Times News Mat Rankings

(through Jan. 27)

bout minimum: 10

106

- 1. Josh Griffith, Pleasant Valley, So. (16-5),

113

- 1. William Schwartz, Jim Thorpe, Sr. (22-7), 2. Brendan Smay, Northern Lehigh, Jr. (18-7), 3. Everett Lata, Pleasant Valley, So. (13-7).

120

- 1. Lukas Ferguson, Lehighton, So. (13-11), 2. Eli Dellicker, Northwestern, So. (9-8)

126

- 1. Gabe Heaney, Jim Thorpe, So. (24-9), 2. Jack Dellicker, Northwestern, Sr. (12-12), 3. Nick Zeigenfuss, Lehighton, Fr. (8-8).

132

- 1. Dennis Lombardi, Palmerton, So. (17-6), 2. Steven Fritzinger, Lehighton, Jr. (20-14).

138

- 1. Mason Brensinger, Northwestern, So. (13-8), 2. Lucas Sangiuliano, Lehighton, Sr. (17-12), 3. Randy Steigerwalt, Tamaqua, Jr. (18-10).

Honorable mention - Nathan Ellan, Northern Lehigh, Jr. (8-8).

145

- 1. Trevor Amorim, Northern Lehigh, So. (23-5), 2. Aaron Coccio, Tamaqua, Jr. (19-11), 3. Ben Griffith, Northwestern, Jr. (19-12),

152

- 1. James Syracuse, Pleasant Valley, So. (15-5), 2. Caleb Sell, Tamaqua, Sr. (21-9), 3. Harrison Bernhard, Northwestern, Sr. (21-7).

160

- 1. Shawn Gardner, Palmerton, Sr. (19-6), 2. Lucas Miller, Northwestern, Fr. (14-11), 3. Cole Eberts, Tamaqua, So. (13-9).

170

- 1. Richard Fronheiser, Lehighton, Jr. (20-3), 2. Alex Womack, Pleasant Valley, Sr. (18-2), 3. Carson Krell, Tamaqua, Jr. (13-7).

Honorable mention

- Matt Lalik, Palmerton, Sr. (15-9), Jared Newhall, Jim Thorpe, So. (24-5), Nathan Peters, Northwestern, So. (5-5).

182

- 1. Nate Wickersham, Tamaqua, Jr. (23-6), 2. Alex Zeigenfuss, Lehighton, Sr. (18-12), 3. Caleb McDermott, Jim Thorpe, So. (17-13).

Honorable mention

- Tyler Watson, Northwestern, Sr. (13-6), Robert Dominick, Pleasant Valley, So. (9-9).

195

- 1. Chris Frable, Pleasant Valley, Jr. (17-2), 2. Matt Frame, Northern Lehigh, So. (17-10), 3. Trent Hunter, Jim Thorpe, Sr. (12-8).

Honorable mention - Chris Lucykanish, Palmerton, Sr. (9-9)

220

- 1. Brett Gasker, Lehighton, Sr. (24-6), 2. Ryan Haverkamp, Northwestern, Sr. (17-10), 3. Kendall Herron, Jim Thorpe, Sr. (15-9),

Honorable mention

- Jason Hunter, Northern Lehigh, Jr. (7-6); Jerome Balliet, Tamaqua, Jr. (8-2).

285

- 1. Derek Hunter, Jim Thorpe, Jr. (25-2), 2. Bronson Strouse, Tamaqua, Sr. (26-2), 3. Josh Schaffer, Northern Lehigh, Jr. (19-7).

