It’s coming off a solid showing in state-level competition last weekend.
And now, The Hill School wrestling team is seeking an encore performance on a higher stage: The National Prep Wrestling Championships, which return to Lehigh University in Bethlehem this weekend.
The Blues advanced six grapplers out of the Pa. Independent Schools Wrestling Tournament at Mercersburg Academy, where they placed fourth in the team standings. Four of their representatives were accorded fifth seeds in nationals, with the other two seeded in the Top 10 of their weight classes.
The quartet of No. 5 seeds consists of junior Zach Sheehan (20-8) at 126, post-graduate Brent Waterman (17-2) at 152, senior Nick Flanigan (15-2) at 160 and senior John Hill (28-12) at 220. Chad Saunders (32-7), a senior, was accorded a ninth seed at 145 while Kostya Golobokov (25-7), a junior, is seeded 10th at 285. Sheehan, Waterman, Flanigan and Golobokov had silver-medal outings at the PAISWT while Saunders and Hill scored bronze medals.
Saunders will be continuing a memorable season that’s featured his ascent to the area’s 100-win club and a fourth-place finish in last month’s Escape the Rock Tournament at Council Rock South.
The tourney’s schedule opens 8:30 a.m. Friday with championship- and consolation-round matches. Other sessions will follow at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. — the latter with quarterfinals and consolations.
The action resumes Saturday at 8:30 a.m. with semifinals and consis. The finals are slated for 12:30 p.m.
South Central Regional
Christian Fernandez and Mason Hoffman will be carrying the standard for Daniel Boone this weekend.
Fernandez and Hoffman were the Blazers’ lone qualifiers for the South Central AAA Regional out of the District 3 AAA (Section 4) Tournament. Fernandez was edged by Wilson’s Jacob Yancey in the 160-pound final, 3-2, while Hoffman lost to Conrad Weiser’s Tyler Moore in the 220-pound bracket’s third-place match.
Fernandez, a junior, will put his 27-5 record against Northeastern senior Darrion Latimore (22-7), a Section Five runner-up. Hoffman, also a junior, will put his 18-14 record against Solanco junior Bo Spiller (30-6), the Section Three champion.
The regional will take place Friday and Saturday at Hersheypark Arena.
