Several Main Line high school wrestlers finished in the top five at the PIAA Class 3A Southeast Regional Wrestling Tournament at Souderton High School March 1-2, punching their entry ticket to the PIAA 3A state wrestling tournament at Hershey March 7-9.
Here’s a look at how the Main Line squads fared at the PIAA Class 3A Southeast Regionals:
James Lledo, Lower Merion >> The junior James Lledo finished second at 170 pounds. Lledo, who has a 26-3 record this season through Regionals (91-21 for his high school career) and a sectional title, started off Regionals in strong fashion, earning a technical fall (15-0, 4:28) against Hatboro Horsham’s Patrick Chapman in his opening match; then pinning Ricky McCutchen of Owen J. Roberts in 4:49. In the semifinal, Lledo defeated Andrew DiBernardo of West Chester East, 14-9; then lost to Maximus Hale of Downingtown West, 13-9, in the championship final.
Christian Hodges, Lower Merion >> The junior 132-pounder, who came into Regionals with a 32-2 record (95-21 for his high school career) and a sectional title, lost his opener at Regionals, 7-5, to Neshaminy’s Zachary Martin; then bounced back for two wins, defeating Pottstown’s Demond Thompson, 7-0, then edging Norristown’s Isaiah Tucker, 1-0. Unfortunately, Hodges lost his next match, 3-2, to eventual third-place finisher Domenic DeFalco of Quakertown, ending his season.
Andrew Coughlin, Lower Merion >> The senior 126-pounder (27-12) lost his Regional opener to eventual champion Braden Ricchini of Council Rock South; rebounded to defeat Dominic Chaclas of Unionville, 5-4, then lost to Strath Haven’s Chase Barlow 9-0, ending his season.
As a team, the Aces finished 24th in the field of 59 teams, with 24.5 points. First-place finisher Council Rock South earned 197.5 points.
Roberto Lesser, Harriton >>The junior 138-pounder finished fifth at Regionals, earning a trip to Hershey. In the fifth-place match, in which the winner heads to Hershey and the loser ends his season, Lesser won a 5-4 decision against Gavin Hoillingsworth of Garnet Valley.
Lesser (35-5 this season through Regionals, 75-18 for his high school career to date) started the tourney with a 5-1 win against Alec Schrum of North Penn; lost to Antonio Petrucelli of Owen J. Roberts, 12-4; defeated West Chester East’s Jamison Eadie, 4-2; defeated Dominic Stoughton of Central Bucks South, 7-5; then lost to Kibwe McNair of Methacton 7-0 before bouncing back with a 5-4 win in the fifth-place match.
Ram junior 132-pounder Luke Fink (18-9) lost two matches at Regionals, the first one to eventual third-place finisher Domenic DeFalco of Quakertown.
Paul Pelham, Conestoga >> The Pioneers senior finished fourth at 220 pounds, earning a spot at States. Pelham, who has a record of 34-4 through Regionals (92-17 for his high school career), came into Regionals on a 20-match win streak, and opened with a pin at 3:18 against Upper Darby’s Patrick Kerwood and a 4-2 win against Logan Flynn of Hatboro Horsham. After losing to Paolo DiSanto of Plymouth Whitemarsh, 2-1, Pelham came back with a 7-6 win against Terrance Averett of Glen Mills.
Morgan Lofland, Conestoga >> The sophomore Lofland (30-12) finished sixth at 132 pounds. He opened with a pin in 1:38 against Oxford’s Landon Meredith; lost to eventual second-place finisher Gunnar Fuss of Harry S. Truman; earned a 12-2 major decision victory against Alex Johns of Spring-Ford; defeated Christian Reed of Penncrest, 6-2; then lost to Council Rock South’s L.J. Kahn and Neshaminy’s Zachary Martin.
Sophomore 126-pounder Liam Walker (23-14) and junior 182-pounder Matt Hamilton (30-8) also competed at Regionals, losing two matches.
As a team, the Pioneers placed 25th out of the 59 teams at the tournament.
Shane McAdams, Haverford High >> The junior 182-pounder (34-5) went 2-2 at Regionals, starting the tourney with a pin at 3:23 of Conestoga’s Matt Hamilton, then losing to eventual second-place finisher Chase Mielnik of Downingtown West. McAdams earned a win against Marple Newtown’s Armen Dervishian, then lost to Wissahickon’s Daniel Keller.
Bobby Hydrisko, Radnor >>The junior 160-pounder (20-13) won one of three matches at Regionals. He lost to Austin Filippone of Garnet Valley, rebounded to pin Souderton’s Troy Mokluk in 4:27; then lost to Roman Moser of Methacton.
Senior 145-pounder Jahmair Rider (23-5) and freshman 10-pounder Damian Falcone (19-19) also competed at Regionals, losing two matches.
