A dozen locals reach regional semifinals

POTTSTOWN — At this point in the season, even the ugliest wins are beautiful.

Friday, in the preliminary and quarterfinal rounds of the Class AAA Southeast Regional tournament at Pottstown High, 29 local wrestlers began their quest to qualify for states.

A dozen of them survived to the semifinals, which start at 10 a.m., along with the first round of consolations. The top three from the 14 weight classes earn a spot in the PIAA tournament next week in Hershey.

Avon Grove’s Edgar Garcia (106 pounds) and Caleb Edwards (182), West Chester East’s Noah Hankins (113), Downingtown East’s Wade Cummings (120), Chris Jarani (160) and Sean Snodgrass (285), West Chester Henderson’s Brad Patton (138), Unionville’s Mike Caldwell (145), Great Valley’s Shane Ruhnke (145), Downingtown West’s Gabe Hale (170) and Coatesville’s Wesley McGuire and Mike Boykin (220) are a win away from advancing. A loss in the semis results in needing two wins in the consis to earn top-three.

Garcia and Edwards barely broke sweats, pinning in the second and first periods, respectively. Garcia is looking to become the Red Devils first two-time state qualifier since 1991.

Hankin was just as strong, pinning Council Rock North’s Tom Matarazzo in the second quarter. He will get top-seeded Derek Gulotta of Owen J. Roberts, a two-time eighth-place finisher in the state.

“My Brother (Graham) was a regional qualifier last year and I’ve had to live in his footsteps,’ Hankin said. “Now I’m trying to pass him and create my own name.’

The winning Cougars exemplified the win-however-it-comes mentality, as the trio grinded out hard-fought victories. Cummings edged Council Rock South’s Zack Trampe, 3-2, to set up a semi against Garnet Valley’s Mike Marino, a returning state medalist whom Cummings beat 3-2 at district duals.

Jarani used an escape and a late takedown for a 3-0 decision over Perkiomen Valley’s returning regional champ, Nick Giangiulio, and has Pennridge’s Kyle Gentile this morning. Snodgrass beat another Ram, Joe Kracz, 5-0, to set up a semi versus Methacton’s returning state medalist, Tracey Green.

Patton was a 3-1 winner of Springfield Delco’s Dennis Charamella and faces Council Rock North’s Tim Ambacher next.

At 145, Ruhnke staved off Hatboro Horsham’s Brad Humski, 3-1, to get OJR’s Dominick Petrucelli next, while Caldwell shut out Pottstown’s Patrick Bohn, 5-0. The Unionville senior gets top-seeded Francesco Fabozzi of Central Bucks East, a fifth-place state medalist last winter.

“It’s everything,’ Caldwell said of today. “My freshman year I wasn’t very good and I worked really hard and now I’m here. This is the third time I qualified for regionals, so I just want to get to states.’

Hale outworked Boyertown’s Cody Richmond, 7-1, to meet Harry S. Truman’s Jesse Huber today.

The two Red Raiders had their way, as well, with McGuire handling Penncrest’s Austin Jacque, 8-3 and Boykin pinning Spring-Ford’s Mason Romano. McGuire gets Penn Wood’s Karon Lucas-Tillery, while Boykin faces William Tennent’s Marc Isaac.

Downingtown East’s Adam Pleines (195) was forced to withdraw before the tournament due to a stress fracture in his back. West Chester Rustin’s Brett Kaliner (106) also was out due to a broken nose.

Class AAA Southeast Regional Tournament

At Pottstown High School

Quarterfinals106- Garcia (Avon Grove) pinned An. Petril (Upper Darby, 2:46; Rush (Pennridge) pinned Frantz (Strath Haven), 3:09; Palmer (C. R. South) dec. Smith (Downingtown West), 6-0; Campbell (Boyertown) maj. dec. Amy (Upper Moreland), 10-1

113- Gulotta (OJ Roberts) maj. dec. M. Parker (Pennridge), 9-1; Hankin (WC East) pinned Matarazzo (CR North), 3:50; Hayes (Spring-Ford) maj. dec. Joyce (Pennsbury), 10-1; Steffenino (Upper Perk) dec. McDowell (Downingtown East), 5-1

