Breaking down the Ches-Mont Championships
Rankings and seedings have their place in wrestling but it’s important to understand what they represent.
They are a snapshot of history, telling a story of what a wrestler has done and who they have beaten or lost to. While there may be some projection in the rankings, a rank or seed has nothing to do with what a wrestler does in the present time.
They do, however, set the stage for the drama that makes sports great. Saturday, at West Chester Rustin High, 13 teams will compete at the Ches-Mont Championships, and while every wrestler will have a seed because of what they’ve done, they’ll have the opportunity to write their own history by what they do.
Action starts at 9 a.m., with the finals slated to start at 6 p.m. The top seven finishers will qualify for the Class AAA District 1 Central tournament next Saturday at Oxford High.
Four area wrestlers — Downingtown East’s Wade Cummings (126 pounds), Coatesville’s Chase Stephens (152) and Rustin’s Brett Kaliner (120) and Costas Hatzipavlides (182) — are returning state qualifiers. As will be the theme each of the three tournaments leading back to Hershey, getting back will have to be earned, just like the year before.
Every year there are newcomers eager to make a name for themselves, like freshmen Lukas Richie (106) of East and Brandon Sheffield (120) of Oxford. There are the late bloomers like East’ Nik Zimmerman (138) or Avon Grove’s Vince Walls (285), who struggled their first couple of years before finding their strides the last two. And finally, there are the one-last-run seniors like West Chester East’s Noah Hankin (126) and West Chester Henderson’s Kyle Medrow (132), who have been a win away from states in the past.
The result is 14 brackets filled with storylines and some of the purest one-on-one competition in all of sports. The league appears a bit deeper than in years past, so here is a look at what you might see.
106
The favorite: (No. 3 seed) Lukas Richie, Fr., Downingtown East, 34-5
Biggest threats: (No. 1) Doug Zapf, Soph., Downingtown West, 24-5; (No. 2) Seth Hoopes, Fr.,
Octorara, 26-2
Outlook: Richie has navigated his freshman season through some tough competition, including a 3-1
win over Zapf. The Cougar is on the same side as Hoopes, who is 18-1 since dropping to 106. Zapf is the only returning regional qualifier, earning him the top seed. He will likely await the winner between Unionville’s Garrett Rogers and Kennett’s Mary Nichols, who’s trying to become the first girl to qualify for districts from the Ches-Mont.
113
The favorite: No. 1 James Strommer, Sr., Downingtown East, 28-7
Biggest threats: No. 2 Jacob Reid, Jr., West Chester Henderson, 26-4; No. 3 Logan Reigel, Soph., Kennett, 23-4
Outlook: Strommer is 5-1 against Reid in high school, but none have been by more than four points. The two could see each other in the finals. Oxford’s Harry Marr and Octorara’s Liam Babauta could have a tough battle to get to Strommer in the semis, while Reigel has a more-manageable route to see Reid there. Strommer and Rustin’s Adam Cooper are the only seniors in the bracket.
120
The favorite: No. 2 Brett Kaliner, Jr., West Chester Rustin, 30-3, returning champ
Biggest threats: No. 3 Brandon Sheffield, Fr., Oxford, 28-3; No. 1 Jake Taylor, Jr., Unionville, 25-4
Outlook: Kaliner has 97 career wins, including wins over Sheffield and Taylor this season. He’s situated at the bottom of the bracket and will likely see Sheffield again in semis. Sheffield lost to Kaliner, 9-7, but beat Taylor, 5-2. Taylor gets top seed thanks partially to a win over a state medalist, and is a heavy favorite to make the finals for a second straight year. Kennett’s Gerhardt Reiter is on his side, and Downingtown East’s Brett Horne is out with an injury.
126
The favorite: No. 1 Wade Cummings, Sr., Downingtown East, 34-2, three-time champ
Biggest threats: No. 2 Noah Hankin, Sr., West Chester East, 28-2; No. 3 Drew Massetti, Jr., Kennett, 23-2
Outlook: Cummings is going for his fourth league title after dropping from 132 and is as big of a favorite as anyone, which is no knock on his competition. The race behind him will be tighter with Hankin a pick to reach the finals. Hankin’s side has some good depth, with Massetti, Henderson’s Ray Martin and West’s Joe Rennie. With Cummings, Rustin’s Tyler Kaliner has had a strong freshman campaign, but likely has to get past Oxford senior Michael Galbraith first.
132
The favorite: No. 1 Kyle Medrow, Sr., West Chester Henderson, 22-8
Biggest threats: No. 2 Mitch Camp, Sr., Unionville, 29-5; No. 4 Jon Reardon, Jr., West Chester Rustin, 21-10
Outlook: Everyone here is glad Cummings dropped. Medrow is a three-time regional qualifier but still looking for his first postseason title, and Camp won’t make it easy. The only two seniors in the bracket look like good picks to get to the finals, but Rustin’s Jon Reardon is eager to breakout and is on Medrow’s side. Downingtown East’s Connor Birzes is No. 3 after a solid season but is bumping up due to Cummings’ drop. Keep an eye on West’s Nick Lilley.
138
The favorite: No. 1 Nik Zimmerman, Sr., Downingtown East, 32-4
Biggest threats: No. 2 Brent Windle, Jr., Coatesville, 9-6; No. 3 Alex Murta, Jr., Downingtown West, 18-12
Outlook: Zimmerman is the definition of a goer and will push whoever’s in front of him. He’s the lone 30-match winner. Windle missed time this season due to an injury but can be dangerous if he’s healthy. Both are returning regional qualifiers. Windle has Murta and Henderson’s Matt Phayre on his side, while Zimmerman will likely get either Unionville’s Sam Immediato or Oxford’s Jacob Trabue in the semis.
