Rustin’s Kaliner wins OW, 100th bout as DEast wins Ches-Monts

 

WESTTOWN — There are some in the wrestling community that say reaching 100 wins isn’t as tough today as it used to be.

Well, Brett Kaliner (120 pounds) didn’t have to walk uphill both ways to West Chester Rustin for the Ches-Mont Championships, Saturday, but he did earn his way into the century club with two hard-fought decisions.

The Rustin junior, ranked No. 2 in District 1, beat Oxford’s Brandon Sheffield, an honorable mention, in the semifinals and then No. 5 Jake Taylor of Unionville, 3-2, to win his 100th career bout and second straight league title. He was also named Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament.

“I loved doing it in my home gym,” said Kaliner. “I have a goal sheet posted on my door that I look at every day, and ever since I started wrestling I wanted to get 100 wins. To do it in my own gym makes it even better.”

Rustin advanced 11 wrestlers, tied for third with the team champions, Downingtown East, who won its fourth straight title. Downingtown West and Unionville led the way with 12 top-seven qualifiers for next Saturday’s Class AAA District 1 Central tournament at Oxford High.

Kennett’s Mary Nichols (106) became the first girl to qualify for districts with a fifth-place finish, and East’s Wade Cummings (126) won his fourth league title. Cummings was joined by Nik Zimmerman (138) and Owen Morris (195) as champs from East, who had seven in the finals.

“It’s huge to four-peat,” said Zimmerman, who claimed 138 with three technical falls on the day. “To win it all four years is pretty amazing.”

West’s Cole Zapf (170) won his first league title with a 9-3 decision over West Chester East’s Caleb Subach, and his younger brother Doug Zapf (106) avenged a regular season loss, using a pair of takedowns to edge Downingtown East’s Lukas Richie, 5-2.

Henderson’s Jacob Reid (113) got some revenge of his own, jumping out to a big lead against

Downingtown East’s James Strommer, who had won five of their first six matchups, and holding on for a 7-4 win.

Kyle Medrow (132) gave Henderson its second champ with a 7-0 shutout of Unionville’s Mitch Camp. The senior Warrior has reached regionals three times, but this was his first postseason title.

“Coach Rob (Beighley) really prepares us for the postseason,” Medrow said. “Jake (Reid) has been doing well all season and we feel really good right now.”

Also getting their first league championships were Avon Grove’s Kevin Edwards (145), Oxford’s David Cox (160), West Chester East’s Erik Gassenmeyer (195) and Avon Grove’s Vince Walls (285).

Edwards made his second trip to the finals and outlasted Rustin’s Dan Labus for an 11-9 win. Cox became Oxford’s first Ches-Mont champ with a 7-2 win over Downingtown East’s Alec Horne.

Gassenmeyer survived a controversial call against Downingtown East’s Josh Wilczek in the

quarterfinals and then topped Unionville’s Mike Maguire, 6-4 in the finals. Walls needed just 18 seconds to pin Sun Valley’s only finalist, Nick Garvey.

“I just go out there and wrestle my match and whatever happens, happens,” Walls said.

Coatesville’s Chase Stephens (152) and Rustin’s Costas Hatzipavlides (182) won their second straight league crown. Stephens had three pins, with his last one a 55-second display against Downingtown East’s Jude McDowell in the finals. Hatzipavlides used a major decision to upend Coatesville’s Sean McBride.

Rustin’s Isaiah Spriggs (220) won his 100th career bout in the semis, using a 7-3 decision against Coatesville’s Jordan Wise.

The top seven finishers from the Ches-Mont will join up with the top four from the Suburban One League’s American Division, and the top four from there will advance to the Southeast Regional the following weekend at Souderton High.

Team Standings

1. Downingtown East 210; 2. Downingtown West 181.5; 3. West Chester Rustin 163; 4. Coatesville 159.5; 4. Unionville 159.5; 6. West Chester East 122.5; 7. Avon Grove 113; 8. Oxford 112; 9. West Chester Henderson 87; 10. Kennett 80; 11. Octorara 64; 12. Sun Valley 30; 13. Great Valley 24.

Championship Finals

106- D. Zapf (Downingtown West) dec. Richie (Downingtown East), 5-2

113- Reid (Henderson) dec. Strommer (Downingtown East), 7-4

120- B. Kaliner (Rustin) dec. Taylor (Unionville), 3-2

126- Cummings (Downingtown East) maj. dec. Hankin (WC East), 19-6

132- Medrow (Henderson) dec. Camp (Unionville), 7-0

138- Zimmerman (Downingtown East) tech. fall Windle (Coatesville), 4:41

145- Edwards (Avon Grove) dec. Labus (Rustin), 11-9

152- Stephens (Coatesville) pinned McDowell (Downingtown East), :55

160- Cox (Oxford) dec. A. Horne (Downingtown East), 7-2

170- C. Zapf (Downingtown West) dec. Subach (WC East), 9-3

182- Hatzipavlides (Rustin) maj. dec. S. McBride (Coatesville), 10-2

195- Gassenmeyer (WC East) dec. Maguire (Unionville), 6-4

220- Morris (Downingtown East) dec. Spriggs (Rustin), 3-2 UTB

285- V. Walls (Avon Grove) pinned Garvey (Sun Valley), :18

Consolation Finals

106- S. Hoopes (Octorara) dec. G. Rogers (Unionville), 7-4

113- Reigel (Kennett) dec. Marr (Oxford), 6-2

120- Sheffield (Oxford) maj. dec. Reiter (Kennett), 9-1

126- Massetti (Kennett) maj. dec. T. Kaliner (Rustin), 9-0

132- Dellicompagni (Coatesville) dec. Lilley (Downingtown West), 5-3 SV

138- Murta (Downingtown West) dec. M. Phayre (Henderson), 2-1

145- C. McBride (Coatesville) pinned Hale (Downingtown West), 1:48

152- Angelini (Downingtown West) dec. DiBernardo (WC East), 8-3

160- Lamberjack (Rustin) dec. Cooper (WC East), 4-0

170- Sharpless (Octorara) pinned Kent (Rustin), :57

182- Peck (Avon Grove) pinned Czajkowski (Downingtown East), 1:44

195- J. Walls (Avon Grove) maj. dec. Raimondo (Coatesville), 10-1

220- Wise (Coatesville) dec. Castaneda (Kennett), 3-1

285- Giles (Downingtown West) pinned McGinley (Downingtown East) 1:00