Bethlehem Catholic) dec. Patrick Noonan (Stroudsburg) 7-5 (SV).

138 - Evan Gleason (Bethlehem Catholic) pinned Dashawn Farber (Nazareth) in 2:33.

145 - Jagger Condomitti (Northampton) dec. Cole Handlovic (Bethlehem Catholic) 7-3 (SV).

THIRD PLACE

106 - Carson Wagner (Northampton) pinned Dalton Monger (Pottsville) in 2:31.

113 - Dante Frinzi (Bethlehem Catholic) dec. Andreo Ferraina (Nazareth) 3-0.

120 - Luis Vargas (Freedom) major dec.. Caidan Poff (Bangor) 14-4.

126 - Vinny Hebel (Nazareth) dec. Andrew Harmon (Bethlehem Catholic) 2-1.

132 - Ethan Szerencsits (Northampton) dec. Blaine Wilson (Nazareth) 3-1.

138 - Steven Storm (PM East) pinned Bryce Gonzalez (Pottsville) in 2:37.

145 - Jason Rezac (Liberty) dec. Jake Dressler (Nazareth) 7-2.

152 - Nicholas Alejandro, (ES South) dec. Wayne McIntyre (ES North) 1-0.

160 - Jamier Jimenez (Bethlehem Catholic) dec. Christian Reid (Liberty) 5-1.

170 - Jared Groller (Emmaus) pinned Joe Capobianco in 2:11.

182 - Caden Wright (Emmaus) dec. Kevin Hennessy (Liberty) 4-3 (SV).

195 - Isaac Kassis (Dieruff) won by forfeit over Jonathan Owens (PM West)

220 - Blake Lambert (Northampton) dec. Kevin Croley (Blue Mountain) 9-7 (SV).

285 - Sebastian Khamis (Stroudsburg) dec. Logan Holland (Blue Mountain) 3-1 (SV).

FIFTH PLACE

106 - Josh Jasionowicz (Stroudsburg) major dec.. Wilfred Jimenez (Whitehall) 12-2.

113 - Gunnar Wagner (Northampton) major dec.. Connor Bevan (Freedom) 11-3.

120 - Ansar Niazi (Liberty) dec. Johnny Colon (Whitehall) 5-2.

126 - Dawson Miller (ES South) dec. Connor Huber (Freedom) 6-0.

132 - Xavier Arner (Whitehall) dec. Bryan Diaz (Parkland) 3-2.

138 - Brett Scalzo (Easton) dec. Kordell Waiters (Emmaus) 7-1.

145 - Lucas Kern (Parkland) dec. Daniel Farrell (Blue Mountain) 4-3.

152 - Colby Judd (Northampton) dec. Zack Orsargos (Stroudsburg) 4-2 (TB2).

160 - Jared Reto (Bangor) pinned Alexander Womack (Pleasant Valley) in 2:00.

170 - Luke Thomas (Bethlehem Catholic) dec. Manuel Rodriguez (Allen) 3-1.

182 - Riley Gallagher (Northampton) dec. Charlie Maloy (PM West) 5-3.

195 - Justus Bozzi (Bethlehem Catholic) pinned Kyle Perl (Northampton) in 3:34.

220 - Zaire Mitchell (Liberty) dec. Randy Okungu (Whitehall) 7-2.

285 - Makei Hubert (Northampton) pinned RJ Quinn (Pottsville) in 3:07.