THE MORNING CALL WRESTLING RANKINGS

FROM THE MORNING CALL

103 POUNDS

1. Soph. Darian Cruz (Bethlehem Catholic) 22-2

2. Sr. Brett Marino (Liberty) 27-3

3. Soph. Matt Williams (Pen Argyl) 22-6

4. Soph. Dante Steffenino (Upper Perk) 22-2

5. Soph. Bryan Israel (Saucon Valley) 27-2

Honorable mention: Fr. Dante Albanese (Pius X) 24-7; Fr. Patrick Antonacci (Central Catholic) 21-1; Fr. Kyle Baker (Easton) 18-7; Jr. Jacob Hoats (Lehighton) 20-5; Fr. Ethan Lizak (Parkland) 19-8; Fr. Colin Mashack (Tamaqua) 18-4; Sr. Nick O'Donnell (Panther Valley) 27-5; Fr. Scott Parker (Pennridge) 24-1; Jr. Guesseppe Rea (Stroudsburg) 24-7; Fr. Kolton Veit (Souderton) 22-4; Fr. Kenny Yanovich (Pleasant Valley) 25-4.

Noteworthy: Cruz solidified the top spot with a 4-2 OT win over Marino. The Liberty senior rebounded with a first-period pin against Freedom. In HM, Antonacci and O'Donnell won at the Coal Cracker tournament (O'Donnell at 112). Yanovich was second at New Oxford, and Rea third in Erie.

112 POUNDS

1. Fr. Zeke Moisey (Bethlehem Catholic) 23-5

2. Sr. Anthony Cabrera (Liberty) 26-3

3. Jr. Peter Stanley (Easton) 16-9

4. Sr. Jamie Welsh (Pen Argyl) 19-5

5. Soph. Sean Bianco (Pleasant Valley) 15-4

Honorable mention: Fr. Colby Ems (East Stroudsburg South) 15-5; Fr. Josh Evans (Palmerton) 18-3; Fr. Ben Ross (Pennridge) 24-4; Fr. Jacob Rusnock (Catasauqua) 15-9; Soph. Dylan Steffenino (Upper Perk) 19-5; Fr. Chase Zemenak (Nazareth) 15-10; Fr. Adam Ziegler (Southern Lehigh) 13-7.

Noteworthy: Moisey decisioned Cabrera for the second time this season to remain firm atop the weight class. Welsh rebounded from two losses at NHSCA Final Four with a pin vs. Northwestern.

119 POUNDS

1. Jr. Randy Cruz (Bethlehem Catholic) 25-5

2. Fr. Josh Ortman (Parkland) 20-7

3. Jr. DeMarquis Holley (Dieruff) 18-3

4. Soph. Evan DiSora (Easton) 17-4

5. Sr. Lucas Dise (Northern Lehigh) 20-5

Honorable mention: Soph. Gregg Donley (Souderton) 19-9; 5. Soph. Grimaldi Gonzalez (Liberty) 20-7; Soph. Dillon Masington (Palmerton) 18-6; Fr. James Palys (Pocono Mt. East) 16-2; Soph. Michael Rodgers (Central Catholic) 19-7; Sr. Marcus Rushie (E.S. South) 21-2; Soph. George Schaffer (Bangor) 18-3.

Noteworthy: Cruz decisioned Gonzalez 3-0 to hold the top spot. Dise moved into rankings after 3-0 week and has won seven straight. In HM, Rodgers won at Coal Cracker, and Rushie has won 13 straight.

125 POUNDS

1. Sr. Jaydon Rice (Bethlehem Catholic) 22-6

2. Sr. Franco Ferraina (Nazareth) 14-2

3. Jr. Devon Lotito (Liberty) 27-3

4. Sr. Mike Fake (Parkland) 15-4

5. Jr. Sam Oberlander (Palmerton) 18-5

Honorable mention: Jr. Joe Dalessandro (Pius X) 24-9; Jr. Tyler Galasso (Freedom) 15-9; Jr. Zane Heller (Northern Lehigh) 20-5; Jr. Greg Kabakjian (Souderton) 25-5; Jr. Ethan Keichel (Northwestern) 17-9; Jr. Ernest Klingel (Pleasant Valley) 21-2.

Noteworthy: Oberlander entered top five with 6-3 win over Heller. He dropped from 130 last week. Lotito had a quality win at 130 over Becahi's Richie Cruz.

130 POUNDS

1. Sr. Zach Horan (Nazareth) 27-0

2. Jr. Mike Dahlstrom (Pleasant Valley) 28-2

3. Sr. Calvin Daly (Easton) 19-7

4. Sr. Damien Hopper (Central Catholic) 20-1

5. Sr. Arian Kohler (E.S. South) 11-5

Honorable mention: Sr. Sean Aris (Pocono Mt. West) 15-10; Sr. Michael Crawn (Bangor) 16-4; Jr. Richie Cruz (Bethlehem Catholic) 12-10; Sr. Brandon Mayberry (Wilson) 15-7; Soph. Michael Ortiz (Northwestern) 18-4; Fr. Jesse Snyder (Palisades) 13-4.

