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Express Times Rankings week of 3/8/05 |
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Tuesday, March 15, 2005
103 POUNDS
1. Fr. Jordan Oliver (42-4) Easton
2. So. Dan Kelly (36-3) Delaware Valley
3. Jr. Jon Gregory (29-8) Phillipsburg
4. So. Gary Atiyeh (32-12) Whitehall
5. Fr. Andrew Arnold (40-7) Northern Lehigh
6. So. Evan Kolb (33-7) Bethlehem Catholic
( How they fared in NJ states: Kelly finished fifth, while Gregory went 1-2 and DNP.
( How they fared in Pa. states: Oliver was Class AAA runner-up, while Arnold went 1-2 and DNP.
( Notes: Kelly went 3-2 overall, falling 8-6 to eventual champ Ryan Fikslin of Roxbury in
semifinals. Gregory was 1-2, losing 7-5 in quarters to Collingswood's Rich Bushby, who Kelly
majored 14-2 for fifth. The Stateliner was eliminated with a 9-8 loss to eventual third-place
finisher Frank Perrelli of Delbarton in wrestlebacks. Gregory has distinction of beating both
a Jersey champ and a Pa. runner-up this season, having beaten Fikslin 7-4 in Region 1 final
and Oliver 4-3 in dual meet. Oliver lost 5-0 to Clearfield's Matt Kyler, ranked No. 1 in the
nation by Amateur Wrestling News, in AAA final. Oliver, 10th in the nation, gets nod over Kelly,
based on state finish. It's a tough call. Maybe they can wrestle an exhibition before the
Lions Classic to settle it!
112 POUNDS
1. Jr. Andrew Flegler (40-10) Nazareth
2. So. Matt Bogusz (29-11) Parkland
3. So. Tony Comunale (47-7) Pius X
4. So. Scott Clymer (35-6) Northwestern
5. So. Pat Strizki (30-6) Hunterdon Central
6. Fr. Luke Grassi (28-6) Phillipsburg
( How they fared in NJ states: Strizki finished seventh.
( How they fared in Pa. states: Flegler finished sixth in AAA, while Bogusz DNP. Comunale
was seventh in AA, while Clymer DNP.
( Notes: Flegler reclaims top spot by virtue of his sixth-place finish and a 4-1 win over
Bogusz in the consolation rounds. They split four meetings this season. Comunale moves
ahead of Clymer, the District 11 AA champ, because of better state showing. They did not
meet this season.
119 POUNDS
1. Jr. Russ Souders (36-7) Wilson
2. Sr. Brad Gentzle (39-9) Easton
3. So. Kris Sigafoos (34-5) Delaware Valley
4. So. Andrew Ritchie (33-15) Nazareth
5. Jr. Chris Wieller (28-13) Northampton
6. So. Adam Hluschak (34-16) Northern Lehigh
( How they fared in NJ states: Sigafoos was third, while Phillipsburg's John Todd went 0-1.
( How they fared in Pa. states: Souders finished third and Hluschak eighth in AA. Gentzle
and Wieller failed to place in AAA.
( Notes: Souders, who lost his state opener and then won five straight to medal, gets nod
at top. Gentzle did beat him 7-5 way back on Jan. 8. It's close, but how they finished up
has to account for something and that's why we have it this way. Sigafoos is Del Val's highest
state finisher since Steve Em took third at 100 pounds in 1995.
125 POUNDS
1. Sr. Seth Ciasulli (46-3) Easton
2. Sr. Steve Mytych (34-5) Northampton
3. Jr. Willy Horwath (34-7) Liberty
4. Jr. Cody Struening (26-11) Wilson
5. Sr. Larry Unger (34-9) Bethlehem Catholic
6. So. Mike Greck (31-15) Nazareth
( How they fared in NJ states: No qualifiers.
( How they fared in Pa. states: Ciasulli finished third, while Mytych DNP in AAA. Struening,
Unger and Northern Lehigh's Robert Marlatt all failed to place in AA.
( Notes: Another tough call at the top between two even wrestlers. True, Mytych beat Ciasulli
two out of three, but all were nail-biters and the Red Rover did beat Red Lion's Eric Albright,
who beat Mytych in the wrestlebacks, for third-place medal. This isn't easy folks, but it's
hard to dismiss a state medal.
130 POUNDS
1. So. Tim Darling (45-2) Nazareth
2. Sr. Josh Oliver (42-10) Easton
3. Sr. Brandon Stillo (34-5) Phillipsburg
4. Sr. Jimmy Bloom (25-13) Parkland
5. Jr. Bryant Moyer (30-13) Emmaus
6. Jr. Ryan Hess (28-14) Pen Argyl
( How they fared in NJ states: Stillo and Delaware Valley's Bob Fulton did not place.
( How they fared in Pa. states: Darling won AAA title, Oliver finished fourth and Bloom did
not place.
