Win over OJR sends S-F to quarterfinals
After advancing 13 last season, district’s top team hoping for similar success at D1 North
Spring-Ford may not have originated the “next man up” idea that’s become popular in the sports world.
But there’s no questioning how it’s perfecting the concept this winter.
The Rams made a strong showing in 2019, among their credits a District 1-AAA Duals runner-up effort and District 1-AAA North Section team championship. That effort was underlined by a trio of seniors — Dirk Nugent, Shane Reynolds, Chase Smith — who combined to win 85 bouts and produced two gold medals and a bronze in 2019 districts.
Despite those graduations, Spring-Ford is on an even faster track this winter. The Rams were the Pioneer Athletic Conference’s outright team champion, 5-0 in the Liberty Division and top team in the league’s individual tournament. They also were the District 1-AAA Duals king after two years of runner-up finishes and saw three grapplers (juniors Jack McGill and Joey Milano, senior Quinn Tobin) go over the 100-win mark for their scholastic careers.
“This time of year,” Spring-Ford head coach Tim Seislove said, “it’s nice to win as a team. But now we’re looking to advance as many kids as possible.”
The Rams are looking to satisfy both requirements this weekend. They will lead the 14-school field in the District 1-AAA North Section tournament again being staged at Pottstown, seeking to crown as many weightclass champions while defending their 2019 title.
“The kids are excited,” Seislove added. “They’ve had about 1-½ weeks off since state duals, a match with Central Bucks East last week. They want to get the individual tournaments done.”
Returning district champions Joey Milano and Sean Brogan are back to defend their respective 182- and 285-pound titles. Milano (370) is a top seed while Brogan (20-10) is a second seed behind Pottsgrove junior Manny Allen (25-3).
The slot vacated by Reynolds’ graduation has been ably filled by Quinn Smith, a 113-pound freshman who sports a 26-12 record. Jason Lepore (20-16) has been a mainstay at 170 in place of Smith, and Jack McGill (356), who was a state qualifier at 138 last year, has been a stalwart at the 152-pound slot in which Nugent primarily competed his senior season.
McGill, the top seed at 152, was one of three Spring-Ford wrestlers to reach the 100-win mark this season. Milano did it during the PIAA Class AAA Duals tournament at Hershey’s Giant Center two weeks ago, and Tobin made it a threesome in last week’s dual with East.
“We may have had two or so in a season,” Seislove said. “With state and district duals, kids get a lot more matches. But it’s still a credit to get 100 wins.”
Louie Carbajal (23-10) has the top seed at 195. Tobin (33-8) is a second seed at 132, as is Alex Johns (2118) at 145,
The Rams were a nearintact unit in the inaugural District 1-AAA North competition, seeing 13 wrestlers advance to the medal round. Nine of them qualified for the South East AAA Regional the following week, and five went on to Hershey.
“We’re looking to advance a good number,” Seislove said. ”The challenge is to get a lot of kids through ... stay healthy and advance. The focus is on having fun and getting to the next match.”
Owen J. Roberts has three top seeds in Antonio Petrucelli (145), Connor Quinn (160) and Austin Boaman (170). Quinn (23-3) is defending his 2019 title, Petrucelli (30-4) moves up from the 138 category where he finished third, and Boaman (24-8) is looking to make a strong run in his first district tourney.
Upper Perkiomen, the Pioneer Athletic Conference’s Frontier Division champ this year, boasts the top seeds in the two lightest weights. Matt Milkowich (22-7) tops the bracket at 106 and Matt Martin (28-4) leads the way at 113.
Pottsgrove has a pair of first seeds at the other end of the lineup. Zachary Van Horn (220) and Manny Van Horn (285) both come into districts with identical 25-3 records.
The other four top seeds are split evenly between four schools: Upper Merion’s Collin Power (21-3) at 120, Boyertown’s Chance Babb (198) at 126, Norristown’s Isaiah Tucker (28-4) at 132 and Methacton’s Kibwe McNair (22-1) at 138.
Tucker was a 132-pound champion in 2019. McNair is looking to upgrade last year’s fourth-place finish at 138, Babb was third at 120, and Power’s fifth-place finish made him the Vikings’ top performer.
Two PAC wrestlers look to continue their climbs to the 100-win mark during the post-season. Perkiomen Valley’s P.J. Kakos (24-7), the district’s 126-pound champion in 2019, has 94 victories to date while Methacton’s Roman Moser (215), the second seed at 160, stands at 92.
The three 2019 champions from non-PAC teams have all gone the graduation route: Souderton’s Tyler Williams (138), Great Valley’s Ethan Seeley (195) and Conestoga’s Paul Pelham (220). It’s the same story with two
Owen J. titlists: Cole Meredith (145) and Daniel Mancini (152).
DISTRICT 1-12 AA » Pope John Paul II will take four grapplers to Church Farm School Saturday for the post-season tournament combining eight schools from Districts 1 and 12.
Blake Fisher is the Golden Panthers’ best seed, the sophomore 285-pounder (113) opening with a bye. Their other representatives will be freshman Cole Miller (120), senior Matt Delcitto (160) and junior Jacob Rau (182).
Top finishers will qualify for next weekend’s (Feb. 28-29) South East AA Regional, which will be staged at Bethlehem Freedom after years of being hosted by Wilson-West Lawn.
SOUTH CENTRAL AAA » Three Daniel Boone wrestlers will resume their bids to qualify for the March 5-7 PIAA Tournament this weekend at Spring Grove.
Individual champions Chase Stehman (120) and Canton Dolla (132) will be joined by teammate J.T. Hogan (145), a runner-up in last weekend’s District 3-AAA Section 1 competition. Stehman, with 89 career victories, is pursuing the 100-win mark before his scholastic career comes to an end this year.
PREP SCHOOL » The Hill School will take a sizeable contingent to Lehigh University for the 2020 National Prep Championships ... eight in all.
Kelvin Griffin, a silver medalist at 126 during last weekend’s PAISWT Tournament, heads the legion of Blues who qualified with top-six finishes. Kade Davidheiser (106 pounds) and Sam Beckett (145) scored thirds, Joey Asterino (120) was fourth, Michael Stevens (160) and Derek Schmaeling (195) placed fifth and Jacob Craig (113) and Ethan Kreuzburg (132) got sixths.