The gold standards
Faith Christian, Bethlehem Catholic pace area with the top grapplers
Eight PIAA champions, including one unbeaten freshman, among 40 medalists.
Five of those gold medalists are repeat champions.
There are 23 100-match winners, including one who has 167 victories and another with 152. Both of them are program record setters.
There are future college football and lacrosse players.
There are those committed to wrestle at Lehigh, Rutgers, Virginia Tech, Missouri, Michigan, Penn, Franklin & Marshall, Citadel and Messiah.
They all comprise The Morning Call All-Area wrestling teams.
Twelve schools are represented on the first and second teams, including six wrestlers from Faith Christian and five from Bethlehem Catholic. Nazareth has three representatives. Northampton, Quakertown and Notre DameGreen Pond have two each.
Here is a look at those wrestlers and their accomplishments:
All-Area teams
FIRST TEAM 107: Fr. Joey Bachmann, Faith Christian (38-0 season, 38-0 career): Districts 1-12, Southeast Regional and PIAA 2A champion 114: Sr. Ayden Smith, Notre Dame-GP (49-2, 152-18):
Two-time PIAA 2A champion at this weight; four-time District 11 and three-time Northeast Regional champion; Rutgers commit; school’s career wins leader 121: So. Keanu Dillard, Bethlehem Catholic (41-5, 65-5): Two-time District 11, Northeast Regional and PIAA 3A champion; 41-5 record 127: So. Trey Wagner, Northampton (34-3, 67-13): District 11, Northeast Regional and PIAA 3A champion; 34-3 record; 2023 PIAA qualifier 133: Jr. Tahir Parkins, Nazareth
(41-2, 102-12): District 11, Northeast Regional, PIAA 3A champion; 2023 PIAA fourth; 2022 PIAA qualifier 139: So. Jack Campbell, Nazareth
(36-8, 70-21): District 11 and Northeast Regional champion, PIAA 3A fifth; 36-8 record 145: Jr. Chase Hontz, Faith Christian (41-10, 111-30): Districts 1-12 champion, Southeast Regional runner-up, PIAA 2A fourth 152: Jr. Kollin Rath, Bethlehem
Catholic (45-1, 107-4): Two-time PIAA 3A champion; Three-time District 11 and Northeast Regional champion; Missouri commit 160: So. Cael Weidemoyer, Faith
Christian (23-3, 59-7): Districts 1-12 and Southeast Regional champion, PIAA 2A runner-up 172: So. Adam Waters, Faith
Christian (43-4, 87-5): Two-time Districts 1-12, Southeast Regional and PIAA 2A champion at this weight
189: Sr. (37-4, Jared 105-29): Karabinus, District Freedom 11 and Northeast 3A fourth; headed Regional to champion, St. Joseph’s PIAA to play lacrosse 215: So. (40-11, Jason 76-23): Singer, Districts Faith Christian 1-12 and PIAA Southeast 2A fourth; Regional was seventh champion, as a freshman 285: (39-1, Sr. 125-5): Sean Kinney, Three-time Nazareth PIAA 3A champion; Four-time District 11 and Northeast Regional champion; headed to Lafayette to play football SECOND 107: (39-6, Fr. 39-6): Emilio TEAM Albanese, Emmaus
District 11 runner-up, Northeast Regional third, PIAA 3A fourth 114: Fr. (41-3, Gabe 41-3): Ballard, District Northampton 11 and Northeast Regional champion, PIAA 3A fourth; 41-3 record 121: Sr. (50-4, Mason 167-19): Ziegler, Quakertown
District 1 sectional and Southeast Regional champion, PIAA 3A third; 2023 PIAA 3A runner-up; program’s career wins leader; Lehigh commit 127: So. (35-13, Quinn 60-21): McBride, Pennridge
