Ches-Mont seniors looking to cap strong careers in final state tourney

Last weekend, former Unionville wrestler, Tyler Mousaw won a New York Division II state title while competing with his new school, South Jefferson/Sandy Creek.

After moving to the Empire State prior to the season, Mousaw (195 pounds) went undefeated to cap off a stellar high school career, which also included two PIAA medals. 

Mousaw was a part of one of the stronger senior classes in recent Ches-Mont League history, and while his high school career is over, his former contemporaries still have one last weekend to go out the way they want.

The three-day state tournaments begin Thursday. Fourteen locals will compete in the Class 3A tournament, which kicks off at 4 p.m., while Emmanuel Lawal of Church Farm is in the 2A tournament that starts at 9 a.m. 

West Chester Henderson’s Killian Delaney (120), Downingtown West’s Max Hale (182) and Sun Valley’s Hunter Catka (285) are all looking for their third state medals, while West’s Chase Mielnik (220) hopes for his first, as a regional champ.

It’s been a rare upswing for a league hardly known for its depth in wrestling, with 10 medals the last two years after placing just 11 the previous five.

Delaney became the second Warrior to qualify for states all four years, joining Jermaine Jones. With the most wins in school history (160), and second and eighth-place medals, the only thing left for Delaney is a climb to the top of the podium.

Hale could become the first wrestler from West to win three state medals. He finished sixth as a sophomore and fifth a year ago, but after being voted Outstanding Wrestler at the Class 3A Southeast Regional tournament, Hale has his mind set on a trip to the finals. 

Mielnik hopes to follow in his father’s footsteps. Pete Mielnik won a state title as a senior for Ephrata in 1997, for his only state medal. Chase was a win away from qualifying for states as a sophomore and a win away from medalling at states as a junior. Now, the ante has been upped.

“I want to win,” Chase said. “It’s been my goal from the start. I want to get to the finals and take home the gold.”

And now a look at all 15 competitors:

Keanu Manuel, Downingtown East, 106 pounds, Junior, 37-1, Southeast Regional first place

Manuel makes his second trek to Hershey at this weight, this year as a regional champ, compared to fourth a year ago. He’s one of four juniors in a bracket full of freshmen and sophomores. He’s expected to see a talented frosh, State College’s Hayden Cunningham, in the first round. Manuel has a winnable path to the semifinals, where he could get Bethlehem Catholic’s 16-0 freshman, Tyler Kasak. People around the state seem to pencil Kasak in as the favorite at the weight, but Manuel will have age and some size on his side, so he could put himself into contention.

Cannon Hershey, Oxford, 106, Sophomore, 33-6, SE2

Hershey visits Chocolatetown for the first time and gets a tough opener in Northeast runner-up, Sean Logue of Father Judge. The winner there likely gets top seed, Jacob Van Dee of Erie Cathedral Prep. Hershey’s style gives him a shot to sneak away with a medal, but he’ll have to find his offense in a pretty competitive bracket of underclassmen.

Dom Findora, Downingtown West, 113, Sophomore, 34-7, SE2

Findora is back for another shot, and begins with another opponent who spent time at 106 this year, Bellefonte’s Aidan O’Shea. A win there would likely pit him against No. 2 seed Ben Monn, a senior from Cumberland Valley. Winning his first bout would lead to a more-manageable path to the podium, but Findora will have to wrestle his best to have a shot.

Ryan Loraw, Downingtown East, 113, Freshman, 31-10, SE4

Loraw had an excellent regional tournament, knocking off a senior returning state qualifier in the process. He is the first Cougar to qualify as a freshman, and it’ll be a great experience with three years left. His pigtail opponent is Connellsville junior, Mason Prinkey, who placed fifth in the state last year. A loss would bring the loser of the Findora-O’Shea match, to stay alive.

Nate Lucier, Coatesville, 120, Junior, 38-2, SE1

Lucier has elevated his name, maybe more than anyone in the Ches-Mont League, this postseason. Coming off a regional title, he heads back to states with a solid route to the semis. Up first is New Oxford freshman, Andrew Christie, who lost to Delaney, 6-0, during the season. Northwest champ, Lane Aikey of Bellefonte, could be waiting in quarters as a returning state qualifier. Lucier has looked very strong and confident, would be favored in his first two bouts. Seneca Valley’s Dylan Chappell, a returning state runner-up, is the man to beat on the top half of the bracket, with Lucier, but they wouldn’t meet until the semis.

Killian Delaney, West Chester Henderson, 120, Senior, 40-6, SE2

Delaney is hoping for a grand finale in his fourth and final trip to states. He should win his first to set up a rematch with Manheim Central’s Will Betancourt, who defeated Delaney in overtime in last year’s tournament. Delaney and Betancourt are headed to Lock Haven to wrestle, so this should be another barn-burner, with a lot of familiarity. Also on Delaney’s side are Nazareth’s two-time state medalist, Andrew Smith, and Council Rock North’s Kyle Hauserman. Delaney has shown glimpses of greatness this postseason, including his win over Hauserman, but he hasn’t been able to string a couple in a row. He’ll need to do that to get back to the finals.

