Express Times

Individual wrestling rankings

 

Tuesday, February 03, 2009

103 pounds

1. So. Anthony Cabrera (21-3) Liberty

2. So. Jamie Welsh (23-4) Pen Argyl

3. Fr. Randy Cruz (30-3) Bethlehem Catholic

4. So. Josh Fritz (20-5) Emmaus

5. So. Mike Fake (19-7) Parkland

Honorable mention: So. Cody Barbiche (16-8) Delaware Valley; Jr. Anthony Bilotta (23-2) Pius X; So. Trey Daubert (15-7) Northampton; So. Lucas Dice (23-5) Northwestern; So. Brandon Hartrum (16-10) Wilson; So. Ryan Nicotra (23-2) Hackettstown; Fr. Peter Stanley (12-11) Easton.

Taking injury time: So. Dave Volyn (7-2) Hunterdon Central.

Comments: This class gets stronger every week with wrestlers dropping for postseason. This week it's Welsh down from 112. Based on his recent outings, it's tempting to put Welsh No. 1, but for now he's slotted between top-ranked Cabrera and No. 3 Cruz. Cabrera was 3-0 last week with 3-2 and 7-1 wins over Cruz and Fake, respectively. Welsh has reeled off 12 straight victories -- most coming at 112. Cruz was 2-1 last week, Fritz 3-0 and Fake 2-1. Formidable Bilotta drops to honorable mention.

112 pounds

1. So. Zach Horan (23-3) Nazareth

2. Fr. Alex Shaffer (19-0) Hunterdon Central

3. Jr. Justin Mazza (18-1) Pius X

4. Jr. Brandon Davis (9-0) Parkland

5. Jr. Greg Rinker (9-4) Northampton

Honorable mention: So. Mike Fleck (17-8) Easton; Fr. Zane Heller (20-6) Northern Lehigh; Jr. Dylan Long (18-10) Northwestern; So. Jaydon Rice (22-8) Bethlehem Catholic; Fr. Dylan Thorsen (18-2) Belvidere; So. Rylan Watson (15-8) Phillipsburg.

Comments: Lots of re-ordering in this weight class with No. 1 Horan and No. 3 Mazza staying in their slots. Horan was 1-0; Mazza 2-0. Unbeaten Shaffer went 5-0 last week and moves from fifth to second. Davis has been equally strong -- he was 2-0 last week -- and jumps into fourth spot from honorable mention. Rinker, based on 9-8 win over Brandon Choate of Blue Mountain, looks to be back to form after injury and is fifth. Struggling Fleck drops from fourth to honorable mention.

119 pounds

1. Jr. Anthony Marino (23-0) Liberty

2. Fr. Mitch Minotti (25-6) Easton

3. Jr. Corey Kozimor (14-0) Hackettstown

4. So. Franco Ferraina (18-7) Nazareth

5. Jr. Adam Phillippi (24-5) Saucon Valley

Honorable mention: Jr. Doug Cowley (11-2) Belvidere; Jr. Lee Coleman (17-5) Bangor; So. Josh LaBar (19-6) Pius X; Jr. Pat Levandowski (18-5) North Hunterdon; So. Rex Lutz (18-8) Pen Argyl; Fr. Vinny Pellechia (16-7); Fr. Jason Stephen (20-9) Northampton.

Taking injury time: Fr. Rich Cruz (14-1) Bethlehem Catholic.

Comments: Not much movement here. Marino was 2-0, Minotti 1-1, Kozimor 3-0, Ferraina 0-1 and Phillippi 2-0. Only change is unbeaten Kozimor jumping over Ferraina from fourth to third spot.

125 pounds

1. Sr. Evan Yenolevich (25-1) Northwestern

2. So. Matt Lane (23-4) Phillipsburg

3. Jr. Jordan Glykas (21-6) Northampton

4. So. Joey Rizzolino (20-8) Easton

5. Sr. D.J. Hartrum (21-3) Wilson

Honorable mention: Sr. Derek Beckage (17-11) Pen Argyl; Jr. Brian Bistis (18-3) Hunterdon Central; Jr. Owen Boyle (17-7) North Hunterdon; Sr. Bob Detweiler (18-6) Freedom; Jr. Tyrone Deschler (18-10) Saucon Valley; Jr. Mike Dorn (15-8) North Warren; So. Justin Heller (19-8) Parkland; So. Greg Noll (16-12) Nazareth; Jr. Michael Ramos (19-7) Allen; Jr. Nate Snyder (14-6) Whitehall; Jr. Bobby Stevely (18-5) Delaware Valley; So. Nikko Stevens (19-6) Northern Lehigh.

Comments: Status quo with dominant Yenolevich finishing last week 1-0, Lane 1-1, Glykas 2-1, Rizzolino 2-0 and Hartrum 3-0. Glykas was caught and pinned by Heller but no need to make any changes right now.