( Notes: Darling captured the first of what many feel could be three state titles with 5-2 win
over Quakertown's Nate Nauroth. Oliver jumps over Stillo, despite 5-4 loss to Stateliner in a
dual meet. It's close and the state medal cements our decision here, especially because we
thought Stillo, who went 1-2 at states, would place in Jersey.
135 POUNDS
1. Sr. Alex Krom (44-4) Easton
2. Sr. Nick Alparone (29-5) Hunterdon Central
3. Sr. Dave Gilio (24-8) Northampton
4. Jr. Phil Santee (31-14) Nazareth
5. Sr. Chris Kelly (32-11) Delaware Valley
6. Sr. Brett Martinez (40-11) Northern Lehigh
( How they fared in NJ states: Alparone finished fourth and Kelly sixth. Hackettstown's Cory
Vernon went 0-1.
( How they fared in Pa. states: Krom was fourth, while Gilio DNP in AAA. Martinez didn't medal,
going 1-2 in AA.
( Notes: Krom caps a solid career with his second state medal. The Maryland recruit finishes
as Easton's and District 11's all-time wins leader with a career mark of 161-23. Gilio, eighth
at 130 last year, went a disappointing 0-2 at states. Alparone earned his second state medal,
beating Kelly for the fifth time this season, 5-1 in the consolation semis. Kelly finishes as
Del Val's all-time wins leader at 111-35.
140 POUNDS
1. Sr. Andrew Goldstein (40-8) Easton
2. Sr. Eric Grida (36-2) Saucon Valley
3. Sr. John Paukovits (28-6) Northampton
4. Jr. George Lobb (43-7) Pius X
5. Jr. Dan Konno (33-12) Northwestern
6. So. Adam Counterman (20-11) Nazareth
( How they fared in NJ states: No qualifiers.
( How they fared in Pa. states: Goldstein finished seventh, while Paukovits went 1-2 and DNP.
Grida claimed AA bronze, while Lobb finished seventh. Konno was 0-2 in AA.
( Notes: Goldstein keeps top spot by earning his first state medal, beating Berwick's Anthony
Bujno 3-1 for seventh. Grida leaps over Paukovits, who finished fifth at 135 last year.
Paukovits beat Grida 9-7 in Bethlehem Holiday Classic finals in December. Once again, we're
rewarding the medal winner and the finish. Grida's other loss was 1-0 in AA semis to eventual
champ Andy Rendos of Brockway.
145 POUNDS
1. Sr. Joe Caramanica (45-1) Nazareth
2. Sr. Tim McGoldrick (41-5) Whitehall
3. Jr. Braylin Williams (35-13) Easton
4. Jr. C.J. Inglin (30-5) Delaware Valley
5. Sr. Keith Kelly (29-11) Liberty
6. Jr. Chris Norrell (29-7) Phillipsburg
( How they fared in NJ states: Inglin went 1-2 and DNP.
( How they fared in Pa. states: Caramanica finished first, McGoldrick second and Williams
eighth in AAA. Salisbury's Josh Hunsberger was eighth in AA.
( Notes: Caramanica closed out his fine career and season in style by beating McGoldrick
5-0 for his second straight AAA gold medal. Inglin lost a 5-3 heartbreaker to Willingboro's
Tom Scotton, the eventual state runner-up, in the second round. He then was majored by Wall's
Alex Karu, who finished eighth, in the wrestlebacks.
152 POUNDS
1. Sr. Joey Ecklof (31-3) Northampton
2. So. Thad Frick (34-10) Nazareth
3. Jr. James Sciascia (48-5) Pius X
4. Jr. Frank Heffernan (42-8) Northern Lehigh
5. Jr. A.J. Papa (26-12) Parkland
6. Sr. Ryan Heard (33-8) Pen Argyl
( How they fared in NJ states: Kyle Honickel of Voorhees and Zubin Karimattam of Hunterdon
Central went 0-1.
( How they fared in Pa. states: Ecklof finished first, while Frick and Papa DNP in AAA.
Sciascia was AA runner-up and Heffernan seventh. Heard went 1-2 and DNP.
( Notes: Ecklof became his school's first-three time state champ with an impressive 10-3
win over two-time champ Donnie Jones of Greensburg-Salem, ranked fifth in the nation, in
much anticipated AAA final. Frick, who lost 5-3 to Jones in quarters, was beaten 3-1 in OT
by Pennsbury's Bill Trimble, who finished seventh. Sciascia reached AA finals, where he
was tech-falled by Lake-Lehman stud Matt Dragon (45-0). Dragon, ranked eighth in the nation,
beat Heffernan 16-3 in quarters.
