PD Sports Briefs

Wrestling

By Jack Smiles jsmiles@psdispatch.com
Times Leader Staff Writer

The Pittston Area wrestling team may have lost a leader, role model and all-time great in Robbie Robinson, but they return a nice blend of young and experienced wrestlers including returning district champions Michael Domorasky (112), and Cody Roccograndi (135), runners up Chris Gugliotti (145), and Kris Gratalo (160), and Matt McAndrew (119), and Jason Laboranti (171), who were third and fourth in D-2 last season. Roccograndi is on course to get his 100th career wins this year.

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Opposite page, Top, PA’s Joe Mitchell, left, and Tristen Vanderlick. Bottom left, John Laboranti, on top, won at 215 to start the meet. Bottom right, Billy Bidwell, facing camera, won by pin at 160. This page, top PA’s Brian Dolan and WA’s John Ratajczak. PA, bottom left, Matt McAndrew won for PA at 119. Bottom right, Rich Gates, WA, and Rob Boney. Gates was one of two WA winners.

photos by steve hutz

click image to enlarge

Opposite page, Top, PA’s Joe Mitchell, left, and Tristen Vanderlick. Bottom left, John Laboranti, on top, won at 215 to start the meet. Bottom right, Billy Bidwell, facing camera, won by pin at 160. This page, top PA’s Brian Dolan and WA’s John Ratajczak. PA, bottom left, Matt McAndrew won for PA at 119. Bottom right, Rich Gates, WA, and Rob Boney. Gates was one of two WA winners.

photos by steve hutz

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Those wrestlers and some newcomers dominated Wyoming Area in the Wyoming Valley Conference opener for both teams on Wednesday in Exeter in a Division I-II crossover match.

Pittston Area is in D-I with Berwick, Coughlin, Crestwood, Hazleton, Lake Lehman, Valley West and Tunkhannock. WA is in D-II with GAR, Meyers, Nanticoke, Hanover and Dallas.

In Wednesday’s match, Michael Domarasky (112), Ryan Vogel (130), Cody Roccograndi (135), Paul Trczinski (140), Brian Dolan (145), Bill Bidwell (160) all won via fall for the Patriots, who won all but two bouts in a Pittston Area 65-12 win over the Warriors. Gratalo jumped up to 189 but WA forfeited him. Laboranti moved up to 215 where he opened the meet with a 10-3 decision over Joe Barush.

The Patriots – 4-2 in Division 1 and 13-7 overall last season -- pushed Hazleton Area to the limit twice last year and PA coach Matt Giampietro, in his 12th season, likes the Patriots chances this season. “We have a real nice nucleus of hard-working wrestlers with great attitudes. We’re pretty excited about the season.” The Patriots wrestle Hazleton on January 14, one of the must-see events in the WCV this season.

The Patriots have some flexibility in their line up. Tom Jarosky (112), Brandon Arias (119), Frank Lombardo (125), Mark Lizza (130), Matt Erfmann (135), A.J. Lafratte (145), Rob Boney (152), Shane Wesoloski (160), Bill Bidwell (160), Bob Falvo (189), and John Skrzyowski (215) give the Patriots depth.

Wyoming Area

The Warriors lost a lot of starters from last season -- 2-4 Division II, 6-11 overall -- including District champion Matt Managinello and third place winner Ted Lasher, but interest is high and the Warriors return a competitive team. They may not be ready to compete with the likes of Pittston Area, but the Warriors could pull off some surprises in Division II. The Warriors did win two bouts against PA with Rich Gates (171) and Will Thompson (285) getting pins for the Warriors. They were competitive in other bouts especially at 125 where PA’s Joe Mitchell had to score in the last 30 seconds to win 5-4 over Tristen Vanderlick in what was the most dramatic bout on Thursday. The Warriors put up a fight at 145 where John Ratajczak briefly got in position to pin Brian Dolan, who escaped and got a pin at 5:39.

In his 7th year John Ratajczak said, ““This year we look to compete for the Division II and District 2 wrestling championship. We have a great group of wrestlers that have been in our program for at least six years.”

WA Probable Lineup: 103: open; 112: Rob Whiting, jr.; 119: Nick Blackburn, jr. or Trevor Skene, so.; 125: Shamire Dixon, jr. or Tristan Vanderlick, jr. or Munier Snyder, sr.; 130: Anton Pechal, jr. or Eric Gustitus, sr.; 135: A.J. Lemardy, so.; 140: John Ratajczak, so.; 145: Taylor Palmer, so.; 152: Mike Schutz, sr.; 160: Tyler Bekanich, sr. or Matt Farber, sr. or Mike Wright, jr. or Dave Werner, jr.; 171: Tim Somers, so. or Rich Gates, jr.; 189: Joe Barush, sr. or Josh Stevens, so.; 215: Chris Miller, jr. or Lucas Stemba, jr.; 285: Will Thompson, sr.

PA-WA box score: 103: Jamie Scarantino (PA) won by forfeit; 112: Michael Domarasky (PA) pinned Rob Whiting 1:46; 119: Matt McAndrew (PA) tech fall Trevor Skene 3:06; 125: Joe Mitchell (PA) dec. Tristen Vanderlick 5-4; 130: Ryan Vogel (PA) pinned Shamir Dixon 1:36; 135: Cody Roccograndi (PA) pinned A.J. Lemardy 2:55; 140: Paul Trczinski (PA) pinned Anton Pechal 3:11; 145: Brian Dolan (PA) pinned John Ratajczak 5:39; 152: Dominic Lussi (PA) won by forfeit; 160: Bill Bidwell (PA) pinned Matt Farber 5:49; 171: Rich Gates (WA) pinned Rob Boney 1:51; 189: Kris Gratalo (PA) won by forfeit; 215: Jason Laboranti (PA) dec. Joe Barush 10-3; 285: Will Thompson (WA) pinned Ken Gregory 1:58.

Pittston Area schedule

Thu. Dec. 11 at Lehman (pp)

Sat. Dec. 20 vs. Dallas

Mon. Dec. 29 Kiwanas T.

Sat. Jan. 3 State College T.

Thu. Jan. 8 vs. Coughlin

Fri. Jan. 9 vs. Crestwood

Sat. Jan. 10 Central Mtn. Duels

Wed. Jan. 14 Hazleton

Sat. Jan. 17 Berwick

Wed. Jan. 21 Tunkhannock

Fri. Jan. 23 at Valley West

Sat. Jan. 24 Concrete Duels

Wyoming Area schedule

Fri. Dec. 19 at V. View (pp)

Mon. Dec. 22 vs. W. Scranton

Sat. Dec. 27 Jim Thorpe T.

Mon. Jan. 5 at Danville

Wed. Jan. 7 at Meyers

Sat. Jan. 10 vs. Dallas

Wed. Jan 14 vs. GAR

Tues. Jan. 20 at Nanticoke

Wed. Jan 21 vs. Hanover

Fri. Jan 23 at Lack. Trail Duals

Wed. Jan 28 at Scranton Prep

Sat. Jan 7 vs. Lehighton

Thurs. Feb 12 at Montrose

Post season

Fri. Jan. 30 District Duels

Sat. Jan. 31 District Duels

Fri. Feb. 20 D-II Champ.

Sat. Feb. 21 D-II Champ.

Fri. Feb. 27 Regionals

Sat. Feb. 28 Regionals

Fri. Mar. 6 States