Strong showing Eighteen area wrestlers advance to District 11 2A semifinals

BETHLEHEM – One match at a time.

It’s a mantra echoed by almost every wrestler in the postseason.

And it was the mentality for many on the opening night of the District 11 wrestling tournament.

“I was just taking it one match at a time tonight,” said Palmerton’s Lucas Christman. “Making it to the semis, and possibly getting to the finals tomorrow, that means so much to me.”

Christman was one of 18 wrestlers from the Times News area who advanced to today’s semifinals on Friday night at Freedom’s Joseph J. McIntyre Gymnasium, moving one step closer to their goal of becoming a district champion.

No Worries

Christman made quick work of his quarterfinal opponent, pinning Tri Valley’s Braxton Zerbe in 1:33.

“I’m very confident,” said Christman. “I’m feeling great. I’m wrestling the best I ever have. I’m on the top of my game right now.

“I’ve had a lot of injuries in the last year. So definitely this year, staying healthy is the most important thing.”

Christman is healthy and firing on all cylinders. Despite being the No. 2 seed at 145 pounds, Christman doesn’t take anything for granted.

“I think I’m pretty much nervous before every single match I wrestle,” said Christman.

The junior is hoping to use that nervous energy to secure his spot in a district final. To do so, he’ll have to get past No. 3 seed Thomas Spirk of Saucon Valley.

“I’m extremely excited,” said Christman. “I don’t ever remember being this excited in my life.

“I’m just taking it one match at a time. You gotta do that. You can’t look ahead. Only one match at a time. I’m not even thinking about the finals. I’m thinking about Spirk right now.”

Milestone

Jim Thorpe’s John Newhall secure his place in the semifinals in style, pinning Saucon Valley’s Kevin Dyer record his 100th career victory.

“It means a lot to me,” said Newhall. “I came into the season knowing I was close. That was one of my first goals this season.”

The moment was a special one for Olympians’ head coach Shawn Albert.

“It’s always awesome when you see you guys accomplish milestones,” said Albert. “One hundred wins is just something that doesn’t happen all the time. And I’m very proud of him.”

Following in the footsteps of Jim Thorpe’s only state champion, Kevan Gentile, Newhall has created a legacy of his own this season.

“He’s kinda taken a backseat to Kevan, obviously, for two years,” said Albert. “The kid battles through adversity like no other. So I’m very proud of him.

“We all get a little choked up. This kid’s become family.”

Newhall, the No. 2 seed at 113 pounds, took any drama out of the match early, pinning Dyer in 36 seconds.

“I feel pretty good coming out tonight,” said Newhall. “I feel confident for tomorrow, too.”

Newhall suffered his only loss of the season in the championship match at the Schuylkill League tournament. The loss has only fueled Newhall’s desire to get better.

“I see a much more focued John, who knows what it takes,” said Albert. He’s very comfortable in almost all situations on the mat, and that takes a long time sometimes for people to really develop.

“He’s been working on his offensive game, but even in defensive situations on his feet where a guy’s got a good shot on him, he’s still comfortable and confident more than anything he’s confident that he’s gonna come out with the offensive points. I think a lot of it just comes down to focus right now.

“He had a goal tonight, and that was to get 100 wins. Our next goal is to place here in the top four and get his ticket to regionals.”

Newhall will face No. 3 seed Lucas Buskirk of Pen Argyl in the semifinals.

In addition to Newhall, Jim Thorpe’s Ethan Mordaunt (195) and Austin Williams (182) also advanced to the semifinals.

Tiger Pack

Northwestern led the way with seven wrestlers advancing to the semifinals.

Jake Dellicker (106), Harrison Bernhard (126), Matt Peters (132), Colin Rex (138), Jackson Bernhard (152), Caleb Clymer (160) and Quin Moyer (220) all will have a shot to go for gold.

Harrison Bernhard pinned No. 13 seed Ben Wolfe in the first round and last year’s runner-up at 106 pounds, No. 5 seed Lucas Sangiuliano of Lehighton in the quarters, to reach the semis.

