FAIRLESS HILLS – Council Rock South crowned six new Suburban One National Champions on its way to its third consecutive postseason SOL National title Saturday afternoon, Feb. 20 at Pennsbury High School. The Golden Hawks also took the regular season crown after going unbeaten (7-0) in the League.
CR South juniors Cary (126 pounds) and Riley Palmer (138) – twin brothers for the Golden Hawks – sandwiched a title win by classmate Zack Trampe at 132 pounds, sending South on its way to the title.
For Riley, who reached the century mark in the tournament, he very nearly pinned William Tennent junior Kristian Courtney at the close of the second period when the match ended with an 18-2 technical fall.
Either way, says Riley.
“It doesn’t matter one way or the other; they’re only stats,” said Riley, who earned his 100th win with a first-period opening pin. “The goal is to advance; it doesn’t matter what you win by in the match.”
In his final, twin brother Cary registered a 5-1 decision win over Pennsbury senior Connor Joyce while Trampe – a state runner-up last season – pinned Abington’s Austin Hain in 1:08 to take home his title belt.
After missing his first two seasons on the mat with injuries, Cary says he came into SOLs with confidence.
“I knew if I did my job, I knew everything would play out in my favor,” said Cary. “The real job comes next week. We’re just going to take it one match at a time and hopefully, we’ll get to Hershey.”
CR South senior Dylan Schwartz (152), Tyler Gettman (182) and junior Joey Doyle (195) were the other league champs for the Golden Hawks, who won the team trophy with 192 points. Schwartz and Doyle were state qualifiers in 2015 with Dylan earning both District 1 and South East Region titles last season.
South is sending a Baker’s Dozen – 13 – wrestlers on to the next level including seniors Luke Martoccio (145) and John Anderson (285), who took runner-up trophies.
Freshman Max Mendez (103) and senior Nick Verdi (160) earned third-place medals for the Hawks. Collin Waterman (113), Mike McKinney (120) and Shane Flanagan (170) took fourth for CR South.
CR North took second with 148 points and crowned three champions. Neshaminy was third with 138.5 and had two champs. Truman was fourth with 110 while crowning three SOL champions.
For the Indians, CR North seniors Aidan Burke (113), Luke Ely (160) and Josh Shalinsky (170) each won league title belts. Shane Thompson (106), Billy Storm (152) and Andrius Duncia earned runner-up ribbons for Rock North. Gianncarlo Flores (120), Wes Olsen (126) and Nick Nucero (138) finished third for the Indians.
Truman freshman Gunnar Fuss (120), senior Dustin Stone (145) and junior Isaiah Godbold (220) took home league crowns for the Tigers and Stone was named Outstanding Wrestler.
In last year’s SOL champs, Stone dropped a 6-0 decision to Martoccio. This time he outpaced the Golden Hawk 10-3.
“I was just trying to stay on top, stay aggressive, try to get in the lead, mentally break him,” said Stone. “I worked hard for it. It pays off in the end with success.”
A district and regional medalist, this is Stone’s fourth and final trip to the postseason. A year ago, he earned a third-place medal in districts while placing fifth at states.
“I’m looking to place at states this year; that’s my goal,” said Stone.
“I work hard every day, spend hours in practice – it’s a lot of time. This year, I want to go far.”
Truman also gets the award for the most vocal fans at the league meet. Five additional Tigers are headed for districts set for Feb. 27 at Quakertown including Joe Goldey (3rd, 132 pounds), Alex Litz (3rd, 170), Austin Vossbein (4th, 152), Quentin Mulbah (4th, 160) and Justin Litz (4th, 195).
Neshaminy freshman Colton Jordan (106) and senior Bruce Graeber (285) were crowned SOL champs and 10 wrestlers in all advanced for the Skins. Jackson Erb (2nd, 120) and Vince Stabilito (2nd, 160) were runner-ups for Neshaminy while Mike Megahan (3rd, 113), Brock Leinbach (4th, 138), Joe Little (3rd, 145), Ben Stern (3rd, 195) Tom Errico (3rd, 182), Kyle Osterhoudt (4th, 220) also qualified for districts.
Host Pennsbury sends four on to districts starting with senior Connor Joyce (2nd, 126), who went to regionals a season ago and was a South East Regional medalist in 2014. Earlier in the season, Joyce actually posted a decision win over Cary Palmer, winning 10-6. This time around, the CR South wrestler outpaced the Falcon, 5-1.
Before the final, Connor registered wins number 100 and 101 with pins of Abington freshman Matt Werner and Bensalem sophomore Lucas Cianfarra.