NOTES ... Coming off a runner-up finish at the Schuylkill League Tournament, Hunter repeated as Coal Cracker champion over the weekend with a 2-1 decision over Tamaqua’s Strouse in another heavyweight showdown. Hunter reversed a 3-1 loss to Strouse in the final at the Schuylkill League Tournament a week earlier. Hunter, who was seeded third, opened the tournament with three straight pins, dispatching Kennett’s Juan Zurita (0:46), Berwick’s Noah Craig (0:45) and Northern Lehigh’s Schaffer (2:26) to reach the semifinals. Hunter edged Western Wayne’s Jack McAllister, the No. 2 seed, 3-2 in the semis to set up the showdown with Strouse. After a scoreless first period, Hunter took a 1-0 lead, getting out from the bottom in the second. The junior went up 2-0 late in the period when Strouse was hit for stalling. Strouse cut it to 2-1 following a neutral start to the third period. Strouse, who was the top seed in the bracket, was equally impressive in his run to the finals. The senior pinned Williams Valley’s Jeremiah Lott (2:00), Berks Catholic’s Logan Conlon (0:51) and Meadowbrook Christian’s Gunner Treibley (5:47) to advance to the semis, where he earned a 5-2 decision against Overbrook’s Daishawn Tilghman, who was seeded fourth. After topping Hunter with a takedown in the final 30 seconds at the Schuylkill League Tournament, Strouse wasn’t able to land another late shot in the rematch … Northwestern’s Brensinger capped a remarkable run at the Coal Cracker as the 18th seed with an 8-6 decision over top seed Dalton Klinges of Lackawanna Trail in the 138-pound final. Brensinger stayed aggressive in the final, pushing the pace and tying the score at 2-2 near the end of the first period. An early escape in the second gave Klinges a 3-2 lead, but Brensinger quickly responded with a reversal to make it 4-3. Klinges got another escape to tie it at 4-4, but Brensinger retook the lead at 6-4, and held a 6-5 advantage at the end of the period. A reversal in the third pushed Brensinger’s lead to 8-5, and he held on from there, showing the skills he had displayed throughout the tournament. In the semifinals, Brensinger picked up a 4-2 decision over Carlisle’s Jarrett Wilson, who was seeded third. Brensinger posted a 5-3 decision over Selinsgrove’s Garrett Paradis, the 10th seed, in the quarters. The sophomore reached the quarterfinals with a 6-4 win in sudden victory overtime against Berwick’s Nicholas Yule, the No. 2 seed. Brensinger opened the tournament by pinning Northern Lehigh’s Ellan, who was seeded 15th, in 3:16 … In addition to Hunter, Strouse and Brensinger, Tamaqua’s Wickersham also advanced to the championship round, but fell 6-3 to top seed Jake Marnell of Hazleton in the 182-pound final. Wickersham, the No. 3 seed, was impressive in his push to the final. The junior ripped off five straight pins, starting with thee in under a minute: Pope John Paul II’s Jacob Rau (0:52), Bangor’s Gabe Woolverton (0:32) and Jim Thorpe’s McDermott (0:39). The Blue Raider junior, who also advanced to the finals at last week’s Schuylkill League Tournament, flattened Gettysburg’s Samuel Rodriguez (5:36) in the quarters and handled Faith Christian Academy’s Leo Muzika (1:21), the No. 2 seed, in the semis … In addition to Brensinger, Hunter, Strouse and Wickersham, 16 other Times News area wrestlers also placed in the top eight at the Coal Cracker: Jim Thorpe – Schwartz (113, eighth), Heaney (126, seventh), Newhall (170, seventh); Lehighton – Fronheiser (170, fifth), Zeigenfuss (182, eighth), Gasker (220, fifth); Northern Lehigh – Smay (106, sixth), Amorim (145, seventh), Frame (195, seventh), Schaffer (fifth, 285); Northwestern – Griffith (132, eighth), Haverkamp (182, sixth); Palmerton – Lombardi (132, third), Gardner (160, seventh); and Tamaqua – Coccio (138, third), Krell (170, sixth) … Strouse and Schwartz captured titles at the Schuylkill League Tournament a week earlier. Strouse’s win over Hunter capped a stellar tournament, that saw him earn Most Outstanding Wrestler honors. Schwartz topped Pottsville’s Connor Demcher 6-2 in the 113-pound final … Tamaqua’s Coccio (138), Sell (145), Krell (170) and Wickersham (182), Jim Thorpe’s Fayocavitz (160) and Trent Hunter (195) and Lehighton’s Gasker (220) all had runner-up finishes. Coccio, also a runner-up a year ago, dropped a 10-7 decision to Pottsville’s Bryce Gonzalez in the 138-pound final. Blue Mountain’s Daniel Farrell edged Sell 5-4 in the 145-pound final. Upper Dauphin’s Dillon Johns pinned Jim Thorpe’s Fayocavitz in 3:21 in the 160-pound final. Tri Valley’s Jacob Scheib posted a 6-1 decision over Krell in the 170-pound final. Pottsville’s Shane Quick posted an 11-2 major decision over Wickersham in the 182-pound final. Mahanoy’s Danny Lawrence pinned Trent Hunter in :38 in the 195-pound final. Blue Mountain’s Kevin Croley posted a 3-0 decision over Gasker in the 220-pound final … Marian’s Mason Miller and Jared Spalti wrestle for Schuylkill Haven as part of a co-op between the two schools. Miller was third at 220 pounds at the league tournament, while Spalti earned the same result at 285 ... Krell has picked up wins over Newhall

at both the Schuylkill League Tournament (9-5) and the Coal Cracker (7-6) in recent weeks, and moves from honorable mention to No. 3 this week ... In the fifth-place match at the Coal Cracker, Fronheiser picked up an 8-4 decision over Krell.

(compiled by Patrick Matsinko)