Fighting for glory
Bethlehem Catholic junior 145-pounder earns top seed at regionals
Shane McFillin is a skilled wrestler on his feet and can counter and recover from a bad position in scramble situations.
The Bethlehem Catholic junior sometimes just needs a reminder of that.
“Being confident, knowing better on my feet,” McFillin said. “I’m a good scrambler so even if I make a mistake I can recover from it. It’s just about having that mentality of staying on my offense, not worrying about making a mistake.”
McFillin was reminded of that after his District 11 Class 3A 145-pound semifinal Saturday morning. He responded with a solid performance in the final and left Liberty’s Memorial Gym with a gold medal for his efforts.
It was the Golden Hawk’s first postseason championship, but he’s working to win more.
McFillin is a returning state qualifier who is ranked fifth in the state entering this weekend’s Northeast Regional tournament at Liberty’s Memorial Gym. He is the top overall seed at regionals where he was third last season.
The 145-pounder (33-7), who has won 15 of his last 16, is a strong favorite to reach the regional final where he could meet Dallas’ unbeaten Lucas Tirpak — or another District 11 wrestler.
If McFillin stays committed and confident, he can go a lot further than a regional title.
“My game planning has improved a lot since I’ve been working on it a lot this year in the room,” he said. “I’m confident in my hand fighting. I think I’m a good wrestler from space, but I’ve been working on neutral offense a lot, getting to my attacks, staying on [opponents], keeping that forward pressure.”
McFillin’s results this season are evidence that should have him moving forward rather than getting himself stuck in neutral at key times against quality opponents.
He stays at No. 2 in the latest Morning Call rankings, but there were wholesale changes after the first weekend of the individual postseason. Different weights. Different outcomes. A few upsets.
HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING RANKINGS
107 POUNDS
1. Fr. Joey Bachmann, Faith Christian (310): Had a 6-second pin en route to Districts 1-12 2A title
2. So. Nick Salamone, Easton (296): Nudged Albanese for District 11 3A championship
3. Fr. Emilio Albanese, Emmaus (31-3): Beat Kai in SV on his way to second in D-11 3A
4. Fr. Carter Chunko, Saucon Valley (23-6): from on the shelf: Three pins, one technical fall to capture D-11 2A title
5. So. Wilmont Kai, Whitehall (33-3):
Three pins, one technical fall for third at D-11 3A
Of note: Bachmann stays at No. 1, but Salamone’s drop from 114 puts him at No. 2 after winning D-11 3A title over Albanese, who drops one to No. 3. Chunko re-enters at No. 4 from the shelf after winning the D-11 2A title. Kai slips one to No. 5 after taking third in D-11 3A, losing only in SV to Albanese. In HM, McFadden was second at District 1 3A East sectional. Velez dropped to HM from No. 5 after finishing fourth at District 11 3A. Fulmer beat Hower for sixth. Temarantz beat Slingland for third in 2A. Adams was fifth.
114
1. Sr. Ayden Smith, Notre Dame-GP
(42-2): Became District 11’s 21st four-time champion
2. Jr. Colby Martinelli, Pennridge (17-1): A 3-0 record to District 1 3A East sectional title
3. Fr. Gabe Ballard, Northampton (35-1): Beat Dillard again, this time in SV for district 3A gold
4. Fr. Reef Dillard, Bethlehem Catholic (30-11): Had two pins, major to reach the final
5. Fr. Noah Fenner, Easton (35-3): Beat Pagan and Trach to finish third after losing to Ballard in 3A semis
Of note: Top four stay the same after Smith, Martinelli and Ballard won district titles and Dillard lost to Ballard in the 3A final. Fenner enters here at No. 5 after bumping up from 107.
121
1. Jr. Gauge Botero, Faith Christian (24-1):
A 10-second pin on his way to Districts 1-12 2A title
2. So. Keanu Dillard, Bethlehem Catholic (34-5): Two pins, two technical falls for his second D-11 3A title
3. Sr. Mason Ziegler, Quakertown (41-3): Beat Coffin for District 1 3A East sectional gold
4. Sr. Cole Coffin, Pennridge (35-9): Was second at District 1 3A East sectional
5. Sr. Blake Dergham, Parkland (27-9): Beat Krazer, Wenrich en route to 3A final
Of note: Botero, Dillard and Ziegler all won titles. Ziegler drops back here from 127 to No. 3 because of Dillard’s one-point win over him at Beast of the East. Ziegler has done better than him against common foes but can’t ignore the head-to-head meeting. Coffin and Dergham each slide down one spot after runner-up finishes and Caciolo, despite a 5-1 run to third, falls from No. 5 to HM.
