Joe DePhillipo’s quest for an undefeated season is alive and well.
After receiving a first-round bye, the senior from Bonner-Prendergast beat Matt Mirth of Southern Lehigh to advance to the semifinal round in the 152-pound bracket at the PIAA Class AAA North East Regional at Liberty High School in Bethlehem.
DePhillipo (27-0) takes on Josh Ortman (34-9) of Parkland in the semifinals.
Cardinal O’Hara’s Tyler Oliver (126) and Mike Lewis (138) also stayed alive despite losing in the first round. Oliver bounced back with a 5-2 victory over James Fayocavitz of Abington Heights, while Lewis defeated Edison’s Ronald Tavarez, 8-1. Teammate Mike Mahoney (120) lost twice and was eliminated.
In Class AA, Delco Christian’s Scott Pendell (285) and Archbishop Carroll’s Nicholas Forman (138) advanced to Saturday. Pendell bounced back from a tough, 1-0, loss to Nathan Gadniski of North Schuylkill with a 43-second pin of Brandon Cocco of Bishop McDevitt.
Forman decked Bobby Giacobbe of New Hope-Solebury in 2:39 after he lost by technical fall in the first round. Teammat Jacob Poulos (170) was pinned twice and eliminated.
