Rematches set for District 11 3A duals semifinals

FROM THE MORNING CALL

The season hasn't gone quite according to plan for Parkland and Northampton, though the postseason offers hope for atonement. The first step comes Saturday.

With confident victories on Friday, the Trojans and Konkrete Kids set up two intriguing rematches in the semifinals of the District 11 Class 3A wrestling duals. Parkland will wrestle Nazareth, to which it lost in January. And Northampton will face top-seeded Easton, which comfortably won its match last week.

Saturday's 3A schedule is delayed two hours, with the semifinals beginning at 3 p.m. at Freedom High. The district-title match will follow at 7:30. The top two teams advance to the PIAA duals, which begin Monday.

None of the four 3A semifinalists was tested Friday, winning a combined total of 80 percent of their bouts (45 of 56). Top-seeded Easton defeated East Stroudsburg South 64-6, while No. 2 Nazareth eliminated Blue Mountain 56-17.

Parkland had the closest match Friday, winning 10 bouts in a 49-14 victory over Pleasant Valley. Northampton won 12 bouts, seven with bonus points, to top Stroudsburg 53-7. For those two teams, the semifinals are incentivized.

Last month, Nazareth defeated Parkland 37-20 in a result not indicative of the score. Four of the bouts were one-point decisions, including one decided in overtime, and Nazareth won all four (plus the coin flip). Change a few of those, Parkland coach Ryan Nunamaker said, and the result might have been different.

"It's been a tough season," Nunamaker said. "We haven't had a lot of continuity, and our biggest battles have been staying healthy and making weight. Hopefully we can put it all together [Saturday], because that's our most important dual of the year."

Parkland, which finished second at district and state duals last season, had some good news this weekend, returning Rich Trotta (152) and Cory Bruder (189) from injuries. Both scored pins in their bouts against Pleasant Valley.

The Trojans need to come prepared for Nazareth, which looked quite strong against Blue Mountain. The highlight came at 135, where Zach Horan (ranked No. 1 in the state) majored Brandon Choate (No. 7) 11-0 in a matchup of returning state medalists. Earlier in the day, Choate (35-5) won his 150th career bout. Horan improved to 28-0.

"That was partly for the team and partly for him," Nazareth coach Dave Crowell said of the matchup. "Zach likes those kinds of bouts, and he looked very, very good."

Though hopeful, Crowell said he was uncertain how his team would handle a rematch with Parkland. One benefit the Blue Eagles have had is a consistent practice schedule over the past two weeks. But having everything go their way the first time is a cause for concern.

"You hope that you have a team that's mature, handles things well and says, 'Bring 'em on,'" Crowell said. "With kids — heck, even with the pros — you never know."

Northampton, meanwhile, still has a raw taste lingering from last week's 38-14 loss to Easton. The Red Rovers won the first six bouts, and 10 overall, leaving Northampton coach Terry Daubert looking for the reset switch.

"Hopefully I don't have to do anything to get the kids motivated," Daubert said. "All they have to do is remember the scoreboard."

Northampton made progress Friday, getting bonus points in seven of its 12 wins against Stroudsburg. Bobby Fehr, Cole Sheptock, Marcus Newsom and Nick Sharga all had pins. But Daubert said he's looking for that wrestling energy to stretch through all 14 bouts, particularly against Easton.

"Sometimes we have the fire, sometimes we don't," Daubert said. "The first time we wrestled Easton, they took the match to us. We have to take it to them this time."

Easton, the defending duals champ, claimed a mechanical quarterfinal victory over East Stroudsburg South. The Red Rovers won 12 bouts, earning bonus points in eight of those. Four wrestlers had falls, with Mitch Minotti (145) and Jalal Paige (285) finishing theirs in the first period. Minotti scored his pin against D.P. Miller, a returning state medalist.

That effort suited Easton coach Steve Powell just fine. Continuing the approach, without overreacting, will be his team's approach against Northampton.

"In a situation like that, when everything went your way last time, you hope to keep things going," Powell said. "But you're sure the other team is going to make more adjustments than you will. You just have to keep the kids confident that what they're doing is right. But if something needs to be changed, you change it."

http://www.mcall.com/sports/mc-district-duals-3a-20110204,0,5852173.story