“It’s definitely a confidence booster to beat a kid like that,” Bernhard said of his victory over Sangiuliano. “It’s definitely going to help me going into tomorrow, just to do my best and wrestle everyone to the best of my ability.

“I definitely feel like I’m in the best shape of the season. I feel like I’m doing well so far. I just want to continue to do that.”

Bernhard will wrestle No. 1 seed Josh Jones of Saucon Valley in the semis.

“I gotta stay confident,” said Bernhard. “I’ve wrestled him twice already this season, and I’ve just gotta go out with confidence and work my stuff, and know that I can do what I can do.”

Tribe Pride

Lehighton had three wrestlers move into the semis, with Nate Kemmerer (132), Chris Whiteman (145) and Cody Scherer (170) all advancing.

Whiteman, the No. 4 seed, pinned Tamaqua’s Reese Szabo in the first round, before securing a 6-2 decision over fifth seed Dustin Carlin of Pine Grove in the quarterfinals.

“It’s been my goal all year to just make it out to regionals,” said Whiteman. “I know last year I came up one place short; I took fifth. But now I’m in a better position, I’m in the semis. Last year, I lost in the quarters.

“I felt pretty good today in my two matches and I’m excited for tomorrow.”

Whiteman will wrestle top seed Nathan Haubert of Palisades in the semis.

Kemmerer had a first-round bye as the third seed. The senior pinned No. 6 seed Jacob Rossi of Pine Grove in 1:22 in the quarters to reach the semis.

“It really means a lot being in this position just for districts, but even more as a senior,” said Kemmerer. “I’ve really been thinking about it, this just being one of our last runs wrestling, maybe see how it works in college, but really getting down to the end of it, I want to see how far I can go.”

Kemmerer will wrestle face Northwestern’s Peters, the No. 2 seed, in the semis.

Despite bumping up to 132 for the postseason, Kemmerer felt good following his win over Rossi.

“I wrestled 126 all year, and I was kinda working hard to get to 126, and I went up to 132, and I feel real healthy right now,” said Kemmerer. “I’ve been eating. It feels nice. It feels real nice.

“I feel real strong. It’s my senior season. I’ve been working real hard in the room, working hard in dual meets all year. It all builds up to this.”

Scherer has worked his way back after missing the beginning of the season recovering from an injury. With limited mat time this season, Scherer was seeded 11th for the tournament, but knocked off No. 6 seed Braydyn Lugardo of Saucon Valley in the first round before getting a 9-2 decision over third seed Alec Snyder to reach the semis.

“it’s a great feeling to come back, especially from that injury, being out almost two months, being able to wrestle two very good wrestlers and be able to make it back to the semifinals,” said Scherer.

Despite only having a little more than a handful of matches under his belt, Scherer is eager for his semifinal match against Panther Valley’s Hunter Kennedy, the No. 2 seed.

“My confidence is at a really high level right now. Obviously, I’ve been wrestling kids that aren’t as good as I wished to be able to prepare me for this. But those last two matches really prepared me for my semifinal match against Hunter Kennedy. I gotta go out there and I gotta wrestle tough.”

Prowling

In addition to Hunter Kennedy, Panther Valley’s Tanner Kennedy (160) and Derrick Beckham also made it to the semifinals.

Hunter Kennedy secured a 17-2 (5:54) tech fall over Tamaqua’s Carson Krell to reach the semis. Tanner also won by tech fall, defeating Tamaqua’s Nate Wickersham 15-0 (2:33) to move into the semifinals.

Beckham pinned Tamaqua’s Brandon Eberts (1:18) in the quarterfinals.

“Tonight, I knew I was gonna have a tough match, so I just got through it,” said Beckham. “I knew, come districts, that I’m gonna have to cut down and really make it happen. So tomorrow’s gonna be a good day.”

TOP SEEDS … Clymer and Tamaqua’s Bronson Strouse, the two top seeds in the area, moved into the semis.

Clymer pinned Lehighton’s Richard Fronheiser in 3:03 to reach the semis at 160 pounds. Strouse got a 9-2 decision over Salisbury’s Jonah Nisenbaum at 220.

