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Some vast changes for the Northeast Regional Tournaments were made in the offseason. Now it’s time see if those are beneficiary for the Wyoming Valley Conference.
In both classifications, the PIAA awarded each NE regional event a fourth state qualifier meaning just two wins for wrestlers in the Class 2A event at Williamsport High School will equal a state berth and a regional medal since medals will now be awarded to the top six instead of four in each weight.
In the 3A tournament, which is being held at Bethlehem’s Liberty High School, as few as three wins in the consolation brackets are needed to qualify for states now as opposed to four. While that may have gotten a little easier, Class 2A powerhouse Bethlehem Catholic has voluntarily jumped up to Class 3A making things just as tough as ever.
“Everyone says it’s the consolation prize that hey Becahi is coming to 3A, but we’re going to give you a fourth-place seed to states,” Hazleton Area coach Keith Maurer said. “Fourth place just makes the consolation semifinals the big match now. Before, you used to hold your breath before consy finals, now you’re holding your breath for two matches in the consy semis.”
The extra state qualifier isn’t the only big story heading into this round of the postseason. There are many more highlighted below.
CLASS 3A
Is District 11 down?
That’s highly unlikely since the competition is always very tough in the Lehigh Valley and the Poconos.
But an argument can be made since Becahi romped its way to a District 11 Duals championship winning every match by 30 or more points. Then the Golden Hawks went to state duals and settled for third in the school’s first season on the 3A level.
Also, looking at the regional brackets, there are no returning state champions from District 11 participating except for Bethlehem Catholic’s Jake Riegel (120) and Luke Karam (126), both in Class 2A. There’s just one state silver medalist back from D11 in Northampton’s Daniel Moran at 113. Normally the brackets are littered with state gold or silver medalists all over.
Don’t look past…
Every year there are a few Wyoming Valley Conference wrestlers who tend to go under the radar at regionals and squeak through the event to reach the state tournament or grab a few wins and make a run at states. These are athletes who are not seeded in the top two of their brackets.
This weekend there’s more than a few who are in position. One of them is Hazleton Area’s Chris Lasecki, who grabbed his first district title last weekend and has been wrestling very well of late at 113 pounds.
“At some point and time this year in the practice room, I saw a change in him. He started to work a little harder,” Maurer said. “His drilling was crisp. When he went on the mat, he seemed to have a lot more confidence.”
Speaking of confident, Dallas’ Cole Dixon (170 pounds) must be gleaming with confidence despite taking second at districts. He picked up a few wins at this stage last season and knows what it takes to be victorious at this level.
Like Dixon, Lasecki’s teammate Derek Spachman settled for second place at districts, but could have a favorable draw and has potential to be a sleeper.
Getting back there
One of the hardest things for a District 2 wrestler is a repeat return to the state tournament, especially in Class 3A going against tough District 11 grapplers.
Those from the district who are looking to get back to the state tournament in Class 3A are Hazleton Area’s Jimmy Hoffman (126), Wyoming Valley West’s Cody Cordes (160), Wallenpaupack’s Jared Wehrmann (182), Delaware Valley’s Matt Wagner (195) and Dallas’ Ryan Monk at 285.
CLASS 2A
D4 still a beast
All over the Northeast Regional brackets in Class 2A are state qualifiers and regional medalists from District 4. That’s more than evident in the brutal 138-pound and 145-pound brackets as each weight has four past state qualifiers from D4.
Headlining those names is Southern Columbia’s Kent Lane, a senior who has three state medals including state runner-up last season sitting atop 145.
Don’t sleep on…
Just like Class 3A, there are many WVC wrestlers who may be heading into this weekend’s tournament as a sleeper, according to many around the sport.
Starting with Wyoming Area’s Pat Heck (132), who lost a tough match in the district final, his first ever in the D2 tournament. It’s never easy to wrestle someone from Benton, and Heck sees Anthony Vitale in the first round, but Heck also has experience winning at regionals.
Nanticoke’s Derek Fisher (170) may have nine losses this season, but the senior has wrestled the toughest competitors he could all season. In a bracket with just one returning state qualifier from a year ago in Lake-Lehman’s Derek Dragon, Fisher can make some noise.
Getting back there
Three District 2 Class 2A wrestlers are attempting to make a return trip to the PIAA Championships this weekend. In addition to Dragon, Wyoming Area’s Charlie Johnson (126) and GAR’s Saul Wilkins (285) appear primed for another run.