The regular season is well underway, and several wrestlers have delivered standout performances.

For the first time this year, the Times News unveils its annual wrestling report.

While these initial rankings are sure to change in the coming months, they offer an early look at how wrestlers from around the area stack up against each other, and give an indication of which matchups could be on the horizon in the postseason.

It’s a long way to Hershey, but the journey for many is off to a good start.

Bout minimum: 10

Each wrestler must have

a .500 or better record

(through Jan. 17)

106 - 1. Aiden Schlier, Tamaqua, Fr. (11-7), 2. Jacob Hall, Lehighton, So. (12-5), 3. Henry Snyder, Jim Thorpe, Fr. (10-8). Honorable mention

- Trey Dieter, Northern Lehigh, So. (7-7), Kellen Trotter, Palmerton, Fr. (9-6).

113

- 1. Gabe Erbe, Tamaqua, So. (15-5).

120

- 1. Aidan Gruber, Lehighton, So. (18-3), 2. Josh Merkel, Palmerton, Fr. (9-9), 3. Edward Lauritsen, Pleasant Valley, Jr. (9-8).

126 - 1. Ridge Snyder, Jim Thorpe, Jr. (19-7), 2. Everett Lata, Pleasant Valley, Sr. (15-5), 3. Dillon Lombardi, Palmerton, Fr. (7-3). Honorable mention

- Austin Rex, Northern Lehigh, Jr. (10-7).

132

- 1. Derek King, Palmerton, Fr. (11-4), 2. Aldin Vukel, Pleasant Valley, Fr. (13-8).

138

- 1. Jacob Schlier, Tamaqua, Jr. (11-4), 2. Josh Griffith, Pleasant Valley, Sr. (12-9).

145

- 1. Michael Steigerwalt, Tamaqua, Sr. (9-2), 2. Elijah Dellicker, Northwestern, Sr. (11-7), 3. Jacob Ferguson, Lehighton, (9-4).

152

- 1. Gabe Heaney, Jim Thorpe, Sr. (19-2), 2. Dennis Lombardi, Palmerton, Sr. (17-5), 3. Lukas Ferguson, Lehighton, Sr. (8-5).

160

- 1. Cameron Tinajero, Jim Thorpe, Sr. (24-3), 2. Dalton Clymer, Northwestern, So. (13-6).

172

- 1. Cole Eberts, Tamaqua, Sr. (14-7), 2. Jared Newhall, Jim Thorpe, Sr. (13-4), 3. Lucas Miller, Northwestern, Jr. (15-7).

189 - 1. James Syracuse, Pleasant Valley, Sr. (18-1), 2. Caleb McDermott, Jim Thorpe, Sr. (14-2), 3. Deven Armbruster, Lehighton, Fr. (13-6). Honorable mention

- John Buday, Tamaqua, Sr. (10-9),

215

- 1. Noah Schlofer, Northwestern, So. (15-7), 2. Wyatt Sherer, Lehighton, So. (16-7), 3. Donavin Albert, Tamaqua, Jr. (9-9),

285

- 1. Sam Frame, Northern Lehigh, So. (9-2), 2. Ricky Houser, Lehighton, Sr. (7-4).

