OXFORD >> Back in December, Coatesville’s Nate Lucier showed he closed the gap between he and West Chester Henderson’s Killian Delaney.
Saturday, in his fifth career match against Delaney, Lucier finally cleared the hurdle, using a takedown in sudden victory for a 5-3 win.
It happened with everyone watching, in the 120-pound finals of the District 1-3A West tournament at Oxford High, and Lucier was voted Outstanding Wrestler because of it.
“It really shows how hard work pays off,” Lucier said. “The training and training in the room, just to get better every day.”
Coatesville’s Nate Lucier fights to escape from West Chester Henderson’s Killian Delaney in a 5-3 win in sudden victory of the 120-pound final. (Nate Heckenberger – For MediaNews Group)
In 2018, Delaney majored Lucier once and pinned him twice, but at the Ches-Mont Championships in December, Delaney squeaked by, 3-2.
Leading 1-0, heading into the third, Delaney was penalized a point for stalling late in the third, before the pair swapped reversals in the final 10 seconds made it 3-3. In overtime, Lucier won a scramble and got behind Delaney just before the buzzer.
“I wanted to continue to push the pace harder and harder,” Lucier said. “No matter who it is, I’m just trying to push the pace.”
The top four finishers qualified for the Southeast Regional at Souderton, next Friday and Saturday.
Downingtown East’s Keanu Manuel closes in on a takedown against Oxford’s Cannon Hershey in a 9-5 win in the 106-pound final. (Nate Heckenberger – For MediaNews Group)
Downingtown East’s Keanu Manuel will likely be the favorite at his new weight, 106, after a 9-5 win over Oxford’s Cannon Hershey in the finals.
“Overall, I felt pretty great for the most part,” Manuel said. “I still have to get used to the weight a little bit and my gas tank situation needs to be better, but overall I felt good.”
The win in the finals not only earned Manuel the top seed at regionals, but gave him 100 career wins.
“It’s a good goal I passed, but it’s not my main goal,” Manuel said. “There are more steps to be taken at the state level. It’s a good milestone to hit, but definitely a smaller one compared to placing on the podium.”
Downingtown East fans hold up signs in celebration of Keanu Manuel’s 100th career win, in the 106-pound final. (Nate Heckenberger – For MediaNews Group)
The Cougars took second in the team race, a point ahead of Sun Valley. West Chester Henderson won the team title with a pair of champions.
Henderson’s Sammy McMonagle (126 pounds) majored Oxford’s Cooper Johnson in the finals, and two bouts later, Palmer Delaney (138) used a last-second headlock to defeat Sun Valley’s Dan Kearney, 6-3.
West Chester Henderson’s Sammy McMonagle tilts Oxford’s Cooper Johnson en route to a major decision in the 126-pound final. (Nate Heckenberger – For MediaNews Group)
If you expected the little brother was fighting to avenge his older brother’s loss, you may have forgotten the significance of bragging rights at the family dinner table.
“Since Killian didn’t get first, I figured I had to do this to show him up,” Palmer said with a smirk. “It’s a brother rivalry thing.”
West Chester Henderson’s Palmer Delaney uses a headlock to defeat Sun Valley’s Dan Kearney, 6-3, in the 138-pound final. (Nate Heckenberger – For MediaNews Group)
East and Downingtown West tied for the most champs, with three. Joining Manuel at the top of the podium were Bo Horvath (152) and Matt Romanelli (170), who used quick pins in the finals.
West was just as dominant in the finals, with a major decision from Dom Findora (113) and pins by Max Hale (182) and Chase Mielnik (220).
Findora was overwhelming on his feet, proving his move up a weight hasn’t affected him, yet.
“I feel a little more energy there,” Findora said. “I talked to my parents and coaches about the pros and cons. I felt a lot better at 113 and I’m doing pretty good, so far.”
