HS Boys’ Wrestling: Spartans finish 2nd at Jim Thorpe Christmas Tournament
Kyler Quick, Mahanoy Area
JIM THORPE — Mahanoy Area crowned three champions, leading a Schuylkill League gold rush Tuesday at the Jim Thorpe Christmas Tournament.
The league produced six champs overall. More on them in a moment.
In a 30-team field, North Schuylkill grappled its way to second place with 184 points. Wallenpaupack took the team trophy with 196.5. Mahanoy Area finished eighth, and Williams Valley placed 11th.
Arturo Reyes (127), Rory Dixon (152) and Kyler Quick (215) struck gold for the Golden Bears. North Schuylkill’s Gaige Mentusky (107), Tamaqua’s Rylan Reitz (114) and Pottsville’s Terrell McFarland (189) also climbed to the top of the awards podium.
Quick (17-0) had one of several dominant runs to a championship. The Mahanoy senior went 6-0 with five pins and one technical fall. In the finals, Quick decked William Allen’s William Shakir in 2:39. Dixon (17-0) went 6-0 with four pins. He stopped Valley View’s Tywone Giles 7-3 for his gold. Reyes (15-1) notched a pin and four technical falls in the two-day event. He roughed up Wallenpaupack’s Ayden Blaut by technical fall, 17-2 in 5:42, in the finals.
McFarland (19-0) went 5-0 with four pins and a technical fall, 21-5 in 3:31 over Mahanoy Area’s Stanley Boris in the gold-medal bout.
Reitz (17-3) earned five wins: two pins, two technical falls and a decision. He planted Pen Argyl’s Mason Ramsay in 1:46 in the finals.
Mentusky (16-3) had three pins and two decisions en route to his title. In the finals, Mentusky outslugged Pen Argyl’s Bo Yeakel 17-10.
North Schuylkill finished with six placewinners, and its depth keyed a push toward the top of the standings. Cadyn McGraw (215) placed third; Alex Deritis (127) and Brock Holmes (139) took fifth; Bode Gates (145) finished sixth; and Bryce Kile (160) placed seventh.
Williams Valley’s Colin Crisswell (172) finished second, dropping a 4-1 decision to Methacton’s Jack Hayes in the finals. Xzavion Tennis (145) placed fourth; Magnus Monger (127) and Camron Green (285) finished fifth; and Shawn Romberger (285) placed seventh for the Vikings.
Other placewinners for Pottsville included Cole Cook, sixth at 114; and Kaden Renn, eighth at 172.
In addition to its three champions and one runner-up, Sonny Seritti (139) placed eighth for Mahanoy Area.
Jim Thorpe Christmas Tournament
Local Results
Team scores (30 total): 1. Wallenpaupack 196.5, 2. North Schuylkill 184, 3. Upper Perkiomen 179.5, 4. (tie) Lehighton and Wyalusing Valley 177 … 8. Mahanoy Area 152.5 … 11. Williams Valley 105.5 … 18. Pottsville 82 … 26. Tamaqua 60 … 30. Panther Valley 30
Championship Finals
107 — Gaige Mentusky (North Schuylkill) dec. Bo Yeakel (Pen Argyl), 17-10
114 — Rylan Reitz (Tamaqua) pinned Mason Ramsay (Pen Argyl), 1:46
127 — Arturo Reyes (Mahanoy Area) tech. fall Ayden Blaut (Wallenpaupack), 17-2, 5:42
152 — Rory Dixon (Mahanoy Area) dec. Tywone Giles (Valley View), 7-3
172 — Jack Hayes (Methacton) dec. Colin Crisswell (Williams Valley), 4-1
189 — Terrell McFarland (Pottsville) tech. fall Stanley Boris (Mahanoy Area), 21-5, 3:31
215 — Kyler Quick (Mahanoy Area) pinned William Shakir (William Allen), 2:39
Cards’ Kurtz captures Mifflin gold
SHILLINGTON — With three straight pins, Pine Grove’s Zach Kurtz won the 215-pound championship to lead a strong performance by the Cardinals and Tri-Valley at the Governor Mifflin Boys’ Holiday Tournament.
In the finals, Kurtz stuck Dallastown’s Aiden Grim in 4:20. Aaron Osatchuck (152) earned a silver medal for the Cardinals.
Parker Hatter (160), Hunter Updegrave (172) and Max Masser (189) wrestled to second-place finishes for Tri-Valley.
Dallastown took the team title in the 16-team event with 201.5 points. Smyrna (Delaware) placed second with 193. Tri-Valley (159) placed third; Governor Mifflin (142) took fourth; and Pine Grove (140) finished fifth.
The Bulldogs finished with 10 placewinners overall. In addition to the finalists, Owen Wolfgang (107) placed third; Jaxson Bruso (133) finished fourth; Garett Leitzel (121), Brock Bossler (127), Liam Yourey (139) and Landon Horoschak (145) took seventh; and Donovan Keeth (285) finished eighth.
Pine Grove had seven placewinners. In addition to Zach Kurtz and Osatchuck, Scout Frantz (285) placed fourth; James Hoy (139) and Isaiah Miller (172) took fifth; Colby Townley (145) finished sixth; and Drew Hikes (133) finished eighth.
Governor Mifflin Boys’ Holiday Tournament
Local Results
Team scores (16 total): 1. Dallastown 201.5, 2. Smyrna, Delaware 193, 3. Tri-Valley 159, 4. Governor Mifflin 142, 5. Pine Grove 140
Championship Finals
152 — Michael Schmit (Kennard-Dale) pinned Aaron Osatchuk (Pine Grove), 1:13
160 — Anthony Montegari (Governor Mifflin) maj. dec. Parker Hatter (Tri-Valley), 11-1
172 — Brody Carrozza (Dallastown) pinned Hunter Updegrave (Tri-Valley), 1:29
189 — Teagan Gratkowski (Smyrna, Del.) dec. Max Masser (Tri-Valley), 13-2
215 — Zach Kurtz (Pine Grove) pinned Aiden Grim (Dallastown), 4:20
Girls’ Wrestling
Cards place 3rd at Mifflin
SHILLINGTON — Silver-medal performances by Geanna Lemke (142) and Rieleigh Purcell (190) propelled Pine Grove to a third-place finish at the 23-team Governor Mifflin Girls’ Holiday Tournament.
The Cardinals finished with 116 points, behind only champion Emmaus (166.5) and runner-up McCaskey (138).
