FRANCONIA >> It was a rubber match with a lot of snap.
That snap was the 145-pound final at the PIAA Class AAA Southeast Regional Wrestling Tournament Saturday night at Souderton Area High School, and both Methacton’s Bryce Reddington and Pottstown’s Bryant Wise knew each other too well for it to be a wild, 14-13-escape-in-the-last-second slugfest.
Instead, the duo played it close to the vest the whole way until Reddington’s late takedown in overtime to give the Warriors junior middleweight the regional crown, the 21st in Methacton wrestling history.
Reddington was joined on the top of the podium by the Pennridge trio of Josh Stillings (160), Kyle Gentile (182) and Matt Parker (113), while North Penn’s Colin Shannon (152) and Ryan Vulakh (132) Souderton’s Tyler Williams (106) and Pennridge’s Kordell Rush (126) all earned top four finishes to earn a podium Hershey bar.
For Reddington, it was a study in caution as he and Wise gave nothing away early.
“I’ve been wrestling pretty well this weekend, so I figured I’d just go out and have some fun,” Reddington said. “I’ve working on that (match-winning) takedown all week our coaches, and I wanted to stay on the offensive in overtime.”
It was fun, Reddington explained, with a touch of caution.
“It’s the regional final, so I didn’t want to give up something big,” he said.
No sooner had Reddington celebrated his title than Stillings landed his first.
A regional runner-up a year ago, Stillings confidently eased past previously unbeaten Dan Iredale of Conestoga, 1-0.
“This was one of my main goals,” said Stillings of the championship. “I’m real excited.”
Stillings, who wrestled at 132 at season ago, made a rare jump up four weight classes and has wrestled under weight all year.
“I just thought I’d get bigger and have to cut weight,” the champ explained. “I’m actually comfortable when the match is close like it was. I’ve been in so many like this I’m used to it.”
Stillings had company in the Pennridge regional championship celebration as Gentile slipped past Boyertown’s Gregg Harvey, 3-1, while Parker used a four-point, second-period move as the difference in a 5-1 verdict over Boyertown’s Jakob Campbell.
Souderton’s Williams was upset in the 106-pound final by Spring-Ford’s Brandon Meredith, while North Penn’s Vulakh was bested in the 132-pound final by returning state runner-up Zack Trampe, 9-3.
The remaining regional champions included Garnet Valley’s Matt Marino (120), Downingtown East’s Wade Cummings (126),Council Rock South’s Riley Palmer (138), Council Rock South’s Dylan Schwartz (152), Council Rock North’s Josh Shalinsky (170), Council Rock South’s Joe Doyle (195), Quakertown’s Gavin Caroff (220) and Boyertown’s Tommy Killoran (285).
EXTRAS: Boyertown was the team champion with 151.5 points, while the tourney’s Outstanding Wrestler was Boyertown heavyweight Tommy Killoran.
