BETHLEHEM – Jim Moll tried to hide it.

But the announcement rang out through Liberty’s Memorial Gymnasium.

A roar of applause followed.

And a quick grin gave it away.

Moll had plenty to be happy about after the District 11 Team Championships Thursday night.

Northwestern’s 40-28 triumph over Tamaqua assured the Tigers would stay alive past the opening night of the tournament.

It also gave Moll his 100th career victory.

“That’s what they tell me,” the Northwestern coach said with a laugh.

The win sent the Tigers to the quarterfinals against Notre Dame Green Pond, which earned a 54-18 win.

Northwestern will wrestle North Schuylkill in a consolation match Saturday.

First round

Northwestern-Tamaqua

Survive and advance.

As cliché as it sounds, it’s a mantra that holds true once wrestlers reach the postseason.

It’s especially apt on the first night of team tournament, where an opening round victory punches a team’s ticket to Freedom for at least one more match Saturday.

Northwestern did what it needed to do to turn back Tamaqua, winning three straight bouts with the score knotted after nine matches to secure the win.

“It was right about what we mapped it out to be after weigh-ins,” said Moll. “We were looking at the matchups coming up, and we had a couple different moves we were going to make. And they kind of did something different than we thought, so we changed our lineup last minute, and it ended up working out for us.”

That change came at 132, where Donovan White started the surge with a pin to put the No. 10 seed Tigers ahead 30-24.

Harrison Bernhard (138) earned a major decision, and Jack Casciano (145) held on for a narrow decision win to push the advantage to 37-24, a deficit too great for the seventh-seeded Raiders to overcome with just two matches left.

“Donovan had a huge win, so that really kind of got the momentum back on our side,” said Moll. “And we finished hard; I like to see that.

“Harrison wrestled well. He’s a strong kid, and he knows how to wrestle. He capitalized on some things in that match where he needed to.”

But Casciano was the clincher. He trailed 7-3 after the first period before getting a takedown and two back points in the second period to tie it. A reversal in the third period provided the difference.

“I think Jack’s confidence is growing,” said Moll. “After the Coal Cracker (over the weekend) and how he wrestled today, his confidence is definitely growing.

“He got taken down, and was able to come back, which is nice. It’s always nice if you can come back after giving up that first takedown.”

Tamaqua led 21-6 after five matches. Nate Wickersham opened the contest with a pin and Carson Krell followed with a decision to make it 9-0.

The Raiders picked up forfeits at 220 pounds and 285 after a Ryan Haverkamp pin got Northwestern on the board.

Jake Dellicker (113) and Mason Brensinger (120) recorded pins to put Northwestern ahead 21-18.

Randolph Steigerwalt (126) picked up a decision to tie the score before the Tigers started their run.

“After that 24-24 split, I thought we were in good shape to win the match,” said Tamaqua head coach Jim McCabe. “Things didn’t go the way I wanted to bumping the kids up.

“I thought it would be more difficult up top, and then (we) would be a little bit stronger in the middle. And it was the opposite of what I thought. Obviously, we needed three of those four middle matches to go our way, and they didn’t.”

Ryan Haas grabbed a 6-4 decision in sudden victory overtime at 160 pounds for the Tigers to set the final score after Caleb Sell recorded a major decision at 152 pounds for the Raiders.

Quarterfinals

NDGP-Northwestern

The second-seeded Crusaders jumped on Northwestern early, building a 20-6 lead after the first five matches.

Notre Dame got bonus points from Brandon Chletsos (132), Nick Vonelli (145) and Andrew Cerniglia (152), who delivered pins. Evan Maag (106) and Ryan Crookham (120) won by technical fall, and Derek Berlitz (160) and Isaiah DeJesus (170) grabbed major decisions.

After losing to the Crusaders 54-15 in their first matchup on Jan. 2, Moll was happy with the improvement he saw from his team in the second meeting, even if it wasn’t reflected in the final score.

“We were more aggressive,” said Moll. “And I think we were more competitive against Notre Dame than we were the first time around, which was good. Maybe it had to do with the confidence coming off a win. We warmed up well; it could be a lot of things.

“But mentally, we were in a better spot.”

Jake Dellicker (113) and Harrison Bernhard (138) had pins for the Tigers.

“We need a lot of bonus points going forward here,” said Dellicker. “Bonus points. Trying to not give up those extra points, and getting extra points where we can.

“I think we definitely showed improvement from the beginning of the season.”

BONUS ROUND … When it comes to the postseason, experience is everything. Moll wants his team to make the most of the mat time they get Saturday. “We’re glad we earned another day of wrestling. We’re happy about that. We’ll have to come back, and see what happens,” he said.

LOOKING BACK … With some to time to reflect, Moll offered his appreciation for those who have helped him during his tenure at Northwestern. “I’m lucky to be in the position I’ve been in long enough to get there. I have great assistants, great kids on the team, a lot of committed parents, with the booster club. So I’m lucky to be in the situation – and the program where I’m at – so I’m just happy for that,” said Moll.

Quarterfinals

Notre Dame-GP 54, Northwestern 18

182 - Tucker Klump (ND) dec. Ryan Haverkamp, 5-3; 195 - Tyler Watson (NW) won by forfeit; 220 - Eshan Swartz (ND) won by forfeit; 285 - Anthony Schiraldi (ND) won by forfeit; 106 - Evan Maag (ND) tech. fall Eli Dellicker, 17-0 (2:00); 113 - Jake Dellicker (NW) pinned Tony Morello in 4:32; 120 - Ryan Crookham (ND) tech. fall Mason Brensinger, 17-2 (2:53); 126 - Josh Bauman (ND) dec. Ben Griffith, 13-6; 132 - Brandon Chletsos (ND) pinned Donovan White in :32; 138 - Harrison Bernhard (NW) pinned Jacob Wehr in 2:42; 145 - Nick Vonelli (ND) pinned Jack Casciano in 3:13; 152 - Andrew Cerniglia (NDGP) pinned Ryan Fink in 1:06; 160 - Derek Berlitz (ND) major dec. Ryan Haas, 12-3; 170

- Isaiah DeJesus (ND) major dec. Will Dellicker, 14-5.

First round

Northwestern 40, Tamaqua 28

170 - Nate Wickersham (T) pinned Will Dellicker in 3:13; 182 - Carson Krell (T) dec. Tyler Watson, 11-7; 195 - Ryan Haverkamp (NW) pinned Alex Zeigler in 1:32; 220 - Brandon Eberts (T) won by forfeit; 285 – Bronson Strouse (T) won by forfeit; 106 - Eli Dellicker (NW) won by forfeit; 113 - Jake Dellicker (NW) pinned Nick Wall in :22; 120 - Mason Brensinger (NW) pinned Tyler Hazlett in 1:39; 126 - Randolph Steigerwalt (T) dec. Ben Griffith, 5-2; 132 - Donovan White (NW) pinned Joey Minehan in 3:08; 138 - Harrison Bernhard (NW) major dec. Aaron Coccio, 10-0; 145 - Jack Casciano (NW) dec. Cole Eberts, 9-8; 152 - Caleb Sell (T) major dec. Ryan Fink, 8-0; 160

- Ryan Haas (NW) dec. Khalid Holland, 6-4 (SV).