160 POUNDS
1. Jr. Dave Richmond (30-3) Warren Hills
2. Jr. Chris Merwine (31-9) Pen Argyl
3. Sr. Ryan McGarry (28-4) Palmerton
4. Sr. Eric Bauder (29-10) Emmaus
5. Sr. Sal Crivellaro (32-12) Easton
6. Jr. Josh Ballan (35-8) Whitehall
( How they fared in NJ states: Richmond finished third, while North Hunterdon's Vinny Catullo
and Hunterdon Central's J.R. Nettuno DNP.
( How they fared in Pa. states: Merwine went 0-2 and DNP in AA.
( Notes: Richmond claimed his second straight state medal, beating Southern's Greg Miele 3-1
in OT for the bronze. Miele upset Richmond 7-5 in OT in second round. Catullo was beating
Camden Catholic's Randy Moore, the eventual runner-up, 6-5 in quarters before being pinned.
171 POUNDS
1. Sr. Nick Guida (23-4) Parkland
2. Sr. Scott Hunter (38-7) Emmaus
3. Sr. Matt Hemhauser (40-10) Pius X
4. Jr. Nick Hosford (38-14) Northern Lehigh
5. So. Zach Rabenold (27-12) Freedom
6. Sr. Mike Fink (33-9) Liberty
( How they fared in NJ states: No qualifiers.
( How they fared in Pa. states: Guida was second and Hunter fifth in AAA, while Hemhauser and
Hosford DNP in AA.
( Notes: Guida failed in his bid to repeat with 6-3 loss to Waynesburg's Corbin Semple in AAA
finals. The Nebraska-bound Guida won two previous meetings with Semple in December at the Beast
of the East -- in the quarters and 3-1 in fifth-place bout. Hemhauser went 1-2 and Hosford 0-2
in AA.
189 POUNDS
1. Jr. P.J. DiStefano (40-9) Whitehall
2. Sr. Zach Pizarro (36-5) Easton
3. So. Kyle Frey (29-2) Warren Hills
4. Sr. Bryan Kopesky (28-7) Phillipsburg
5. Sr. Joey Papay (37-11) Northern Lehigh
6. Sr. Shawn Brice (9-5) Pius X
( How they fared in NJ states: No qualifiers.
( How they fared in Pa. states: DiStefano finished fifth, while Pizarro DNP in AAA. Papay went
0-2 in AA.
( Notes: DiStefano back on top after claiming his first state medal. Pizarro, who beat
DiStefano 6-4 in district final, went 1-2 and was pinned by Great Valley's Drew Smith in
wrestlebacks. DiStefano beat Smith 1-0 in next round.
215 POUNDS
1. Jr. Scott Snyder (41-6) Northern Lehigh
2. Jr. Dave Sbriscia (26-5) Warren Hills
3. Jr. Brandon Boyer (33-7) Saucon Valley
4. So. Justin Wieller (23-10) Northampton
5. Sr. Mike Lovett (32-9) Freedom
6. Sr. Nate Kranich (33-7) Notre Dame
( How they fared in NJ states: Sbriscia and Zach Voyce of Voorhees went 0-1.
( How they fared in Pa. states: Wieller was 1-2 and Lovett 0-2 in AAA. Snyder finished sixth,
while Boyer and Shook DNP in AA.
( Notes: Snyder lost 5-2 to eventual runner-up Kyle Davis of Valley View in semis and 6-5 to
Biglerville's Jake Showers in fifth-place bout. Sbriscia lost his opener on an injury
default -- suffering a severe left knee injury when Paulsboro's Alex Silvestro shot in for a
takedown. Heck of a way to spend a weekend in AC.
275 POUNDS
1. Sr. Bryan Reiss (41-1) Emmaus
2. So. Richie Smith (28-4) Pen Argyl
3. Jr. Rodney Sigley (25-4) Freedom
4. Jr. Jared Glass (33-7) Dieruff
5. Sr. Pete Reid (23-6) Hunterdon Central
6. Sr. Kenny Somers (20-6) Voorhees
( How they fared in NJ states: No qualifiers.
( How they fared in Pa. states: Reiss claimed AAA title, while Smith finished fourth in AA.
( Notes: Reiss dominated once again in winning his school's first state title. He pinned two
opponents and majored another before beating Cathedral Prep's Stefan Tighe 5-1 in finals.
For those of you keeping score at home, and we know you are, that's a total of eight pins,
two majors and one regular decision in 11 postseason bouts for Reiss. Smith capped a fine
year with his first state medal.
u Rankings are compiled by Mike Weilamann and Brian Fortner. Records reflect matches and
tournaments that have been reported to or covered by The Express-Times. Two wrestlers from
the same team cannot be included in the rankings at the same weight, and they have to be
ranked at the lowest weight that they've competed in, unless they move up for the postseason.
Blair Academy and all Somerset County schools are not eligible for our individual or team
rankings. Questions about the rankings should be directed to Mike Weilamann by e-mail at
mweilamann@express-times.com.