HORSHAM >> Joe Collins’ tank was nearly empty.
But the Central Bucks East junior had no other option but to keep pushing after six minutes of regulation had him still tied with Aiden Zellman of Delaware’s St. Mark’s.
“By the end I was really tired, I was gassed but I knew I had to stick it out,” he said. “I knew I had to work my hardest to get that last two at the end and couldn’t let him get anything.”
In the final seconds of the sudden-victory round, Collins was the wrestler to find the decisive points, earning a takedown to secure the Ralph Wetzel Classic’s 287-pound title with a 4-2 decision Thursday night at Hatboro-Horsham.
“One of my best moves that I’ve been working on is my slide by, that’s what I hit to get behind him there,” Collins said. “And I knew I tried to take him down earlier from behind, didn’t really work out in my favor, kind of went into a scramble but I knew I had to go for something, I knew short time –had to work it, couldn’t just leave it there.”
Central Bucks East’s Joe Collins (right) holds St. Mark’s Aidan Zellman from behind during their 287-pound final at the Ralph Wetzel Classic on Thursday, Dec. 29, 2022 at Hatboro-Horsham. (Mike Cabrey/MediaNews Group)
Collins, who improved to 8-1 on the season, was one of two The Reporter/Times Herald/Montgomery Media-area competitors to finish first at the tournament as Central Bucks West freshman Chris Dennis won at 116 after a forfeit victory in the final.
“I thought I was going to have a match and I warmed up like an hour before with my teammate,” Dennis said. “And kid was in eighth grade, I’m pretty sure he was older than me cause he’s a reclass but yeah he got DQ’d so yeah I was pretty surprised.”
Dennis reached the title match with back-to-back tech falls – besting Unionville’s Cole Haines in the quarterfinals 16-0 at 2:57 before topping Pennsbury’s John Luchansky 16-0 at 4:00 in the semifinals. Dennis opened the Wetzel Wednesday by pinning Harriton’s Jonathan Haag in the second round at 1:08.
“There was some decent kids,” Dennis said. “I was just working my tilts. It was pretty easy. I mean, high school’s like a whole different level and I was pretty sure this was my first tournament that I won.”
Abington’s Matt McCaughey (left) wrestles Lenape’s Trey Frieman during their 123-pound final during the Ralph Wetzel Classic on Thursday, Dec. 29, 2022 at Hatboro-Horsham. (MIke Cabrey/MediaNews Group)
Conwell-Egan claimed the team title with 209 points after the Eagles had five wrestlers – Steven Harris (129), Charlie Robson (135), Ricky Horger (141), Hayden Mann (154) and Dante Burns (217) – win their respective weights.
Pennsbury was second at 182.5 points with a pair of winners in Shane McGurrin (162) and Walker Murray (191) while Neshaminy took third at 156.5 points.
Upper Dublin was the top area side in the team standings, placing sixth with 128.5 points while CB East was seventh at 122.5. UD did not have a wrestler make a championship final but the Cardinals got third-place finishes from Dan Gorman (141) and Austin Pendleton (154) while Jake Evans (109) and Tommy Clayton (162) both placed fifth.
Collins, a standout on the East football team – earning All-Suburban One League National Conference First Team selection at both offensive and defensive line in the fall – started the tournament with three straight second-period pins.
Conwell-Egan’s Hayden Mann hold onto Neshaminy’s Dan Hansbury while underneath him during the 154-pound final at the Ralph Wetzel Classic on Thursday, Dec. 29, 2022 at Hatboro-Horsham. (Mike Cabrey/MediaNews Group)
Wednesday, Collins collected a fall over Upper Dublin’s Christian Holland in 2:55 then Thursday pinned Jace McKinney of Oxford at 3:28 in the quarters then Abington’s Xavier Glemser at 3:10 in the semis.
“It felt amazing, especially cause we just started the season off,” said Collins, who advanced to the South East 3A Regional last season at 285. “We had Carlisle like a week or two ago, finished second in that. Didn’t really wrestle my best and I feel like I wrestled very well today.”
Dennis was one of two CB West wrestlers to advance to a championship match. Sophomore Patrick Kelly came in second after falling to Conwell-Egan’s Harris 3-2 in the 129 final. Kelly beat Haverford School’s James McDonnell 6-4 in the quarters then pinned Oxford’s Jordan Schaible in the semis at 1:23.
With his four wins at the Wetzel, Dennis improved his record to 12-1 with his lone defeat coming to Father Judge’s Rickie Melendez by fall in the 121 final at the Pottstown Invitational Dec. 3.
“I was expecting to be undefeated,” Dennis said. “My only loss, I was winning and kid was really strong and I got thrown on my back. I figured it’s better happening now so I know what to expect, so when I wrestle in the postseason against seniors or whoever it is.”
Central Bucks West’s Patrick Kelly has Conwell-Egan Steven Harris drapped on top of him during their 129-pound final at the Ralph Wetzel Classic on Thursday, Dec. 29, 2022. (Mike Cabrey/MediaNews Group)
Abington’s Matt McCaughey (123), Hatboro-Horsham’s Chris Staub (147) and Wissahickon’s Tyler Prince (217) all earned second-place finishes.
McCaughey won his quarterfinal against Great Valley’s Michael Cruz by fall in 1:54 then advanced to the 123 final with a 5-2 decision over Pennsbury’s Kyle Von Schmidt. The Galloping Ghosts senior lost to Trey Friedman of New Jersey’s Lenape 10-4 in the title match.
Staub fell in the 147 final to Penn Charter’s Greyson Catlow-Sidler by 11-1 major decision. The Hatters junior won by tech fall in the quarters over Elias Abebe of Upper Dublin 16-1 at 4:40 before besting Pennsbury’s Brian Shimp by 15-1 major decision in the semifinals.
Prince pinned Penn Charter’s James Glomb in the 217 quarters at 1:17 then Reagan McCullough of CB East at 1:13 in the semis before the Wissahickon sophomore fell to Conwell-Egan’s Burns by 16-0 tech fall at 2:36.
CB East’s Sam Hunter placed third at 109 with the Patriots’ McCullough and Max Bearn (129) both taking fifth. Also earning fifth were Abington’s Glemser and Dylan Kiesling (174) and Hatboro-Horsham’s Ryan Allgeier (116).