TEAM SCORES … Northwestern is on top in the team standings with 70 points. Wilson is second with 62.5.

A LOOK AHEAD … Action resumes today with second round consolation matches at 9 a.m. The semifinals and third round consolation matches are scheduled for 10:30 a.m.

The Parade of Champions will take place at 5:30 p.m. with the finals to follow at 5:45 p.m. at Liberty High School.

DISTRICT 11 2A RESULTS

LEGEND

Catasauqua (C), Jim Thorpe (JT), Lehighton (L), Mahanoy Area (MA), North Schuylkill (NS), Northern Lehigh (NL), Northwestern (NW), Notre Dame-GP (ND), Palisades (Pali), Palmerton (Palm), Panther Valley (PV), Pen Argyl (PA), Pine Grove (PG), Salisbury (S), Saucon Valley (SV), Schuylkill Haven (SH), Tamaqua (T), Tri-Valley (TV), Williams Valley (WV), Wilson (W)

First Round

106 - William Schwartz (JT) pinned Jacob Nye (C) in 2:37; Luke Velekei (PA) pinned Mason Ferguson (L) in 1:43; Dane Druckenmiller (SV) pinned Aaron Bickowski (MA) in :29; Michael Shlanta (T) pinned Cameron King (W) in 3:30.

113 - Austin Brett (C) pinned Randolph Steigerwalt (T) in 1:51; Danny Grigas (NS) pinned Blake Brunner (NW) in :27; Kevin Dyer (SV) pinned Jagur Lynn (L) in :57.

120 - Ben Griffith (NW) major dec. Steven Fritzinger (L), 9-0; Blake Harner (TV) pinned John Babinsky (MA) in 2:00; Damian Deihm (NS) pinned Colby Schaner (SH) in :12.

126 - Oscar Cordon (C) dec Jon DeNato (Pali), 7-4; Lucas Sangiuliano (L) pinned Leo Andrewsky (MA) in 2:28; Harrison Bernhard (NW) pinned Ben Wolfe (NS) in 1:36; Austin Engle (SH) pinned Bryan Lynch (ND) in :26; Chase Esterline (WV) dec Aaron Coccio (T), 8-3; Shawn Gardner (Palm) dec Tyrese Armstead (PG), 3-1; Nick Reto (PA) tech. fall Zach Poff (W), 25-10 (4:16).

132 - Hunter Fierro (Palm) pinned Cesear Rivera (MA) in 4:20; Pierce Demetriades (T) dec Derrick Rodrigues (C), 5-3; Dustin Hunara (W) pinned Chris Cutrona (NS) in :42; Jacob Rossi (PG) major dec Mason Smeland (Pali), 12-4; Antonio Reto (PA) dec Logan Schwalm (TV), 6-4.

138 - Jordan Sims (PA) dec Ayden Ney (PG), 4-3; Zavery Lesher (W) pinned Sam Quick (MA) in 2:37; Brandon Mader (T) major dec Justin Ogozalek (PV), 13-3; Jacob Strohecker (TV) pinned Caleb Johnson (SH) in 5:53.

145 - Chett Pesta (WV) dec Damien Pate (SH), 6-4; Dustin Carlin (PG) pinned Adam Knecht (PA) in :57; Chris Whiteman (L) pinned Reese Szabo (T) in 3:52; Anthony Micci (W) tech. fall Dylan Edwards (NS), 17-1 (4:36); Braxton Zerbe (TV) pinned Williard Dellicker in 2:50.

152 - Kahlid Holland (T) dec Noah Berk (PV), 8-4; Adam Marsh (Pali) tech. fall Tyler Clewell (MA), 16-0 (3:44); Dillon Kintzel (PG) pinned Austin Gorr (C) in :28; Jackson Bernhard (NW) pinned Aaron Minnich (WV) in 1:19; Tyler Schock (L) pinned Hunter Knorr (TV) in 1:16; Chase Ohlson (NL) dec Nate Sterner (Palm), 8-5.

