Connect with us

Wrestling

Pennridge’s Parker, Stillings, North Penn’s Shannon still alive for PIAA gold

HERSHEY >> Fridays at the PIAA wrestling championships are an emotional roller coaster. For many, a win means knowing you’re coming home with a medal around your neck. But for even more, failing to notch that one extra win means your season, or your career, is over.

For the local contingent, Pennridge’s Matt Parker (120) and Josh Stillings (160) are joined by North Penn’s Colin Shannon (152) in the semifinal round, hopes still alive for a state title.

La Salle’s Vincenzo Pelusi (285) won a pair of consolations matches to guarantee a medal finish.

Plymouth Whitemarsh’s Marco DiBattista (113), and, in Class AA, Bishop McDevitt’s Nasir Pettus, saw their tournaments come to an end.

DiBattista fell 4-0 to Kenny Herman of Bethlehem Catholic, while Pettus came away on the wrong end of a 1-0 score again Thomas Cook of Brookville.

Parker kicked off action in the quarterfinals, squaring off against Central Dauphin’s Chris Wright. Parker notched an early takedown, the rode Wright out the rest of the way.

“I probably should have cut him earlier and put more points on the board,” said Parker. “That’s more my style. But it was good to know I could ride someone out if I have to. I feel like I’m wrestling well, but I’m going to need to open up again the further I go here.”

Pennridge’s Matt Parker wrestles Central Dauphin’s Chris Wright in the Class AAA 120 quarterfinals at the PIAA Championships on Friday, March 10, 2017. (Bill Rudick/For Digital First Media)

Pennridge coach RP Norley agreed.

“We were telling him to cut him an keep piling up takedowns, but he said he thought he could turn him, so we let him go for it,” said Norley. “But his style is to rack up points on his feet. He is hard to stop on his feet, so we want him in that position for as much of a match as we can.”

Standing between Parker and a second straight berth in the championship finals is Luke Werner of Liberty, the Northeast regional runner-up.

This year marked the third time that Shannon had qualified for the state tournament, but the Knights’ 152-pounder came up empty in the previous two previous trips to Hershey. Not so this year.

Shannon opened the scoring with an escape and takedown in the second period, then survived some crazy scrambles in the third period, and stayed on top the rest of the way, guaranteeing he can finish no worse than sixth.

“It feels amazing,” said Shannon. “This is something I’ve dreamed about since I was a little kid. It feels like all the hard work is finally paying off.”

Up next for Shannon is Penn Trafford’s Cameron Coy, a defending state champ.

Stillings secured a second-straight medal with a come-from-behind victory over Bell Vernon’s Zach Hartman. Stillings opened the scoring with a takedown in the waning seconds of the first period, but saw the lead vanish when Hartman got an escape and takedown in the second.

Pennridge’s Josh Stillings locks in against Belle Vernon’s Zach Hartman during their Class AAA 160 quarterfinal at the PIAA Championships on Friday, March 10, 2017. (Bill Rudick/For Digital First Media)

Down to start the third, Hartman rode tough, and still held the lead with less than twenty seconds to go. Stillings worked to his feet, and hit a standing granby, forcing scramble out of which Stillings came up on top for the reversal, and the win.

“This was a big match for me,” said Stillings. He (Hartman) is a strong, tough kid. It was just heart, I think, that got me through that at the end and gave me the win. But now I just have to get ready for semis. It’s great to see District 1 representing with me and (Owen J Roberts’ Ryan) Resnick both in semis.”

Stillings will have to get past Penn Manor’s Jonah Barley, the South Central champ and also a returning medalist, to keep his hopes for gold alive. But the Rams brought two wrestlers, and both are in semi-finals.

“So we’re four wins away from two golds,” said Norley. “I think both kids showed a lot of heart in their last matches to come out ahead in tight matches. I couldn’t be more proud of these two.”

Pelusi opened his day with a win over Northeastern’s Blaine Yinger. Tied 1-1 late in the third, Pelusi took advantage of a leaning Yinger, hitting a snap and spin behind for the 3-1 victory. The La Salle big man then won his blood round match, 7-2 over Cameron Tinner from Shippensburg to earn a spot on the podium.