120- S. Parker (Pennridge) tech. fall Mauger (Boyertown), 3:07; McCarthy (Ridley) maj. dec. Medrow (Henderson), 14-5; Cummings (Downingtown East) dec. Trampe (CR South), 3-2; Marino (Garnet Valley) maj. dec. Torresani (Hatboro Horsham), 12-1

126- Veit (Souderton) dec. Wilson (Henderson) 9-2; Miller (Boyertown) dec. Stephens (Coatesville), 4-2 SV; Ross (Pennridge) tech. fall Leonetti (Downingtown East), 6:00; Martoccio (CR South) dec. Callaghan (Marple Newtown), 3-1

132- Stokes (Bensalem) dec. Beauchamp (Spring-Ford), 9-4; Wise (Pottstown) dec. Reynolds (Downingtown West), 6-3; Murray (CR South) dec. Devlin (Upper Dublin), 9-3; Kriczky (Boyertown) dec. Thomas (Interboro), 4-0

138- D’Orsaneo (OJ Roberts) dec. Elliott (Sun Valley), 6-3; Wilson (CB East) tech. fall Lillis (Downingtown East), 4:16; Patton (Henderson) dec. Charamella (Springfield Delco), 3-1; Ambacher (CR North) dec. Staley (Methacton), 4-3

145- Fabozzi (CB East) dec. Hatzipavlides (Rustin), 9-6; Caldwell (Unionville) dec. Bohn (Pottstown), 5-0; Petrucelli (OJ Roberts) maj. dec. Barth (CB West), 8-0; Ruhnke (Great Valley) dec. Humski (Hatboro Horsham), 3-1

152- Springer (Norristown) maj. dec. Hain (Pottstown), 16-2; Dougherty (Penncrest) pinned Garges (Quakertown), 5:17; Demetrio (Pottsgrove) dec. Okoorian (Sun Valley), 11-6; Reimel (North Penn) tech. fall Taniguchi (Downingtown West), 4:21

160- Harvey (Boyertown) pinned Russell (Neshaminy), 5:46; Akporotu (Academy Park) dec. DeLaurentis (Upper Moreland), 10-7; Gentile (Pennridge) dec. Meyers (Radnor), 2-0; Jarani (Downingtown East) dec. Giangiulio (Perk Valley), 3-0

170- Dambro (Garnet Valley) pinned Phillips (Interboro), 1:56; Lusane (Norristown) maj. dec. Pascucci (Neshaminy), 12-0; Hale (Downingtown West) dec. Richmond (Boyertown), 7-1; Huber (Harry S. Truman) maj. dec. Taylor (Radnor), 17-5

182- Price (North Penn) dec. Pollock (Plymouth Whitemarsh), 7-3; Alkins (Ridley) dec. Gibson (Downingtown East), 5-3; Lupfer (Neshaminy) dec. Frank (Penncrest), 9-5; Edwards (Avon Grove) pinned Caroff (Quakertown), :49

195- Wertz (Boyertown) maj. dec. Kisselback (Neshaminy), 10-0; Kenis (CR South) pinned Ritrovato (WC East), 5:44; McGuire (Coatesville) dec. Jacque (Penncrest), 8-3; Lucas-Tillery (Penn Wood) dec. Perri (Spring-Ford), 10-3

220- Wood (Boyertown) pinned Jones (Norristown), 1:23; Nguyen (CR South) dec. McGinley (Downingtown East), 3-2; Isaac (William Tennent) dec. Slody (Pottstown), 15-7; Boykin (Coatesville) pinned Romano (Spring-Ford), 2:50

285- Green (Methacton) dec. Tomasetti (Kennett), 5-2; Snodgrass (Downingtown East) dec. Kracz (Pennridge), 5-0; Finn (Pottsgrove) pinned Graeber (Neshaminy), 1:50; Boyer (Spring-Ford) dec. Lang (Great Valley), 7-1