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Jaden Pepe has had the ultimate individual accomplishment for a Pennsylvania high school wrestler.
Saturday, he continued that personal success, while being joined by a group of teammates in helping Wyoming Area rise through the ranks of Wyoming Valley Conference wrestling.
Pepe was named Outstanding Wrestler, two teammates joined him as titlists and another two made the finals as the Warriors took the team title of the WVC Tournament by outscoring defending Division 1 champion Hazleton Area, 190½-183, Saturday at Wilkes-Barre Area High School.
The defending state Class 2A champion won the 126-pound title in the last bout of the night and received the award minutes later.
“That was nice,” said Pepe, who was the OW of last season’s District 2 Class 2A Tournament. “It means a lot.”
Fellow unbeaten Cooper Price (152) and once-beaten freshman Anthony Evanitsky (145) also won titles for the Warriors.
Connor Wrobleski (189) and Nate Obrzut (285) also reached the final.
“They’re all hard workers,” Pepe said. “I’m proud.
“They go hard every day.”
So hard that they have continued Wyoming Area’s climb to the point where the team now also leads the Division 2 standings.
Once a top-heavy team that was more dangerous in tournaments, the Warriors are now a more balanced group also capable of winning dual meets.
The Warriors went from 5-19 in duals in 2018-19 to 6-14 in 2019-20 to 5-3 in the shortened 2021 season. They are off to a 9-4 start overall this season.
Wrobleski was also unbeaten until losing the top matchup of the final.
Two-time District 2 Class 3A champion and returning state medal-winner Bryce Molinaro from Hazleton Area edged three-time district Class 2A champion Wrobleski, 2-0, in a meeting of wrestlers who already surpassed the 100-victory mark for their careers earlier this season.
“I knew he was a tough opponent,” Molinaro said. “I knew what I had to do to win that match and I stuck to my game plan and it worked.”
Molinaro escaped immediately in the second period, then rode out Wrobleski in the entire third period, eventually tacking on a penalty point when Wrobleski was called for stalling.
“The third period I had the mindset of keep him down and turn him maybe,” Molinaro said. “I just wanted to be a bulldog on top. That’s what I did.
“It worked out and I wound up winning the match.”
Wyoming Area and Hazleton Area battled for the team lead most of the day, but the Warriors had opened the lead prior to that bout.
Hazleton Area, Wyoming Valley West and Pittston Area each had two champs.
Simon Zamudio added another Hazleton Area shutout in the finals at 113.
Dorian Hoffman and Zander Remakus gave Wyoming Valley West titles in two of the three lightest weight classes, winning right before and after Zamudio.
Julian Everitt opened the finals with a 34-second pin for Pittston Area and Jimmy Spindler also won at 160.
Other champs were Hanover Area’s Zach Murphy (138), Wilkes-Barre Area’s Jayden Pahler (172), Crestwood’s Magnus Bibla (215) and Berwick’s Bruce Hartman (285).
WVC TOURNAMENT
Team Standings
1, Wyoming Area (WA) 190½; 2, Hazleton Area (Haz) 183; 3, Crestwood (Cr) 124½; 4, Lake-Lehman (LL) 124; 5, Wyoming Valley West (119), 6, Berwick (B) 116; 7, Pittston Area (PA) 101½; 8, Hanover Area (Han) 82, 9, Wilkes-Barre Area (WBA) 43; 10, Nanticoke (N) 39; Dallas (D) 35.
Preliminary Round
145 – Jimmy Mitkowski (LL) pinned Adam Zarola (D), 3:51; Devin Youngcourt (Haz) pinned James Barrett (Cr), 1:01; Anthony Evanitsky (WA) pinned Tanner Pearson (WVW), 0:30.
172 – Braydon Crossley (WA) pinned Nate Deyo (D), 3:49.
215 – Chase Whitman (Han) pinned Rex Hrabal (WBA), 5:24; Magnus Bibla (Cr) pinned Xzavyier Blackshear (PA), 1:22.
Quarterfinals
106 – Connor Novakowski (WA) dec. Derek Warman (Han), 4-0; Adam Shotwell (N) pinned Oscar Ciriaco (PA), 1:16.
113 – Louden Giza (WVW) pinned Fionn Ellis (LL), 1:16; Sam Jeckell (Cr) pinned Tyler Mizell (WBA), 1:32; Simon Zamudio (Haz) pinned Aiden Jennings (D), 0:41; Jonathan Healey (PA) pinned John Chiampi (WA), 0:54.
