The Pennridge wrestling team won the final seven matches — Talan Hogan (172 pounds), Riley Cullen (215), Chase Washington (285) and Colby Martinelli (114) all earning pins during the stretch — to pull away from Erie Cathedral Prep for a 48-13 victory in the first round of the PIAA Class 3A Team Championship Thursday night at the Giant Center in Hershey.
District 12 champion La Salle was bounced to consolations after a 45-12 first-round loss to District 3 champ Gettysburg while in Class 2A defending state duals champ Faith Christian advanced to the quarterfinals with a 54-9 win over District 10 champ Reynolds.
Friday, Pennridge faces Wilson — which edged Connellsville 30-29 — in the quarters while La Salle takes on West Scranton, which fell to Easton 44-17.
Faith faces District 11 champ Notre Dame-Green Pond for a spot in the 2A semis. The Lions beat NDGP 28-26 in last year’s state quarters.
Cathedral Prep went up 13-12 over Pennridge after Bo Martucci’s 3-2 decision at 160 but Hogan gave the Rams the lead for good with his pin in 2:22 at 172.
Rowe followed with a 16-5 major decision at 189 while Cullen’s pin in 1:02 at 215 made it 28-13. Washington followed with another fall in 1:03 at 285 to clinch the Rams’ victory.
Kevin McFadden collected a 6-2 decision at 107. Martinelli’s pin at 114 made it 43-13 with Cole Coffin capping the dual with a 16-0 tech fall at 121.
Quinn McBride gave Pennridge a 3-0 lead with a 6-5 decision at 127. Anthony Granite’s pin in 4:34 at 139 made it 9-6 Rams while Sam Kuhns’ 6-4 decision at 152 had Pennridge leading 12-10.
Faith Christian won the last eight matches and 11 total — five by pin — in topping Reynolds in the 2A first round.
After a forfeit at 127 cut the Lions’ lead to 13-9, Dominic Reynolds earned a 17-2 tech fall at 133 with Arment Waltenbaugh’s 7-4 decision at 139 and a Chase Hontz pin in 1:40 at 145 putting Faith up 32-9.
Cael Weidemoyer’s pin at 160 sealed the Lions’ win. Adam Waters followed with a fall at 172 while a Cody Wagner 10-1 major decision at 189 and Jason Singer’s pin in 2:58 at 215 made the final score 54-9.
Faith won the first three matches for a 13-0 lead, Mark Effendian opening with a pin in 52 seconds at 285 while Joey Bachmann claimed a 9-1 major decision at 107 and Clayton Waltenbaugh won via 7-4 decision at 114.
In a match between state champs at 121, Reynolds senior Louie Gill — a North Carolina State signee who took 2A gold at 106 as a freshman at Hickory — earned a 5-3 decision over Faith junior Gauge Botero, a Michigan commit who took first at states last year at 121. The loss was the first this season for Botero, who now stands at 18-1.
La Salle trailed Gettysburg after two matches of the 3A first-round dual before Noah Ruibal’s 8-6 decision at 139 had the Explorers’ deficit down to seven. Gettysburg, however, won the next five – two pins followed by three decisions to extend its lead to 31-3.
La Salle picked up wins in the next two, Mario Verrecchia claiming a 5-1 decision at 215 and Andrew Brennan getting a pin in 5:03 at 285 before Gettysburg got a tech fall, decision and pin in the final three matches.