145
The favorite: No. 3 Colin McBride, Sr., Coatesville, 23-12
Biggest threats: No. 1 Kevin Edwards, Jr., Avon Grove, 24-7; No. 2 Dan Labus, Soph., West Chester Rustin, 17-7
Outlook: This could be a fun weight as there are pinners all over. McBride pinned Edwards this season, but Edwards and Labus are returning sixth-place regional finishers. McBride has the tougher side of the bracket, with a date with West’s Gavin Hale in quarters, potentially, and Labus in the semis. Edwards has a favorable draw to the finals, though Unionville’s Spencer Larson and Octorara’s Noah Hoopes have had career years.
152
The favorite: No. 1 Chase Stephens, Jr., Coatesville, 28-1, returning champ
Biggest threats: No. 2 Jude McDowell, Sr., Downingtown East, 9-3; No. 6 Collin Hurley, Fr., West Chester Rustin, 13-7
Outlook: Of Stephens’ 28 wins this season, 23 are by fall, so making him go six minutes might be a moral victory. McDowell dropped from 160 after missing a big chunk of the season with an injury. On McDowell’s side, Hurley and Henderson’s Weston Frame reside. West Chester East’s freshman Andrew DiBernardo and West’s Gio Angelini should tangle for a shot at Stephens in the semis. Sun Valley’s Christian Bateman will miss the postseason due to SATs makeup.
160
The favorite: No. 1 David Cox, Jr., Oxford, 28-1
Biggest threats: No. 2 Alec Horne, Sr., Downingtown East, 32-7; No. 3 Scott Burridge, Jr., Octorara, 23-6
Outlook: Cox has a good chance to become Oxford’s first Ches-Mont champion after wrestling most of the season at 170. Horne dropped, as well, and would give Cox a good go for the title. To get there, Cox, will likely have to upend either Unionville’s Nick Raffety or West’s Joe Shafer. Kennett’s Tyler LaCosta was a late scratch, so Burridge moved up to the third seed, on Horne’s side. Burridge will get Rustin’s Andrew Lamberjack, who dropped from 170, in quarters.
170
The favorite: No. 1 Cole Zapf, Jr., Downingtown West, 27-5
Biggest threats: No. 2 Caleb Subach, Sr., West Chester East, 20-6; No. 4 Brian Kent, Jr., West Chester Rustin, 17-14
Outlook: Zapf already had a win over Horne this year, but with him dropping, Zapf’s road gets a little less cluttered. The Whippet has won 15 straight bouts. Subach, who missed some time with an injury, dropped from 182 last month and is the favorite to get to the finals from his half as one of only two seniors. Oxford’s Tim Davis and Rustin’s Brian Kent are wrestling up after their teammates dropped.
182
The favorite: No. 1 Costas Hatzipavlides, Sr., West Chester Rustin, 29-4, returning champ
Biggest threats: No. 3 Sean McBride, Jr., Coatesville, 23-8; No. 2 Brent Czajkowski, Sr., Downingtown East, 24-13
Outlook: Hatzipavlides won leagues last year and is the clear choice here. McBride has adjusted well to his big jump in weight classes and he will be opposite of Hatzipavlides. If the Red Raider can get to the semis, he’ll likely get Czajkowski, whom he beat a month ago, should be there. Avon Grove’s Brayden Peck, who owns a pin over McBride this season, is on the upper half with Hatzipavlides.
195
The favorite: No. 1 Erik Gassenmeyer, Sr., West Chester East, 22-8
Biggest threats: No. 3 Josh Walls, Jr., Avon Grove, 15-10; No. 2 Mike Maguire, Jr., Unionville, 22-10
Outlook: This is the only weight with no returning regional qualifiers, so the field is pretty open. Walls has a win over Gassenmeyer and the two could meet in the semis for a rematch. Gassenmeyer and Maguire lead the bracket with 22 wins. Great Valley’s Joe Campbell is third-seed, on Gassenmeyer’s side, and is third with 18 wins this season.
220
The favorite: No. 1 Isaiah Spriggs, Sr., West Chester Rustin, 28-5
Biggest threats: No. 2 Owen Morris, Sr., Downingtown East, 23-12; No. 5 Jordan Wise, Sr., Coatesville, 12-14
Outlook: Spriggs is a returning regional qualifier and has 98 career wins. Springs is the only one in the bracket with less than 10 losses and is a dangerous pinner. Morris bumped up from 195 and is the most seasoned wrestler on the lower half, away from Spriggs. Kennett’s Bryan Castaneda will try to maneuver his way to the finals over Morris. Up top, Wise and Oxford’s Zach Davis will likely square off to see Spriggs in the semis.
285
The favorite: No. 1 Vince Walls, Sr., Avon Grove, 27-2
Biggest threats: No. 5 Brendan McGinley, Jr., Downingtown East, 21-14; No. 2 Jack Baccellieri, Sr., Unionville, 22-11
Outlook: Walls is the class of the group and hopes to win his first league title after reaching finals last winter. Behind him are a bunch of headlockers that will keep things interesting. Baccellieri and West’s Chad Giles are two of those headlockers, but are on opposite sides. Giles will get McGinley in quarters in a rematch that went to overtime the first time. Baccellieri has Rustin’s Connor Cummings and Sun Valley’s highest-seeded wrestler, No. 3 Nick Garvey.
