Lehigh Valley Conference wrestling preview: Bethlehem Catholic, Easton the teams to beat

FROM THE EXPRESS TIMES

It took Steve Powell one sentence to direct the attention somewhere other than his Easton Area High School wrestling squad for the upcoming season.

"Bethlehem Catholic looks like the team to beat," the 28-year Red Rovers coach said.

Take one look at a Golden Hawks' roster overflowing with talent and it's hard to argue with Powell.


"We know we have a target on our backs," said Becahi senior Elliot Riddick, fourth in PIAA Class AA states at 160 pounds last season. "We have to work twice as hard so we don't lose our position."

Senior Randy Cruz (126/132), a three-time state medalist and two-time runner-up, said the team's goals get more ambitious each season.


"We did win the state duals last year, but there were a lot of other things we didn't accomplish," Cruz said. "We had two losses to teams in our own area (Easton and Northampton). We were only third in the state individual tournament and seventh in the Ironman (in Ohio, where Becahi opens this weekend). We want to beat some of their higher-ranking teams such as Blair (Academy)."

Becahi enters the season as the odds-on favorite to repeat as Class AA state team tournament champion and would like to add the Lehigh Valley Conference crown to its trophy case. Last year, Easton topped the Golden Hawks in the final dual meet of the season for the LVC crown. The two are scheduled to wrap up the LVC season Jan. 28 at Easton when the title may well be on the line again.


"We know the size of the challenge facing us," said the Red Rovers' returning Class AAA state champion Mitch Minotti, who will wrestle at 152 pounds this season. "We have to get (wrestlers) down in weights and develop the best lineup we can. We have a lot of pretty young kids in the lineup and the biggest challenge is to get them in shape against the kind of competition we have and ensure they know what Easton wrestling is all about."

Except for the LVC title, the Golden Hawks and Red Rovers can accomplish their larger goals without running into each other since Becahi competes in Class AA and Easton in Class AAA, but their league competition could be epic.


"I think once we get everyone on board we can give (Becahi) a match, but they're going to be extremely tough to beat," Minotti said. "I think most people are saying they're the best team in the LVC."

Becahi coach Jeff Karam likes what he has.


"I think we have a pretty balanced lineup," he said. "We return six state medalists (junior Darian Cruz (106), sophomore Zeke Moisey (113), Northern Lehigh senior transfer Zane Heller (126/132), junior Ryan Todora (152) and Riddick) and a total of eight state qualifiers). We have a good combination of senior leadership with some up-and-coming underclassmen."

The addition of Heller and Whitehall transfer Aaron Morekin (26-8 as a junior) give Becahi's middle of the lineup a big boost.


"Our goal is to win the state title and finish as high as we can in the national rankings," Riddick said. "We have to keep working hard, doing even a little extra work, and there can be no slacking off."

If the Hawks let up even a little bit, Easton will be right there to take advantage.


"We have some holes, (but we're) not expecting sympathy," Powell said. "We have depth at some weights and nothing at others."

From his 23-2 overall and unbeaten LVC 2011-2012 team, Powell returns Minotti plus state qualifiers junior Evan DiSora (145; a 2010 sixth-place state medalist) and Robbie Rizzolino (132) plus a swarm of experienced standouts such as sophomore Kyle Baker (120), senior Peter Stanley (126), and junior Tyler Greene (195).

It's a team that could win titles beyond the Lehigh Valley.


"Last year we fell short in the state team duals to Central Dauphin," Minotti said. "Imagine what a great goal that would be to accomplish this season, to bring that trophy back to Easton. But we face a lot of challenges."

Such as Parkland. Ryan Nunamaker's team could be the most likely to horn in on the Becahi-Easton duel atop the LVC. The Trojans finished 15-6 last season and return PIAA runner-up Ethan Lizak (106) plus an experienced if somewhat young overall lineup that features six district placewinners.


"We have 50 wrestlers on our high school roster, which is the most ever for Parkland," Nunamaker said.