Jimmy King, West Chester Rustin, 120, Junior, 29-11, SE5

King makes three from the Ches-Mont at this weight in Hershey, and he makes his debut in the pigtails against Bethlehem Freedom’s Luis Vargas. That’ll be a tough task, against a seasoned District 11 wrestler. Getting by Vargas would set him up with Aikey. A win in this trip is possible for King, but this weight is very deep.

Sammy McMonagle, West Chester Henderson, 126, Junior, 43-3, SE3

McMonagle is at his third straight state tournament, and though he didn’t get the result he wanted at regions, taking third, McMonagle landed in a decent spot in the bracket. Up first, he’ll get Northeast champ, Dagen Condomitti, who’s a freshman from Northampton and is following in his older brother’s footsteps. McMonagle has been tested this season and has the talent to get past Condomitti and his potential quarter foe, Josh Miller of Central Dauphin. Win or lose in either of those rounds, McMonagle’s chances for his first state medal look promising.

Trent Kochersperger, Kennett, 132, Junior, 41-4, SE3

Kochersperger comes into his first state tournament with a little momentum. He’s lost just once this postseason and is fresh off a first-period pin in the consolation final at regionals. His Thursday could be a double dose of Southcentral tests. In the pigtails, he gets the fourth-place finisher, Dylan Ramsey of Shippensburg, to set up a match with SC champ, Bryce Brennan of Red Land. Brennan took eighth in the state last year. Kochersperger is going to have to pull an “upset” of some magnitude to place, but he certainly has a chance the way he’s wrestling.

Alex Pratzner, West Chester Rustin, 145, Junior, 29-12, SE4

Pratzner won four straight in the consolation bracket, last week, to punch his first ticket to states and he gets a rematch in his pigtail, against Penn Manor’s Dylan Coleman. Pratzner lost the first matchup in December, 8-3, but the junior has come a long way, since. A win would mean top-seeded Ty Linsenbigler of Hempfield would be next. Pratzner’s draw is a steep one.

Matt Romanelli, Downingtown East, 170, Junior, 35-3, SE1

Fresh off his first regional crown, Romanelli draws a returning eighth-place state medalist, Dominic Falcone of Easton. It’s a tough debut for Romanelli, but not unwinnable. A quarters bout against Southwest champ, Mac Stout of Mount Lebanon, would be tougher. If Romanelli can get by Falcone, he’d have a solid shot at a medal, but a first-round loss would require three straight wins in the consis. 

Max Hale, Downingtown West, 182, Senior, 34-8, SE1

Hale is four wins away from breaking Doug Zapf’s career wins record at West (156), which is the same amount it’d take to win a state title. After pinning Spring-Ford’s Joey Milano in the regional final, Hale got seeded opposite of Canon McMillan’s returning state champ, Gerrit Nijenhuis. It’s still not the easiest of draws, with Hampton junior, Justin Hart, expected in the first round and Nazareth’s sixth-place medalist, Drew Clearie, potentially, in quarters. If Hale continues his hot streak, he can give West its third finalist in four years.

Matt Hamilton, Conestoga, 182, Senior, 33-6, SE4

Hamilton is the fifth Pioneer to qualify for states in the last five seasons, but he will have his work cut out to find a win. In the pigtail, Hamilton gets three-time qualifier, Caden Wright of Emmaus. That will be a challenge, and a drop to the consis would be trouble, too, with either Council Rock South’s Giani Gilch, who beat Hamilton for third, or Easton’s Isaiah Reinert.

Chase Mielnik, Downingtown West, 220, Senior, 34-5, SE1

Mielnik was a win away from placing as a junior and is set up to get to the podium after winning regionals. He just might have to do it the hard way, though. Mielnik will get the winner of his pigtail, and should advance, but that’s where things get hairy. Waiting for him will likely be returning state champ, Nate Schon of Selinsgrove, who was upset in the Northwest regional final. Schon pinned Mielnik in 18 seconds earlier this season. If things don’t go the right way in the rematch, Mielnik is entirely capable of making a run up the podium in consis.

Emmanuel Lawal, Church Farm, 285, Senior, 31-7, SE3 AA

Lawal became the first Griffin to qualify for Class 2A states three times. He’s coming off an eighth-place finish, as a junior, and wrestled well at regionals. He starts with Northwest runner-up, Jordan Schell, a junior from Girard. Going off the state rankings on papowerwrestling.com, Lawal is ranked No. 7, Schell is No.8 and the likely quarter foe, Lear Quinton of Southern Columbia, is No. 10. It’s going to be tight, but Lawal has a shot to reach the semis.