Bears’ Sheridan, OJR’s Bechtold brothers score regional gold
There were a number of Pioneer Athletic Conference “brothers acts” on stage at Souderton High this weekend.
No less than four family pairings took part in the PIAA Southeast AAA Regional wrestling competition, all in the thick of the chase to qualify for next weekend’s PIAA Class AAA tournament in Hershey. But the most prolific duo was Owen J. Roberts’ Bechtold brothers.
Dean and Dillon Bechtold headed the list of five PAC finalists who, along with 11 other grapplers, assured themselves of advancement by placing in the top four of their weight classes. They were a 1-2 punch in the upper weights, adding to last weekend’s District 1-AAA North titles at 189 and 215 by repeating as champs at the regional level.
They were joined atop the podium by 152-pound winner and OJR teammate Sam Gautreau and Boyertown’s Gavin Sheridan (133).
Dean Bechtold (39-8) capped his sweep of the 189-pound bracket with a 6-2 decision of Conestoga’s Jake Allred, the 2022 1-AAA North champion he topped in last week’s district semifinals. Dillon Bechtold (432) followed with a 3-1 verdict on Quakertown’s Calvin Lachman in the 215 title bout.
In qualifying for states, the Bechtolds also made a bit of history for the OJR mat program. They became the first brothers to both win regional championships.
“They’re awesome,” head coach Steve DeRafelo said after seeing his team come away with three regional champs among it four Hershey qualifiers, getting a title from Gautreau (152) and fifth from Mason Karkoska (139). “They push each other, and support each other.”
Dean Bechtold preceded his championship-round bout with a fall and major decision among his early outings. Against Allred, he countered a second-period reversal by the Pioneer senior with an escape and takedown for a 3-2 lead.
Allred gave the OJR freshmen a release from the bottom position in the third period. Bechtold coupled the move with a takedown of his own to seal the win.
“I was confident,” he said. “I was already qualified for states, so I wanted to have fun. This week in practice, I worked on my starts on top because I gave up a lot of points off them last week. That gave me the edge.”
Dillon Bechtold’s title showdown with Lachman went 0-0 through the first two periods. Like Dean, he scored a takedown after being released from a bottom start in the third period, holding on after Lachman escaped late in the frame.
“I couldn’t let myself get defensive,” he said. “I do my best wrestling offensively, I got a couple scrambles.”
Perkiomen Valley saw its two brother pairings – Gavin and Carson Pascoe, Carter and Grant Euker – all receive the traditional
Hershey bars with their regional medals. Gavin Pascoe was second at 160 while Carson Pascoe claimed a bronze medal at 172; the Eukers, in turn, both won the critical fifth-place matches at 189 and 215 to secure berths at states.
Coupled with Max Tancini’s third at 107 and Kelly Kakos’ fourth at 152, it gave the Vikings their largest number of state qualifiers since their three in 1975.
“I’m happy to make the PV history, sending six to states,” head coach Dave Thomas said.
Another sibling set was Spring-Ford’s Quinn and Gus Smith, both of whom made it to their third-place matches. Quinn Smith topped Sun Valley’s Hunter Delaney at 127, 8-3, but Gus Smith was blanked by PV’s Tancini 6-0.
The PAC’s other gold medalist was Boyertown’s Sheridan, winner at 133 with his 8-4 decision of West Chester Henderson’s Carmen Cortese. It afforded the Bear junior (432) a measure of payback for their previous clash in the 2022 regional’s 120-pound semifinal round, when Cortese eked out a 6-5 victory.
“It was important to get that back,” Sheridan said. “I worked to clean up my technique and stay in position.”
It was also important for Sheridan to prove wrong everyone who hasn’t accorded him due respect for his abilities.
“I want to achieve my true potential, show I’m one
of the best in the state,” he said.
In his final with Quakertown’s Zach Borzio, Gautreau (40-5) methodically built a 21-5 lead to score a technical fall 15 seconds before the end of the match. The result, coming after last weekend’s district-title outing, got the Roberts junior to states for the first time in his scholastic career.
“Every match, I try to wrestle to the best of my ability,” he said. “I felt good on my feet, so I just rolled with it.”
Another bronze medalist was Upper Perkiomen’s Branden Rozanski, a 12-7 winner over Coatesville’s Andrij Szczesniuk at 121. Finishing fourth were PV’s Kakos (152), Spring-Ford’s Mason Richards (172) and Pottsgrove’s Dominic DeMeno (215).
In the team standings, Owen J. was fourth with 100.5 points, Perkiomen Valley sixth with 91. An extremely close finish saw Quakertown edge Pennridge for the team championship, 129.5-128.5.
