Upsets the highlight of first day

TUNKHANNOCK – Some of the best kept secrets in the Wyoming Valley Conference are on display at the Tunkhannock Kiwanis Wrestling Tournament.

Take Noah Blackwell and Josh Popple, for example.

Blackwell, a GAR senior, and Popple, a sophomore at Coughlin, both entered their respective brackets as middle seeds, but left their marks during the first day of the tournament on Monday by going 2-0 and pulling off upsets to advance to today’s semifinals, which begin at 9:30 a.m. With wins in the semis, they will advance to the finals slated for approximately 5 p.m.

Blackwell, a 145-pounder, improved his record this season to 9-1 with a pin in 55 seconds over Susquehanna’s Shane Wolf, then knocked off Elk Lake’s Derek Green to move on.

Green finished third at the District 2 Class 2A event last year at 130, while Blackwell was fourth at 135.

Blackwell’s only loss this season is to Crestwood’s Jake O’Hara, who placed fourth in the state in Class 3A last March.

“Just by looking at him I could tell he was real strong,” Blackwell said of his first career match against Green. “I just tried to stay focused and do my stuff and not let him do anything because I’ve been in a lot of close matches this year.”

Blackwell, who was injured most of last season, will square off against Wyoming Seminary’s Justin Martinez when he hits the mat today. Martinez is one of 11 Blue Knights who advanced to the semifinals. Blackwell’s teammate Morgan Luton (125) also moved to the semifinals by going 2-0 on Monday.

Popple pulled off possibly the biggest upset of the quarterfinal round when he dispatched Honesdale standout Jake Arnone with a 7-4 win to advance to today’s semifinals, where he will face second-seeded Shane Stark from Lake-Lehman.

Arnone was District 2 Class 2A runner-up last year and entered that tournament last February with a 36-0 record before losing.

But Popple wasn’t intimidated. He stuck to his gameplan and pulled off the win by turning the senior over twice in the last 45 seconds to grab four back points. Popple was on top during the entire second and third periods and it worked to his advantage.

“I just knew that I was best on top and I outlasted him in the third period. I could tell because he was getting easier to turn,” said Popple, who took fifth at the District 2 Class 3A tournament last year.

Seminary, which recently placed second at the highly regarded Beast of the East Tournament, holds a 33-point lead on Wyalusing in the race for the team title. The Blue Knights entered 12 grapplers into the tourney and are advancing 11 into the final four of each bracket.

The most notable names for Seminary are Nicky Gordon (140) and Joe McMullan (215), who each have the opportunity to join a premier group and become a four-time champion at the event and help their team repeat as team champion.

“There are a lot of great teams and great tradition here,” Seminary coach John Gordon said. “If we were not to perform at a level we can here, people might dismiss the performance at the Beast. Hopefully our guys can come out (today) and set the tone in the semis for the rest of the day.”

Pittston Area, which is currently fifth in the standings with 103.50 points, is advancing seven to the semifinals in Michael Domarasky (112), Matt McAndrew (119), Cody Roccograndi (135), Chris Gugliotti (140), Bill Bidwell (160), Kris Gratalo (171) and Jason Laboranti (189).

Four wrestlers from Lake-Lehman moved on, while Tunkhannock and Dallas advanced two each.

Team Key: Coudersport (Coud); Coughlin (Cou); Dallas (Dal); Elk Lake (EL); GAR (GAR); Honesdale (Hon); Lackawanna Trail (LT); Lake-Lehman (LL); Montrose (Mon); Mountain View (MV); Pittston Area (PA); Pocono Mountain East (PME); Scranton (Scr); Scranton Prep (SP); Susquehanna (Sus); Towanda (Tow); Tunkhannock (Tun); Valley View (VV); Warren County, Virginia (WC); Western Wayne (WW); Wyalusing (Wya); Wyoming Seminary (WS)

Team Scores: 1. Wyoming Seminary 133.50; 2. Wyalusing 106.50; 3. Towanda 105.50; 4. Elk Lake 104.50; 5. Pittston Area 103.50; 6. Scranton 93; 7. Lake-Lehman 75; 8. Tunkhannock 70.50; 9. Honesdale 68.50; 10. Coughlin 63; 11. Warren County 59; 12. Dallas 58; 13. Pocono Mountain East 51; 14. Lackawanna Trail 50; 15. Scranton Prep 40; 16. GAR 33.50; 17. Susquehanna 27; 18. Valley View 18; 19. Coudersport 15; 20. Mountain View 14; 21. Montrose 13; 22. Western Wayne 10