130 pounds

1. Sr. Bryan Smith (30-1) Bethlehem Catholic

2. Sr. Josh Yurasits (20-5) Northampton

3. Jr. John Horak (21-6) Phillipsburg

4. So. Matt Schuebel (21-2) Warren Hills

5. Jr. A.J. Chernaskey (20-8) Saucon Valley

Honorable mention: So Luciano Burriesci (18-11) Pen Argyl; So. Bob Clymer (15-7) Northern Lehigh; Jr. Benjamin Diorio (19-5) Pius X; Sr. Richie Drey (15-13) Easton; Jr. Matt Klacik (15-10) Freedom; Fr. Aaron Morekin (17-7) Whitehall; Jr. Vinny Peoni (19-6) Voorhees; Sr. Kevin Ritchie (13-8) North Warren; Jr. Trevor Stiefken (16-4) Delaware Valley.

Comments: No reshuffling among top five. Smith was 3-0, Yurasits did not wrestle, Horak went 1-1, Schuebel 4-0 and Chernaskey 2-0.

135 pounds

1. Sr. Austin Williams (25-2) Pen Argyl

2. Jr. Austin Sommer (26-4) Northampton

3. Sr. Victor Alpizar (21-4) Whitehall

4. So. Mike Ottinger (23-7) Parkland

5. Sr. Bob Moyer (17-9) Phillipsburg

Honorable mention: Sr. Evan Brewer (14-6) Hunterdon Central; Jr. Dan Costenbader (15-7) Palmerton; Jr. Anthony Gaito (16-5) Warren Hills; Sr. Joe Grammes (19-6) Northern Lehigh; Jr. Garret Henning (13-11) Liberty; Jr. Kyle Mecse (17-7) Delaware Valley; Jr. Erik Mitchell (16-8) Hackettstown; Jr. Andrew Moore (17-7) Parkland; Fr. Elliot Riddick (29-4) Bethlehem Catholic; Jr. Tanner Simmons (19-10) Catasauqua; Fr. Mike Staufenberger (13-8) North Warren; Jr. Ian Titus (16-5) Belvidere.

Honorable mention: Sr. Ricky Williams (13-3) Northwestern.

Comments: Perfection for top three ranked wrestlers: Williams was 4-0, Sommer 3-0 and Alpizar 2-0. Ottinger makes drop and slots at fourth after 1-1 week. Moyer was 1-2 but still fifth-best in this class.

140 pounds

1. Jr. Mark Hartenstine (29-1) Easton

2. So. Ryan Krecker (23-5) Nazareth

3. Sr. Phil Marano (8-1) Northampton

4. Jr. Oliver Brukardt (21-6) Phillipsburg

5. Jr. Phil Racciato (20-5) Pen Argyl

Honorable mention: Sr. Mike Calantoni (19-5) Wilson; Sr. Andrew Duckworth (13-3) Bethlehem Catholic; Jr. Jake Giovannini (21-3) Pius X; Sr. Ricky Graff (19-4) Warren Hills; Sr. Mike LaPorta (17-8) Saucon Valley; Sr. Billy Loftus (10-1) North Hunterdon.

Comments: Surging Hartenstine scored second close decision in 11 days over Krecker and was 2-0 last week. Krecker went 0-1, Marano 3-0. Brukardt was 3-0 and moves up spot to fourth. Racciato, who dropped to 140 to defeat -- and nearly pin -- Calantoni, went 4-0 and slots in at No. 5.

145 pounds

1. Sr. Kris Krawchuk (24-0) Northern Lehigh

2. Sr. Austin Warman (25-2) Wilson

3. Sr. Nick Pare (19-7) Phillipsburg

4. Jr. Ryan Kisslinger (19-6) Liberty

5. So. Kyle Dehaut (22-6) Bethlehem Catholic

Honorable mention: So. Mason McIntyre (18-7) Freedom.

Taking injury time: Sr. Shane Fenningham (12-5) Northampton.

Comments: No. 1 Krawchuk continues perfect season after 1-0 week. Warman wrestling up for benefit of team was 2-1 with two solid wins. Pare was 2-0, Kisslinger 2-0 and Dehaut 0-2. Kisslinger and struggling Dehaut switch spots at 4-5.

152 pounds

1. Jr. Kevin Brown (19-2) North Warren

2. Jr. Greg Chrin (17-2) Notre Dame

3. Jr. Craemer Hedash (22-3) Northern Lehigh

4. Sr. Tyler Cozzubbo (25-1) Pius X

5. Jr. Jerry Somma (16-3) Hunterdon Central

Honorable mention: Jr. Nick Boyd (18-9) Northwestern; So. Chris Cancelliere (15-7) North Hunterdon; Sr. Ian Heist (17-3) Parkland; Sr. Matt Hunter (14-6); Jr. Seth Guth (19-6) Whitehall; So. John Lambert (17-11) Northampton; Sr. Tylor Mutton (18-12) Pen Argyl.

