FRANCONIA >> He literally got a leg up on the opposition Friday.
And when he did, Lucas Miller wasn’t about to let it go … not with victory in his opening bout of the Southeast AAA Regional tournament at stake. Reaching a milestone for his scholastic career was a nice bonus for the Boyertown senior.
Miller’s gritty 4-3 decision of West Chester East’s Noah Hankin put him in the semifinal round of the 126-pound weight class. It also put him in an exclusive area club, making Miller one of just a dozen wrestlers to reach the 150-win mark.
“When it got to 14 and eight seconds (left), I just hunkered down and held his leg,” a tired but elated Miller said afterward. “I wanted to ride him out.”
Miller (35-8) was able to do that after negating Hankin’s early 2-0 lead. But he was challenged down the stretch, Hankin trying several times and moves to break out of Miller’s grasp, at one point trying a stepover maneuver.
But with the opportunity to qualify for another trip to the state tournament at stake, Miller hung tough — literally — to Hankin. He can punch his ticket to Hershey in Saturday’s semifinal-round clash with Pennridge’s Kordell Rush, won advanced with a 10-4 decision of Strath Haven’s Noah Frantz.
“It was just another match,” Miller said. “At this time of year, we’re all looking to states.”
Miller became the second Boyertown wrestler to hit the 150-win mark this season. Gregg Harvey, who got his weekend off to a good start with a 10-2 major decision of Council Rock South’s Tyler Gettman, achieved that distinction during the District 1 Class AAA Duals Tournament’s Upper Dublin phase; with a 47-5 record at present, he’s closing on the distinction of a 50-win season.
“I’m sure he’s not happy with the way he wrestled,” head coach Pete Ventresca said, “but it’s a great milestone.”
Miller has plenty of company among teammates with Hershey in their sights. In addition to him and Harvey, five other Bears won their quarterfinal bouts in helping their team to a share of the first-day points lead, matching Council Rock South with 44 points.
Boyertown’s other semifinal qualifiers were Jakob and David Campbell at 113 and 120, J.T. Cooley at 138, Elijah Jones at 170 and Tommy Killoran at 285. Boyertown also has Matt Wilde (106), Garrett Mauger (132), Chris Berry (145), Hunter Vogels (152) and Brody O’Connell (195) still going in wrestlebacks — though all have one loss in the double-elimination format.
“It was hot and cold,” head coach Pete Ventresca said of his team’s showing. “It’s very tough competition here. You can’t overlook anybody.”
Owen J. Roberts ended up with a higher percentage of its five-man regional contingent reaching the semifinals. Luke and Ryan Resnick (106, 132) and Xavier Ferrizzi (195) all came out of the first night with 2-0 records, with Nick Duliakas (182) also making the semis.
Owen J. Roberts’ Ryan Resnick wraps up Norristown’s Eric Fuentes en route to a 3-2 win in the 132-pound quarterfinal match. (Nate Heckenberger – For Digital First Media)
“Luke wrestled real well,” head coach Steve DeRafelo said, “and our two big boys (Duliakas, Ferrizzi) wrestled very well. It looks like they’re getting on track.”
Daniel Mancini stayed alive in the consolation bracket, starting with a 44-second pin of Oxford’s Michael Galbraith before being edged by CR South’s Cary Palmer. The individual performances factored in the Wildcats coming out of the first day third in the team standings with 38 points.
“Any time you come here and get four of five in the semifinals, it’s a good day,” DeRafelo said. “But this just gets you to tomorrow. Saturday is what matters.”
Spring-Ford saw Brandon Meredith (106) go 2-0 to join Hunter Mitch (120) and Steve Rice (170) in the semis. Matt Krieble (138) and Chase Smith (182) will be in wrestlebacks, Krieble (23-10) remaining two wins away from the century mark for his scholastic career.
Methacton, Upper Perkiomen and Pottstown also have individuals still in the hunt for regional gold. Pottstown is represented by Bryant Wise (145), Methacton by Bryce Reddington at 145, and Upper Perk by Michael Modugno at 220.
The Indians have six other wrestlers in consis, joined by three Trojans and two Warriors.
NOTES >> Regional action resumes 9:30 a.m. Saturday with first-round consolations, followed by semifinals and two rounds of consolations starting around 11:30 a.m. Fifth-place bouts will follow the consolation semis. … The championship and third-place finals will be at 6 p.m., preceded by the Hall of Fame ceremony at 5:30 p.m. and the parade of champions at 5:45 p.m. … One quarterfinal match of interest occurred at 152, where Quakertown’s Tanner Seislove — nephew of Spring-Ford head coach Tim Seislove — edged Boyertown’s Hunter Vogels, 5-4.
