HS Boys’ Wrestling: Tide’s McFarland earns Penn Manor gold
Terrell McFarland, Pottsville
MILLERSVILLE — Terrell McFarland wants to make the most of his senior wrestling season.
So far, the Pottsville senior is off to a flying start.
After surpassing the 100-win mark at last weekend’s Case-Flynn Duals, McFarland dropped a weight for the Penn Manor Holiday Tournament. He started the event with three pins Friday, then added three more victories Saturday to capture the 189-pound championship. In the finals, McFarland routed Spring-Ford’s Mason Richards 13-3.
The 6-0 tournament raised McFarland’s season record to 13-0. He’s now 109-16 in his career.
Cole Cook (114) wrestled to a seventh-place finish for the Crimson Tide.
Pottsville finished 20th in the 41-team tournament. Norwin won the team title with 214.5 points. Mount St. Joseph, Maryland, finished second with 199.5, and Central Mountain took third with 165.
Bears’ Quick reaches milestone
TAMAQUA — Kyler Quick racked up five pins and a technical fall to lead Mahanoy Area to a 4-2 record at the Blue Raider Duals at Tamaqua Area High School.
The six victories pushed the 215-pound Quick past the 100-win mark for his career. The senior improved to 10-0 on the season and 104-44 for his career. He’s the second local wrestler to reach the 100-win milestone this season, joining Pottsville’s Terrell McFarland.
The Golden Bears defeated Bangor (31-27), Hanover Area (37-32), Williams Valley (46-21) and Col-Mon Vo-Tech (42-29). Mahanoy Area dropped duals to Berks Catholic (50-15) and Lehighton (53-23).
Rory Dixon (152) had a huge day for the Bears, going 6-0 with all of his wins by technical fall. On the day, Dixon outscored his opponents 106-10. Dixon improved to 10-0 on the season.
Freshman Arturo Reyes (127) had a 6-0 day with three pins and a technical fall. Reyes upped his record to 9-1.
Elsewhere in the 13-team event, Williams Valley went 1-5, including a 33-17 win over Salisbury. The Vikings fell to Abington Heights (47-21), Berks Catholic (62-12), Mahanoy Area (46-21), Hanover Area (43-17) and Col-Mon Vo-Tech (39-23).
Colin Crisswell led the Vikings individually, going 6-0 with two pins and a technical fall at 160 and 172. Crisswell is 10-2 this season.
Camron Green (285) went 4-1, and Elisha Weiss (215) went 4-2 for Williams Valley.
Host Tamaqua had a tough day, losing all six of its dual meets to: Bangor (65-6), Berwick (41-24), Col-Mon Vo-Tech (41-34), Salisbury (35-21), Abington Heights (64-0) and Lehighton (66-12).
Freshman Rylan Reitz (121) went 4-2 for the Blue Raiders. Reitz is 10-3 this season.
Spartans place 5 at Carlisle
CARLISLE — Bode Gates (145) battled back through the consolations to place fourth at the Carlisle Wrestling Classic.
Gates went 6-2 in the two-day event.
Gaige Mentusky (107) and Cadyn McGraw (215) finished fifth for the Spartans. Kaden Tavares (152) took sixth, and Noah Leib (133) placed seventh in the 24-team tournament.
North Schuylkill finished 12th in the team standings. Biglerville won the title with 203.5 points. Garnet Valley placed second with 170.5, and Central Bucks East finished third with 146.
Girls’ Wrestling
Banks wins title at Escape the Rock
LANSDALE — Brenda Banks has picked up right where she left off.
Banks, a Panther Valley senior and three-time state champion, hammered the field to capture the 235-pound championship Sunday at Escape the Rock Girls at North Penn High School. Champions receive pro wrestling-type belts.
Like she did at states last season, Banks pinned all four of her opponents — all of them in the first period. She had falls of 16 and 42 seconds to reach the semifinals. There, Banks decked Dallastown’s Noelani Knott in 1:17. Knott finished sixth at states last season.
That set up another meeting against frequent foe MacKenna Atkinson of Souderton. Banks made quick work of Atkinson, scoring the fall in 1:20. Atkinson (11-1) lost 3-0 to Banks in the 2024 PIAA finals and finished fifth at states last season.
Banks improved to 5-0 on the season and 78-2 for her career.
