EAST NOTTINGHAM >> Reaching 100 career victories Friday night was a gratifying moment for William Morrow. But the North Penn senior is focused on finishing the task at hand at the PIAA Class 3A South East Regional.
“It’s a nice milestone but it’s not my goal,” Morrow said. “It’s to take first here and go on and take first at states. It’s nice, I can enjoy it for a second but I’m back here tomorrow – job’s not done yet.”
Morrow came to Oxford Area High School sitting on 98 victories and hit triple digits with a pair of decisive victories in reaching the semifinals of the 152-pound bracket and is one of seven The Reporter/Times Herald/Montgomery Media wrestlers still alive for gold.
“Just keeping the gas, the foot on the gas seems to be what works best for me,” Morrow said. “When I’m moving, I’m confident with my endurance. I feel strong and I just got to keep plugging away. My senior season, this is going to come to an end literally next Saturday so why be worried, just go out and wrestle, that’s kind of where I’m at right now.”
Also advancing to their respective championship semis were Pennridge’s Cole Coffin (113) and Sam Kuhns (126), Souderton’s Tyler Geiger (132) and Erick Dominguez (138), Abington’s Shane Kibler (145) and Central Bucks West’s Carl DiGiorgio (215).
The tournament continues Saturday at Oxford beginning at 9:30 a.m. with the first round of the consolation bracket. Finals for first, third and fifth place are set for 6 p.m. Top five from each weight qualify for the PIAA Championships March 10-12 in Hershey.
Quakertown leads the team standings with 59.0 points with Council Rock South second at 52.5 points. Both the Panthers and Golden Hawks have five wrestlers in the championship semis. Kennett stands third with 33.0 points.
Morrow, who took second at last Saturday’s District 1-3A East tournament, started regionals with a 17-2 technical fall over Great Valley’s Nick Mort in 2:32 then followed that by besting Unionville’s Topher Tryon via 14-1 major decision.
“It’s always disappointing but it’s a good learning experience,” said Morrow of falling in the district final. “I had a hard week of practice, getting ready for here cause the reality is that was last week we’re here now.”
The two wins improved Morrow to 100-33 for his NP career and 34-3 on the season as he moved closer to securing a third consecutive trip to states, last year earning eighth at PIAA at 145.
In the semifinals, Morrow faces Central Bucks East’s Mason Stein for the third time this season, Morrow winning the previous two by decision – 11-4 in the final of the SOL Colonial Division Championships Feb. 15 then 7-5 in the district semis.
“I did what I needed to do,” Morrow said. “There’s always things you can do better but I’m pleased with how I wrestled today and hopefully I can come back tomorrow and wrestle better.”
Dominguez starts strong >> A week ago, Dominguez did not think he was even going to get a chance to compete in the postseason.
Both Dominguez, who as a junior last year won a Kansas Class 6A state title at Dodge City High School, along with teammate junior Ben Beckett, who previously attended The Hill School, were initially ruled ineligible due to the PIAA’s transfer policy.
Athletes who transfer after the start of their sophomore year are to sit out the first postseason at their new school but can request a waiver.
“I was really bummed about it,” Dominguez said. “I threw the white flag in on Wednesday when I heard about the news I wasn’t wrestling. Gave up everything and I started looking towards nationals, national duals.”
Souderton coach Chris Atkinson said it was “a paperwork issue” that produced the complication. But the matter ended up getting settled in the duo’s favor – first for Beckett then Dominguez, the two getting cleared to compete at the District 1-3A North Tournament, both with second-place finishes at the meet.
“The perception from our athletics department was because Ben came from private school and Eric came from another state, not PIAA, that they didn’t need that postseason waiver,” Atkinson said. “So we plead the case, went before PIAA, they denied the waivers. We were able to get Ben in because Ben didn’t have a season last year so the postseason wouldn’t count because he had a COVID year last year at Hill School.
“So they let him fly so then it was just down to Eric. He was denied his request by PIAA, some lawyers got involved, PIAA kicked it back to District 1, we had a hearing with District 1 literally the day before districts and they voted to let him in. So it was good, it worked out.”
Friday night, Dominguez was impressive in reaching the 138 semifinals, pinning Springfield-Delco’s Stephen Scott in 3:33 in the first round then defeating Pennsbury’s Mason Grodzki by 13-0 major decision.
Next up is Perkiomen Valley’s Kelly Kakos, who topped Dominguez 10-6 in the district final.
“I was moving my feet, doing my thing like I do,” Dominguez said.” My quick feet, that’s what they call me and stuff so I just move my feet and everybody takes a shot and mistakes, mistakes, mistakes, I just reshot, reshot.”
Fellow Souderton senior Tyler Geiger advanced to the 132 semifinals, opening with an 8-2 decision over Neshaminy’s Calvin Lederer then knocking off District 1-3A North champ Matthew Englehardt 10-5 in the quarters.
Geiger takes on Oxford’s Austin McMillan in the semis.
“I really wanted to get him (Englehardt) last week but I messed up, didn’t wrestle my best and I didn’t get to see him,” said Geiger, who placed third at North. “So I was hungry this week and I knew it was going to be a good match. I just had to keep shooting cause that’s when I wrestle best. Made him tired and was able to pull it off.”
Pennridge sophomores Coffin and Kuhns each had 2-0 nights to reach their respective semifinals.
At 113, Coffin claimed a 16-3 major decision over Quakertown’s Justin Adamson then in the quarters beat Andrij Szczesniuk of Coatesville by a 5-1 decision.
“The goal is to win it but you got to take it one match at a time,” Coffin said. “You can’t get ahead of yourself and I felt like I did that good. I just focused on the opponent, got to my attacks, wrestled my match and now it’s time for the big matches.”
In the semis, Coffin faces Spring-Ford’s Cole Smith. The two Coles wrestled Feb. 5, Smith winning 4-0 as Spring-Ford topped Pennridge 44-21 in the District 1-3A Duals Tournament quarterfinals.
In the 126 first round Kuhns collected an 18-2 tech fall over Boyertown’s Shane Stankina in 4:51 then advanced to the semis with a 5-2 decision over West Chester Henderson’s Max Jackman. Kuhns faces undefeated Cannon Hershey of Oxford for a spot in the final.
DiGiorgio, the top seed in the 215 bracket, pinned Haverford’s Jack Rostin in 24 seconds then earned an 18-3 tech fall over Strath Haven’s Anthony Crawford in 4:59. The CB West senior faces Pottsgrove’s Dominic DeMeno in the semis – DiGiorgio beating DeMeno via 21-5 tech fall in 4:20 Dec. 11 at the Pottstown Invitational.
Abington’s Kibler reached the 145 semifinals by pinning Hatboro-Horsham’s Joe Martini III then beating West Chester Henderson’s Palmer Delaney by a 10-5 decision. Kibler next wrestles Council Rock South’s Shermuhammad Sadriddinov in a rematch of the District 1-3A North final Sadriddinov won 3-2 in ultimate tiebreak.