District 1 sectional third, Southeast Regional runner-up, PIAA 3A sixth; two-time Southeast Regional runner-up; two-time District 1 sectional thirdplace finisher 133: Sr. Ben Fanelli, Easton (40-7, 97-45): District 11 and Northeast Regional runner-up; PIAA qualifier; 2023 PIAA eighth; three-time District 11 and Northeast Regional medalist 139: Catholic Jr. Marco (37-16, Frinzi, 58-16): Bethlehem
District 11 and Northeast Regional third, PIAA 3A sixth 145: Jr. Catholic Shane McFillin, (40-9, 73-21): Bethlehem
PIAA 3A fourth; District 11 and Northeast Regional champion 152: (44-4, Jr. 138-11): Collin Gaj, Quakertown
PIAA 3A runner-up; 2023 PIAA 3A champion; 2022 PIAA 3A fourth-place finisher; Virginia Tech commit 160: So. Dominic Sumpolec, Notre Dame-GP (43-13, 43-13): District 11 champion, Southeast Regional third, PIAA 2A seventh 172: So. Luke Fugazzotto, Northwestern (40-6, 77-16): District 11 runner-up, Southeast Regional third, PIAA 2A runner-up; two-time state qualifier 189: Jr. James DeLuise, Bethlehem Catholic (27-10, 58-33):
District 11 third, Northeast Regional runner-up, PIAA 3A seventh 215: Sr. Brandon Stiehler, Pocono Mountain West (36-6, 100-26):
District 11 champion, Northeast Regional runner-up, PIAA 3A seventh; became school’s first 100-match winner with a school-record 64th pin in the seventh-place match 285: So. Mark Effendian, Faith Christian (42-10, 82-23): Districts 1-12 champion, Southeast Regional third, PIAA 2A third
HONORABLE MENTIONS
(alphabetical by school)
Allen: Sr. Jeremy Rodriguez (13-5)
Bangor: So. Carter Smith (District 11 fifth, Northeast Regional 3A fourth; 31-14 record); Jr. Aidan McNulty (District 11 fourth, Northeast Regional sixth; 32-10 record)
Bethlehem Catholic: Fr. Reef Dillard (District 11 and Northeast Regional 3A runner-up; 34-14 record); Jr. Ryder Campbell (District 11 third, Northeast Regional 3A runner-up; 29-11 record); Jr. Charlie Scanlan (District 11 3A runner-up, Northeast Regional third; 36-11 record); Sr. Dario Cruz (District 11 3A fifth; 21-19 record); Fr. Louden Hower (District 11 3A sixth; 16-18 record); Fr. Mason Thomas (District 11 3A sixth; 14-15 record)
Catasauqua: Sr. Chad Beller (District 11 champion, Southeast Regional runner-up, PIAA 2A seventh; 35-8 record); Sr. Mikhail Hartranft (District 11 2A third; 25-14 record); Jr. Jonathan Cordon-Pinto (District 11 2A sixth; 23-15 record)
Dieruff: So. Riyell Wann (19-11
record) Easton: So. Nick Salamone (District 11 and Northeast Regional champion, PIAA 3A eighth at 107; 34-9 record); Sr. James Geiger (District
11 third, Northeast Regional 3A fourth; 32-11 record); Jr. Shae Linegar (District 11 runner-up, Northeast Regional 3A third; 39-11 record);
So. Kurtis Crossman (District 11 runner-up, Northeast Regional 3A third; 38-12 record); Jr. Chris Kelly (District 11 runner-up, Northeast Regional 3A third; 35-11 record);
Fr. Justin Cosover (District 11 runner-up, Northeast Regional 3A fourth; 30-14 record); Fr. Noah Fenner (District 11 third, Northeast Regional 3A fifth; 38-5 record); Jr. Quentin Hammerstone (District 11 fourth, Northeast Regional 3A fifth; 30-17 record); Sr. Jaron Trimmer (District 11 3A sixth; 21-18 record) East Stroudsburg North: Sr. Robbie Bibeau (District 11 3A sixth; 22-7 record) East Stroudsburg South: So. Ivan
Laubach (17-13 record)
Emmaus: Fr. Teagan Caciolo (District 11 third, Northeast Regional 3A fifth; 31-10 record); Jr. Jesse Scott (District 11 and Northeast Regional 3A fifth; 30-15 record); So. Xayden Sallit (District 11 fifth, Northeast Regional 3A sixth; 29-15 record)
Executive Education: Jr. Leonardo Gonzalez (19-11 record)