119 – Zack Ripic (Tow) pinned Devin Maye (EL) 3:00; 145 – Mark Melero (Cou) pinned Joe Keen (WW) 1:39; Tom Desir (Scr) pinned Dan Coffee (Hon) 3:05; 152 – Louis Cornacchione (SP) pinned Andrew Huffsmith (LT) 3:39; Jerry Johnson (Hon) dec. Matt Hilstolsky (Dal) 4-1; Matt Thorne (Mon) dec. Hussam Moustafa (PME) 8-2; Charlie Bliss (Tun) pinned Kyle Canevaru (VV) 4:35; 160 – Matt Generotti (SP) pinned Lance Letteer (GAR) 2:22; Cody Curry (Tow) pinned Ryan Price (PME) 2:46; Blake Sparling (WC) pinned Armand Preschutti (VV) 4:35; 171 – Tyler McDonald (LL) Maj. Dec. R.J. Forbes (Tow) 15-2; Andy Freeman (EL) pinned Justin Wagner (Mon) 3:18; Eddie Helm (PME) pinned Jamie Ryan (SP) 3:08; 189 – Caleb Belcher (Wya) pinned John Farrell (LL) 3:27; Scott Masotti (PME) pinned Matt Rosensweet (WW) 3:30; 215 – John Skrzysowski (PA) dec. Kyle Paul (GAR) 5-1; Tim Gall (Sus) dec. Jeff Smith (Cou) 10-4; Scott Daube (Dal) pinned Joe Ayers (Coud) 1:35

285 – Jose Santana (Scr) pinned Ken Gregory (PA) 1:01; Seth Johnson (Tun) pinned Max Hatala (SP) 1:50; Shane Smith (Cou) pinned Damon Jaggars (WW) :52

103 – Evan Decker (WW) pinned Tom Himlin (Cou) 1:54; Todd Cummings (Scr) maj dec Pat Creedon (SP); Devon Emerson (LL) pinned Seth Schmidt (MV) :34; Dom Malone (WS) pinned Joseph Souza (WC) :34; Matt Evans (Hon) tech fall Troy Newhart (Wya) 16-1; Jamie Scarantino (PA) pinned John Joyce (VV) 1:01; 112 – Bryon Carter (LL) pinned Ian Mercado (Cou) :42; Cory Zimmerman (WC) pinned Joe Prednis (GAR) 1:45; Keaton Bennett (EL) dec Carl Jurkowski (Hon) 6-5; Pete Santarelli (VV) pinned Jay White (Mon) 5:17; Dale Maynard (Tow) pinned Patrick Lamberson (MV) 4:46; Josh Quirk (Scr) pinned Ricky Cruz (Wya) 1:18; Ray Yagloski (Tun) pinned Aaron Perez (Dal) 3:18; 119 – Kyle Johnson (WS) tech fall Zack Ripic (Tow) 17-2; Carlos Montero (Scr) pinned Sam Perry (LT) :30; Ryan Smith (Hon) dec. Josh Javitz (SP) 4-2; Bryan Brown (Wya) dec Frank Mahmoud (Cou) 5-3; Matt McAndrew (PA) dec. Scott Stout (PME) 10-4; Andrew Chorba (LL) maj dec Jim Stuart (GAR) 8-0; Don Joyce (VV) dec Trevor Proper (WC) 7-6; John Young (Dal) pinned Tyler Whipple (Mon) :46