127
1. So. Trey Wagner, Northampton (27-3):
Beat Kelly for 2nd time, 2-0 in SV for D-11 3A title
2. Jr. Aiden Grogg, Saucon Valley (30-5): Three pins and a win over Berkenstock for the D-11 2A crown
3. Jr. Chris Kelly, Easton (31-8): Two pins and a win over Campbell to reach 3A final
4. Jr. Ryder Campbell, Bethlehem Catholic (24-8): Four bonus-point wins in 3A tournament
5. So. Quinn McBride, Pennridge (28-9): Beat Williams for third at District 1 3A East sectional
Of note: Wagner comes down from 133 to take the top spot after winning his first district title. Grogg is at No. 2 after his 2A title. Kelly, Campbell and McBride finish out the top five.
133
1. Jr. Tahir Parkins, Nazareth (34-2): Three pins and another win over Fanelli in the D-11 3A final
2. Sr. Ben Fanelli, Easton (35-4): Had two pins and a win over Grabfelder to reach 3A final
3. So. Gavyn Kelton, Notre Dame-GP (2311): Three bonus-point wins and a decision to take 2A crown
4. Sr. Branden Rozanski, Upper Perkiomen (32-4): second at District 1 3A North sectional
5. Jr. Leo Kern, Parkland (19-10): Pinned Grabfelder to finish third in 3A
Of note: Parkins and Fanelli drop from 1-2 at 139 to the top two spots here. Kelton won the D-11 2A title and slips one to No. 3. Rozanski enters at No. 4 after a D-1 3A North sectional runner-up finish and Kern is No. 5 after beating Grabfelder for third in D-11 3A. Croll drops from No. 4 to HM.
139
1. So. Mason Wagner, Faith Christian (228): A pair of first-period pins and a decision to win Districts 1-12 2A title
2. So. Jack Campbell, Nazareth (30-6): Two pins, a technical fall and a win over Abboud for D-11 3A title
3. Sr. Kam Abboud, Liberty (26-7): Beat Frinzi in D-11 3A semifinal
4. Jr. Marco Frinzi, Bethlehem Catholic (28-12): Rebounded from semifinal loss to take 3rd
5. Sr. Brandon Godshall, Upper Perkiomen (30-10): Was fourth at District 1 3A North Sectional
Of note: A reshuffling here. Wagner moves from No. 5 to No. 1 after winning the D-1/12 2A title. Campbell drops from 145 to take D-11 3A title and No. 2 spot. Abboud and Frinzi flip flop after the Liberty senior’s 6-2 win the semis. Godshall moves in here from 133 at No. 5.
145
1. Jr. Chase Hontz, Faith Christian (34-7):
Two pins and a technical fall for a Districts 1-12 2A crown
2. Jr. Shane McFillin, Bethlehem Catholic (33-7): Two technical falls, two decision en route to D-11 3A championship
3. Jr. Jackson Albert, Saucon Valley (346): Three pins and a default for D-11 2A title
4. Jr. Gavin Carroll, Quakertown (37-6): Beat Council Rock South’s Ben Brillhart for District 1 3A East sectional title
5. So. Cade Campbell, Nazareth (22-6): Had three pins to reach the final
Of note: Hontz, McFillin and Albert won district titles and stay 1-2-3. Carroll won a section title in D-1 to hold onto No. 4. Campbell replaces his brother here at No. 5 after taking second to McFillin.
152
1. Jr. Kollin Rath, Bethlehem Catholic (381): Three pins and a 5-1 win over Demarest for his 100th career win and third D-11 3A title
2. Jr. Collin Gaj, Quakertown (37-3): Two pins and a technical fall over Kuhns for District 1 3A East sectional championship
3. Jr. Max Stein, Faith Christian (34-7): Two pins and a technical fall for Districts 1-12 2A gold
4. Sr. Keegan Demarest, Pocono
Mountain East (34-6): Held Rath to five points or fewer for just eighth time this year
5. Sr. Sam Kuhns, Pennridge (37-5): Two pins en route to second place to Gaj in D-1 3A East sectional
Of note: Top four stayed the same after Rath, Gaj and Stein won district titles and Demarest was runner-up to Rath. Kuhns returns to top five at No. 5 after finishing second to Gaj.
