SOUDERTON >> Kibwe McNair is not necessarily superstitious.
More the kind of person who likes his vibes to be good ones. That has a lot to do with the green-and-white knit hat that’s been a staple of his wrestling wardrobe for years.
“The myth behind it is my sophomore year, one of my team friends’ mother knit them for us,” he recalled. “I decided to wear it all the time.”
The idea that “it’s not luck if you make it happen” is one McNair embraces every time he goes out on the mats. That was very much the case Saturday, when the Methacton senior claimed a gold medal from the South East AAA Regional Tournament at Souderton High.
Methacton’s Kibwe McNair hugs his coaches after winning the 138-pound title at the Southeast AAA Regional Saturday at Souderton. (Austin Hertzog – MediaNews Group)
The 138-pound champion was joined by three other champions from the Pioneer Athletic Conference in Boyertown’s Julien Maldonado (113) and the Owen J. Roberts senior duo of Antonio Petrucelli (145) and Connor Quinn (160).
One week removed from finishing atop the podium at the District 1-AAA North tourney, McNair made the top step in the last stop before the PIAA tournament. He did it in convincing fashion, scoring a third-period pin on Lower Merion’s Christian Hodges in the 138-pound final.
After building a 7-2 lead through the first two periods, McNair (31-1) dispatched Hodges with a body press combination at 4:23. It was a significant upgrade to the fourth-place finishes he had the past two years, and it qualifies him for a third trip to Hershey for the PIAA Class AAA Tournament.
And hopes for overriding his previous non-medal performances at the Giant Center.
“The first time,” McNair recalled about his state-level visits, “I was shocked by big arena … it was a shock to the senses. The second time I was more familiar and went farther than I thought I would.
“I guess the third time could be the charm.”
WRESTLING: Southeast AAA Regional individual champions pic.twitter.com/0EWeBgzNrH
— Austin Hertzog (@AustinHertzog) March 1, 2020
McNair’s latest regional run started with a 12-3 major decision of Garnet Valley’s Christopher Wood. He followed that with an 8-5 verdict of Central Bucks South’s Dominic Stoughton, and a 6-4 sudden-victory over Quakertown’s Domenic DeFalco.
“I was solid, not allowing anything stupid to happen,” he said of his weekend’s performance. “One of the things I want to do is keep a high pace. It went well.”
Boyertown’s Maldonado (33-6) won the 113-pound championship from Downingtown West’s Dominic Findora, 4-1. The Bear junior scored a first-period takedown inside the 30-second mark, then after a scoreless second Findora escaped from bottom start to make it a 2-1 margin.
Findora then tried for a leg shot, but Maldonado extended out of his reach and got the takedown instead. It was an improvement on Julien’s third place regional at 106, and he Will be looking to upgrade from last year’s eighth-place state showing.
“He dove at me. It just gave me the icing.” he noted.
Boyertown’s Julien Maldonado finishes a takedown against Downingtown West’s Dom Findora in a 4-1 win in the 113-pound final. (Nate Heckenberger – For MediaNews Group)
The early going saw Maldonado post a last-second 17-1 technical fall of Neshaminy’s Eric Gross, a first-period pin of West Chester Henderson’s Max Jackman and another tech-fall on Downingtown East’s Ryan Loraw. He gave considerable credit for his success to Boyertown assistant coach Adam Kolb, a member of the program’s coaching staff since his graduation from the school in 2010.
“He’s in my corner,” Maldonado said. “He’s been through it with me for a while. He gives me more of a better look when we’re practicing.”
Petrucelli (39-4) capped his third regional trip by winning the 145 title in a 9-3 decision of Bensalem’s Connor Eck. Petrucelli broke a 2-2 tie in third with an escape, a pair of takedowns around Eck’s escape and back points.
The gold medal was Petrucelli’s first in four regional appearances. He was a runner-up the last two years and a fifth-place finisher at states in 2019.
“It won’t get old until next week,” Petrucelli said of his latest medal-podium climb. “This is a stepping stone to states.”