Comments: Status quo in this class. Brown was 2-0, Chrin 1-0, Hedash 1-0, Cozzubbo 2-0 and Somma 4-1. Hedash avenged Colonial League loss to Warman with 5-1 win at District 11 Duals.

160 pounds

1. Sr. Jimmy Sheptock (28-2) Northampton

2. Sr. Alex Depew (24-3) Wilson

3. Jr. Wade Rivera (27-4) Parkland

4. So. Colin Hedash (21-4) Northern Lehigh

5. Jr. Mike Hafke (15-1) Voorhees

Honorable mention: Jr. Matt Artigliere (18-4) Warren Hills; So. Ian Gimbar (21-5) Saucon Valley; Jr. Josh Rodriguez (18-7) Whitehall; Sr. Mike Simon (17-8) Phillipsburg; Sr. Justin Quaye (17-6) Allen; Sr. Aaron Ross (27-5) Bethlehem Catholic.

Comments: Top-ranked Sheptock shows dominance with 12-4 major over No. 3 Rivera. Sheptock was 2-0, Depew 3-0, Rivera 1-1 and Hedash 0-1. Hafke went 2-0 in return from injury and takes over No. 5 position.

171 pounds

1. Sr. Seth Csaszar (21-5) Northampton

2. Jr. Tate Klidonas (23-2) Emmaus

3. Sr. Dan Shust (19-3) North Hunterdon

4. Jr. Luke DeLuise (21-5) Pius X

5. Sr. Kevin Keim (24-8) Bethlehem Catholic

Honorable mention: Sr. Eric Bohem (16-11) Phillipsburg; Sr. Ryder Clemmo (15-4) North Warren; Sr. Josh Heft (15-9) Parkland; Jr. Cameron Kroemelbein (20-6) Belvidere; Jr. Kyle O'Donnell (7-2) Warren Hills; Jr. Chris Pintado (17-6) Liberty.

Comments: No changes necessary in top three. Csaszar, Klidonas and Shust all went 2-0. DeLuise was 2-0, including fall over Keim, to move from honorable mention to fourth spot. New No. 5 Keim was 2-1, including pin of former No. 5 Pintado.

189 pounds

1. Sr. Joe Piro (25-4) Northampton

2. Sr. Jared Crouse (20-6) Phillipsburg

3. Sr. Danny Boyle (23-2) Northern Lehigh

4. Jr. Taray Carey (22-4) Whitehall

5. Sr. Evan Brown (9-2) Bangor

Honorable mention: Sr. Devin Malarchik (8-2) Catasauqua; Jr. Andrew Scudder (14-10) Hackettstown; Sr. Kyle Steckert (12-6) Saucon Valley.

Comments: Status quo among 89-pounders with Piro ending week 3-0, Crouse 2-1, Boyle 1-0, Caray 2-0 while Brown did not wrestle.

215 pounds

1. Sr. Brandon Palik (25-1) Saucon Valley

2. Sr. Chris Wilson (22-6) Easton

3. Sr. Matt Santini (20-6) Phillipsburg

4. Sr. Tim Murphy (18-8) Nazareth

5. Sr. Aaron Chamberlain (23-5) Northampton

Honorable mention: Sr. Kevin Booth (20-4) Palmerton; Sr. Carl Kreidler (22-4) Whitehall; Sr. Brandon Strohl (24-5) Catasauqua; Jr. Khalid Zubaydi (18-5) Hackettstown.

Comments: No. 1 Palik's next true challenge likely to come at regionals. Palik was 2-0 last week, Wilson 2-0 including 100th career victory, Santini 1-1, Murphy 0-1 and Chamberlain 3-0. Wilson defeated Murphy 4-3 for sixth head-to-head victory in two seasons.

285 pounds

1. Sr. Will Fletcher (7-0) Palisades

2. Sr. Justin Grant (22-5) Easton

3. Sr. Erik Schaffer (27-4) Northampton

4. Jr. Brad Bormann (17-5) Hunterdon Central

5. Jr. Jon Slack (18-5) Warren Hills

Honorable mention: Jr. Anthony Bourizk (4-1) Whitehall; So. Jack Delia (20-4) North Hunterdon; Jr. Curtis Garner (21-3) Catasauqua; Jr. D.J. King (13-11) Nazareth; Jr. Greg Ritter (21-4) Belvidere; Sr. Jim Tersigni (16-10) Phillipsburg; Sr. Sean Searfass (13-5) Freedom.

Comments: Form holds for heavies. Fletcher ended week 1-0, Grant 2-0, Schaffer 3-0, Bormann 4-0 and Slack 3-1. Bormann and Slack, who pinned Ritter, should settle position head-to-head in Wednesday's Skyland Conference showdown.