NOTES >> Roberts’ three individual champions were a tournament high. … Two wrestlers reached the 100-win mark for their scholastic careers Saturday: Council Rock South’s Bekhruz Sadriddinov in his 160-pound semifinal with Spring-Ford’s Anthony Attilio, and Conestoga’s Hayden McLellan in his 172-pound semi with Plymouth-Whitemarsh’s
Justin Bainbridge. … Among the inductees into the Southeast Pennsylvania Wrestling Hall of Fame were Norristown alumni Zach Fuentes and Brett Harner (both Class of 2013). The induction ceremony was held prior to Saturday evening’s medal matches. … The top five finishers in each weight class advance to the state tourney, and the top six were presented medals.
PIAA Southeast 3A Regional At Souderton
Team Scores
1. Quakertown (QT) 129.5; 2. Pennridge (PRG) 128.5; 3. Kennett (KNT) 114.0; 4. Owen J. Roberts (OJR) 100.5; 5. Council Rock South (CRS) 98.5; 6. Perkiomen Valley (PKV) 91.0; 7. Conestoga (CNST) 66.5; 8. Spring-Ford (SF) 59.5; 9. Strath Haven (SH) 51.0; 10. Sun Valley (SUV) 49.0; 11. Oxford Area (OX) 45.5; 12. Boyertown (BT) 42.0; 13. Council Rock North (CRN) 35.0; 14. Downingtown West (DW) 33.5; 15. Central Bucks West (CBW) 33.0; 16. Central Bucks South (CBS) 32.0; 16. Pennsbury (PBY) 32.0; 18. Neshaminy (NESH) 31.0; 18. Ridley (RID) 31.0; 20. Haverford High (HAV) 30.0; 21. West Chester Henderson (WCH) 27.5; 22. Upper Perkiomen (UPE) 26.0; 23. Central Bucks East (CBE) 24.0; 24. Pottsgrove (PG) 23.0; 25. Souderton (SOU) 22.5;
26. West Chester East (WCE) 20.5; 27. Garnet Valley (GAV) 17.5; 28. HatboroHorsham (HH) 17.0; 29. Chichester (CHI) 16.0; 29. Harriton (HAR) 16.0; 31. Lower Merion (LME) 14.0; 32. Unionville (UNV) 13.5; 33. Coatesville (CTV) 12.0; 33. Radnor (RAD) 12.0; 35. Methacton (MTH) 11.0; 36. Plymouth Whitemarsh (PWM) 10.0; 37. Avon Grove (AGR) 8.0; 38. Wissahickon (WIS) 7.0; 39. Upper Dublin (UDU) 6.0; 40. Bensalem (BNS) 5.5; 41. Norristown (NT) 4.0; 41. Upper Moreland (UMO) 4.0; 43. Abington (AB) 1.0; 43. Cheltenham (CHE) 1.0; 45. Academy Park (AP) 0.0; 45. Downingtown East (DE) 0.0;
45. Harry S. Truman (HST) 0.0; 45. Interboro (INT) 0.0; 45. Penn Wood (PNW) 0.0;
45. West Chester Rustin (WCR) 0.0
CONSOLATION ROUND 2
107 -- Ben Godshall (UPE) dec. Zach Thomas (CBS) SV-1 3-1; Akahi Heywood (RAD) pinned Sam Howell (OX) 0:46; Brayden Sigle (DW) pinned Zach McFarlane (WCE) 1:38; Connor Lenahan (CRS) dec. Alexander Diaz (CRN) 2-0
114 -- Ryan Allgeier (HH) dec. Ryan Hayes (MTH) 8-4; Isaac Williams (QT) dec. Timothy Kearney (SUV) 6-2; Cole Coffin (PRG) dec. Luke Heimbach (BT) 4-3; Gabriel Tulone (UPE) won by forfeit over Cole Smith (SF)
121 -- Pierce Kane (CRN) pinned Steven Wiechecki (CNST) 4:51; Zack Jaffe (KNT) maj. dec. Caden Cerminaro (UDU) 8-0; Sonny Mash (BT) dec. Christian Ford (AGR) 7-1; Branden Rozanski (UPE) dec. Charlie Arobone (SOU) 7-0