Owen J. Roberts’ Antonio Petrucelli, right, tries to take down Bensalem’s Connor Eck during the 145-pound final at the Southeast AAA Regional Saturday at Souderton. (Austin Hertzog – MediaNews Group)
Petrucelli breezed through the early rounds, pinning Marple Newtown’s Jimmy Nania in 59 seconds and rolling up a 16-1 (4:39) technical fall on Council Rock South’s Cole Flanagan. An 8-6 sudden-victory decision of Council Rock North’s Sammy Hayes put the Roberts senior in the medal round.
“I like the close ones,” he said. “They show who has more grit. I had those (easy), and they’re fun, but in this sport you learn from your losses.”
Quinn (32-3) faced the adversity of an early deficit against Bensalem’s Talon Pisarchuk and an injured left ankle that required icing after the finals.
But he responded by rallying for a 9-7 sudden victory against Pisarchuk, followed by a 7-3 verdict against Lower Merion’s James Lledo in the 160 title bout.
“I couldn’t feel it (injury), to be honest,” the OJR senior said afterward. “It didn’t affect me that much.”
Quinn’s latest regional competition improved on the fifth- and third-place medals he scored the past two years. The next step will be a state medal after two DNP (did not place) trips to Hershey.
“I definitely proved it to myself,” he said. “I imagined being on top of the podium. At states, the idea is to not get too worked up and be ready to wrestle.”
Owen J. Roberts’ Connor Quinn rides out Lower Merion’s James Lledo during a 7-3 decision in the 160-pound final. (Nate Heckenberger – For MediaNews Group)
Spring-Ford was second in the team standings, its 107 points trailing champion Council Rock North’s 135.5. It five state qualifiers are the most by any PAC team, and head coach Tim Seislove was named the district’s Coach of the Year.
One downside was the Rams’ three championship-round finalists came in second. The biggest upset was at 182, where Joey Milano saw his unbeaten (45-0) mark dented by Downingtown West’s Maximus Hale via second-period pinfall.
Jack McGill (152) and Louie Carbajal (195) were also consigned to silver-medal finishes.
“Oh-for-3 in the finals is disappointing,” Seislove said, “but we’re still proud of what our kids accomplished. Carbajal being a regional finalist is a great thing. Dominic Ortlip (106) and Quinn Tobin (132) came back through wrestlebacks, fighting back for fourth and fifth.”
Downingtown West’s Maximus Hale raises his arms in celebration after pinning Spring-Ford’s Joey Milano, bottom left, in the 182-pound final Saturday. (Austin Hertzog – MediaNews Group)
Austin Boaman became Owen J’s third state qualifier, placing third at 170. Another PAC bronze medalists was Upper Perkiomen’s Matt Martin (113),
Also advancing to the state championships are Spring-Ford’s Dominic Ortlip (4th at 106), Boyertown’s Chance Babb (4th at 126), Upper Perkiomen’s Zach Rozanski (4th at 138), Methacton’s Roman Moser (4th at 160), and Spring-Ford’s Quinn Tobin (5th at 132).
Four PAC wrestlers were stopped a win short of Hershey: Upper Perkiomen’s Matt Milkowich, Owen J. Roberts’ Connor Leister, Boyertown’s Alan Alexander and Pottsgrove’s Zach Van Horn.
NOTES
Hale was named the tournament’s Outstanding Wrestler after scoring two pins and a technical fall in four bouts. … Petrucelli on the effect team support gives: “I saw it all day, through the semis and consolation rounds, Having the team support you is huge. It boosted me, the support.” … The night’s marquee match at 120, between Coatesville’s Nathan Lucier and West Chester Henderson’s Killian Delaney, saw Lucier edge Delaney 4-3. … The traditional pre-finals ceremonies included the induction of the latest class of wrestling standouts to the South East Region Hall of Fame and awards to Sun Valley’s Hunter Catka and Council Rock South’s Kyle Waterman.
Owen J. Roberts’ Austin Boaman works a headlock on North Penn’s Jarret Niedosik to place third at 170 pounds at the Southeast AAA Regional Saturday at Souderton. (Austin Hertzog – MediaNews Group)
Spring-Ford’s Jack McGill, left, and Council Rock North’s Cameron Robinson tie up during the 152-pound final at the Southeast AAA Regional Saturday at Souderton. (Austin Hertzog – MediaNews Group)
