Northampton runs gauntlet to secure berth
Konkrete Kids face Central Dauphin tonight at Catty
Northampton’s weigh-in sheet Saturday had more names on it than any other District 11 Class 3A team.
It needed to be.
Facing mounting injuries and a stinging semifinal loss to Bethlehem Catholic, coach Seth Lisa’s club figured to be heading home long before the district’s two state team tournament berths were claimed.
Instead, Northampton beat Stroudsburg, Nazareth and Liberty in succession to secure the district’s second berth and end a decade-long drought from the state team duals.
“Man, these kids have been through a lot,” Lisa said Saturday night, “and to have to run through the gauntlet like that and step up and complete the job speaks volumes to their heart and effort.
“That was just a lot of fun.” Northampton (17-3) is not heading to Hershey yet. It first must beat District 3 fourth seed Central Dauphin (17-4) in Monday’s preliminary-round match at Catasauqua High School (7:30 p.m. start).
Central Dauphin lost 29-28 to Cumberland Valley in Saturday’s District 3 third-place match. Northampton beat Cumberland Valley 67-10 on Jan. 12 at the Parkland Duals.
It was during the Cumberland Valley match when Northampton stud and Rutgers-bound 138-pounder Devon Britton suffered a knee injury that required surgery.
That was the start of the Konkrete Kids’ injury bug, with Jayden Bortz’s shoulder injury the latest in Saturday’s district semifinal.
Lisa on Saturday turned to Joe Leon, Gunnar Wagner and Kyle Perl. The trio had a combined two varsity matches this season. They did their jobs.
Erik Schreck, who didn’t join the lineup until January, clinched Northampton’s statetournament berth with a win at 160 against Liberty.
“We were saying, ‘ Thank goodness we brought our entire squad,” Lisa said. “Because it was one thing when we didn’t have Devon, then Bortz hurt his shoulder and he was out.
“[Alex] Hanley didn’t make weight [at 106], so we weren’t wrestling him. Our backup for Bortz got hurt. It was just chaotic. And when all those things start going wrong, you start wondering if it’s still possible.
“It was really hard keeping the faith, but I think the kids did a better job than our staff.”
There were a bunch of Konkrete Kids who stepped up Saturday.
Riley Gallagher, a role player prior to being the starting 182pounder this year, had to fill Bortz’s spot at 195 against Nazareth and was in danger of getting majored or worse before quickly turning things around midway through the third period and getting a pin.
Wagner and Noah Re- ichelderfer only gave up majors to Nazareth standouts Andrew Smith and Sean Pierson.
Ryan Stilgenbauer reversed an earlier loss to Liberty’s Connor Werner at 106, getting a fall. Blake Lambert gave the Konkrete Kids a nine-point swing by beating Jake Ahmad, who pinned him in a January dual meet.
Northampton will need the same type of team effort to make its first trip to Hershey since finishing third at states in 2009, when it lost to eventual champion Central Dauphin 31-28 in the semifinals.
In Class 2A, Notre Dame-GP (9-4) also must win a preliminary-round match Monday at Catasauqua (6 p.m. start) before heading to Hershey. Coach Matt Veres’ club faces District 3 third seed Boiling Springs (14-3).
The Bubblers won three consecutive consolation-round matches, including one over Bermudian Springs on criteria,
to finish third.
The Crusaders lost the District 11 final 36-35 to four-time champion Saucon Valley.
This is Notre Dame’s first statetournament appearance after making its first district final. PIAA team wrestling duals Class 3A Monday’s preliminary round at Catasauqua, 7:30 p.m. District11runner-up Northampton vs. District 3 fourth seed Central Dauphin District 1 fourth seed Boyertown at District 12 runner-up Archbishop Ryan District 3 third seed Cumberland Valley at District 1 third seed Owen J. Roberts District 7 third seed Canon-McMillan at District 8 champion Carrick Thursday at Hershey’s Giant Center First round 6 p.m. District 1 champion Council Rock South vs. District 2 champion Hazleton Area District 12 champion Father Judge vs. District 3 runnerup Dallastown District 6 champion Mifflin County vs. District 7 runner-up Seneca Valley District 11 champion Bethlehem Catholic vs. Boyertown/Archbishop Ryan winner 8 p.m. District 7 champion Kiski vs. Owen J. Roberts/ Cumberland Valley winner District 10 champion Erie Cathedral Prep vs. District 1 runner-up Spring-Ford District 4 champion Selinsgrove vs. Northampton/Central Dauphin winner District 3 champion Cedar Cliff vs. CanonMcMillan/Carrick winner Friday at Hershey’s Giant Center First-round consolations, 10 a.m. Quarterfinals, 2 p.m. Second-round consolations, 6 Semifinals, 8 Saturday at Hershey’s Giant Center Third-round consolations, 8 a.m. Fourth-round consolations, 10 Championship match, third-place match, 1 p.m. Class 2A Monday’s preliminary round at Catasauqua, 6 p.m. District 11 runnerup Notre Dame-GP vs. District 3 third seed Boiling Springs District 10 third seed Greenville at District 6 runnerup Huntingdon District 7 third seed Beth-Center at District 10 runnerup Conneaut Lake District 4 third seed Danville at District 3 runnerup Newport Thursday at Hershey’s Giant Center First round 2 p.m. District 3 champion Hamburg vs. Huntingdon/ Greenville winner District 5 champion Chestnut Ridge vs. District 7 runnerup Freedom District 9 champion Brookville vs. District 2 champion Lake-Lehman District 4 champion Southern Columbia vs. Conneaut Lake/Beth-Center winner 4 p.m. District 7 champion Burrell vs. Danville/Newport winner District 11 champion Saucon Valley vs. District 4 runnerup Muncy District 6 champion Westmont-Hilltop vs. District 1 champion Faith Christian District 10 champion Reynolds vs. Notre Dame/ Boiling Springs winner Friday at Hershey’s Giant Center First-round consolations, 8 a.m. Quarterfinals, noon Second-round consolations, 4 p.m. Semifinals, 8 Saturday at Hershey’s Giant Center Third-round consolations, 9 a.m. Fourth-round consolations, 11 Championship match, third-place match, 1 p.m. thousenick@mcall.com Twitter @TomHousenick 610-820-6651