One more stop before Hershey
The top four wrestlers from the South East and North East Regionals will compete in Quakertown.
Quakertown isn’t Hershey. But that’s OK with Central Buck West’s Carl DiGiorgio.
“It’s not ideal — I love Hershey, it’s so much fun,” The Bucks junior said last Saturday at the South East 3A Regional. “Last year I was kind of happy just making states, like it was the best time I ever had. But this year, I’m trying to get on the podium.
“Luckily, it’s a familiar area, I’ve been there — districts was there — I’m very lucky for that actually.”
Wrestling’s COVID-19-impacted postseason schedule has one more stop before finally heading to Hershey’s Giant Center and the PIAA Championships. The top four finishers from both the South East and North East Regionals travel to Quakertown Community High School Saturday to compete at the Class 3A East Super Regional.
Action on the mats will be split into two sessions. Weights 106-138 start at 8:30 a.m. with championship finals at 11:30 a.m. and third and fifth place matches at 12:15 p.m. Weights 145-285 begin at 3:30 p.m. with championship finals at 6:30 p.m. and third and fifth place at 7:15 p.m.
DiGiorgio, who took third in 215 at regionals, is one of six local wrestlers aiming for a top four finish, which will advance them to join the top four from the West Super Regional at the state tournament in Hershey on Saturday, March 13.
Both North Penn and La Salle qualified a pair of wrestlers — Knights senior Eddie Galang (132) and junior William Morrow (145) each placing third at the South East Regional while La Salle’s senior Ryan Loughney (172) and Dante Burns (215) placed fourth in their respective weights at the North East Regional.
“I guess it’s considered a state qualifier but we’re not going to Hershey which isn’t the same but I’ve been working my whole career for this moment,” said Galang last Saturday.
Galang (13-3) beat Strath Haven junior Kelton Brunner by an 11-0 major decision for 132 regional bronze and opens the Super Regional
against Nazareth sophomore Dominic Wheatley (6-2). A win would set up a rematch with Coatesville senior Nathan Lucier, who beat Galang by tech fall in the regional semis and was sixth at states in 120 last season.
Morrow (11-3), a PIAA qualifier at 138 in 2020, looks again to compete at the Giant Center when he starts 145 against Whitehall junior Xavier Arner (11-2). Morrow might then face Bensalem’s Connor Eck in the quarters — the two wrestling previously at Quakertown in the District 1-3A North final Feb. 20 that went to Eck by an 8-5 decision.
“Definitely got to work on my bottom and I’ve got to get my feet moving to what I’m capable of and not be shy and just go after it,” said Morrow last Saturday at regionals. “Pedal to the floor.”
Loughney and Burns both lost their first matches at the North East Regional but won their next two in the consolations to clinch spots in the Super Regional. Each Explorer starts Saturday against undefeated South East champs.
At 172, Loughney (152) faces Lower Merion junior Jack Lledo (11-0) while at 215 Burns begins with a match against Sun Valley senior Ryan Catka (13-0), a Navy commit who took third in 195 at last year’s states.
DiGiorgio 21-3) lost to Catka in the South East semis by a 17-5 major decision but won his next two — earning third with an 11-4 decision over Lucas Doyle of Council Rock South. DiGiorgio starts Saturday against Hazleton Area senior Seth Hunsinger (14-3) in a contest of two PIAA qualifiers from last year.
Pennridge freshman Sam Kuhns had the area’s top regional finish, taking second in 113 at the South East tournament — losing a 1-0 decision to Quakertown’s Mason Ziegler in the final. Kuhns (14-2) opens against Bethlehem Catholic sophomore Cael McIntyre (8-2). CLASS 2A >> Faith Christian had four qualify for to the Class 2A East Super Regional, which is Saturday at Martz Hall in Pottsville.
Wrestling for weights 106-138 starts at 8:30 a.m. with 145-285 beginning at 2:30 p.m. Top four advance to the 2A state championship March 12 in Hershey.
Junior Eric Alderfer won his first South East Regional title with a 3-1 decision over Allentown Central Catholic’s David Kreidler in the 138 final. An eighthplace finisher at states in 120 last year, Alderfer (183) faces Harrisburg Bishop McDevitt sophomore Jake Gilfoil (21-6) in the quarters.
Leo Muzika (17-40, who made states in 2020, placed second in 215 last Saturday at regionals and opens against Mount Carmel junior Damon Backes (25-3).
Another 2020 PIAA qualifier, sophomore AJ Slayton (12-7) was fifth in 120 at regionals and faces Notre Dame-Green Pond senior Brett Unger, a Cornell commit who was third at states in 113 last year.
Freshman Cody Wagner has a rematch with Brandywine Heights junior Dillon Reinert in the 113 quarters. Wagner (17-6) dropped a 16-2 major decision to Reinert (23-0) in the regional semis and went on to finish fifth.
Pope John Paul II junior Alan Alexander (13-2) was third in 152 at regionals and takes on Montgomery junior Devon Deem (31-2).