125 – Zane McClskey (Wya) pinned Craige Smith (MV) 1:11; Joe Mitchell (PA) pinned Gustavo Curiel (PME) 3:10; Devon Fiorentino (EL) pinned Brian Delucca (Dal) 5:25; Tyler Sterba (Cou) pinned Mike Barber (Tun) :58; Caleb Wiley (Tow) pinned Brandon Biglin (VV) 1:35; Raphael Ingaglio (WW) dec Nick Nick Holinej (Mon) 8-4; Charlie Generotti (SP) dec. Sam Fiel (WC) 8-7; Morgan Luton (GAR) pinned Matt Mitchell (Hon) :32; 130 – Ryan Haraschak (Tun) pinned Ahmed Moustafa (PME) 1:03; Tannar Keeney (Tow) pinned John Munley (VV) 3:00; Joe Champluvier (Wya) Nick Vales (Sus) 3:15; Corey McNulty (Cou) pinned Shane McTernian (Scr) 4:46; Ryan Vogel (PA) pinned Griffith Walters (SP) :45; 135 – Cody Roccograndi (PA) dec Jason Carmanno (Scr) 3-1; Josh Manzer (MV) pinned Kyle Leijedal (Tow) 3:06; Devon Brown (WS) pinned Corey Monk (Dal) :19; Jon Lev y (Hon) pinned Paul Kasmierski (Tun) 3:28; Aaron Kenyon (Wya) pinned Matt LaManga (VV) 1:31; DP Miller (PME) maj dec Steve Turner (Cou) 12-3; Ryan Murphy (LL) pinned David Raudenbush (WC) 3:58; Alan Blaisure (EL) pinned Chris Dixon (LT) 2:28; 140 – Nicky Gordon (WS) tech fall Matt Murphy (PME) 21-6; Ryan Bolyard (EL) pinned Adam Paulauskas (LL) 3:56; Jeremy Robinson (WC) pinned Robert Skiba (Sus) 2:58; Cody Mosher (Wya) pinned Mitch Evans (GAR) 4:44; Sam Wiernusz (Tun) pinned Caleb Darling (LT) 1:16; Justin Desarro (Scr) pinned Tyler Chesko (VV) 1:21; Mike Rihl (Mon) pinned James Bright (Coud) 1:06; Chris Gugliotti (PA) pinned Sam Ackley (Tow) 1:43

145 –Justin Martinez (WS) pinned Frank Melero (Cou) 1:32; Dave Reed (Tun) pinned Craige Butler (MV) 3:43; Noah Blackwell (GAR) pinned Shane Wolf (Sus) :55; Derek Green (EL) pinned Mark Pachamovitch (LL) 3:46; Jon Lynn (LT) dec. Keith Howard (Wya) 3-2; Ryan Hotaling (Tow) pinned Nicco Cruciani (VV) 1:49; Christian Szot (Dal) pinned Andre Lopez (SP) 4:24; Tom Desir (Scr) dec. Matt Morningstar (WC) 8-4; 152 – Donovan Sarno (WS) pinned Louis Cornacchione (SP) 2:42; Dominick Lussi (PA) dec. Kyle Toth (WW) 7-4; Josh Lavelle (GAR) pinned Corey Brewer (MV) 2:52; Taylor Woznicki (Wya) tech fall Jerry Johnson (Hon) 15-0; Chris Rushmore (Coud) pinned Matt Thorne (Mon) 3:23; Caleb Spencer (Tow) pinned Robert Canby (WC) 1:03; Alex Shilling (Scr) pinned Rob Gulich (Cou) 3:36; Anthony Juser (EL) tech fall Charlie Bliss (Tun); 160 – Bryce Caiazzo (WS) maj dec Matt Generotti (SP) 15-3; Mike Cobb (Wya) dec Josh Harrison (WW) 5-1; bill Bidwell (PA) dec Colton Rosario (Tun) 8-6, OT; Steve Teaman (Scr) pinned Ben Capatch (Coud) 2:57; Jake Arnone (Hon) pinned Cody Curry (Tow) 4:17; Josh Popple (Cou) dec Mark Szot (Dal) 7-2, OT; Brent Salsman (EL) pinned Marvess Rosiak (LT) 1:21; Shane Stark (LL) pinned Blake Sparling (WC) :59; 171 – Jay Wieller (WS) pinned Tyler McDonald (LL) 3:39; Gage Steele (WC) pinned Garrett Cuevas (Sus) 4:37; Adam Goeringer (Dal) pinned Collin Farrell (LT) :59; Mike Clark (Wya) dec. Godfred Anyang (Scr) 6-5; Pete Mesko (Hon) pinned Andy Freeman (EL) 1:26; Mitch Wiernusz (Tun) pinned Joe Klinko (VV) 3:40; Dave Bronsburg (Cou) pinned Richie Williams (GAR) 3:44; Kris Gratalo (PA) dec Eddie Helm (PME) 9-5; 189 – Darin Rockwell (Tow) pinned Caleb Belcher (Wya) 4:42; Tucker Vail (LT) pinned James Rusch (GAR) :49; Seth Canfield (EL) pinned Nathan Schloder (Tun) 1:13; Luis Rivera (Hon) pinned Adam Ryan (SP) 2:38; Donald McNeil (WS) pinned Ethan Jones (Mon) 1:01; Carlos Cuevas (Sus) pinned Rich Keagle (Coud) 6:00; Pat Green (Cou) pinned Ben Bowser (WC) 1:52; Jason Laboranti (PA) pinned Scott Masotti (PME) 2:53; 215 – Je McMullan (WS) pinned John Skrzyowski (PA) 1:10; Matt Teaman (Scr) pinned Travis Burns (WW) :54; Pete Champluvier (Wya) pinned Mike Gardner (Mon) 2:37; Jake Eastman (EL) pinned John Johnson (SP) 4:20; Jesse Chesie (Tow) pinned Tim Gall (Sus) :58; Eric Laytos (LT) pinned Shane Venesky (VV) :45; Jimmy Redington (PME) pinned Dalton Derrick (Hon) 1:13; Roger Jayne (LL) dec Scott Daube (Dal) 5-3, OT