127 -- Collin Evanson (UMO) dec. Jared Schaible (OX) 11-6; Hunter Delaney (SUV) pinned Joseph DiMarino (GAV) 2:12; Miles Warkentine (CNST) maj. dec. Joey Simko (MTH) 12-1; Ajay Bhatt (CRS) pinned Alex Brandt (OJR) 3:41
133 -- Kane Lengel (KNT) dec. Gabe Whittington (CBS) 6-0; Reiland Canaday (OX) dec. A.J. Stayton (SOU) 12-10; Nikosh Marston (NT) won by forfeit over Brecken Strickland (SUV); Ashton Wittenberg (PWM) dec. Chris Nesbitt (RID) 8-4
139 -- Paxton Hunt (GAV) dec. Angus Whittaker (WCH) 10-6; Christopher Staub (HH) maj. dec. Dan Gorman (UDU) 11-2; Mason Karkoska (OJR) dec. Shane Stankina (BT) 4-2; Jordan Barry (DW) dec. Gabe Sanfelice (UPE) 3-1
145 -- Danny Grace (BNS) dec. Mohammed Charabi (PWM) 7-6; Andrew Lindros (CRS) dec. Michael Pepe (KNT) 4-0; Blake Bryant (CHI) maj. dec. Andrew Hallman (SOU) 16-3; Skylur Davidheiser (OJR) pinned Owen Dykie (BT) 4:20 152 -- Dan Hansbury (NESH) dec. Rocco Hartfuss (RID) 4-2; Tyler Maiers (KNT) dec. Garrett Landon (AGR) SV-1 12-10; Trenton Allen (PG) maj. dec. Alexander Gamble-Williams (SUV) 12-4; Matty Shumaker (MTH) maj. dec. Michael Spielman (SH) 11-1
160 -- Matthew Boye (CNST) dec. Ryder Gehris (BT) 4-3; Shane McGurrin (PBY) pinned Andrew Reilly (SH) 1:33; David Rainey (RID) maj. dec. Caleb Pate (DW) 9-1; Josh Barlow (KNT) dec. Anthony Attilio (SF) 8-4
172 -- Mason Richards (SF) dec. Corey Bradley (CHE) 12-5; Jonathan Bedoya (BNS) dec. Nathanael Chez (WIS) 6-3; Luca Romasco (HAV) pinned Ryan O’Leary (UNV) 3:52; Ben Beckett (SOU) pinned Justin Bainbridge (PWM) 2:43 189 -- Hutton Smith (LME) dec. Kole Lester (SOU) 9-8; Mason Hale (DW) pinned Jagger Vitelli (AGR) 3:50; Carter Euker (PKV) maj. dec. Evan Prestipino (WIS) 9-0; Walker Murray (PBY) pinned Ryan Rowe (PRG) 2:46
215 -- Anthony Crawford (SH) pinned Montana Raymond (CHI) 4:45; Chase Thompson (SUV) maj. dec. Andy Alameda-Guzman (HH) 16-5; Grant Euker (PKV) pinned Anton Skvortsov (RAD) 3:46; Riley Cullen (PRG) pinned Stephen Beatty (WCH) 2:19
285 -- Troy Mack (DW) maj. dec. Damian Moser (MTH) 10-0; Collin Goetter (CBS) dec. Connor Hudak (SF) 3-0; Chase Washington (PRG) dec. Cooper Gardner (BT) 11-4; Dylan Bledsoe (GAV) pinned John Wright (AB) 1:09
CHAMPIONSHIP SEMIFINALS
107 -- Curtis Nelson (RID) dec. Gus Smith (SF) 10-3; Colby Martinelli (PRG) dec. Max Tancini (PKV) 5-0
114 -- Chris Dennis (CBW) maj. dec. Luke Reitter (CRS) 10-0; Cole McFarland (HAV) maj. dec. Chase Sigle (DW) 13-2 121 -- Mason Ziegler (QT) pinned Andrij Szczesniuk (CTV) 3:34; Quinn McBride (PRG) maj. dec. Pat Woloshyn (CRS) 9-1 127 -- Eren Sement (CRN) maj. dec. Patrick Kelly (CBW) 18-5; Blake Boyer (KNT) pinned Quinn Smith (SF) 4:36
133 -- Gavin Sheridan (BT) dec. Ben Brillhart (CRS) 7-1; Carmen Cortese (WCH) pinned Nadav Nafshi (HAR) 4:27
139 -- Sam Kuhns (PRG) dec. Jake Neill (CBS) 2-1; Austin McMillan (OX) dec. Gavin Carroll (QT) 7-3
145 -- Collin Gaj (QT) pinned Beknazar Baiyshbekov (NESH) 1:24; Brandon Carr (SUV) dec. Max Parnis (WCE) TB-1 3-2 152 -- Sam Gautreau (OJR) dec. Gavin Cole (CRS) 5-1; Zach Borzio (QT) dec. Kelly Kakos (PKV) 6-2