160
1. So. Cael Weidemoyer, Faith Christian
(17-2): Three pins in 1:50 total for Districts 1-12 2A title
2. So. Dominic Sumpolec, Notre Dame-GP (36-10): Three pins and a decision over Haubert to win D-11 2A championship
3. Jr. Charlie Scanlan, Bethlehem Catholic (30-8): Two technical falls, win over Simak to reach D-11 3A final
4. Sr. Danny Haubert, Palisades (35-6): Had a pin, technical fall and decision to reach 2A final
5. James Geiger, Easton (26-7): Only loss in D-11 3A was to eventual champion Nick Kunstek of Pottsville
Of note: Top four stay the same with Weidemoyer and Sumpolec winning district titles and Scanlan and Haubert finishing second. Geiger pinned Simak for third in 3A, so he replaces him at No. 5.
172
1. So. Adam Waters, Faith Christian (36-4):
Three pins for another Districts 1-12 2A title
2. Jr. Keegan Ramsay, Notre Dame-GP (2710): Beat Fugazzotto 8-2 for D-11 2A final
3. Jr. Talan Hogan, Pennridge (33-8):
Beat Clayton on way to runner-up finish at District 1 3A East sectional
4. So. Brayden Zuercher, Nazareth (29-8): Held off Cosover for D-11 3A championship
5. So. Luke Fugazzotto, Northwestern (33-4): Three 1st-period pins on his way to the 2A final
Of note: Waters stays at No. 1. Ramsay drops from 189 and takes over at No. 2 after beating Fugazzotto in the D-11 2A final. Fugazzotto drops to No. 5. Hogan is No. 3 after losing to Council Rock South’s Bekhruz Sadriddinov for a third time this year in the D-1 3A East sectional final. Zuercher is No. 4 after winning D-11 3A title. MacIlroy slides from No. 5 to HM after taking fourth in D-11 3A.
189
1. Sr. Jared Karabinus, Freedom (29-2):
Pinned Linegar for D-11 3A title
2. Sr. Cody Wagner, Faith Christian (27-8): Two pins for a Districts 1-12 2A championship
3. Jr. Shae Linegar, Easton (33-8): Beat Hopkins and Woolverton to reach 3A final
4. Jr. James DeLuise, Bethlehem Catholic (20-7): Rebounded from loss to Karabinus to take third
5. So. James Hopkins, Whitehall (31-6): Finished fourth in 3A after losses to Linegar, DeLuise
Of note: Karabinus stays at No. 1 after he captured his first postseason title. Wagner moves up one spot to No. 2 after claiming the D-1/12 2A crown. Linegar moves up two spots to No. 3 after his D-11 3A runner-up finish. DeLuise stays at No. 4. Hopkins enters at No. 5 after taking fourth in 3A.
215
1. So. Jason Singer, Faith Christian (34-9): A 9-second pin among three wins for Districts 1-12 2A title
2. Sr. Brandon Stiehler, Pocono Mountain West (31-3): Two pins, a technical fall and a decision for his first postseason title
3. So. Kurtis Crossman, Easton (33-9): Beat Morrison and Lance on his way to the 3A final
4. Sr. Chad Beller, Catasauqua (30-5): Scored 38 points in three wins on his way to D-11 2A title
5. So. Connor Smalley, Notre Dame-GP (30-11): Had a pin and a decision to reach 2A final
Of note: Singer and Stiehler stay Nos. 1-2 after winning district titles. Crossman moves to No. 3 after beating Morrison on his way to the D-11 3A final. Beller moves to No. 4 after beating Smalley for the D-11 2A title.
285
1. Sr. Sean Kinney, Nazareth (32-1): Three 1st-period pins and a 5-0 win for his fourth D-11 3A title
2. Sr. Calvin Lachman, Quakertown (41-3): Two 1st-period pins on his way to District 1 3A East crown
3. So. Mark Effendian, Faith Christian (35-8): Two 1st-period pins and a technical fall en route to a Districts 1-12 2A crown
4. Jr. Gavin Grell, Northampton (25-7): Beat Mihalichko and Gavrilesku to reach 3A final
5. Sr. Michael Gavrilesku, Parkland (298): Was 4-1 to take third in D-11 3A
Of note: Chalk held again as Kinney, Lachman and Effendian won postseason titles. Grell beat Gavrilesku again on his way to second in D-11 3A. Gavrilesku beat Kolb for third. Schiffert beat Mihalichko for fifth. Balk won 2A gold by avenging a team districts loss to North Schuylkill’s Neeko Caraballo by pinning him in the final. The Indian pinned his way to the title. Guerrisi beat Frame in a tie-breaker for third. Krauss was sixth.