NOTES: Aiden Schlier owns two wins over Henry Snyder, a pin on Jan. 5 and a tech fall at the Schuylkill League Tournament this past weekend for third place. Schlier also collected a 13-4 major decision over Hall on Jan. 11 ... Hall was a runner-up at the Schuylkill League Tournament, and placed third at the Tony Iasiello Christmas City event. Hall pinned Trotter on Jan. 3, and Dieter on Dec. 13 ... Erbe, a district runner-up and regional qualifier a year ago, placed second at the Schuylkill League Tournament. Erbe was also second at the DKI Invitational at Bloomsburg earlier this year, as well as the Jim Thorpe Christmas Tournament. His loss in the finals at the JT event came to Luke Sirianni (Abington Heights), who was sixth at states in Class 3A a year ago ... Gruber was third at the Sam Lovello Classic and Tony Iasiello Christmas City tournament earlier this season. The sophomore recorded a runner-up finish at the Schuylkill League Tournament. Two of his losses this season are to wrestlers who were state qualifiers a year ago - Jacob Deysher (Brandywine Heights, 2A) and Carmen Cortese (West Chester Henderson, 3A) ... Merkel has won his last two matches, recording pins in both ... Ridge Snyder was a runner-up at the Rough Rider Tournament, and placed eighth at Jim Thorpe’s Christmas Tournament. He was second at the Schuylkill League Tournament ... Lata was a runner-up at the South Williamsport Tournament on Jan. 8 ... King was seventh at the Governor Mifflin Holiday Tournament in December ... Vukel placed fourth at the South Williamsport Tournament on Jan. 8, dropping a 4-3 decision to Nick Harder (Montrose), who was fourth in the District 2 Class 2A tournament a year ago ... Jacob Schlier was solid at the Schuylkill League Tournament, posting a 5-1 decision over Pottsville’s Luke Sterns for third ... Griffith was fourth at the South Williamsport Tournament ... Steigerwalt collected two pins on his way to the 145-pound title at the Schuylkill League Tournament ... Heaney has been a force this season after placing third at districts a year ago. The senior rallied to top Carmine Lenzi (Berks Catholic) in overtime to capture the 152-pound title at the JT Christmas Tournament in December. Heaney has suffered a pair of losses to wrestlers who were District 11 runners up and state qualifiers in Class 3A last season. Xavier Arner (Whitehall) defeated Heaney 11-1 on Jan. 8, and Pottsville’s Parrish McFarland topped Heaney 5-4 in the finals of the Schuylkill League Tournament at 152 pounds. Arner qualified for states at 145 pounds last year, while McFarland made his run as a freshman at 126 ... Lombardi has shown great form this season, placing sixth at the Carlisle Tournament, and second at the Governor Mifflin Tournament in December. He also posted a 6-5 decision over Ferguson on Jan. 3 ... Tinajero has not lost since the Jim Thorpe Christmas Tournament in late December. Along the way, Tinajero collected a Schuylkill League title in dominant fashion. He was fifth at both the JT Christmas tourney and the Rough Rider Invitational earlier in December ... After winning a district title and advancing to regionals as a freshman, Clymer has wrestled a tough schedule, and was fifth at the Bethlehem Holiday Classic in December. While he did open the season by pinning Tinajero at the Rough Rider Tournament on Dec. 11, Clymer’s most recent match on Jan. 11 against Liam Scrivanich (Saucon Valley) ended in a loss via injury default. He did not wrestle the Tigers’ next match on Jan. 13 against Palmerton, but has since returned to the lineup ... Eberts, the Times News/Lehigh Valley Health Network Male Athlete of the Week, posted three pins on his way to the 172-pound title at the Schuylkill League Championships over the weekend. After a first-round bye, Eberts pinned Blue Mountain’s Vernon Kleckner in 1:26 in the quarterfinals, before dispatching top seed Jared Newhall of Jim Thorpe in the semis with a fall in 3:42. Eberts topped Schuylkill Haven’s Aidan Myers in 4:41 to win the title. Eberts also recorded a seventh-place finish at the Jim Thorpe Christmas Tournament ... Newhall previously pinned Eberts on Jan. 5, and was third at the Schuylkill League Championships, and fourth at the Jim Thorpe Christmas Tournament ... Miller was fifth at the Xcalibur Tournament, and sixth at the Bethlehem Holiday Classic ... Syracuse has been a machine for the Bears this season. The senior ripped off three first-period pins on his way to the South Williamsport title at 189 pounds on Jan. 8. His only loss came to Augustus Warke (Bethlehem Catholic), a 5-3 decision in sudden victory overtime on Dec. 16 ... McDermott was fourth at the Jim Thorpe Christmas Tournament, and fifth at the Rough Rider Invitational ... Buday was fourth at the Schuylkill League Tournament ... Schlofer topped Hazleton’s Peter Youngcourt 1-0 for seventh place at the Bethlehem Holiday Classic ... Sherer has had a great season for the Tribe. He was fifth at the Sam Lovello Classic, sixth at the Tony Iasiello Christmas City Tournament, and fourth at the Schuylkill League Tournament ... Albert posted an eighth-place finish at the season-opening DKI Invitational ... Frame has won four of his matches via pinfall this year ... Houser

was third at the Sam Lovello Classic.

Compiled by Patrick Matsinko