Tigers fall in D-11 Duals consolation round

BETHLEHEM – The District 11 Duals are difficult even for teams with a full lineup. A squad that gives up three forfeits per match has quite an uphill battle.

Northwestern overcame that obstacle Saturday against North Schuylkill, but the Tigers couldn’t make up for those lost points against a tough Wilson team.

The No. 3 seed Warriors beat the Tigers 57-16 in the second round of Class 2A consolation matches Saturday at Freedom High School, ending Northwestern’s run in districts.

It was the Tigers’ second match of the day after they knocked off No. 4 North Schuylkill, 48-21, in the first round of consolations.

“Coming in against North Schuylkill, the way the match went was not what I expected at all,” said Northwestern head coach Jim Moll, whose team was seeded eighth. “I expected us to need more pins to have a shot to win with all the forfeits we had in the lineup. We really only lost one bout. Our guys wrestled real well.”

The Tigers’ Harrison Bernhard came up with a pin against Dylan Edwards at 160 to give his team a 14-4 lead after four bouts.

“Harrison getting a pin was huge,” said Moll. “We knew Edwards is tough, and we were bumping Harrison up quite a bit. To get bonus points there was huge.”

Ryan Haverkamp and Isaiah Johri came up with back-to-back pins at 195 and 220 to put Northwestern ahead 29-10 with five bouts left. After three straight Tiger forfeits put the Spartans in front by one point, Jake Dellicker came up with a 5-4 win over 2019 District 11 medalist Danny Grigas, and Anthony Russo sealed the win with a 5-2 decision over Ethan Miernicki.

“Isaiah Johri getting a pin was pretty big,” said Moll. “And Jake Dellicker, Grigas is a real tough kid; to get a win there was huge.

“Then Anthony Russo sealed it for us with a 5-2 win at 126. That was one I bet they had going their way in the book. We tell Russo to just wrestle tough, to not give up bonus (points); then he pulls it out.”

Against Wilson — the third-place finisher at the tournament — the Tigers fell behind early and couldn’t climb out of the hole.

Bernhard pinned his opponent at 152 to give his team a brief 6-3 lead after two bouts, but Wilson won the next seven bouts, including five forfeits, to take a 57-10 lead.

“It’s about what we expected,” said Moll. “They have tough kids up and down their lineup. With the forfeits we have, it makes it real tough.”

Dellicker and Mason Brensinger were the only other Tigers to win matches against Wilson. Dellicker (120) earned a 10-1 major decision over Blaze Hartrum. Brensinger pinned Cameron King in the third period of their 138-pound bout.

PANTHER POUNCE BACK ON TOP ... Notre Dame (Green Pond) ended Saucon Valley’s seven-year run as Colonial League champs last week, but the Panthers got revenge at District Duals, beating the Crusaders 33-30 for this year’s Class 2A title. Saucon Valley had lost to Notre Dame in both of the two previous meetings this season. This marks its fifth straight Class 2A district title.

ON THE BASIS OF GENDER ... Saucon Valley picked up six points via forfeit when Aaliyana Mateo came out to face Evan Maag at 106. Notre Dame wrestlers are not allowed to compete against female competitors.

BLUE EAGLES CAPTURE 3A TITLE ... Nazareth beat Bethlehem Catholic 31-16 for the Class 3 title.

N’western 41, N. Schuylkill 28

138 - Mason Brensinger (NW) major dec. Braydon Kessler, 12-3; 145 - Lucas Miller (NW) major dec. Mike Sterner, 17-4; 152 - Ben Wolfe (NS) major dec. Nathan Peters, 10-1; 160 - Harrison Bernhard (NW) pinned Dylan Edwards in 4:27; 170 - Tyler Watson (NW) dec. Jared Tinari, 7-3; 182 - Pat Cooney (NS) won by forfeit; 195 - Ryan Haverkamp (NW) pinned William Strickland in 1:19; 220 - Isaiah Johri (NW) pinned Blake Olayo in 1:48; 285 - Carey Wahaler (NS) won by forfeit; 106 - Noah Gilgore (NS) won by forfeit; 113 - Tyler Slotterback (NS) won by forfeit; 120 - Jacob Dellicker (NW) def. Danny Grigas, 5-4; 126 - Anthony Russo (NW) def. Ethan Miernicki, 5-2; 132 - Benjamin Griffith (NW) won by forfeit.

Wilson 57, Northwestern 16

145 - Ashtyn Barberra (W) dec. Lucas Miller, 5-1; 152 - Harrison Bernhard (NW) pinned Owen Pelonero in 5:35; 160 - Anthony Micci (W) won by forfeit; 170 - Cayden Trimmer (W) won by forfeit; 182 - Alex Snyder (W) pinned Ryan Haverkamp in 3:1; 195 - Austin Wickham (W) won by forfeit; 220 - Kolby Flank (W) pinned Alex Johri in 1:57; 285 - Roger Russell (W) won by forfeit; 106 - JJ Wohlbach (W) won by forfeit; 113 - Double forfeit; 120 - Jake Dellicker (NW) major dec. Blaze Hartrum; 126 - Blake Sheridan (W) pinned Anthony Russo in 1:55; 132 - Dustrin Hunara (W) pinned Ben Griffith in 1:15; 138 - Mason Brensinger (NW) pinned Cameron King in 5:26.