Downingtown West’s Dom Findora collects near-fall points against Downingtown East’s Ryan Loraw in a major decision win in the 113-pound final. (Nate Heckenberger – For MediaNews Group)
Kennett’s Trent Kochersperger (132) was excellent on his feet, as well, taking West Chester Rustin’s Josh Viarengo down four times in the finals for a 9-3 win.
“I said in the beginning (of the regular season), it was just a rehearsal, and I’m proud I kept my word,” Kochersperger said. “I want to keep my word, again, on the road to getting to states. … Next weekend is when it really matters and it’s all about knocking people off the chess board to get to states.”
Kennett’s Trent Kochersperger returns West Chester Rustin’s Josh Viarengo in a 9-3 win in the 132-pound final. (Nate Heckenberger – For MediaNews Group)
Rustin’s Alex Pratzner majored Sun Valley’s Alex Gamble-Williams at 145-pounds, for his second straight sectional crown.
Sun Valley’s Ryan (195) and Hunter Catka (285) won titles and Desmon Perry (160) was the lone champ for Garnet Valley.
Team Standings
1. West Chester Henderson, 209.5; 2. Downingtown East, 183; 3. Sun Valley, 182; 4. Downingtown West, 174; 5. Garnet Valley, 164.5; 6. West Chester Rustin, 146.5; 7. Oxford, 116; 8. Kennett, 91.5; 9. West Chester East, 83.5; 10. Unionville, 76.5; 11. Avon Grove, 58; 12. Coatesville, 52.5; 13. Penncrest, 47; 14. Chichester, 46.
Championship Finals
106- Manuel (Downingtown East) dec. Hershey (Oxford), 9-5
113- Findora (Downingtown West) maj. dec. Loraw (Downingtown East), 20-6
120- Lucier (Coatesville) dec. K. Delaney (Henderson), 5-3 SV
126- McMonagle (Henderson) maj. dec. Johnson (Oxford), 10-0
132- Kochersperger (Kennett) dec. Jo. Viarengo (Rustin), 9-3
138- P. Delaney (Henderson) dec. Kearney (Sun Valley), 6-3
145- Pratzner (Rustin) maj. dec. Gamble-Williams (Sun Valley), 10-1
152- Horvath (Downingtown East) pinned Yanko (Rustin), 1:08
160- Perry (Garnet Valley) pinned Elsen (Unionville), 2:25
170- Romanelli (Downingtown East) pinned Mas. Hale (Downingtown West), :50
182- Max Hale (Downingtown West) pinned Artis (Henderson), 1:38
195- R. Catka (Sun Valley) tech. fall DiTrolio (Garnet Valley), 15-0
220- Mielnik (Downingtown West) pinned Richardson (Chichester), 3:30
285- H. Catka (Sun Valley) pinned Lemmon-Kishi (WC East), 1:42
Consolation Finals
106- Cortese (Henderson) pinned Cabalo (Sun Valley), 4:22
113- Jackman (Henderson) dec. Voghel (Sun Valley), 7-4
120- Puliti (Garnet Valley) dec. King (Rustin), 4-1
126- Hollingsworth (Garnet Valley) dec. Partsanakis (Penncrest), 4-2
132- Quin (Oxford) pinned Husain (Garnet Valley), 4:14
138- Meredith (Oxford) pinned Wood (Garnet Valley), :40
145- English (Henderson) maj. dec. McKinney (Oxford), 17-3
152- Pebly (Kennett) pinned Bush (Chichester), 3:48
160- Bauman (Henderson) pinned Uggla (Downingtown East), 2:11
170- Conlon (Garnet Valley) dec. Baldwin (Henderson), 3-2
182- Kirchgasser (Penncrest) pinned Warrington (Sun Valley), 1:42
195- Figueroa (Oxford) dec. Meadows (Rustin), 8-2
220- Rueter (Avon Grove) pinned Wileczek (Downingtown East), 2:42
285- Micale (Downingtown West) dec. Aceto (Downingtown East), 3-2 UTB
