Brandywine Heights sends two to regionals

Dan Schmeck and Hunter Gimbor’s high school wrestling season will continue on. The Brandywine Heights duo each finished in third place at this past weekend’s District 3-AA Wrestling Tournament held in Hershey. As a result, both will advance on to the Southeast Regional Tournament at Wilson High School on Feb. 28 and March 1.

Gimbor began the tournament with a first round bye, then earned a 4-2 decision over Mason Shuman of Schuylkill Valley in the quarterfinals. Gimbor was derailed in the semifinals, when he lost to Korbin Myers of Boiling Springs by a technical fall, 20-5.

In the wrestleback bracket, Gimbor defeated Josh Renninger of Annville Cleona, 6-1, when topped Hamburg’s Sean Stanish in the third place bout, 2-1.

At 138, Schmeck also received a first round bye, and pinned Wyomissing’s Angel Canela in 2:41 of their quarterfinal round bout. In the semifinals, Schmeck was pinned in 2:52 by Jasper Haney of Biglerville, sending him to the wrestleback bracket.

There, Schmeck defeated Austin Jackson of Bermudian Springs, 6-4. Then in the third place bout, Schmeck needed just 27 seconds to pin Alex Gallaher of Camp Hill.

Other Brandywine wrestlers at the tournament included:106 pounds: Trevor Gimbor defeated John Day of Boiling Springs in the first round, 2-0. But in the quarterfinals, Gimbor lost a 6-2 decision to Austin Claybaugh of Bermudian Springs.

Gimbor then lost his first wrestleback bout to Wyomissing’s Connor Yourkavitch, 1-0, to end his season.126 pounds: Austin Weller was defeated by Ashton West of Bermudian Springs in the first round, 10-5. He then lost to Matt Darok of Annville Cleona, 5-1.145 pounds: Robbie Delong was pinned by Ted Marnines of Bermudian Springs in 1:41 of their first round bout. In his first wrestleback bout, he lost to Luke Funck of Northern Lebanon by a technical fall.170 pounds: Cole Swackhamer finished in sixth place in this weight class, but only the top five advanced on to the regionals. He began with a bye in the first round, then he won by an injury default over Shawn Kilhefner of Wyomissing in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, Nick Mort of Fairfield sent Swackhamer to the wrestleback by a technical fall.

Swackhamer then lost to Travis Wickard of Boiling Springs, 9-0, in his first wrestleback match, then was pinned in 2:25 by Josh Mann of Susquenita, in the fifth place bout and a berth in the regional tournament.285 pounds: Colin Conrad received a first round bye, then earned a 2-1 decision over Blake Roberts of Hamburg. In the semifinals, Conrad fell, 11-7, to Noah Davis of Boiling Springs, sending him to the wrestleback semifinals.

There, Conrad was pinned in 3:34 by Wes Bankus of ELCO. In the fifth place bout, Conrad lost a 3-2 decision to Roberts.

Kutztown’s Kody Reichart competed at the 220 pound weight class. After receiving a first round bye, Reichart earned a 9-0 decision over Matt Vines of Northern Lebanon in the quarterfinals.

In the semifinals, Reichart was pinned in 2:18 by the eventual champion, Sam McCollum of Bermudian Springs. He then lost to Vanyel Letham Peterson of Columbia in his first wrestleback bout, 3-1.

In the sixth place bout, Reichart lost to Biglerville’s Nate Mentzer, 3-2.