160 -- Bekhruz Sadriddinov (CRS) pinned Topher Tryon (UNV) 3:31; Gavin Pascoe (PKV) dec. Ryan Gallagher (PRG) 8-4 172 -- Hayden McLellan (CNST) maj. dec. Mason Keller (PBY) 15-2; Talan Hogan (PRG) dec. Carson Pascoe (PKV) TB-1 6-3 189 -- Dean Bechtold (OJR) maj. dec. Sam Milligan (SH) 15-2; Jake Allred (CNST) dec. Jeremy McKinney (OX) 8-4
215 -- Dillon Bechtold (OJR) maj. dec. Dominic DeMeno (PG) 10-2; Calvin Lachman (QT) dec. John Pardo (KNT) 3-2 285 -- Ben Farabaugh (SH) pinned Temitayo Seyi-David (LME) 0:39; Joe Collins (CBE) dec. Bailey Shindle (KNT) 1-0 CONSOLATION ROUND 3
107 -- Akahi Heywood (RAD) dec. Ben Godshall (UPE) 9-3; Connor Lenahan (CRS) dec. Brayden Sigle (DW) 5-0
114 -- Isaac Williams (QT) pinned Ryan Allgeier (HH) 3:58; Cole Coffin (PRG) maj. dec. Gabriel Tulone (UPE) 11-0 121 -- Zack Jaffe (KNT) dec. Pierce Kane (CRN) 4-2; Branden Rozanski (UPE) dec. Sonny Mash (BT) 5-0
127 -- Hunter Delaney (SUV) pinned Collin Evanson (UMO) 1:56; Miles Warkentine (CNST) dec. Ajay Bhatt (CRS) 7-5 133 -- Kane Lengel (KNT) pinned Reiland Canaday (OX) 2:12; Ashton Wittenberg (PWM) dec. Nikosh Marston (NT) 6-2 139 -- Christopher Staub (HH) pinned Paxton Hunt (GAV) 2:49; Mason Karkoska (OJR) dec. Jordan Barry (DW) 4-1 145 -- Andrew Lindros (CRS) dec. Danny Grace (BNS) UTB 6-4; Blake Bryant (CHI) maj. dec. Skylur Davidheiser (OJR) 18-5 152 -- Dan Hansbury (NESH) maj. dec. Tyler Maiers (KNT) 11-0; Trenton Allen (PG) pinned Matty Shumaker (MTH) 2:50 160 -- Shane McGurrin (PBY) pinned Matthew Boye (CNST) 4:28; Josh Barlow (KNT) dec. David Rainey (RID) 5-1
172 -- Mason Richards (SF) pinned Jonathan Bedoya (BNS) 3:00; Ben Beckett (SOU) dec. Luca Romasco (HAV) 8-3 189 -- Hutton Smith (LME) dec. Mason Hale (DW) 9-4; Carter Euker (PKV) dec. Walker Murray (PBY) 3-1
215 -- Anthony Crawford (SH) dec. Chase Thompson (SUV) SV-1 3-1; Grant Euker (PKV) dec. Riley Cullen (PRG) 7-3
285 -- Collin Goetter (CBS) dec. Troy Mack (DW) 8-6; Dylan Bledsoe (GAV) dec. Chase Washington (PRG) 5-2 CONSOLATION SEMIFINALS
107 -- Gus Smith (SF) dec. Akahi Heywood (RAD) 8-4; Max Tancini (PKV) dec. Connor Lenahan (CRS) 4-0
114 -- Luke Reitter (CRS) dec. Isaac Williams (QT) 5-4; Cole Coffin (PRG) pinned Chase Sigle (DW) 2:56
121 -- Andrij Szczesniuk (CTV) dec. Zack Jaffe (KNT) 5-2; Branden Rozanski (UPE) dec. Pat Woloshyn (CRS) 1-0
127 -- Hunter Delaney (SUV) dec. Patrick Kelly (CBW) 9-3; Quinn Smith (SF) maj. dec. Miles Warkentine (CNST) 12-0 133 -- Kane Lengel (KNT) dec. Ben Brillhart (CRS) 6-1; Nadav Nafshi (HAR) dec. Ashton Wittenberg (PWM) 2-0
139 -- Jake Neill (CBS) dec. Christopher Staub (HH) 8-3; Gavin Carroll (QT) dec. Mason Karkoska (OJR) 2-1
145 -- Beknazar Baiyshbekov (NESH) maj. dec. Andrew Lindros (CRS) 11-3; Max Parnis (WCE) maj. dec. Blake Bryant (CHI) 14-3
152 -- Dan Hansbury (NESH) dec. Gavin Cole (CRS) 5-2; Kelly Kakos (PKV) dec. Trenton Allen (PG) 3-2