Faith Christian: Jr. Max Stein (Districts 1-12 and Southeast Regional champion, PIAA 2A second; 40-8 record, 114-30 career; Penn commit); Jr. Gauge Botero (Districts 1-12 champion, Southeast Regional runner-up, PIAA 2A sixth; 2023 PIAA champion; 2022 PIAA runner-up; 29-5 record, 117-14 career; Michigan commit); Sr. Cody Wagner (Districts 1-12 champion, Southeast Regional fourth, PIAA 2A eighth; 34-13 record); So. Mason Wagner (District 1-12 and Southeast Regional 2A champion; 26-10 record); Fr. Nick Singer (17-8 record)
Freedom: Jr. Noah MacIlroy
(District 11 fourth; 25-8 record);
Jr. Keenan Ray (District 11 3A fifth; 22-13 record); So. Daniel Schiffert (District 11 3A fifth; 28-10); Sr. Joey Bodnar (District 11 and Northeast Regional 3A fifth; 25-13 record)
Jim Thorpe: So. Stephen Korte (District 11 2A runner-up; 35-10 record); Jr. Nikolas Schwartz (District 11 2A sixth; 22-13 record)
Lehighton: Jr. Jacob Ferguson (District 11 third, Southeast Regional 2A sixth; 32-15 record); Sr. Reese Balk (District 11 champion, Southeast Regional 2A sixth; 35-10 record); Sr. Aidan Gruber (District 11 runner-up; Southeast Regional 2A eighth; 34-8 record, 115-28 career); So. Evan Wentz (District 11 2A sixth; 25-12 record)
Liberty: Sr. Kam Abboud (District 11 runner-up, Northeast Regional fourth, PIAA 3A eighth; 32-13 record); Sr. Seth Kolb (District 11 3A fourth; 20-8 record); Jr. Dante Morrison (District 11 fifth, Northeast Regional sixth; 28-11 record);
Sr. Jasiah Pagan (District 11 3A sixth; 24-12 record); Sr. Davian Carrasquillo (District 11 3A sixth; 20-12 record)
Nazareth: So. Cade Campbell (District 11 runner-up, Northeast Regional 3A third; 27-9 record);
So. Brayden Zuercher (District 11 champion, Northeast Regional 3A runner-up; 32-11 record); Jr. Remy Trach (District 11 fourth, Northeast Regional 3A third; 26-16 record);
So. Derek Fulmer (District 11 fifth, Northeast Regional 3A sixth;
22-15 record); Sr. Dominic Rizzotto (District 11 fourth, Northeast Regional 3A fifth; 29-13 record); So. Elijah Simak (District 11 3A fourth; 27-13 record); Fr. Cooper Wenrich (District 11 3A fifth; 25-13 record)
Northampton: Jr. Gavin Grell (District 11 runner-up, Northeast Regional 3A fourth; 29-11 record);
Sr. Austin Noe (District 11 third, Northeast Regional 3A runner-up; 30-13 record); So. Chase Grabfelder (District 11 fourth, Northeast Regional fifth; 26-13 record); Jr. Colin Marano (District 11 fourth, Northeaston Regional 3A sixth; 26-13 record); Sr. Landon Roland (District 11 3A sixth; 11-11 record) Northern Lehigh: Sr. Sam Frame (District 11 fourth, Southeast Regional 2A eighth; 27-10 record); So. Noah Gosart (District 11 2A sixth; 19-15 record); So. Grady Newhard (District 11 2A fifth; 22-11 record); Sr. Jack Tosh (District 11 2A sixth; 22-12 record)
Northwestern: Sr. Noah Schlofer (District 11 2A fourth; 24-13 record); Fr. Trent Croll (District 11 2A fifth; 25-9 record); Fr. Brayden Uricchio (District 11 2A fifth; 19-13 record)
Notre Dame-GP: Jr. Keegan Ramsay (District 11 champion, Southeast Regional runner-up,
PIAA 2A third; 34-12 record); Jr. Cooper Feltman (District 11 champion, Southeast Regional 2A fifth; 21-14 record); Jr. Tanner Berkenstock (District 11 runner-up, Southeast Regional 2A fourth; 23-18 record); So. Gavyn Kelton (District 11 champion, Southeast Regional 2A fourth; 26-15 record); Jr. Nino Morici (District 11 third, Southeast Regional 2A fifth; 22-18 record); So. Connor Smalley (District 11 runner-up, Southeast Regional 2A third;
