With the individual portion of the postseason looming in a little over two weeks, most area teams have wrapped up their competitions.

The down time will allow teams to prepare for what they hope will be the start of a run to Hershey for the state tournament.

Since the last set of rankings were released on Jan. 26, Northwestern freshman Luke Fugazzotto captured the 160-pound title at the revamped individual Colonial League Tournament.

Fugazzotto also had teammates Dalton Clymer and Lucas Miller - both state qualifiers last season - reach the finals at the event. Palmerton sophomore Derek King also continued his stellar season with a run to the finals at the event.

This past week, Lehighton picked up more postseason experience in the District 11 team tournament. The Indians went 1-1 in the Class 2A bracket, posting a 48-25 win over Catasauqua before falling to eventual runner-up Saucon Valley 52-23 in the semifinals.

The only action remaining for area teams features Northern Lehigh, which is scheduled to participate in the Salisbury Duals this Saturday.

This will be the final set of rankings until the conclusion of the postseason, which begins with the district tournament on Feb. 24.

Bout minimum: 15

(must be .500 or above to qualify;

through Feb. 8)

107

- 1. Aiden Schlier, Tamaqua, So. (25-9), 2. Ethan Nothstein, Lehighton, Jr. (18-8), 3. Samuel Kenna, Jim Thorpe, Fr. (14-12)

NOTES: In his only match since the last set of rankings were released on Jan. 26, Schlier picked up a forfeit in the Blue Raiders match against Jim Thorpe Jan. 27 ... Nothstein returned to the lineup for the first time since the Indian Duals on Jan. 7 during Lehighton’s match against Blue Mountain on Jan. 26. He has gone 2-2 in his return to the lineup ... Kenna

picked up a forfeit against Palmerton on Jan. 31 and Mahanoy on Feb. 8.

114

- 1. Aidan Gruber, Lehighton, Jr. (30-3), 2. Steven Korte, Jim Thorpe, Fr. (24-8), 3. Connor Dugan, Lehighton, Fr. (14-12)

Honorable mention

- Justin Kuehn, Panther Valley, Jr. (13-7)

NOTES: Gruber has gone 3-0 since the last set of rankings were released with a major decision, pin and forfeit ... Korte had two first period pins since the last set of rankings ... Dugan

had a pin in Lehighton’s semifinal match against Saucon Valley at the District 11 Class 2A team championships Saturday.

121

- 1. Gabe Erbe, Tamaqua, Jr. (29-9), 2. Cody Mazzocca, Northern Lehigh, So. (14-11), 3. Josh Merkel, Palmerton, So. (17-15)

NOTES: Erbe has won his last four matches, including a 3-0 weekend at the Rally in the Valley duals at Conestoga Valley High School ... Mazzocca placed fourth at the Colonial League Tournament on Jan. 29 ... Merkel

was sixth at the Colonial League event.

127

- 1. Edward Lauritsen, Pleasant Valley, Sr. (19-8), 2. Blake Muffley Lehighton, Fr. (16-16)

NOTES: Lauritsen has gone 1-1 in his last two matches, including a pin against Emmaus on Feb. 1 ... Muffley

brought his record back to .500 with a win on Monday against Southern Lehigh.

133

- 1. Evan Wentz, Lehighton, Fr. (24-8), 2. Ridge Snyder, Jim Thorpe, Sr. (22-11), 3. Dillon Lombardi, Palmerton, So. (20-9)

NOTES: Wentz has gone 3-1 in his last four matches, with all of his wins coming via pinfall. His only loss was a 7-6 setback against Blue Mountain’s Kaden Brish, who is 27-7 this season ... Snyder

has won his last three matches with first period pins, all of which have come in the first minute of the bout.

139

- 1. Derek King, Palmerton, So. (25-8), 2. Nicholas Zeigenfuss, Lehighton, Sr. (20-14), 3. Hunter Greenawalt, Northwestern, Fr. (13-10)

NOTES: King reached the finals at the Colonial League Tournament – which included a 7-4 win over Greenawalt

in the semis – before falling to Saucon Valley’s Jackson Albert, a district runner-up a year ago. King bounced back with a major decision victory against Jim Thorpe on Jan. 31 ... Greenawalt placed fourth at the league tournament.