160 - Richard Fronheiser (L) dec Justyn DeAngelo (NS), 3-2; Isaiah Dejesus (ND) major dec Bradley Panto (C), 15-5; Jon Fischer (W) pinned Gianni Reto (PA) in 1:06; Nate Wickersham (T) pinned Dylan Gonyo (Palm) in 5:30.

170 - Corbin Kessler (NS) pinned Damion Rodriguez (NL) in 3:46; Dalton Kintzel (PG) pinned Liam Carroll (ND) in :34; Ryan Haverkamp (NW) pinned Sawyer Beltz (PA) in 3:59; Cody Scherer (L) dec Braydyn Lugardo (SV), 7-1; Carson Krell (T) major dec Jack Manogue (C), 19-6.

182 - Alex Zeigenfuss (L) pinned Tyler Taylor (PA) in 2:59; Dawson Schwalm (TV) pinned Jacob Latsch (C) in 3:11; Brandon Eberts (T) pinned Will Armstead (NS) in 5:49.

195 - Jack Zimmerman (L) dec Thomas Tarlecky (SH), 6-3; Kyle Kralik (Palm) dec Austin Wickham (W), 4-0; Isaac Bredbenner (NW) dec Michael Ansbach (MA), 3-2; Peyton Nuske (PG) by forfeit over Eshan Swartz (ND).

220 - Jonah Nisenbaum (S) pinned Nathan Reedy (SH) in 3:18; Robert Fiedler (ND) dec Joe Tinari (NS), 8-2; Dominic Bandle (NL) dec Brett Gasker (L), 3-0; Chris Walkinshaw (PV) dec Tommy Price (MA), 13-7.

285 - Roger Russell (W) dec Hayden Bobbyn (NW), 1-0; Ryan Weitz (NS) pinned Nick Shorten (JT) in :24; Blake Fox (PA) pinned Tony Merchlinsky (MA) in 1:58; Lavonte Bouie (C) pinned Alex Hinkle (L) in :41; Bryan McNally (Pali) dec Anthony Schiraldi (ND), 1-0.

Quarterfinals

106 - Mikey Myers (WV) pinned William Schwartz (JT) in 1:36; Jake Dellicker (NW) dec Luke Velekei (PA), 5-2; Travis Anderson (PG) pinned Dane Druckenmiller (SV) in 1:30; Gavin Locke (NS) pinned Michael Shlanta (T) in 1:58.

113 - Jon Consorti (W) pinned Austin Brett (C) in :53; Joshua Bauman (ND) dec Preston Bauer (NL), 5-0; Lucas Buskirk (PA) tech. fall Danny Grigas (NS), 15-0 (4:11); John Newhall (JT) pinned Kevin Dyer (SV) in :36.

120 - Richie Markulics (ND) pinned Ben Griffith (NW) in 1:52; Tyler Melendez (C) tech. fall Noah Venszl (PG), 15-0 (2:52); Marckis Branford (W) pinned Blaker Harner (TV) in 2:39; Zach Wasser (Pali) pinned Damian Deihm (NS) in 1:06.

126 - Joshua Jones (SV) pinned Oscar Cordon (C) in 1:51; Harrison Bernhard (NW) pinned Lucas Sangiuliano (L) in :49; Austin Engle (SH) dec Chase Esterline (WV), 7-0; Nick Reto (PA) pinned Shawn Gardner (Palm) in 1:02.

132 - Ryan McGuire (ND) pinned Hunter Fierro (Palm) in 2:21; Dustin Hunara (W) dec Pierce Demetriades (T), 9-4; Nathan Kemmerer (L) pinned Jacob Rossi (PG) in 1:22; Matt Peters (NW) pinned Antonio Reto (PA) in 1:33.

138 - Jason Jones (SV) tech. fall Jordan Sims (PA), 15-0 (1:51); Zavery Lesher (W) pinned Matt Lalik (Palm) in 4:37; Colin Rex (NW) dec Brandon Mader (T), 5-1; Nicholas Vonelli (ND) tech. fall Jacob Strohecker (TV), 23-8 (6:00).