160 -- Shane McGurrin (PBY) dec. Topher Tryon (UNV) 6-3; Josh Barlow (KNT) dec. Ryan Gallagher (PRG) 4-3
172 -- Mason Richards (SF) pinned Mason Keller (PBY) 4:17; Carson Pascoe (PKV) dec. Ben Beckett (SOU) 7-2
189 -- Sam Milligan (SH) dec. Hutton Smith (LME) 8-5; Jeremy McKinney (OX) pinned Carter Euker (PKV) 0:41
215 -- Dominic DeMeno (PG) dec. Anthony Crawford (SH) SV-1 3-1; John Pardo (KNT) won by inj. default over Grant Euker (PKV) 4:31
285 -- Collin Goetter (CBS) dec. Temitayo Seyi-David (LME) 3-1; Bailey Shindle (KNT) pinned Dylan Bledsoe (GAV) 2:20 FIFTH PLACE
107 -- Connor Lenahan (CRS) won by tech. fall over Akahi Heywood (RAD) 6:00 (15-0)
114 -- Isaac Williams (QT) pinned Chase Sigle (DW) 5:51
121 -- Zack Jaffe (KNT) dec. Pat Woloshyn (CRS) 3-0
127 -- Miles Warkentine (CNST) dec. Patrick Kelly (CBW) SV-1 6-4
133 -- Ben Brillhart (CRS) dec. Ashton Wittenberg (PWM) 3-0
139 -- Mason Karkoska (OJR) dec. Christopher Staub (HH) 9-2
145 -- Blake Bryant (CHI) dec. Andrew Lindros (CRS) 6-5
152 -- Gavin Cole (CRS) dec. Trenton Allen (PG) 11-5
160 -- Topher Tryon (UNV) pinned Ryan Gallagher (PRG) 3:00
172 -- Ben Beckett (SOU) dec. Mason Keller (PBY) 9-8
189 -- Carter Euker (PKV) dec. Hutton Smith (LME) 8-3
215 -- Grant Euker (PKV) dec. Anthony Crawford (SH) 6-3
285 -- Dylan Bledsoe (GAV) dec. Temitayo Seyi-David (LME) 3-1
THIRD PLACE
107 -- Max Tancini (PKV) dec. Gus Smith (SF) 6-0
114 -- Cole Coffin (PRG) pinned Luke Reitter (CRS) 3:57
121 -- Branden Rozanski (UPE) dec. Andrij Szczesniuk (CTV) 12-7
127 -- Quinn Smith (SF) dec. Hunter Delaney (SUV) 8-3
133 -- Kane Lengel (KNT) pinned Nadav Nafshi (HAR) 3:03
139 -- Gavin Carroll (QT) dec. Jake Neill (CBS) 2-1
145 -- Max Parnis (WCE) dec. Beknazar Baiyshbekov (NESH) 10-5
152 -- Dan Hansbury (NESH) won by inj. default over Kelly Kakos (PKV) 1:44 160 -- Josh Barlow (KNT) dec. Shane McGurrin (PBY) 5-3
172 -- Carson Pascoe (PKV) pinned Mason Richards (SF) 3:28
189 -- Sam Milligan (SH) dec. Jeremy McKinney (OX) 3-1
215 -- John Pardo (KNT) pinned Dominic DeMeno (PG) 4:26
285 -- Bailey Shindle (KNT) pinned Collin Goetter (CBS) 4:49
CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS
107 -- Colby Martinelli (PRG) dec. Curtis Nelson (RID) 8-5
114 -- Chris Dennis (CBW) dec. Cole McFarland (HAV) 4-3
121 -- Mason Ziegler (QT) maj. dec. Quinn McBride (PRG) 16-2
127 -- Eren Sement (CRN) dec. Blake Boyer (KNT) 1-0
133 -- Gavin Sheridan (BT) dec. Carmen Cortese (WCH) 8-4
139 -- Sam Kuhns (PRG) dec. Austin McMillan (OX) UTB 1-0
145 -- Collin Gaj (QT) maj. dec. Brandon Carr (SUV) 18-8
152 -- Sam Gautreau (OJR) won by tech. fall over Zach Borzio (QT) 5:44 (21-5) 160 -- Bekhruz Sadriddinov (CRS) maj. dec. Gavin Pascoe (PKV) 14-5
172 -- Hayden McLellan (CNST) dec. Talan Hogan (PRG) 6-3
189 -- Dean Bechtold (OJR) dec. Jake Allred (CNST) 6-2
215 -- Dillon Bechtold (OJR) dec. Calvin Lachman (QT) 3-1
285 -- Joe Collins (CBE) dec. Ben Farabaugh (SH) UTB 1-0