Despite not having returning champion Freddy Bachmann and returning champion Adam Waters forfeiting out to sixth place, Faith Christian won the team title at last weekend’s Walsh Jesuit (Ohio) Ironman tournament.
Mark Effendian won the 285-pound title for the Lions. Teammates Joe Bachmann (150), Nick Singer (175) and Cael Weidemoyer (215) finished second.
Bethlehem Catholic’s Keanu Dillard (fourth at 138), Notre Dame-Green Pond’s Dominic Sumpolec (fifth at 189) and Max Quarry (sixth at 106) plus Northampton’s Gabe Ballard (eighth at 157) were other local medalists.
Faith Christian wrestlers were a combined 30-18 at the nation’s toughest in-season tournament. Notre Dame-GP was 20-25, followed by Bethlehem Catholic (11-24) and Northampton (9-23), which didn’t have returning state runner-up Brayden Wenrich because of injury.
Other highlights: Notre Dame-GP’s Cael Muller beat returning state fourth-place finisher and world champion Keegan Bassett at 113 pounds; Faith Christian’s Cruz Little beat Notre Dame-GP’s Cole Schwartz 9-1 at 120; Notre Dame-GP’s Gavyn Kelton knocked off two-time state medalist Trey Wagner of Northampton 9-4 at 144; Waters beat Sumpolec 6-2 before forfeiting to him in the sixth-place match; and, Weidemoyer handled Notre Dame-GP’s Connor Smalley 15-2 at 215.
Milestone victories
Northwestern Lehigh’s Luke Fugazzotto recorded his 100th pin in Friday’s season-opening dual meet against Palisades’ Silas Day. The senior 189-pounder is 131-21 in his career with 100 pins. He’s chasing a state title as well as the program’s career wins leader (Evan Yenolevich, 168, 2005-09) and the state’s career pins leader, which is believed to be Shane Springer of LaSalle and Norristown with 139.
Pennridge’s Quinn McBride and Nazareth’s Cade Campbell won their 100th career matches at the PennStro Leasing Kickoff Classic at Cumberland Valley.
Tournament recaps
Emmaus was 6-0, including wins over Central Dauphin and Berks Catholic, to win the Blue Raider Duals at Tamaqua. Emilio Albanese was 6-0 with four pins in 42 seconds or less, a technical fall and a forfeit to improve to 12-0 this season. Cam Martinez was 6-0 with four pins, a forfeit and technical fall to move to 11-0 on the year.
Fellow Green Hornets Teagan Caciolo, Jackson Max, Talan Springer and Tommy Fallstich also were 6-0.
• Bangor’s Hunter Hopstetter and Mahanoy Area/Marian Catholic’s Rory Dixon also were 6-0.
• Lehighton was 5-1, losing only to Central Dauphin. Marc Macias was 5-1 at 285 for the Indians.
• Nazareth crowned three champions among seven medalists to finish second at the PennStro Leasing Kickoff Classic at Cumberland Valley.
Freshman Caleb Kosko (133) and seniors Cade Campbell (160) and Brayden Zuercher (189) won individual titles. Zuercher was named the tournament’s outstanding wrestler after registering four pins in 7 minutes, 26 seconds. Kosko beat two returning state seventh-place finishers on the way to his first tournament title.
Kosko trailed Boiling Springs’ Drew Scherer 5-3 late in the third period of the 133 final before getting a reversal and two back points for an 8-5 victory.
Campbell was tied 1-1 with Bishop McDevitt’s Nicky Negron before getting a takedown in the final 20 seconds to get the win.
Blue Eagles Cooper Wenrich (third at 139), Elijah Simak (fourth at 172), Chase Brown (fifth at 152) and Austin Christine (fifth at 285) also made it to the medal stand. Wenrich avenged an earlier loss in the tournament with a 56-second pin in the third-place match.
Pennridge had four medalists, led by Sawyer Ermigiotti who won the 215-pound title. Quinn McBride (second at 145), Matt Coffin (third at 127) and Kevin McFadden (third at 133) also medaled.
• Liberty was eighth in the team race at the Penn Manor tournament, led by medalists Max Milia (second at 107) and Elijah Heimbach (seventh at 121). Upper Perkiomen had three medalists: Sean Murray (second at 139), Zane Saeger (seventh at 172) and Ben Godshall (eighth at 133).
• Evan Gillespie was 5-0 with four pins in less than a minute and a forfeit for Pleasant Valley at Blue Mountain’s PM Gauntlett Duals.
• Catasauqua’s Evan Reed, Gavin Hacker and Joziah Martinez were 3-0 at the Chuck Spring Duals at Norristown.
Escape the Rock, other girls tournaments
Parkland won the team title at the Escape the Rock tournament at North Penn, thanks to Angelina Spachman’s 136-pound championship among 10 medalists.