Pennsbury sophomore Antonio Martoccio, who went to states last year after earning a league runner-up medal for the Falcons, finished second to CR North senior Aidan Burke again this time around.
Last year, Burke won via tech fall and this time around, he pinned Antonio in the second period.
“The score was 2-1 and I just took a sloppy shot and he caught me,” said Martoccio. “I took a bad shot and he just capitalized on it.
“I was very disappointed but I just have to get ready to go next week.”
Pennsbury senior Zack Clarke – after getting majored by CR South senior Dylan Schwartz – rebounded with a decision win over Bensalem’s Dylan Hansberry and a tech-fall win over Truman senior Austin Vossbein, whom he pinned in his opening match.
Sophomore Nick Visco opened with an impressive win over Truman freshman Dan Wright, who won by tech-fall the last time these two faced one another. In his next bout, he lost via tech-fall to Colton Jordan before going 1-1 in his last two bouts with a win by pin in consolation semifinals.
Hain (132) and Keshon Guiellmo (195) were runner-ups for the Ghosts, who finished seventh with 47 points. Kristian Courtney (138), David McCoy (170) and Sean Harold (182) were runner-ups for William Tennent, which took fifth with 81 points.
Randy Knapp (126), Joe Hadlich (132) and Antonio Fiocca (285) also qualified for districts, set for next Saturday Feb. 27 at Quakertown. Luke Werner (182) also qualified for Abington.
NOTES: All wrestlers finishing one through four qualify for districts.
Suburban One National Championships
(Saturday, February 20 at Pennsbury)
TEAM STANDINGS
(1) Council Rock South 192.0, (2) Council Rock North 148.5, (3) Neshaminy 138.5, (4) Harry S. Truman 111.0, (5) William Tennent 81.0, (6) Pennsbury 64.0, (7) Abington 47.0, (8) Bensalem 39.0
Third Place
106 – Maximino Mendez (CR South) won by tech. fall over Nicholas Visco (Pennsbury), 15-0
113 – Mike Megahan (Neshaminy) dec. Collin Waterman (CR South), 7-0
120 – Gianncarlo Flores (CR North) dec. Mike McKinney (CR South), 2-0
126 – Wesley Olsen (CR North) pinned Randy Knapp (William Tennent), 0:59
132 – Joseph Goldey (Truman) dec. Joe Hadlich (William Tennent), 4-2
138 – Nick Nucero (CR North) maj. dec. Brock Leinbach (Neshaminy), 10-0
145 – Joe Little (Neshaminy) dec. Matt Haffner (Bensalem), 7-0
152 – Zack Clarke (Pennsbury) won by tech. fall over Austin Vossbein (Truman), 15-0 4:05
160 – Nick Verdi (CR South) dec. Quentin Mulbah (Truman), 6-0
170 – Alex Litz (Truman) pinned Shane Flanagan (Council Rock South), 4:12
182 – Thomas Errico (Neshaminy) pinned Luke Werner (Abington), 1:33
195 – Ben Stern (Neshaminy) dec. Justin Litz (Truman), 8-3
220 – Jasin Speer (Bensalem) dec. Kyle Osterhoudt (Neshaminy), 9-5
285 – Nick Cooper (Bensalem) pinned Antonio Fiocca (William Tennent), 3:27
Championship Finals
106 – Colton Jordan (Neshaminy) dec. Shane Thompson (CR North), 7-0
113 – Aidan Burke (CR North) pinned Antonio Martoccio (Pennsbury), 2:47
120 – Gunnar Fuss (Truman) dec. Jackson Erb (Neshaminy), 7-1
126 – Cary Palmer (CR South) dec. Connor Joyce (Pennsbury), 5-1
132 – Zack Trampe (CR South) pinned Austin Hain (Abington), 1:08
138 – Riley Palmer (CR South) won by tech. fall over Kristian Courtney (William Tennent), 18-2 4:00
145 – Dustin Stone (Truman) dec. Lucas Martoccio (CR South), 10-3
152 – Dylan Schwartz (CR South) maj. dec. Billy Storm (CR North), 15-6
160 – Luke Ely (CR North) dec. Vincent Stabilito (Neshaminy), 8-3
170 – Josh Shalinsky (CR North) maj. dec. David McCoy (William Tennent), 18-6
182 – Tyler Gettmann (CR South) dec. Sean Harold (William Tennent), 5-2
195 – Joey Doyle (CR South) maj. dec. Keshon Guiellmo (Abington), 11-1
220 – Isaiah Godbold (Truman) pinned Andrius Duncia (CR North), 1:43
285 – Bruce Graeber (Neshaminy) pinned John Anderson (CR South), 0:55
