Tired of ads? Subscribers enjoy a distraction-free reading experience.
Click here to subscribe today or Login.

By BOB NOCEK; Times Leader Sports Writer
Saturday, March 06, 1993     Page: 1C QUICK WORDS: WVW HOLDS FIRST,
COUGARS IN SECOND

WILKES-BARRE — With three-time District 2 Class AAA champion Coughlin back
in third place, the Wyoming Valley West Spartans are trying to once again
regain the team title they haven’t won in a few years.
   
But close behind, they find a rather unfamiliar contender.
    The Spartans, who last won team titles in 1988 and 1989, are just four
points ahead of first-time competitor Hazleton Area after Friday’s opening
round of the District Class AAA wrestling tournament at King’s College.
   
Wyoming Valley West leads with 62 points, while Hazleton Area has 58.
Coughlin, which has won the last three titles, is third with 49.5 points. West
Scranton and Honesdale each have 40.
   
The Spartans and Cougars each have eight semifinalists, while the Crusaders
have seven.
   
“We’re right there,” said Hazleton Area coach Keith Maurer. “We have a
chance to win it all, but we need to get kids into the finals,” Maurer said.
“That’s the bottom line. We’ve got to get as many through as we can. The semis
are a big round for team points.”
   
The semifinals and consolation rounds will resume at 10 a.m. today at the
Scandlon Gymnasium, with the consolation finals scheduled for 5 p.m. The
championship finals will follow.
   
Advancing to the semifinals for Wyoming Valley West were Mike Brennan
(112), Rob Trotter (125), Chris Mattello (135), J.J. Vasello (140), Doug Giza
(152), Joe Poplaski (171), Chad Coslett (189), and Jamie Sgarlat (HWT).
   
Advancing to the semifinals for Hazleton Area were Craig Kassick (103),
Mike Weston (112), Heath Pursell (119), Brad McCutcheon (125), Brian
Hutchinson (145), Chris Abboud (160), Jason Harman (189), and Dan Berlitz
(HWT).
   
Advancing for Coughlin were Shawn Wright (119), Alex Sperazza (125), Todd
Nichols (130), Brian Gerritty (145), Rich Lepore (152), Kris Everett (160),
and Jeff Slabinski (189).
   
Among the other semifinalists who will compete today are state placewinner
Frank Barbrie of Pittston Area (135) and defending champion Bob Farber of
Tunkhannock (145).
   
Class AAA
   
Team Standings
   
1. Wyoming Valley West 62
   
2. Hazleton Area 58
   
3. Coughlin 49.5
   
4. West Scranton 40
   
4. Honesdale 40
   
6. Abington Heights 38
   
7. Berwick 36
   
8. Nanticoke 30
   
9. Pittston Area 25
   
10. Deleware Valley 24
   
11. Tunkhannock 23
   
11. Scranton Prep 23
   
13. Scranton 13
   
CLASS AAA
   
RESULTS
   
QUARTERFINALS
   
103– Yates (Berwick) dec Gavin (W Scranton), 16-4; Kassick (Hazleton Area)
pinned Snyder (Deleware Valley), 3:05; Hunsberger (Honesdale) pinned Luce
(Coughlin), 3:32; Krantz (PA) dec Benson (Abington Hts), 8-0.
   
112– Brennan (WVW) pinned Skordensky (Nanticoke), 1:39; McVeigh (Abington
Hts) pinned Caliano (Scranton), 1:30; Rotundo (Honesdale) pinned Turi (W
Scranton), 3:31; Weston (Hazleton Area) pinned Alaimo (PA), 3:22.
   
119– Pursell (Hazleton Area) pinned Walsh (Tunkhannock), 1:59; Wright
(Coughlin) dec Johnson (Berwick), 4-2; Vitale (Nanticoke) ptech. fall Lazuka
(W Scranton), 4:45, 17-2; Kresge (Abington Hts) pinned Dorish (WVW) 1:01.
   
125– Cook (Abington Hts) pinned McNulty (Scranton), :24; Trotter (WVW) dec
Miller (W Scranton), 4-2; McCutcheon (Hazleton Area) pinned Buttaro (Deleware
Valley), 5:55; Sperazza (Coughlin) dec Knowles (Berwick), 9-1.
   
130– Nichols (Coughlin) pinned Margani (Berwick), 3:38; Pierson (Deleware
Valley) dec Chmiola (Tunkhannock), 6-3; O’Malley (Abington Hts) dec Doyle
(Hazleton Area), 12-9; Sheruda (Nanticoke) dec Williams (WVW), 8-7.
   
135– Barbrie (PA) tech. fall Kucirka (Coughlin), 5:58, 20-4; Lazuka (W
Scranton) pinned Rickard (Honesdale), 1:47; Matello (WVW) pinned Yakavonis
(Nanticoke), 2:47; Pierson (Deleware Valley) dec Dent (Berwick), 2-1.
   
140 — Mason (Berwick) pinned Rosenstein (Abington Hts), :32; Avery
(Honesdale) dec. Seeber (Delaware Val), 5-1; Vasello (WVW) pinned Clifford
(Hazleton Area Area), 5:30; Fox (W.Scranton) pinned Lynett (Scr.Prep), 2:34.
   
145 — Farber (Tunk) pinned Hughes (PA), 1:30; Hutchinson (Hazleton Area
Area) maj.dec. Hoffner (Scranton), 9-0; Meagher (Honesdale) pinned Kurilla
(W.Scranton), 3:09; Gerrity (Coughlin) pinned Tufano (Delaware Val), 3:10.
   
152 — Barbrie (PA) tech.fall Carroll (Berwick), 2:56; Lepore (Coughlin)
maj.dec. Hoffner (Scranton), 11-1; Evans (Abington Hts) maj.dec. Lamberton
(Honesdale), 15-2; Giza (WVW) pinned Tobin (Prep), 1:03.
   
160 — Everett (Coughlin) tech.fall Fortner (Abington Hts), 4:04, 16-1;
Abboud (Hazleton Area Area) dec. Lewis (PA), 8-6; Richie (Tunkhannock) dec.
Colone (Berwick), 10-6; Fotusky (Honesdale) dec. Coslett (WVW), 6-2.
   
171 — Poplaski (WVW) dec. Costible (Hazleton Area Area), 9-3; Patton
(Tunkhannock) dec. Kapelan (Coughlin), 1-0; Kashatus (Nanticoke) pinned Feik
(Honesdale), 3:05; Farrell (W.Scranton), 4:30.
   
189 — Coslett (WVW) pinned Kristyniak (W.Scranton), 4:32; Roberts
(Nanticoke) dec. Duke (Scranton Prep), 10-8; Slabinski (Coughlin) dec. Weaver
(Berwick), 7-3; Harman (Hazleton Area Area) pinned Nesgoda (PA), 2:40.
   
HWT — Sgarlat (WVW) 15-4; Kresge (W.Scranton) pinned Jackson (Coughlin),
1:00; Yzeik (Honesdale) dec. Shoener (Scranton), 7-5; Berlitz (Hazleton Area
Area) dec. Berry (Delaware Val), 7-6.