Other Parkland medalists: Liz Karla Grullon-Vasquez (second at 190), Peyton Schneck (fourth at 106), Saige Rittenhouse (fourth at 124), Emily Siglin (fourth at 170), Laura Volpe (fifth at 142), Abrianna Gomez (seventh at 170), Lily Snook (seventh at 118), Victoria Lasagna (seventh at 148) and Natalie Deutch (seventh at 155).
Nazareth was sixth, Quakertown seventh, Southern Lehigh ninth, Upper Perkiomen 11th, Panther Valley tied for 12th and Liberty 18th.
Other local champions: Quakertown’s Ashley Stank (106) and Caroline Hattala (190), Southern Lehigh’s Xuan Graham (118), Palisades’ Bryce Snyder (170) and Panther Valley’s Brenda Banks (235).
Other finalists: Upper Perkiomen’s Keyra Seville (100), Nazareth’s Chelsea Dressler (106) and Southern Lehigh’s Mai Graham (124).
Panther Valley’s Alisa Williams was the only local third-place finisher.
• Lehighton with champions Kennedy Quinn (136) and Kailey Evans (190) won the team title at Tamaqua’s Blue Raider tournament.
Catasauqua was second in the nine-team event with champions Aeriel Stallworth (142) and Esmeralda Serrano (170) plus runners-up Janetliz Burgo (106), Ashlie Montano-Giron (155) and Anaiz Espinal (190).
Other local finalists: Tamaqua’s Rylin Arroyo (second at 112) and Jalissa Correa (first at 124); Lehighton’s Claudia Pagotto (second at 124), Lillian Klotz (second at 142) and Alivia Reed (second at 170).
• Easton was third, Pocono Mountain West fifth and Wilson 13th at the 27-team Queen of the Hive event at Honesdale.
Morgan Hyland (112) was the Red Rovers’ lone champion. Maiya Lang was third at 136 and Celeste Gildenhuys was fourth at 170.
Nevaeh Colon (112) and Karley Martinez (190) were second for Wilson. Aliey Martinez was fourth at 235.
Chloe Straub (155) was a runner-up for Pocono Mountain West. Brianna Szmak (190) was third.
Mackennah Mosser (100) and Emiko Lucas (190) were sixth for Northern Lehigh.
Lehigh Valley area’s top 10 teams
(entering Tuesday)
Rank. Team (Record; last week); Last week; This week
1. Faith Christian (3-0; 1); Won Ironman team title with four finalists; Saturday at Jonsey Classic Duals at West Chester Henderson
2. Emmaus (8-0; 2): Beat East Stroudsburg North, won Blue Raider Duals at Tamaqua; Wednesday vs. Pleasant Valley
3. Notre Dame-Green Pond (2-0; 4): Two medalists at Ironman; Tuesday vs. Jim Thorpe, Thursday at Bangor, Saturday-Sunday at Beast of the East
4. Nazareth (3-0; 3): Beat Easton in 100th meeting, finished second at PennStro Kickoff Classic at Cumberland Valley; Wednesday vs. Dieruff, Saturday-Sunday at Beast of the East
5. Bethlehem Catholic (0-1; 5): Beat Northampton, one medalist at Ironman; Wednesday vs. Easton, Saturday-Sunday at Beast of the East
6. Easton (6-2; 6): Lost to Nazareth, beat Parkland; Wednesday at Bethlehem Catholic, Saturday-Sunday at Beast of the East
7. Northampton (1-2; 7); Lost to Bethlehem Catholic; one medalist at Ironman; Wednesday vs. East Stroudsburg North, Friday-Saturday at King of the Mountain at Central Mountain
8. Parkland (1-2; 8); Beat Dieruff, lost at Easton; Monday vs. Blue Mountain, Wednesday vs. Allen, Friday-Saturday at King of the Mountain at Central Mountain
9. Saucon Valley (2-0; 9); Beat Northern Lehigh; Tuesday vs. Palmerton, Thursday at Palisades, Saturday-Sunday at Beast of the East
10. Pennridge (5-1); Beat Quakertown, had four medalists to finish sixth at PennStro Leasing Kickoff Classic; Friday at Lower Merion
Dropped out: Whitehall (1-1; 10); Beat East Stroudsburg North; Wednesday vs. East Stroudsburg South, Saturday-Sunday at Beast of the East
Honorable mention (listed alphabetically): Bangor (7-5); Freedom (3-1); Lehighton (5-1); Liberty (2-0); Northwestern Lehigh (1-0); Pen Argyl (0-0); Quakertown (0-1); Stroudsburg (4-1); Upper Perkiomen (1-0)
Senior writer Tom Housenick can be reached at thousenick@mcall.com