285 – Lance Moore (LT) pinned Jose Santano (Scr) 1:10; Ben Puza (WS) pinned James Brewer (Mon) :53; Frank Savastano (Hon) pinned Greg Josuweit (LL) 1:06; Aaron Rushin (PME) pinned Nigel Bowman (GAR) :08; Jarred Moore (WC) pinned Seth Johnston (Tun) 1:08; Mark Soltis (VV) dec Hunter Amidon (Coud) 2-0; Josh Ralston (EL) pinned Corey Adams (Wya) 2:07; Travis Chesla (Tow) pinned Shane Smith (Cou) 4:37

103 – Forba pinned Decker 2:17; Emerson pinned Cummings 1:39; Malone pinned Evans :21; Wheeler tech fall Scarantino 17-2; 112 – Domarasky pinned Carter 1:25; Bennett pinned Zimmerman 2:26; Santarelli dec Maynard 4-4, RO; Yagloski tech fall Quirk

119 – Johnson pinned Montero 3:04; Brown dec Smith 3-0; McAndrew maj dec Chorba 8-0; Young pinned Joyce :43; 125 – McClaskey maj dec Mitchell 17-4; Fiorentino pinned Sterba 4:45; Willey maj dec Ingaglio 17-3; Luton tech fall Generotti 28-13; 130 – Kitzis pinned Haraschak :47; Champluvier maj dec Keeney 13-1; Rosencrans dec McNulty 10-3; Bunce pinned Vogel 3:19

135 – Roccograndi pinned Manzer 5:14; Brown dec Levy 10-7; Kenyon pinned Miller 3:46; Blaisure dec Murphy 7-2; 140 – Gordon forfeit Boylard; Mosher pinned Robinson 4:49; Desarro dec Wiernusz 1-0; Gugliotti dec Rihl 7-2; 145 – Martinez tech fall Reed 16-1; Blackwell dec Green 5-4; Lynn tech fall Hotaling 3:42; Desir pinned Szot 3:30; 152 – Sarno dec Lussi 8-2; Woznicki pinned Lavelle 1:40; Spencer dec Rushmore 13-10; Juser pinned Shilling :19; 160 – Caiazzo dec Cobb 8-2; Bidwell maj dec Teaman 13-5; Popple dec Arnone 7-4; Stark maj dec Salsman 15-4; 171 – Wieller tech fall Steele 16-0; Goeringer dec Clark 3-1; Mesko tech fall Wiernusz 15-0l; Gratalo pinned Bronsburg 5:27; 189 – Rockwell pinned Vail 1:55; Canfield dec Rivero 9-8; McNeil pinned Cuevas 1:38; Laboranti pinned Green 1:51; 215 – McMullan tech fall Teaman 18-2; Eastman maj dec Champluvier 11-2; Chesie pinned Laytos :56; Jayne pinned Redington 2:39; 285 – Moore dec Puza 10-4; Savastano dec Rushin 10-9; Moore pinned Soltis 1:21; Chesla pinned Ralston 2:39

119 – Maye pinned Whipple 5:03; 145 – Morningstar pinned Keen :46; Melero pinned Coffee 2:17; 152 – Bliss pinned Andrew Huffsmith 3:35; Hilstolsky (Dal) pinned Thorne :26; Johnson dec Moustafa 7-0; Cornacchione pinned Canevari 3:39

160 – Sparling pinned Letteer 2:17; Price dec Capatch 7-2; Generotti pinned Preschutti :43

171 – Helm dec Forbes 6-3; Anyang pinned Wagner 3:04; McDonald pinned Ryan 2:06; 189 – Masotti pinned Farrell 3:29; Belcher pinned Rosensweet 1:58; 215 – Daube pinned Paul 2:22; Smith forfeit Johnson; Skrzysowski forfeit Ayers; 285 – Smith pinned Gregory 1:21; Bowman forfeit Hatala; Santana pinned Jaggars :19