35-14 record); So. Jared Gonzalez (District 11 runner-up, Southeast Regional 2A eighth; 13-12 record);
Sr. Gino Guerrisi (District 11 2A third; 25-12 record); Sr. Nathan Thomas (District 11 fourth, Southeast Regional 2A eighth; 20-21 record)
Palisades: Sr. Danny Haubert (District 11 third, Southeast Regional 2A fifth; 39-10 record, 121-36 career; Citadel commit); Sr. Diego Dominguez (District 11 2A sixth; 16-11 record); So. Brock Schneiderwind (District 11 2A third; 22-12 record)
Palmerton: Jr. Derek King (District 11 2A sixth; 29-9 record); Jr. Dillon Lombardi (District 11 runner-up, Southeast Regional 2A seventh; 26-11 record); Jr. Josh Merkel (District 11 2A sixth; 21-15 record)
Panther Valley: Fr. Rory Dixon (28-7 record); Sr. Brian Welser (27-13
record)
Parkland: Sr. Blake Dergham (District 11 and Northeast Regional 3A runner-up at 121); Sr. Michael Gavrilesku (District 11 third, Northeast Regional 3A fifth; 32-10 record); Jr. Leo Kern (District 11 3A third; 21-12 record); Fr. Matt
Velez (District 11 fourth, Northeast Regional 3A fifth; 24-11 record)
Pen Argyl: So. Isaiah Adams (District 11 2A fifth; 26-11 record);
So. Luca Albanese (District 11 2A fifth; 28-12 record); Sr. Aidan Knorr (District 11 2A fourth; 23-13 record); So. Collin Ramsay (31-9 record)
Pennridge: Sr. Sam Kuhns (District 1 sectional runner-up, Southeast Regional runner-up, PIAA 3A fifth; 44-8 record, 127-34 career); Sr.
Cole Coffin (District 1 sectional runner-up, Southeast Regional third, PIAA 3A sixth; 43-13 record, 127-37 record); Jr. Talan Hogan (District 1 sectional runner-up, Southeast Regional fourth, PIAA 3A seventh; 40-12 record, 106-33 career); Sr. Ryan Gallagher (District 1 sectional runner-up, Southeast Regional 3A third; 30-19 record); Jr. Colby Martinelli (District 1 sectional, Southeast Regional 3A champion; 22-3 record); So. Quinn McBride (District 1 sectional third, Southeast Regional runner-up, PIAA 3A sixth; 35-13 record); Fr. Kevin McFadden (District 1 sectional runner-up, Southeast Regional 3A sixth;
28-17 record); Sr. Brady McMahon (District 1 3A sectional fifth; 19-17 record); Jr. Danny Metzler (District 1 3A sectional runner-up; 18-20 record); So. Ryan Rowe (District 1 3A sectional third; 18-6 record)
Pleasant Valley: So. Evan Gillespie (District 11 3A sixth; 13-14 record);
Sr. Jason Schubert (District 11 3A fourth; 17-8 record); Jr. Andrew Mihalichko (District 11 3A sixth; 14-9 record) Pocono Mountain East: Sr. Keegan Demarest (District 11, Northeast Regional runner-up, PIAA 3A seventh; 40-9 record, 107-33 career; Messiah commit); Sr. Xander Gonzalez (District 11 3A sixth; 26-12 record); Sr. Cael Harmon (District 11 3A sixth; 25-11 record) Pocono Mountain West: Fr. Tony
Bothwell (21-12 record) Quakertown: Sr. Calvin Lachman (District 1 sectional champion, Southeast Regional runner-up, PIAA 3A eighth; 46-7 record, 139-34 career; Lehigh commit); Jr. Gavin Carroll (District 1 sectional and Southeast Regional champion, PIAA 3A fifth; 45-8 record, 99-27 career); Sr. Isaac Williams (District 1 sectional fourth, Southeast Regional fifth; 28-20 record); Fr. David Clayton (District 1 3A sectional fourth, 18-16 record);
Jr. Max Hibsman (District 11 3A sectional sixth; 26-13 record)
Salisbury: Sr. Jakub Gloc (18-5 record); So. Sam Krauss (District 11 2A sixth; 29-12 record)
Saucon Valley: Jr. Jackson Albert (District 11 champion, Southeast Regional third, PIAA 2A seventh; 41-9 record, 107-37 career); Jr.