Nazareth and Northampton figure in the battle for spots behind the top two. The Blue Eagles suffered the heaviest graduation loss of any team in the league, led by state champion Zach Horan (now at Central Michigan).

Coach Dave Crowell, in his ninth season at Nazareth, returns a District 11 Class AAA runner-up in junior Aaron Bradley (220) plus three district third-place winners in sophomore Chase Zemenak (120-126) and seniors Dave Wilke (182) and Eric Wolak (195).

Sophomores Tyrone Klump and Tyler Tarsi (106/113) and Sage Karam (132) offer promise; Tarsi and Karam have the right genes for success: Tarsi's father, Tony, assisted Crowell at Wilson and Karam's dad is Jody Karam, the veteran Liberty head coach.

The Konkrete Kids feature a new coach in Seth Lisa and a formidable lineup -- to a point.


"Up top we'll be starting some new names," said Lisa, who is without returning district 285-pound champion Nick Sharga, sidelined with an ACL tear. "We have a lot of experience from 106 to 160."

Featured in the Kids' lineup will be returning state qualifiers seniors Jason Stephen (145) and Cole Sheptock (152) plus experienced seniors such as Brandon Sommer (113) and Marcus Newsom (195).


"We're really paying attention to individuals and giving them what they each need," Lisa said. "We have high expectations -- high expectations have been set for this program for a long time."

That's not been the case at Dieruff or Freedom for a while, but that may be changing.
The Huskies went 18-7 under ninth-year coach Tom Derhammer and bring back a trio of outstanding wrestlers in seniors DeMarquis Holley (126; finished 35-7 and second in districts and regionals) and Javier Rivas (132) plus sophomore Jovon Reyes (195).

Increased turnout plus experience gives second-year coach Brandon Hall hope at Freedom, though a shortage of seniors hurts.


"We have only two seniors (Tyler Galasso at 132 and Kyle Spina at 170) with varsity experience," Hall said.

Juniors Evan Kauffman (D-11 second at 189, 195/220 this year) and Josh Young (19-8 at 160 last season) offer more experience as does junior Tyler Pearson (220/285).


"Despite our youth, the team looks to be more competitive this season than last," Hall said.

Over at the Patriots' archrival Liberty, senior Devon Lotito (126-132) gives the LVC another state-championship level individual. Lotito finished 39-6 last season and third in the state at 125 pounds and could well finish his career atop the medal stand at Hershey. Junior Grimaldi Gonzalez was third in D-11 last season at 119 and could contend for state hardware this year.

In various stages of rebuilding are Whitehall, Allen, Central Catholic and Emmaus.
The loss to Morekin to Becahi doesn't help the Zephyrs' cause.


"We will struggle as a dual-meet team this year in the LVC," said Whitehall coach Tim Cunningham, whose best individual hopes lie with junior Matt Bonshak (23-7 last year, 160-170), senior Jacob Dolin (fourth in D-11, 220) and sophomore Fouad Haddad (182-195), 18-11 as a freshman. "But I look forward with my staff to improve as we did last year as the year goes on."

Allen continues in the right direction under second-year coach Andrew Drake.


"We have 24 guys out for the team and we have a lot more guys who have a real interest in wrestling," Drake said.

The Canaries will be led by 160-pounder Abrahim Dawoad (eighth in the district at 160 last season) and sophomore 285-pounder Brandon Vigo, a transfer from Tamaqua.


"The three main things that will allow us to have success are 1) academics, 2) persistence, and 3) commitment," Drake said.

Returning senior D-11 champion (189) Troy Newhard leads Emmaus while junior Mike Rodgers (28-10 as a sophomore at 119) is the top returner at Central Catholic.


BRAD WILSON'S PREDICTED ORDER OF LEHIGH VALLEY CONFERENCE WRESTLING FINISH


1. Bethlehem Catholic
2. Easton
3. Parkland
4. Northampton
5. Nazareth
6. Liberty
7. Dieruff
8. Freedom
9. Whitehall
10. Allen
11. Emmaus
12. Central Catholic

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