103 – Newhart pinned Souza 4:56; Creedon pinned Schmidt :39; 112 – Perez dec Cruz 4-2; Lamberson dec White 4-3; Jurkowski pinned Prednis 2:43; 119 – Maye dec Proper 9-4; Stout maj dec Stuart 11-0; Javitz dec Mahmoud 4-1; Ripic pinned Perry 2:54 ; 125 – Mitchell dec fiel 10-8; Holinej pinned Biglin 2:42; Delucca pinned Barber 1:38; Curiel pinned Smith 3:37; 130 – Vales pinned Munley :16

135 – Dixon pinned Raudenbush 4:44; LaManga dec Turner 7-6; Monk pinned Kasmierski 3:28; Caramanno dec Leijedal 7-1; 140 – Bright def Ackley; Darling pinned Chesko 2:28; Evans pinned Skiba 1:22; Murphy pinned Paulauskas 4:25; 145 – Morningstar pinned Lopez 1:29; Howard pinned Cruciani :36; Wolf pinned Pachamovitch :37; Butler maj dec Melero 8-0; 152 – Bliss pinned Gulich 2:10; Hilstolsky maj dec Canby 11-0; Johnson dec Brewer 11-9; Toth pinned Cornacchione :53; 160 – Rosiak pinned Sparling 3:47; Curry dec Szot 7-5 OT; Rosario pinned Price 2:12; Generotti dec Harrison 3-2; 171 – Helm pinned Williams 2:30; Freeman pined Klinko 3:35; Anyang pinned Farrell 3:26; McDonald maj dec Cuevas 14-1; 189 – Masotti pinned Bowser 1:42; Keagle dec Jones 11-6; Ryan pinned Schloder 3:39; Belcher pinned Rusch :30; 215 – Daube dec Derrick 3-1; Gall pinned Venesky 2:35; Smith pinned Gardner 2:49; Skrzysowski dec Burns 6-2; 285 – Smith pinned Adams 1:18; Johnston pinned Amidon 1:24; Josuweit pinned Bowman :09; Santana pinned Brewer 2:22

103 – Cummings dec Joyce 7-0; Decker dec Newhart 8-4; Scarantino tech fall Creedon 15-0; Evans tech fall Himlin 15-0; 112 – Perez dec Zimmerman 5-2; Carter pinned Lamberson 1:58; Quirk pinned Jurkowski :16; Maynard maj dec Mercardo 11-0; 119 – Smith dec Maye 7-0; Stout dec Montero 7-1; Javitz maj dec Joyce 9-1; Ripic dec Chorba 6-0; 125 – Sterba maj dec Mitchell 10-2; Mitchell maj dec Holinej 13-2; Delucca dec Generotti 8-6; Ingaglio dec Curiel 9-8; 130 – Keeney pinned Walters 3:00; Vales forfeit Vogel; McNulty pinned Moustafa 1:44; 135 – Levy pinned Dixon 4:47; Manzer pinned LaMagna 4:07; Murphy dec Monk 4-2; Miller dec Caramarnno 7-1; 140 – Robinson forfeit Bright; Boylard dec Darling 2-1; Rihl pinned Evans 4:27; Wiernusz dec Murphy 7-0; 145 – Morningstar dec Green 10-3; Howard dec Reed 3-0; Szot pinned Wolf 1:40; Butler dec Hotaling 4-2; 152 – Bliss dec Lavelle 10-6; Lussi pinned Hilstolsky 2:17; Shilling dec Johnson 5-2; Rushmore pinned Cornacchione :32; 160 –Teaman pinned Rosiak 2:00; Cobb pinned Curry 2:28; Rosario dec Salsman 9-5; Generotti forfeit Arnone; 171 – Clark dec Helm 5-2; Steele pinned Freeman :39; Anyang maj dec Bronsburg 15-4; McDonald maj dec Wiernusz 10-1; 189 – Rivero pinned Masotti 2:09; Vail pinned Keagle :44; Ryan pinned Greeb :33; Cuevas pinned Belcher 3:34; 215 – Champluvier pinned Daube 1:29; Teaman pinned Gall :24; Smith pinned Redington 2:20; Laytos dec Skrzysowski 8-2; 285 – Rushin pinned smith :22; Puza pinned Johnson 3:42; Ralston pinned Josuweit :57; Santana pinned Soltis :38

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