Wrestling rankings

(Through Jan. 2)

106 - 1. Kenny Yanovich, Pleasant Valley, So. (11-1); 2. Lenny Ogozalek, Panther Valley, So. (13-4); 3. Jacob Hoats, Lehighton, Sr. (5-3).

Notes - Yanovich placed third at Reno Tournament of Champions, only loss to Green Valley's Sean Cannon who is an Honorable Mention selection in National Rankings; Ogozalek started season 9-1; Hoats opened year 3-1 at 113 pounds.

113 - 1. Colin Mashack, Tamaqua, So. (15-1); 2. Sean Bianco, Pleasant Valley, Jr. (9-1); 3. Josh Evans, Palmerton, So. (11-1).

Notes - Toughest weight class in TN area, Mashack has run off 13 straight wins since loss to Sullivan County's Shawn Nitcznski, a state qualifier a year ago; Bianaco took 2nd at Reno tourney with only loss to nationally ranked (12th by Intermat) and California state runner-up Isaiah Locsin; Evans finished second at Becahi's Iasiello Tournament, losing to the Hawks' Darian Cruz, ranked No. 2 nationally (at 106) by Intermat.

120 - 1. Sam Oberlander, Palmerton, Sr. (13-1); 2. James Felipa, Pleasant Valley, Jr. (8-2); 3. Derek Hill, Tamaqua, So. (4-4).

Notes - Oberlander took third at Becahi's Iasiello Tournament. Ten of his wins have come by fall, including five in under a minute; Felipa's two losses came at Reno Tournament, including one to eventual champion Josh Walker of Union.

126 - 1. Michael Dahlstrom, Pleasant Valley, Sr. (12-0); 2. Dillon Masington, Palmerton, Jr. (9-4); 3. Brian Ohl, Jim Thorpe, Jr. (11-5).

Honorable Mention - Zachary Glassic, Panther Valley, Fr. (6-5).

Notes - Dahlstrom was unseeded at Reno Tournament, but won championship. He earned two majors and defeated a pair of state champions; Masington took fourth at Becahi's Iasiello Tournament; Ohl opened season with a 5-1 record.

132 - 1. Ernie Klingel, Pleasant Valley, Sr. (8-3); 2. Dylan Rynkiewicz, Tamaqua, Fr. (11-5); 3. Zack Christman, Palmerton, Fr. (5-3).

Notes - Klingel went 3-2 at Reno Tournament with one of his losses to eventual runner-up and all his wins have earned bonus points; Rynkiewicz started season at 126, but is 6-1 so far at 132.

138 - 1. Alex Yanovich, Pleasant Valley, Sr. (9-3); 2. Ethan Keichel, Northwestern, Sr. (12-5); 3. Nathan Farber, Northern Lehigh, Fr. (3-3).

Honorable Mention - Joseph Bubble, Palmerton, Jr. (3-2).

Notes - Yanovich posed 4-2 record at Reno Tourney with his losses to the eventual runner-up (and 19th nationally ranked Nikko Villarreal of Gilroy) and third-place finisher; Keichel has earned five falls and two major decisions.

145 - 1. David Gehr, Pleasant Valley, Sr. (9-2); 2. Ty Herzog, Northern Lehigh, Jr. (8-4); 3. Nick Toth, Tamaqua, Sr. (8-5).

Honorable Mention - Zach Graver, Palmerton, Fr. (9-5).

Notes - Both of Gehr's loses came at Reno Tournament, and is 6-0 in PA; Herzog placed sixth at Bethlehem Holiday Tournament; Of Toth's eight wins, six are by fall, one by tech fall and the other a major decision.

152 - 1. Evan Mashack, Tamaqua, Sr. (13-3); 2. Cody Grohotolski, Palmerton, Sr. (10-3); 3. Joell Toledo, Pleasant Valley, Jr. (7-4).

Honorable Mention - Dylan Hofmann, Northern Lehigh, Sr. (7-3).

Notes - Mashack is 10-1 with six pins in his last 11 decisions; Grohotolski placed fourth at Becahi's Iasiello Tournament; Toledo has four first-period falls.

160 - 1. Brandon Silkowski, Tamaqua, Sr. (14-3); 2. Mike Ortiz, Northwestern, Jr. (11-4); 3. Anthony Farole, Lehighton, Sr. (7-5).

Notes - Silkowski has nine first-period falls, including the area's fastest at 6.8 seconds; Ortiz opened the season with wins in eight of his first nine matches; Farole opened year at 160, but has since wrestled a majority of his bouts at 152.

170 - 1. Michael Balliet, Lehighton, Sr. (9-1); 2. Kyle Greenawald, Northern Lehigh, Sr. (5-3); 3. Mitchell Evans, Northwestern, Jr. (8-7).

Notes - Balliet took third at Bethlehem Holiday Tournament, avenging his only loss to Cody Seibert of Big Spring by defeating him in the consolation round; Greenawald started 4-1 with all four wins via the pin; Evans registered three consecutive falls during a stretch a five straight wins.

182 - 1. Levi Veppert, Northwestern, Sr. (16-2); 2. Richard Nase, Panther Valley, So. (9-6); 3. Jake Christman, Palmerton, Jr. (6-5).

Honorable Mention - Joseph Smith, Lehighton, Jr. (4-3).

Notes - Veppert, who took third place at Bethlehem Holiday Tournament, currently leads the area with his 16 wins; Nase ended sixth at at Becahi's Iasiello Tournament; Christman started campaign with four straight wins and has split time between 170 and 182.

195 - 1. David Tirpak, Northwestern, Sr. (10-4); 2. Hunter Deihl, Pleasant Valley, Jr. (7-4); 3. John Horvath, Panther Valley, Sr. (6-8).

Notes - Tirpak posted 10 wins in first 11 decisions, including five by fall; Deihl went 3-2 at Reno Tournament with one of the losses to the eventual champion.

220 - 1. Kane Kralik, Palmerton, Sr. (11-1); 2. Kyle Schomp, Northern Lehigh, Sr. (6-3); 3. Dominick Ammirato, Pleasant Valley, Jr. (5-5).

Honorable Mention - Rian Shubeck, Panther Valley, Fr. (7-6).

Notes - Kralik earned the title at the Bethlehem Catholic Tony Iasiello Christmas Tournament and 10 of his 11 wins are by fall. His only loss came in an ultimate tiebreaker; Schomp had a stretch of six straight wins; Ammirato went 3-2 at Reno Tournament.

285 - 1. Mike Benner, Pleasant Valley, Jr. (4-3); 2. Ryan Ruberto, Jim Thorpe, Jr. (7-4); 3. Luke Matsago, Tamaqua, Jr. (6-5).

Honorable Mention - Skyler Rosenberry, Palmerton, Jr. (5-5).

Notes - All four of Benner's wins are by pin with two of his losses suffered at Reno Tournament; Ruberto and Matsago have also recorded four pins this season.

(Compiled by Rod Heckman)