Easton, Trojans taste success
Parkland takes jr. high title, Red Rovers win JV
The Parkland wrestling program had a memorable weekend, winning its first Tony Iasiello Memorial District 11 Junior High wrestling tournament team title and finishing second at the Ryan Nunamaker Memorial District 11 Junior Varsity Classic.
The Trojans’ Carlos Mentes was named the district’s Class 3A junior high coach of the year after producing 11 medalists and a team total of 231.5 points, 3.5 ahead of second-place Nazareth.
Northwestern amassed 168 points, most among 2A teams. The Tigers’ Zane Bachert was named the 2A coach of the year. Tigers varsity head coach Joe Killar was the 2022 junior high 2A coach of the year.
Saucon Valley’s Carter Chunko, who registered two pins, two technical falls and a major decision on his way to the 101-pound title, was named the junior high tournament’s outstanding wrestler.
Emmaus crowned a tournament-high three champions. Northampton (2) was the only other school with more than one.
Junior high champions: Catasauqua’s Cael Muller (80 pounds); Emmaus’ Logan Maher (87) and Emilio Albanese (94); Chunko (101); Northampton’s Gabe Ballard (108); Emmaus’ Teagan Caciolo (115); Freedom’s Nicholas Lyden (122); Northampton’s Parker Williams (130); Southern Lehigh’s Brock Frable (138); Tri-Valley’s Hunter Updegrave (145); Easton’s Justin Cosover (155); Nazareth’s Elijah Simak (170); East Stroudsburg South’s Josiah Rodriguez (190); Pine Grove’s Zach Kurtz (210) and Whitehall’s Justin Heckert (250).
Heckert beat Easton’s Wes Sherman in a second tie-breaker 4-3. Rodriguez knocked off Palisades’ Silas Day in overtime. Ballard beat Bethlehem Catholic’s Reed Dillard in an ultimate tie-breaker to win a second district title in a row.
Caciolo, Cosover and Simak also are repeat champions.
Northampton finished third in the team race behind Parkland and Nazareth.
Easton (206 points) was 37 points ahead of second-place Parkland in the JV tournament with four champions, two runners-up and two third-place finishers.
Parkland had 10 medalists, including a pair of runners-up.
Notre Dame-Green Pond had three champions and amassed 167 points to lead all 2A teams.
JV champions were: Nazareth’s Zak Novak (107); Lehighton’s Connor Dugan (114); Northampton’s Colin Marano (121); Easton’s Gavin Dilts (127), Jaron Trimmer (133) and Jack Baker (139); Notre Dame-GP’s Nino Morici (145), Josh Ludlow (152) and Nate Thomas (160); Bethlehem Catholic’s Dario Cruz (172); Easton’s Kurtis Crossman (189); Salisbury’s Ethan Sandford (215) and Freedom’s Nick Farrel (285).