120 – Lucas Bodnar (Haz) tech. fall over Zach Sheridan (WA), 18-2, 4:58; Kyle Winter (B) pinned Amir Tate (WBA), 1:18.
126 – Jorven Rodriguez (Haz) pinned Kevin Roby (PA), 0:29; Lucas Tirpak (D) dec. Isaiah Parker (WBA), 8-0.
132 – Julian Everitt (PA) pinned Edo Rodriguez (Haz), 1:48; Aiden Fitzgibbon (WBA) dec. Noah Moran (D), 6-3; Jonathan Stone (WA) dec. Caleb Hoffman WVW), 5-3; Santino Casserella (Cr) dec. Brandon Ritinski (LL), 8-2.
138 – Jared Wolk (Haz) pinned Lucas Macking (WBA), 0:26; Tyler Winter (B) pinned Ethan Zabroski (Cr), 1:56; Zach Murphy (WBA) pinned Gia Larson (WA), 1:47.
145 – Aiden Jaskulski (N) pinned Jimmy Mitkowski (LL), 0:31; Devin Youngcourt (Haz) pinned Colin Klein (Han), 1:51; Dominic Innamorati (PA) dec. Braylon Hawkins (B), 6-1; Anthony Evanitsky (WA) pinned Keenan Fernandez (WBA), 1:15.
152 — Stanley Jimson (Haz) pinned Luke Hoffman (WVW), 4:15; Reilley Kirkutis (LL) pinned Sean Murphy (PA), 2:42; Aidan Shamaski (WBA) pinned Natalie Olarte (WBA), 1:33.
160 – Jayden Shortz (WBA) pinned Joel Melo (Haz), 1:30; Rocco Pizano (WA) pinned Logan Jasnoski (Cr), 1:24.
172 – Jayden Pahler (WBA) pinned Logan Rolles (Cr), 4:55; Jonas Aponick (Haz) pinned Christian Torres (Han), 4:45; Mason Sgarlat (WVW) pinned Ben Knorr (B), 1:13; Josh Ryan (LL) pinned Braydon Crossley (WA), 1:45.
189 – Liam Carroll (B) dec. Dan Sabulski (D), 11-5; Lincoln Bibla (Cr) pinned Kevin Hower (PA), 1:57;
Connor Wrobleski (WA) pinned Andre Reyes (WBA), 0:26.
215 – Trystan English (B) pinned Chase Whitman (WBA), 0:12; Peter Youngcourt (Haz) pinned John Pashinski (N), 3:08; Magnus Bibla (Cr) pinned John Mclaughlin (WVW), 2:34; Aaron Crossley (WA) pinned J.D. Jennings (D), 1:44.
285 – Bruce Hartman (B) pinned Jake Mills (PA), 0:51; Chris Smolenak (Cr) pinned Alexander Kauffman (WBA), 4:39; Chad Honeywell (LL) pinned Matt Faust (WBA), 4:37; Nate Obrzut (WA) pinned Juan Fabian (Haz), 3:42.
Semifinals
106 – Lexia Schechterly (LL) pinned Connor Novakowski Exeter, PA (Wyoming Area), 3:14; Dorian Hoffman (WVW) pinned Adam Shotwell (N), 4:36.
113 – Louden Giza (WVW) dec. Sam Jeckell (Cr), 4-0; Simon Zamudio (Haz) pinned Jonathan Healey (PA), 1:07.
120 – Zander Remakus (WVW) dec. Lucas Bodnar (Haz), 8-2; Kyle Winter (B) pinned Dominic Bernardi (PA), 4:24.
126 – Jaden Pepe (WA) dec. Jorven Rodriguez (Haz), 18-8; Ian Ratchford (WVW) dec. Lucas Tirpak (D), 18-4.
132 – Julian Everitt (PA) pinned Aiden Fitzgibbon (WBA), 0:48; Santino Casserella (Cr) dec. Jonathan Stone (WA), 13-5.
138 – Kevin Burke (LL) pinned Jared Wolk (Haz), 3:55; Zach Murphy (Han) pinned Tyler Winter (B), 4:30.
145 – Devin Youngcourt (Haz) pinned Aiden Jaskulski (N), 1:50; Anthony Evanitsky (Scr) pinned Dominic Innamorati (PA), 1:20.
152 – Cooper Price (WA) pinned Stanley Jimson (Haz), 0:32; Aidan Shamaski (Han) dec. Reilley Kirkutis (LL), 8-0.
