Clymer captures first at Regionals

WEST LAWN – Caleb Clymer might not have liked his start.

But the Northwestern senior loved the finish.

Clymer shook off a sluggish start to power past Northern Lebanon’s Blaise Bressler 9-7 in the 160-pound final Saturday at the Southeast Regional tournament. The win gave Clymer his first regional title after runner-up finishes last year and as a freshman.

“I’ve never gotten one yet until now,” said Clymer, who won his third District 11 title last week. “Both my brothers are regional champions; Bobby (Clymer) did extremely well in it. So again just to kind of join my brothers with another family thing feels good.”

Pushing the pace and controlling the tempo have been key for Clymer throughout this postseason. But Bressler took charge off the whistle, putting Clymer on his heels – and his back.

“I definitely came out a little slow off the bat, and got caught on my back,” Clymer said. “But he was strong, I gotta give it to him. He had a nice shot, and then he countered nice with a, kinda came up with a cradle, so kudos to him, it was nice.

“But I was able to fight (it) off. I wasn’t really panicking; I knew I could come back. I was able to get the reversal right away, and then another reversal with some back points, and then another set of back (points) right at the end of the second.”

Knowing that he can work his way out of bind against an opponent like Bressler, the District 3 champion at 160 pounds who entered the tournament 46-5, gives Clymer even more confidence heading into this week’s state tournament.

“It definitely makes me feel good, knowing if something were to happen like that out at states I could do it,” said Clymer. “But then again, it goes right back to the wrestling room. I’ve gotten put in that position before by some of my teammates, a lot of the lighter ones, like Colin Rex (who wrestles at 138 pounds). He threw me the other day and put me to my back.

“So it’s just little things like that, that helps in practice when you can (it) fight off and get better in those positions. It also helps having teammates like that who always have your back and go hard with you in the room.”

Down 5-0 in a regional final is anything but ideal. But it might have been the wakeup call Clymer needed before he heads to Hershey for the final time.

“That kid (Bressler) came out ready to wrestle, and Caleb maybe didn’t,” said Northwestern head coach Jim Moll. “He wasn’t ready on the line.

“But it woke him up. It shows a lot though to be able to battle back against a kid that good, to come back, down five. It’s huge.”

Clymer has checked all the boxes so far this postseason. One more objective remains.

A state title.

“One match at a time,” said Clymer, who was third at states a year ago. “Just focusing on that first match, then after I get that one out of the way, then I focus on the next match.”

Northwestern’s Jackson Bernhard also reached the finals. Bernhard lost a 14-5 major decision to Pen Argyl’s Chase Anklam in the 152-pound championship match. The contest was a rematch of last week’s district final, which Anklam also won.

“It’s nice to see a familiar face,” Bernhard said with a laugh. “We always have a good battle. It’s good to have a good … who can give you a good fight.”

While Bernhard was disappointed with the loss, he was happy to get through the regional tournament unscathed and qualify for states for the second year in a row.

“This tournament, I see it mostly as a stepping stone for states,” said Bernhard, who picked up his 100th career victory in the semifinals. “It’s really just about getting to the next spot. So I’m glad I did that.

“I put everything I had out there. I feel like I could have done as well as I could have done.”

The Tigers have an area best four wrestlers headed to next week’s state tournament. Colin Rex (138) advanced with a fifth place finish, while Matt Peters (132) punched his ticket to Hershey by placing sixth.

Rex qualified for the second straight year, while Peters is going to Hershey for the first time since his freshman season.

“It’s great. I’ve been working on it all season,” said Rex, who was sixth at last year’s regional tournament.

“Colin Rex, I think this is the best tournament he ever wrestled,” said Moll. “Consistent the whole time, wrestled real hard through everything. He’s got a lot of confidence heading to states. It’s coming at the right time of the year.”

Palmerton’s Lucas Christman (145), Panther Valley’s Tanner Kennedy (160) and Jim Thorpe’s Ethan Mordaunt (195) placed third to advance to states.

Christman had three pins in the tournament before picking up a 16-12 decision over Pequea Valley’s Gabe Miller, the District 3 runner-up who entered the tournament 35-1, in the third place match.

“I just want to get off the mat as quick as possible, with a win, of course,” Christman said with a smile. “It just always gets me pumped up.

“After I won in the quarters (with a pin in 0:29) and I knew I was going to states, I was really pumped after that one, pointed to my family. It makes me feel like I can pin anybody, at anytime.”

Mordaunt also made a statement with his victory, pinning Saicon Valley’s Dane Csenesits in the third place match. Csenesits defeated Mordaunt 6-2 in last week’s 195-pound district final.

“It feels good,” said Mordaunt. “Knowing that I can beat my opponents and come back from losing to them, gives me a lot of confidence.

“I was a little nervous coming in, even though I came here last year. But I wanted to get to states. I means a lot, personally, just to know I can do it … I’m excited.”

After losing his first round match Friday night, Kennedy battled through the consolation bracket – winning five straight consolation matches – to place third. The senior defeated Susquehanna Township’s Austin Watkins in overtime to take third and qualify for states for the first time.

“Yeah, I think I’m peaking at the right time,” said Kennedy. “I was kinda slow in the beginning, but I know where I wanted to be at the end.”

PV’s Derrick Beckham (182) placed fifth, and Hunter Kennedy (170) sixth, to give the Panthers three wrestlers in Hershey.