Top Photo: North Penn’s Colin Shannon is fired up after his victory over Somerset’s Austin Hemminger in the Class AAA 152 quarterfinals at the PIAA Championships on Friday, March 10, 2017. (Bill Rudick/For Digital First Media)

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

More in Wrestling

situs slot gacor provider terbaik agen toto slot terpercaya 2023 agen toto togel terpercaya 2023 situs toto togel pasaran resmi terbaik bandar toto macau pasaran resmi toto togel bandar toto slot gacor 4d 2023 bo togel online pasaran terlengkap sepanjang masa bo toto slot terlengkap sepanjang masa situs toto togel 2023 bet 100 perak daftar toto slot dan toto togel 2023 bermain toto togel dengan bet hanya 100 perak daftar toto slot bonus new member terpercaya bermain toto slot pelayanan 24 jam nonstop situs toto togel terpercaya situs toto togel online terbaik winsortoto winsortoto winsortoto winsortoto winsortoto winsortoto unsurtoto unsurtoto unsurtoto winsortoto winsortoto winsortoto rasa4d rasa4d rasa4d gampangtoto gampangtoto gampangtoto winsortoto unsurtoto gampangtoto rasa4d bungtoto bandar toto togel terbesar hadiah 4d 10 juta daftar winsortoto situs toto terbaik winsortoto situs toto slot gacor dengan toto togel terbaik winsortoto situs toto terpercaya bet 100 perak winsortoto agen toto togel dan situs toto slot 4d winsortoto situs toto togel online deposit 10rb winsortoto situs toto togel online resmi hadiah 4d 10 juta winsortoto agen toto togel online terpercaya winsortoto agen toto slot dan situs toto togel resmi winsortoto situs toto togel 4d terpercaya winsortoto bandar toto togel dan toto slot winsortoto situs toto togel online resmi terbesar winsortoto situs toto togel dan agen toto slot terpercaya winsortoto situs toto terpercaya beragam bonus winsortoto situs toto terpercaya toto togel dan toto slot gacor winsortoto situs togel online dan slot online terpercaya winsortoto situs togel online hadiah terbesar winsortoto agen toto togel bonus harian terbesar winsortoto agen togel online terlengkap bet 100 perak winsortoto situs toto togel 4d dan toto slot 4d terbaik winsortoto situs toto togel dan toto slot terpercaya winsortoto bandar toto togel online terpercaya 2023 winsortoto agen toto togel 4d dan toto slot 4d winsortoto agen toto togel online banyak bonus terbesar winsortoto situs toto terpercaya bonus new member winsortoto situs togel online resmi terpercaya pasaran terlengkap winsortoto situs toto togel online 4d terpercaya situs toto togel deposit pulsa tanpa potongan winsortoto situs toto slot pasti slot gacor winsortoto situs toto slot dan toto togel hadiah terbaik winsortoto situs toto terpercaya permainan resmi dan terpercaya winsortoto situs toto resmi bonus new member 100rb tanpa potongan winsortoto toto slot gacor dan togel online resmi terpercaya winsortoto situs toto toge online terpercaya di Indonesia winsortoto toto togel online bonus new member terbesar winsortoto agen toto togel resmi hadiah 4d 10 juta terpercaya winsortoto toto togel online hadiah 4d 10 juta bet 100 winsortoto situs togel online terlengkap dan terpercaya winsortoto situs togel online resmi dan toto slot gacor winsortoto situs toto togel dan agen toto slot gacor winsortoto situs toto togel permainan toto togel dan toto slot winsortoto situs toto terpercaya bonus menarik winsortoto situs toto togel online terpercaya winsortoto bandar toto togel dan toto slot terpercaya winsortoto situs toto togel online terlengkap dan terpercaya winsortoto situs toto togel online winsortoto situs toto terpercaya togel online dan slot online resmi winsortoto situs toto dengan permainan togel 4d dan slot 4d winsortoto situs toto terpercaya permainan togel online terlengkap winsortoto situs toto togel terpercaya permainan resmi winsortoto situs toto togel resmi bet 100 perak tanpa potongan winsortoto agen toto togel dan situs toto resmi winsortoto toto togel dan toto slot terpercaya dan terbaik winsortoto unsurtoto gampangtoto bungtoto rasa4d titi4d ltdtoto bobatoto bobatoto situs toto togel slot situs bandar toto togel slot terpercaya titi4d titi4d login titi4d daftar titi4d slot titi4d togel situs titi4d titi4d login titi4d daftar titi4d titi4d togel titi4d slot situs titi4d agen titi4d bandar titi4d