Noteworthy: Horan helped organize Nazareth's Senior Day win over Freedom, in which the team juggled its lineup to allow 12 seniors to wrestle. Hopper had five first-period pins to win Coal Cracker tournament. Dahlstrom took second at New Oxford, losing 3-1 final to Blue Mountain's Brandon Choate. In HM, Ortiz has won 7 straight since loss to Kohler.

135 POUNDS

1. Soph. Mike Racciato (Pen Argyl) 28-2

2. Sr. Scott Wolfinger (Quakertown) 17-5

3. Sr. Kolby Mashack (Tamaqua) 24-0

4. Jr. Jason Stephen (Northampton) 23-7

5. Sr. Greg Noll (Nazareth) 22-7

Honorable mention: Sr. George Dalessandro (Pius X) 20-10; Sr. Eric Howey (Stroudsburg) 22-8; Soph. Mike Marano (Parkland) 17-12; Jr. Jose Morales (Dieruff) 12-7; Soph. Nick Musa (E.S. South) 14-5; Jr. Vinny Pellechia (Catasauqua) 24-1; Sr. Daniel Rodenberger (Upper Perk) 17-6; Jr. Alex Yanovich (Pleasant Valley) 25-4.

Noteworthy: No changes in the top five, with Racciato on a 16-bout winning streak. Stephen is wrestling well, having won six straight. Noll has pinned his last three opponents. In HM, Howey was third at Fred Bell Memorial in Erie.

140 POUNDS

1. Sr. Joey Rizzolino (Easton) 26-3

2. Sr. Luciano Burriesci (Pen Argyl) 22-7

3. Sr. Briar Malischewski (Quakertown) 20-6

4. Sr. Nikko Stevens (Northern Lehigh) 19-5

5: Sr. Zach Wilson (Northampton) 16-8

Honorable Mention: Sr. Elijah Angradi (Stroudsburg) 14-6; Sr. George Bastian (E.S. South) 14-5; Sr. Paul Derkits (Central Catholic) 16-10; Soph. Eric Matz (Catasauqua) 17-4; Sr. Eric Seals (Allen) 14-9; Soph. Ryan Todora (Bethlehem Catholic) 23-6.

Noteworthy: Rizzolino majored Wilson, who went 1-1 at Northampton Duals, losing tight bout to a returning West Virginia state placewinner. Stevens went 3-0 with a fall and a major last week.

145 POUNDS

1. 1. Jr. Mitch Minotti (Easton) 24-2

2. Sr. D.P. Miller (E.S. South) 13-5

3. Sr. Justin Heller (Parkland) 17-7

4. Jr. Anthony Farole (Lehighton) 23-3

5. Soph. Ty Herzog (Northern Lehigh) 21-4

Honorable mention: Soph. Travis Buddock (Saucon Valley) 11-4; Jr. Victor Embardino (Notre Dame-Green Pond) 14-5; Sr. Matt Gotzon (Southern Lehigh) 12-4; Sr. Kyle Kilpatrick (Wilson) 16-9; Jr. Evan Mashack (Tamaqua) 17-9; Jr. Aaron Morekin (Whitehall) 20-6; Sr. Matt Murphy (Pocono Mt. East) 14-5; Jr. Cole Sheptock (Northampton) 19-6.

Noteworthy: Minotti rebounded from losses at NHSCA Final Four with major of Sheptock. Herzog went 3-0 and has won 10 straight. In HM, Sheptock had two pins at Northampton Duals.

152 POUNDS

1. Sr. John Lambert (Northampton) 20-4

2. Sr. Kyle Dehaut (Bethlehem Catholic) 16-6

3. Sr. John Lynch (Saucon Valley) 22-4

4. Sr. Bobby Clymer (Northwestern) 24-4

5. Sr. Rex Lutz (Pen Argyl) 20-6

Honorable mention: Soph. Matt Bonshak (Whitehall) 19-5; Jr. Billy Christensen (Wilson) 20-3; Sr. Luke Gotzon (Southern Lehigh) 18-3; Sr. Josh LaBar (Pius X) 25-9; 4. Sr. Anthony Minotti (Easton) 17-6; Sr. Dylan Moore (Pennridge) 19-5; Sr. Ryan Price (Pocono Mt. East) 13-4; Jr. Aaron Transue (Stroudsburg) 20-8; Soph. Josh Young (Freedom) 16-4.

Noteworthy: Lambert maintined firm grip of weight class with 10-2 decision over Minotti. Lynch went 3-0, earning bonus points in each win. Clymer decisioned Lutz for the second time this season to move into fourth spot.