160 – Jimmy Spindler (PA) pinned Jayden Shortz (Han), 0:53; Mason Konigus (LL) pinned Rocco Pizano (WA), 3:23.
172 — Jayden Pahler (WBA) dec. Jonas Aponick Hazleton, PA (Hazleton Area), 8-0; Josh Ryan (LL) pinned Mason Sgarlat (WVW), 2:43.
189 – Bryce Molinaro (Haz) pinned Liam Carroll (B), 3:02; Connor Wrobleski (WA) pinned Lincoln Bibla (Cr), 2:43.
215 – Trystan English (B) pinned Peter Youngcourt (Haz), 2:54; Magnus Bibla (Cr) pinned Aaron Crossley (WA), 3:58.
285 – Bruce Hartman (B) dec. Chris Smolenak (Cr), 7-1; Nate Obrzut (WA) pinned Chad Honeywell (LL), 2:56.
Finals
132 – Julian Everitt (PA) pinned Santino Casserella (Cr), 0:34.
138 – Zach Murphy (Han) dec. Kevin Burke (LL), 15-1.
145 – Anthony Evanitsky (WA) tech. fall over Devin Youngcourt (Haz), 17-2, 3:44.
152 – Cooper Price (WA) pinned Aidan Shamaski (Han), 0:51.
160 – Jimmy Spindler (PA) dec. Mason Konigus (LL), 5-0.
172 – Jayden Pahler (WBA) pinned Josh Ryan (LL), 2:55.
189 – Bryce Molinaro (Haz) dec. Connor Wrobleski (WA), 2-0.
215 – Magnus Bibla (Cr) tech. fall over Trystan English (B), 19-4, 6:00.
285 – Bruce Hartman (B) pinned Nate Obrzut (WA), 1:50.
106 – Dorian Hoffman (WVW) dec. Lexia Schechterly (LL), 5-3.
113 – Simon Zamudio (Haz) dec. Louden Giza (WVW), 4-0.
120 – Zander Remakus (WVW) dec. Kyle Winter (B), 9-0.
126 – Jaden Pep (WA) pinned Ian Ratchford (WVW) 3:15.
Third-place matches
106 – Adam Shotwell Nanticoke (N) dec. Connor Novakowski (WA), 7-1; 113 – Sam Jeckell (Cr) dec. Jonathan Healey (PA), 8-4; 120 – Lucas Bodnar (Haz) dec. Zach Sheridan (WA), 8-4; 126 – Jorven Rodriguez (Haz) dec. Lucas Tirpak (D), 7-3; 132 – Edo Rodriguez (Haz) pinned Brandon Ritinski (LL), 1:22; 138 – Tyler Winter (B) dec. Ethan Zabroski (Cr), 7-1. 145 – Dominic Innamorati (PA) dec. Aiden Jaskulski (N), 8-4; 152 – Stanley Jimson (Haz) dec. Reilley Kirkutis (LL), 8-3; 160 – Rocco Pizano (WA) pinned Logan Jasnoski (Cr), 4:35; 172 – Mason Sgarlat (WVW) dec. Jonas APonick (Haz), 8-2; 189 – Lincoln Bibla (Cr) pinned Liam Carroll (B), 0:39; 215 – Aaron Crossley (WA) pinned John McLaughlin (WVW), 1:43; 285 – Chris Smolenak (Cr) dec. Chad Honeywell (LL), 4-0.
Fifth-place matches
106 – Derek Warman (Han) pinned Oscar Ciriaco (PA), 2:22; 113 – Aiden Jennings (D) pinned Fionn Ellis (LL), 4:08; 120 – Dominic Bernardi (PA) pinned Amir Tate (WBA), 1:35; 126 – Isaiah Parker (WBA) dec. Kevin Roby (PA), 6-0; 132 – Jonathan Stone (WA) pinned Aiden Fitzgibbon (WBA), 1:00; 138 – Jared Wolk (Haz) by forfeit over Lucas Macking (WBA); 145 – Braydon Hawkins (B) pinned Colin Klein (Han), 0:30; 152 – Luke Hoffman (WVW) pinned Sean Murphy (PA), 1:23; 160 – Jayden Shortz (Han) dec. Joel Melo (Haz), 18-9; 172 – Ben Knorr (B) dec. Logan Rolles (Cr), 2-1 (TB2); 189 – Dan Sabulski (D) pinned Kevin Hower (PA), 4:13; 215 – Peter Youngcourt (Haz) pinned John Pashinski (N), 1:31; 285 – Alexander Kauffman (Han) pinned Juan Fabian (Haz), 0:43.