Cole Hubert (District 11 champion, Southeast Regional 2A fourth; 37-10 record, 128-34 career); Sr. Landon Beckowski (District 11 2A fourth, 23-14 record); Fr. Carter Chunko (District 11 2A champion; 24-8 record); Jr. Aiden Grogg (District 11 champion, Southeast Regional 2A seventh; 33-7 record, 116-26 career); Jr. Hector Mateo (District 11 2A third; 19-14 record); Sr. Arberi Duka (District 11 2A fourth; 13-11 record)
Southern Lehigh: Fr. Keith Barker (30-8 record); Fr. Brock Frable (District 11 fourth, Northeast Regional 3A sixth; 28-10 record); So. Griffin King (29-9 record); So. Sean Steckert (District 11 3A sixth; 31-10 record); Sr. Ryan King (District 11 third, Northeast Regional 3A fifth; 22-11 record)
Tamaqua: Sr. Gabe Erbe (District 11 2A fourth; 32-14 record, 102-48 career); Jr. Aiden Schlier (District 11 2A fifth; 25-12 record); Fr. Brody Schlier (District 11 2A fourth; 24-12 record); Fr. Evan Temarantz (District 11 2A third; 24-12 record)
Upper Perkiomen: Sr. Branden Rozanski (District 1 sectional runner-up, Southeast Regional 3A champion; 37-6 record; 117-24 career); Sr. Gabe Tulone (District 1 3A sectional third; 34-6 record); So. Ben Godshall (District 1 3A sectional fifth; 28-10 record); Sr. Brandon Godshall (District 1 3A sectional fourth; 31-12 record); Fr. Sean Murray (District 1 sectional runner-up, Southeast Regional 3A sixth; 37-10 record); So. Brandon Quinton (District 1 3A sectional sixth; 16-13 record); So. Zane Saeger (District 1 3A sectional third; 19-11 record); Sr. Gabe Sanfelice (District 1 3A sectional fourth; 25-13 record)
Whitehall: So. Wilmont Kai
(District 11 third, Northeast Regional runner-up, PIAA 3A seventh; 39-7 record); So. Kade Pascoe (District 11 fifth, Northeast Regional 3A fourth; 29-15 record); Jr. Trokon
Kai (District 11 fifth, Northeast Regional 3A fourth; 21-11 record); So. James Hopkins (District 11 fourth, Northeast Regional 3A sixth; 34-10 record)
Wilson: Sr. David M’Balla (District 11 runner-up, Southeast Regional 2A fifth; 28-14 record); Sr. Giovanni DiBiagio (21-8 record); Sr. Santino Micci (District 11 2A fifth; 15-6 record; Franklin & Marshall commit); Fr. Western Slingland (District 11 2A fourth; 19-14 record)
* Each team has at least one representative among the honorable mentions
** District medalists are assured at least honorable mention status