160 POUNDS

1. Sr. Mike Ottinger (Parkland) 20-1

2. Jr. Elliot Riddick (Bethlehem Catholic) 23-6

3. Sr. Ryan Krecker (Nazareth) 15-1

4. Sr. Mason McIntyre (Easton) 13-1

5. Jr. Jonathan Blank (Notre Dame-Green Pond) 18-2

Honorable mention: Sr. Leroy Bachert (Emmaus); Sr. John Fritz (Jim Thorpe) 20-2; Sr. Ed Helm V (Pocono Mt. East) 11-4; Sr. Peter Jenne (Souderton) 21-8; Sr. Tim Kunkel (Northampton) 15-8; Jr. Justin Marsh (Palisades) 18-2; Sr. Kyle Sorensen (Northwestern) 23-6; Sr. Travis Veronsky (Tamaqua) 21-5.

Notrworthy: Ottinger had a first-period pin, and Riddick won his fourth straight since loss to Ottinger. Blank has pinned his last six opponents in the first period.

171 POUNDS

1. Sr. Colin Hedash (Northern Lehigh) 22-2

2. Sr. Cody Ambrose (Upper Perk) 22-3

3. Soph. Ray O'Donnell (Saucon Valley) 26-4

4. Jr. Levi Veppert (Northwestern) 24-5

5. Sr. Tyler Horn (Pen Argyl) 24-6

Honorable mention: Jr. Michael Balliet (Lehighton) 20-6; Sr. Matt Edmonds (Tamaqua) 18-5; Soph. Joseph Fogle (Pocono Mt. East) 13-5; Soph. Keith Hird (Dieruff) 10-6.

Noteworthy: Hedash and O'Donnell each went 3-0 with a pin and two majors. Veppert moved into top five following 3-1 OT win over Horn. Veppert has won seven straight, five by fall.

189 POUNDS

1. Sr. Ian Gimbar (Saucon Valley) 27-2

2. Sr. Cory Bruder (Parkland) 17-5

3. Jr. Luke Garner (Catasauqua) 19-1

4. Sr. Ben Bradley (Nazareth) 13-5

5. Jr. Dylan Evans (Pen Argyl) 18-6

Honorable mention: Jr. Dalton Fleming (Upper Perk) 18-7; Jr. Troy Newhard (Emmaus); Jr. Marcus Newsom (Northampton) 16-6; Fr. Jovon Reyes (Dieruff) 17-3; Sr. Blake Smith (Pocono Mt. East) 12-6; Sr. Brandon Steele (Liberty) 15-11.

Noteworthy: Gimbar cruised through a 3-0 week, with two pins and a major. Evans his pinned nine of his last 12 opponents.

215 POUNDS

1. Sr. Joe Stolfi (Souderton) 28-1

2. Sr. Garth Lakitsky (Tamaqua) 25-0

3. Jr. Nick Sharga (Northampton) 26-4

4. Soph. Tyler Greene (Easton) 22-6

5. Sr. Tarik Haddad (Parkland) 13-3

Honorable mention: Soph. Josh Alpha (Bethlehem Catholic) 14-8; Sr. Jaime Aquilla (Allen) 13-7; Jr. Ryan Barry (Pen Argyl) 19-7; Soph. Anthony Harris (Catasauqua) 11-7; Soph. Evan Kauffman (Freedom) 11-4; Jr. David Wilke (Nazareth) 17-9.

Noteworthy: Stolfi and Lakitsky are the area's pinning champs. Stolfi has 25 falls this season has pinned his last 10 opponents, eight in the first period. Sharga and Greene wrestled a tight bout, with Greene nearly rallying in a 10-8 loss.

285 POUNDS

1. Soph. Aaron Bradley (Nazareth) 13-1

2. Sr. Jalal Paige (Easton) 24-4

3. Sr. Josh Gonzalez (Pocono Mt. West) 22-1

4. Jr. Joe McNamara (Souderton) 22-2

5. Jr. Shaquane Williams (Pius X) 23-7

Honorable mention: Sr. Michael Bryan (Pocono Mt. East) 8-3; Sr. Steven Farr (Dieruff) 17-5; Sr. Lance Francois (E.S. North) 16-3; Sr. Jordan Gonzalez (Allen) 10-3; Jr. Kirby Mutton (Pen Argyl) 18-7; Sr. Jake Swearingen (Quakertown) 16-8.

Noteworthy: Paige opened Easton's win over Northampton with a first-period pin. Gonzalez has won his last six.

The Morning Call wrestling rankings are compiled by Mark Wogenrich. Honorable-mention wrestlers are listed in alphabetical order. Records based on those reported by coaches and to the National Wrestling Coaches Association website. Please send comments, corrections and additions to mark.wogenrich@mcall.com.

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