145 - Nathan Haubert (Pali) pinned Chett Pesta (WV) in 3:00; Chris Whiteman (L) dec Dustin Carlin (PG), 6-2; Thomas Spirk (SV) dec Anthony Micci (W), 5-2; Lucas Christman (Palm) pinned Braxton Zerbe (TV) in 1:33.

152 - Chase Anklam (PA) pinned Kahlid Holland (T) in 1:57; Dillon Kintzel (PG) pinned Adam Marsh (Pali) in 1:15; Jackson Bernhard (NW) pinned Tyler Schock (L) in 3:31; Angelo Mahaffey (SV) pinned Chase Ohlson (NL) in 2:28.

160 - Caleb Clymer (NW) pinned Richard Fronheiser (L) in 3:03; Isaiah Dejesus (ND) pinned Danny Lawrence (MA) in 2:54; Jon Fischer (W) major dec Justin Kyra (SV), 16-7; Tanner Kennedy (PV) tech. fall Nate Wickersham (T), 15-0 (2:33).

170 - Colin Fegley (MA) pinned Corbin Kessler (NS) in 2:44; Dalton Kintzel (PG) pinned Ryan Haverkamp (NW) in 4:39; Cody Scherer (L) dec Alec Snyder (W), 9-2; Hunter Kennedy (PV) tech. fall Carson Krell (T), 17-2 (5:54).

182 - Matt Lewandowski (MA) major dec Alex Zeigenfuss (L), 11-3; Austin Williams (JT) major dec Tyler Watson (NW), 8-0; Dawson Schwalm (TV) pinned Jarrett Hirschbeck (SV) in :53; Derrick Beckham (PV) pinned Brandon Eberts (T) in 1:18.

195 - Kolt Schaeffer (TV) pinned Jack Zimmerman (L) in :12; Ethan Mordaunt (JT) dec Kyle Kralik (Palm), 11-4; Jack Donnelly (Pali) major dec Isaac Bredbenner (NW), 10-0; Dane Csenesits (SV) pinned Peyton Nuske (PG) in :45.

220 - Bronson Strouse (T) dec Jonah Nisenbaum (S), 9-2; Quin Moyer (NW) dec Robert Fiedler (ND), 7-0; Austen Ney (PG) dec Dominic Bandle (NL), 6-2; Kolby Flank (W) pinned Chris Walkinshaw (PV) in 2:23.

285 - Danny Scheib (TV) pinned Roger Russell (W) in :48; Blake Fox (PA) dec Ryan Weitz (NS), 3-1 (TB2); Nickolas Warnke (SV) dec Lavonte Bouie (C), 2-1 (TB2); Joseph Kocher (SH) pinned Bryan McNally (Pali) in 4:14.

First Round Consolations

126 - Leo Andrewsky (MA) dec Ben Wolfe (NS), 10-4; Aaron Coccio (T) pinned Bryan Lynch (ND) in :44; Tyrese Armstead (PG) dec Zach Poff (W), 7-4.

132 - Derrick Rodriguez (C) pinned Chris Cutrona (NS) in 2:44.

145 - Reese Szabo (T) dec Adam Knecht, 4-1.

152 - Tyler Clewell (MA) pinned Austin Gorr (C) in 1:36; Aaron Minnich (WV) pinned Hunter Knorr (TV) in 2:33.

170 - Sawyer Beltz (PA) tech. fall Liam Carroll (ND), 16-1 (4:21).

285 - Nick Shorten (JT) pinned Tony Merchlinsky (MA) in 2:21.

Team Scores

1. Northwestern 70, 2. Wilson 62.5, 3. Saucon Valley 57.5, 4. Pine Grove 50, 5. Pen Argyl 47.5, 6. Notre Dame 45.5, 7. Lehighton and Tri-Valley 41, 9. Tamaqua 33, 10. Palisades 31.5, 11. Jim Thorpe 31, 12. Panther Valley 28, 13. North Schuylkill 25, 14. Catasauqua 21.5, 15. Mahanoy Area 21, 16. Schuylkill Haven 18, 17. Palmerton 17, 18. Williams Valley 16, 19. Salisbury and Northern Lehigh 4.