145

- 1. Richard Kenna, Jim Thorpe, Jr. (18-13), 3. Bryce Smith, Palmerton, So. (10-9)

NOTES: Kenna

has won his last three matches and is nearing the 20-win plateau, a huge jump from a year ago when he won seven matches.

152

- 1. Jacob Ferguson, Lehighton, So. (24-12), 2. Jacob Schlier, Tamaqua, Sr. (27-14)

NOTES: Ferguson has gone 1-1 in his last two matches, with the loss coming to Saucon Valley’s Liam Scrivanich, a state qualifier a year ago ... Schlier

has gone 3-1 in his last four matches. He went 2-1 at the Rally in the Valley duals, suffering a 6-5 setback to Caleb Hafer of Muhlenberg, who placed fifth at Sectionals in Class 3A last season.

160

- 1. Luke Fugazzotto, Northwestern, Fr. (27-6), 2. Bradley Whalen, Tamaqua, So. (25-13)

NOTES: Fugazzotto put together a stellar run to the 160-pound title at the Colonial League Tournament. The freshman rolled to the tile with a major decision, before punctuating the performance with back-to-back pins. He registered another fall against Catasauqua on Jan. 31, his 22nd of the season ... Whalen

has gone 3-1 in his last four matches, including a 2-1 showing at the Rally in the Valley duals, posting a 6-3 decision over Aizik Shoap (Hanover), who was eightht Sectionals in Class 2A last season.

172

- 1. Dalton Clymer, Northwestern, Jr. (32-4), 2. Jacob Hehn, Tamaqua, So. (27-12), 3. Brok Solt, Lehighton, So. (17-13)

Honorable mention

- Chase Moffit, Northern Lehigh, Jr. (15-13)

NOTES: Clymer had a solid run to the 172-pound of the Colonial League Tournament, before falling to Palisades’ Daniel Haubert 5-2 in the final. Clymer topped Haubert 3-2 at the Coal Cracker. The junior is 3-1 in his last four matches, with all of his victories coming via pinfall, including a win over Moffit at the league tournament ... Hehn

is 3-1 in his last four matches, with a major decision and a pin.

189

- 1. Lucas Miller, Northwestern, Sr. (28-6), 2. Deven Armbruster, Lehighton, So. (19-17) 3. Jack Tosh, Northern Lehigh, Jr. (8-8)

Honorable mention

- Jason Schubert, Pleasant Valley, Jr. (9-9)

NOTES: Miller also made it to the finals at the Colonial League tournament, before falling to Saucon Valley’s Jacob Jones, a state runner-up last season, in the finals. He bounced back with a pin against Catasauqua on Jan. 31 ... Tosh

enters the rankings after winning his last two matches, an 8-6 decision over Connor Smalley (Notre Dame-Green Pond), and a 4-3 win against Sam Woolverton (Bangor) to place third at the league tournament.

215

- 1. Noah Schlofer, Northwestern, Jr. (21-13), 2. Wyatt Sherer, Lehighton, Jr. (19-16), 3. James Barruzza, Pleasant Valley, Sr. (15-6)

NOTES: Schlofer placed fourth at the Colonial League Tournament ... Sherer is nearing the 20-win mark for the second year in a row after winning 21 matches last season ... Barruzza

returned to the Bears lineup against Emmaus on Feb. 1, his first match since Jan. 11 against Nazareth.

285

- 1. Reese Balk, Lehighton, Jr. (30-5), 2. Dartanyon Delillo, Northwestern, Sr. (13-9), 3. Sam Frame, Northern Lehigh, Jr. (18-12)

NOTES: Balk just keeps rolling along. The current Times News/Lehigh Valley Health Network Male Athlete of the Week has won four straight matches – all pins – to hit the 30-win mark for the season. He was 2-0 at the District 11 team tournament over the weekend ... Delillo was impressive at the Colonial League Tournament en route to a third-place finish with a 2-1 (TB2) win over Frame

. Delillo has wrestled at 189, 215 and 285 pounds this season, competing as a smaller heavyweight when called upon. He had a pin wrestling at 189 pounds against Catasauqua just days later on Jan. 31 ... Frame opened the tournament by pinning Ian Gill (Southern Lehigh).

(Compiled by Patrick Matsinko)