HERSHEY — With his second season on the mat under his belt, Council Rock South sophomore Zack Trampe has a lot to be proud of.
Already, he has 81 victories, two Suburban One League (SOL) National Conference title belts, a District 1 crown, and two South East Region medals.
Now, add to that a PIAA runner-up trophy competing in just about the toughest state in the union.
“You have to be able to weather his storm,’ said Hawks head coach Brad Silimperi, of Trampe’s wrestling style. “He’s going to come at you for six to eight minutes and it’s going to be non-stop.’
“He’s a fierce competitor. You put his conditioning together with hating to lose and it’s tough to beat a kid like that.’
This year’s District 1 AAA East Champion at 126 pounds and South East Region runner-up, Zack claimed a berth in the PIAA title round with decision wins over South Western junior Owen Wherley, Greater Latrobe junior Ethan McCoy and Boyertown junior Lucas Miller, a wrestler he earned a decision against in the District 1 Duals championship.
In the PIAA opener, Trampe registered a 4-2 win over Wherley, a regional runner-up who also qualified for the PIAA tourney last year. This was Zack’s first trip to states.
In quarterfinals, Trampe decisioned McCoy by the same score he posted in the opening round. McCoy is a regional champion who went on to finish third in states this year.
In the semis, Trampe earned a 3-2 decision against Miller, a district champion and regional medalist who earned a fifth-place medal in states.
Trampe finally met his match in the finals. There, he faced Bethlehem Catholic junior Luke Karam, a three-time state medalist who captured a PIAA title belt at 113 pounds last season. Karam registered a 5-2 decision over Trampe in only the fifth loss of the season for the Council Rock wrestler.
CR North sophomore Aidan Burke did real well in his first trip to the postseason beyond districts, earning a South East Region runner-up medal and fourth-place trophy in states.
Burke started off in states with a pair of decision wins over Spring Grove freshman Dalton Rohrbaugh and Bethlehem Catholic junior Sean Redington.
After dropping a close decision to Altoona sophomore Cole Manley, he rebounded with an impressive 1-0 win over Pennridge sophomore Matt Parker.
In the third-place bout, he again lost a very close decision, this time to Boyertown sophomore Jake Campbell. Parker was ranked No. 1 in the state entering the tournament; Campbell was second.
Neshaminy junior Bruce Graeber, who repeated as District 1 heavyweight champion this year, did well in his first trip to states, earning a fifth-pace medal with an 8-2 decision win over Boyertown junior Tommy Killoran who nipped Big Bruce in the regional final.
While Graeber pinned a pair of wrestlers and earned a decision win in consolations, he had the misfortune of facing Dallas senior Ryan Monk twice in the tournament. Monk, who earned a sixth-place medal last year and finished third this time around, pinned Bruce in 4:34 on the first day of the competition. Two days later, he took just 25 seconds to put Graeber on his back.
CR South junior Dylan Schwartz also ran into some tough competition in states. This year’s District 1 and SE Region champion at 152 pounds, Schwartz earned a 3-2 decision win over Greater Latrobe sophomore Ethan Smith, a regional medalist this season.
Schwartz was eliminated from the tournament after dropping close decisions to Bethlehem Catholic sophomore Mike Labriola and Coatesville senior Zach Dellicompagni.
Labriola is a two-time regional and state medalist who went on to finish third in states this year. Dellicompagni is a regional medalist who finished with an eighth-place medal this season.
Surprisingly, senior Ben Kenis was eliminated from the competition after suffering losses I his first two bouts. In his opening matchup, Kenis had the misfortune of going up against Governor Mifflin senior Jan Johnson who captured the 195-pound PIAA title belt in 2014 and won it again this year.
Kenis’ high school career was ended when he dropped a 6-3 decision to Upper St. Clair sophomore Eli Grape. Big Ben posted 89 wins for the Golden Hawks in just three years on the varsity mat.
Little Ben — as in freshman Ben Radner — met a similar fate at states, dropping a 7-4 decision to New Oxford sophomore Zurich Storm and losing a tiebreaker to Central Dauphin sophomore Jake Cherry.
Sophomore Joe Doyle’s first trip to states also ended quickly. Doyle was pinned in his opening bout with Greater Latrobe junior Jake Shaffer and then lost via sudden victory in a match with General McLane sophomore Ethan Laird. Shaffer is a two-time state medalist who finished fourth in the state this year.
CR North junior Josh Shalinsky rebounded from an opening round loss in states with a decision win over Wissahickon senior Josh Trunk and a pin he forced on Southern Lehigh senior Rick Frable. Josh’s season came to an end however when he dropped a 7-2 decision to Bethel Park senior Paul Dunn, a two-time state medalist.