“We couldn’t ask for anything more,” said Panther Valley head coach Tim Robb. “Derrick showed his heart in his blood round match (against Tri Valley’s Dawson Schwalm). He was down six points, and battled back, got a takedown with one second on the clock.”

Beckham defeated Schwalm 12-10 in overtime to secure a place in the top six and a spot in Hershey.

“We had a good tournament,” Robb said. “Our goal from the beginning of the season wasn’t to get to states, it was to medal.”

Tamaqua’s Bronson Strouse (220) qualified for states for the first time with a sixth place finish.

“It feels pretty good,” said Strouse. “Hopefully, I can get a couple wins out at states.”

TEAM SCORES … Bishop McDevitt (District 3) had four regional champions and won the team title with 112 points. District 11’s Saucon Valley was second with 95 points. Northwestern was seventh with 67 points.

DISTRICT 11 PROUD … District 11 had five regional champions. In addition to Clymer, Saucon Valley’s Josh Jones (126), Palisades’ Nathan Haubet (145), Chase Anklam (152) and Tri Valley’s Danny Scheib (285) all left with gold medals.

SOUTHEAST REGIONAL CLASS 2A WRESTLING

(Results of TN area wrestlers)

Championship finals

152 - Chase Anklam (Pen Argyl) major dec. Jackson Bernhard (Northwestern), 14-5.

160 - Caleb Clymer (Northwestern) dec. Blaise Bressler (Northern Lebanon), 9-7.

Third place matches

145 - Lucas Christman (Palmerton) dec. Gabe Miller (Pequea Valley), 16-12.

160 - Tanner Kennedy (Panther Valley) dec. Austin Watkins (Susquehanna Township), 2-1 (TB2).

195 - Ethan Mordaunt (Jim Thorpe) pinned Dane Csenesits (Saucon Valley) in :45.

Fifth place matches

132 - Jack Coulston (Boiling Springs) forfeit over Matt Peters (Northwestern).

138 - Colin Rex (Northwestern) dec. Colton Zimmerman (Trinity), 7-3.

170 - Tyler Fisher (Kutztown) forfeit over Hunter Kennedy (Panther Valley).

182 - Derrick Beckham (Panther Valley) default over Jonathan Vizcarrondo (Faith Christian).

220 - Jonah Nisenbaum (Salisbury) dec. Bronson Strouse (Tamaqua), 1-0.

Semifinals

132 - Bodee Tolbert (Bishop McDevitt 3) dec. Matt Peters (Northwestern), 9-2.

145 - Kollin Myers (Boiling Springs) major dec. Lucas Christman (Palmerton), 13-5.

152 - Jackson Bernhard (Northwestern) pinned Tanner Updegraff (Bishop McDevitt 3) in 4:41.

160 - Caleb Clymer (Northwestern) dec. Austin Watkins (Susquehanna Township), 6-0.

170 - Edmond Ruth (Susquehanna Township) forfeit over Hunter Kennedy (Panther Valley).

195 - Chase Dull (Bermudian Springs) dec. Ethan Mordaunt (Jim Thorpe), 7-0.

220 - Austin Taylor (Boiling Springs) major dec. Bronson Strouse (Tamaqua), 9-0.

Consolation semifinals

132 - Zach Rupp (Upper Dauphin) forfeit over Matt Peters (Northwestern).

138 - Zavery Lesher (Wilson) dec. Colin Rex (Northwestern), 2-1.

145 - Lucas Christman (Palmerton) pinned Thomas Spirk (Saucon Valley) in 3:54.

160 - Tanner Kennedy (Panther Valley) forfeit over Zach Martin (Boiling Springs).

170 - Carl Harris (Littlestown) forfeit over Hunter Kennedy (Panther Valley).

182 - Matt Lewandowski (Mahanoy) major dec. Derrick Beckham (Panther Valley), 15-4.

195 - Ethan Mordaunt (Jim Thorpe) dec. Donny Gelnett (Upper Dauphin), 6-2.

220 - Kolby Flank (Wilson) dec. Bronson Strouse (Tamaqua), 3-0.

Third round consolations

113 - Joshua Bauman (Notre Dame-GP) dec. John Newhall (Jim Thorpe), 6-1.

138 - Colin Rex (Northwestern) dec. Conner Walsh (Pequea Valley), 8-1.

160 - Tanner Kennedy (Panther Valley) dec. Colton Shriner (Fairfield), 11-6.

182 - Derrick Beckham (Panther Valley) dec. Dawson Schwalm (Tri-Valley), 12-10 (SV).

Second round consolations

106 - Mikey Myers (Williams Valley) dec. Jake Dellicker (Northwestern), 7-0.

113 - John Newhall (Jim Thorpe) dec. Austin Brett (Catasauqua), 6-0.

126 - Nate Brady (Middletown) dec. Harrison Bernhard (Northwestern), 4-2.

138 - Colin Rex (Northwestern) major dec. Nick Bratspis (Lower Moreland), 10-0.

160 - Tanner Kennedy (Panther Valley) pinned Steven Heck (Upper Dauphin) in 2:14.

182 - Derrick Beckham (Panther Valley) default over Austin Williams (Jim Thorpe).

220 - Brent Hayes (Biglerville) dec. Quin Moyer (Northwestern), 14-8.