Karas, Exeter repeat as team champions
Exeter repeated as team champion of the 20th annual BCIAA Individual Wrestling Championships at Reading’s Geigle Complex on Jan. 13 with three gold medalists and eight top 3 finishers, led by three-time champion Denny Karas at 220.
Karas (23-1) was joined atop the podium by senior Gage Moran at 160 pounds and senior Mike Crane at 195.
Hamburg placed second as a team with four finalists and two champions, Reese Mason at 182 and Shane Strausser at 126.
Muhlenberg’s Stefahn Mayo was named the tournament’s Outstanding Wrestler after winning the 152-pound title.
Gov. Mifflin (third place), Wilson (fourth) and Brandywine Heights each garnered two champions. The Mustangs’ Dante Cavallucci (170) and Jordan Espinosa (285) placed first in their respective brackets, as did Wilson’s Anthony Steinmeyer (132) and Brandon Connor (138); and Brandywine Heights’ Bailey Gimbor (106) and Dalton Gimbor (113).
Other champions were Twin Valley senior CJ Morton (120) and Schuylkill Valley’s Jack Bennett (145).
106 >> Undefeated freshman Bailey Gimbor of Brandywine (20-0) used a late escape to defeat Daniel Boone’s Canton Dolla for a 1-0 win in the 106 final. Gov. Mifflin’s Jalon Lavine placed third with a 13-0 major in the medal match.
113 >> Brandywine’s Dalton Gimbor (204) downed Twin Valley’s Max DeFreitas in the final in 3:23. Exeter’s Jacob Keller took third thanks to an 11-8 win over Reading’s Corey Jenkins in the medal round.
120 >> Morton improved to 21-2 with three bonus victories, the final a 16-4 major of Hamburg freshman Kyle Vernon. Vernon, who downed Wyomissing’s Anthony Gust 7-5 in the semifinals, exited the tournament 21-4 on the year. Gust rebounded to place third, topped Oley Valley Nick Fasig 6-0 in the medal match.
126 >> Hamburg junior Strausser won 7-3 over Twin Valley’s Mason Bennett in the bracket championship. Strausser improved to 20-2. Daniel Boone’s Sam Zummo was third via an 8-3 win over Brandywine Heights’ Klint Harpel.
132 >> Wilson’s Steinmeyer edged topseeded Kyle Seibert of Gov. Mifflin, 4-2, in the final. Steinmeyer cut it close in his final two matches, a 4-3 semifinal win over Exeter’s Chris Matthews earning him a place in the final. Matthews placed third with a :32 pinfall of Brandywine Heights’ Matt Deysher in the third-place match. Hamburg’s Ayden Kauffman placed fifth.
138 >> Wilson’s Connor topped Oley Valley’s Travis Lambert 10-4 in the final. Exeter’s Chase Guildin used a 2-0 overtime win over Hamburg’s Brant Mason in the medal round to place third.
145 >> Schuylkill Valley’s Bennett used three pinfalls to the championship, finishing Wilson’s Kolbe Eidle in 3:42 in the final. Twin Valley’s Finn Tinsley was third, edging Gov. Mifflin freshman Jake Blanski.
152 >> Mayo (16-2) used a second-period pin at 2:57 of Wyomissing’s Clayton Frymoyer to win the 152 title. Gov. Mifflin’s Dalton Putt placed third by majoring (102) Wilson’s Lance Staron.
160 >> Senior Moran entered with a 9-11 record but took home the 160-pound title, pinning Mifflin’s Johnny Arentz in 5:05 in the semifinals before edging Oley Valley’s Dylan Lambert 4-2 in overtime in the championship. Arentz pinned Brandywine’s Dylan Miller in :59 to place third.
170 >> Miffin senior Cavallucci came through with a 2-1 overtime decision of Exeter’s Matt Ward in the final. Reading’s Quinn Foley placed third after a 13-1 major decision of Hamburg’s Brendan Hamilton.
182 >> Hamburg’s Mason improved to 21-2 by rolling through the bracket, his 13-4 major of Gov. Mifflin’s Will Kitsch earning first place. Exeter’s John Harrell pinned Tulpehocken’s Luke Ruffner in 3:57 in the third-place match.
195 >> Exeter senior Crane entered with just a 4-3 record but came away with gold at 195, downing Hamburg’s Logan Herber 7-3 in the semis before a 4:45 pin of Tulpehocken’s Tristin Eshbach in the final. The Hawks’ Herber went on to take third, 3-1 over Wyomissing’s Quinn Hogue in the medal match.
220 >> Karas pinned his way to the title, dropping Tulpehocken’s Zach Ruffner in 1:29 in the final. Hamburg’s Austin Strunk battled through consolations with four wins, capped by a 2-1 win over Daniel Boone’s Tom Lynagh in the third-place match.
285 >> Mifflin’s Espinosa (13-3) pinned in his three matches, all in the first period, Hamburg’s Ben Weidenhammer settling for runner-up.