Local schools will have three wrestlers advancing on to the PIAA state AA wrestling tournament after finishing within the top six of their weight class at the Southeast Regional tournament held Feb. 27 and 28. Josh Giorgio of Schuylkill Valley took second in the 132 pound weight class, while Ignacion Reynoso of Hamburg was fourth at 182 pounds, and Jonathan Tindall was fourth at 195 pounds. Hamburg’s Sean Stanish and Jethro Solomon each ended their seasons.
Giorgio started his tournament with 15-2 victory over Philip Zito of Pen Argyl in the first round. In the quarterfinals, he earned a 7-0 shutout victory over Jess Wetzel of North Schuylkill. That sent Giorgio to the semifinals where he needed just 1:54 to pin Matt Schmall of Northern Lehigh. But he ran into trouble in the championshp match, dropping a 17-6 decision to Korbin Myers of Boiling Springs.
At 182, Reynoso got a bye in the first round. In the quarterfinals, he was pinned in 3:59 by Connor Frey of Boiling Springs. That sent him to the consolation bracket where he fought back to take fourth place and a spot in the state tournament. He pinned Pat Giordano of Lower Moreland in 2:00, then pinned C.J. Steinhilber of North Schuylkill in 3:21. He followed that with a 14-7 ictory over Northern Lebanon’s Craig Spitler, earning him a spot in the third place bout. There he lost a 9-0 decision to Michael Collins of Pope John Paul II.
In the same weight class, Schuylkill Valley’s Geisinger got his tournament started on the right foot with a 13-3 victory over Corbin White of Mahanoy. In the quarterfinals, Geisinger lost an 18-7 deicision to Michael Collins of Pope John Paul II. In the consolation bracket, Geisinger ended his season with a 10-2 loss to Steinhilber.
AT 195 pounds, Tindall had a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Nicholas Bord of Palisades in the first round. In the quarterfinals, Tindall fell to Nathan Black of Tn Argyl, 4-1. He began his trek through the consolation bracket with a 5-1 victory over Alezander Russo of Northwestern Lehigh. Next he defeated Matt Guilday of Littlestown, 7-5, then earned a 2-1 victory over Cole Swackhamer of Brandywine Heights, sending him to the third place bout. There he lost to Rian Shubeck of Panther Valley, 5-3.
Solomon ended his season going 1-2 in the tournament. After defeating Ricky Patterson of Bristol in the first round, 15-1, Solomon lost a 15-1 decision to Chase Anklam of Pen Argyl. In the consolation bracket, Solomon lost a 6-4 decision to Darren Goida of Panther Valley.
