QUAKERTOWN >> Zach Borzio is trying to stay relaxed on the mat as he readies for a final run at reaching the PIAA Wrestling Championships
“Just not going out there tight,” the Quakertown senior said. “Just letting things fly and to trust my training, just let the nerves go.”
Borzio earned first place at 152 pounds Wednesday night’s Suburban One League Liberty Division Championships with his 125th career victory, besting Plymouth Whitemarsh’s Ty Borkowski by an 8-0 major decision.
“Started off a little slow but then I got in my groove,” Borzio said. “And then it was all good.”
Borzio was one of seven Quakertown wrestlers to claim the top spot on the podium, the host Panthers capping a seventh consecutive SOL title by taking first place with 186.0 points.
Quaketown’s Collin Gaj looks to pin Plymouth Whitemarsh’s Mohammed Charabi during the 145-pound final at the Suburban One League Liberty Division Championships on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023. (Mike Cabrey/MediaNews Group)
“It’s definitely keeping the ball rolling cause this is our, I believe, seventh in a row so we’ve done it the whole time I’ve been in high school,” Borzio said. “We’ve got four in a row while I was in high school. It’s definitely important to me.”
Borzio, who also mentioned he was thankful for his coaches, was a PIAA qualifier as a sophomore in 2021 but last season just missed reaching states – advancing to the South East 3A Regional semifinals at 145 but dropping his next three to finish sixth.
The Williams College commit began Wednesday by pinning Hatboro-Horsham’s Jayden Dayton in 1:08 in the 152 semis with his major in the final improving him to 33-8 on the season.
“I’m locked on Hershey,” said Borzio, who is fifth in the latest PA-Wrestling District 1 rankings at 152. “And then I want to get on the podium at Hershey, too, that’s my goal.”
Plymouth Whitemarsh’s Ashton Wittenberg tries to pin Hatboro-Horsham’s Aiden Morrison during the 133-pound final at the Suburban One League Liberty Division Championships on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023 at Quakertown. (Mike Cabrey/MediaNews Group)
Joining Borzio in placing first for Quakertown were Isaac Williams (114), Mason Ziegler (121), Logan Pfistner (127), Gavin Carroll (139), Collin Gaj (145) and Calvin Lachman (215). It is the third straight SOL Liberty title for the Panthers, who previously won back-to-back championships in both the SOL American Conference (2017-18) then the SOL Continental Conference (2019-20).
Upper Dublin placed second with 148.0 points and had a pair of first-place finishes – Jake Evans winning 107 with a pin of Quakertown’s Waylen Strzelski in 4:54 while Tommy Clayton won 160 with a 15-4 major decision over Wissahickon’s Nelson Stubbs.
Plymouth Whitemarsh seniors Ashton Wittenberg and Justin Bainbridge earned division golds as the Colonials came in third with 124.0 points. Wittenberg won 133 by pinning Hatboro-Horsham’s Aiden Morrison in 1:50. Bainbridge collected the 172 title with a fall over Wissahickon’s Nathanael Chez in 1:07.
“Felt pretty good, got a couple quick pins today so it was good to get that confidence,” Wittenberg said. “Only got two matches but still some good work. Little banged up but excited for the postseason.”
Upper Dublin’s Tommy Clayton looks to take down Wissahickon’s Nelson Stubbs during the 160-pound final at the Suburban One League Liberty Division Championships on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023 at Quakertown. (Mike Cabrey/MediaNews Group)
Wittenberg has reached regionals the past three years but is still looking for his first trip to states. As a junior, he won the District 1-3A South title at 126 but his regional run ended in the second round of consolations.
“I think working a lot on my feet this summer and fall, getting my offense very good, not just relying on my defense,” Wittenberg said. “Trying to take a lot of shots, score a lot of points. And just being aggressive and confident on my feet.”
Hatboro-Horsham had four wrestlers place second – Ryan Allgeier (114), Benny Staub (121), Morrison (133) and Chris Staub (139) – as the Hatters took fourth with 106. 5 points.
Wissahickon’s Evan Prestipino won the 189 final with a 5-1 decision over PW’s Deaglan Budd as the Trojans placed fifth with 98.0 points.
Abington was sixth at 73.5 points, the Galloping Ghosts’ John Wright winning 285 with a pin of Wissahickon’s Ryan Lee in 1:50.
Abington’s John Wright (center) atop the podium after receiving his medal for taking first place at 285 pound at the Suburban One League Liberty Division Championships on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023 at Quakertown. (Mike Cabrey/MediaNews Group)
The individual wrestling postseason begins Saturday, Feb. 25 with the District 1 championships. Abington and host Quakertown compete in the East tournament while the four other SOL Liberty teams head to Interboro for the South tournament.
“I think the goals the last few years were kind of just to get to regionals, see what I can do,” said Wittenberg, who pinned Quakertown’s Cody Stank in 1:18 in the semifinals. “But definitely raising my goals to that level of going to states is boosting my confidence when I’m wrestling and will definitely help me when I get to regionals.”
Williams claimed the 114 title with a 10-0 major decision over Allgeier while Ziegler followed with a pin over Benny Staub at 1:37 in the 121 final. Pfistner added Quakertown’s third division gold at 127 with a 9-0 decision over Abington’s John Kaplan.
In the 139 final, the Panthers’ Gavin Carroll avenged his lone loss of the season by defeating HH’s Chris Staub by a 10-1 major decision. Carroll, now 15-1, had lost their first match 8-6 in the teams’ dual meet Feb. 1.
Quakertown’s John Borzio (left) wrestles Plymouth Whitemarsh’s Ty Borkowski in the 152-pound final at the Suburban One League Liberty Division Championships on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023 at Quakertown. (Mike Cabrey/MediaNews Group)
Gaj, who tops the latest PA-Wrestling.com District 1 Pound For Pound rankings, improved to 38-0 on his sophomore campaign with a pin of Plymouth Whitemarsh’s Mohammed Charabi in 17 seconds in the 145 final.
Calvin Lachman made it seven first-place finishes for Quakertown at 215 by pinning Wissahickon’s Tyler Prince in 1:16.