Truman senior Dylan Nuttall rebounded from an opening loss to Greensburg Salem senior Chris Eddins to post a 6-4 decision win over Central Mountain senior Keenan Bottorf.
Nuttall’s career with the Tigers ended however when he was majored by Belle Vernon freshman Zach Hartman. Dylan finished with a career record of 138-24.
Teammate Dustin Stone along with Pennsbury freshman Antonio Martoccio were eliminated from states when they lost their first two bouts.
Stone’s 36 wins this year give him 98 for his career. Martoccio has gotten his career on the mat off to a good start with 35 wins, league, district and regional medals, along with his first trip to states.
PIAA Class AAA Wrestling Tournament
(March 5-7 at Giant Center)
COUNCIL ROCK NORTH
106 — Aidan Burke (CRN) dec. Dalton Rohrbaugh (Spring Grove), 2-1
160 — Brendan Burnham (Pine-Richland) dec. Josh Shalinsky (CRN), 8-2
160 — Josh Shalinsky (CRN) dec. Josh Trunk (Wissahickon), 5-0
QUARTERFINALS
106 — Aidan Burke dec. Sean Redington (Bethlehem Catholic), 2-0
CONSOLATIONS
160 — Josh Shalinsky (CRN) pinned Rick Frable (Southern Lehigh), 4:34
160 — Paul Dunn (Bethel Park) dec. Josh Shalinsky (CRN), 7-4
SEMIFINALS
106 — Cole Manley (Altoona) dec. Aidan Burke (CRN), 4-3
CONSOLATION SEMIS
106 — Aidan Burke (CRN) dec. Matt Parker (Pennridge), 1-0
THIRD PLACE
106 — Jakob Campbell (Boyertown) dec. Aidan Burke(CRN), 5-4
COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH
113 — Zurich Storm (New Oxford) dec. Ben Radner (CRS), 7-4
170 — Jake Shaffer (Greater Latrobe) pinned Joe Doyle (CRS), 1:45
126 — Zack Trampe dec. Owen Wherley (South Western junior), 4-2
152 — Dylan Schwartz (CRS) dec. Ethan Smith (Greater Latrobe), 3-2
195 — Jan Johnson (Governor Mifflin) dec. Ben Kenis, 12-6
CONSOLATIONS
113 — Jake Cherry (Central Dauphin) dec. Ben Radner (CRS), 4-2 TB
170 — Ethan Laird (General McLane) dec. Joe Doyle (CRS), 6-2 SV
QUARTERFINALS
126 — Zack Trampe (CRS) dec. Ethan McCoy (Greater Latrobe junior), 4-2
152 — Mike Labriola (Bethlehem Catholic) dec. Dylan Schwartz (CRS), 5-3
CONSOLATIONS
195 — Eli Grape (Upper St. Clair) dec. Ben Kenis (CRS), 6-3
152 — Zach Dellicompagni (Coatesville) dec. Dylan Schwartz (CRS), 4-3
SEMIFINALS
126 — Zack Trampe (CRS) dec. Lucas Miller (Boyertown), 3-2
FINALS
126 — Luke Karam (Bethlehem Catholic) dec. Zack Trampe (CRS), 5-2
NESHAMINY
285 — Ryan Monk (Dallas) pinned Bruce Graeber (N), 4:34
CONSOLATIONS
285 — Bruce Graeber (N) dec. Josh Fye (Bald Eagle Area), 5-1
Consolation Round 3
285 — Bruce Graeber (N) pinned Louis Mauro (Connellsville), 4:59
Consolation Round 4
285 — Bruce Graeber (N) pinned Ben Bish (Meadville), 1:43
CONSOLATION SEMIS
285 — Ryan Monk (Dallas) pinned Bruce Graeber (N), 0:25
FIFTH PLACE
285 — Bruce Graeber (N) dec. Tommy Killoran (Boyertown), 8-2
HARRY S TRUMAN
120 — Chris Eddins (Greensburg Salem) dec. Dylan Nuttall (HST), 10-4
145 — Brandon Ingram (McKeesport) dec. Dustin Stone (HST), 2-1
120 — Dylan Nuttall (HST) dec. Keenan Bottorf (Central Mountain), 6-4
145 — Riley Barth (Central Bucks West) maj. dec. Dustin Stone (HST), 10-1
120 — Dylan Nuttall (HST) won by forfeit over Mike Scheetz (Northampton)
120 — Zachary Hartman (Belle Vernon) maj. dec. Dylan Nuttall (HST), 11-3
PENNSBURY
106 — Sean Redington (Bethlehem Catholic) pinned Antonio Martoccio (P), 0:59
106 — Brett Kaliner (West Chester Rustin) dec. Antonio Martoccio (P), 4-1
