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BETHLEHEM — Derek Spachman has been wrestling a long time and hasn’t quite got the best results.
Now, as a senior at Hazleton Area everything it starting to click at the right time.
Spachman won two matches on Friday night at the Class 3A Northeast Regional Tournament and is one of five Wyoming Valley Conference wrestlers to reach today’s semifinals, which begin at 11 a.m. Semifinal winners move on to the finals, which are set for 5 p.m. and will be run simultaneously with the third and fifth-place bouts.
Spachman didn’t appear to have much trouble on Friday starting his day with a technical fall over Pocono Mountain West’s Dishon Springer in the preliminary round then grabbing an 8-1 decision in the quarterfinals to beat Bethlehem Catholic’s Jody Crouse and with a win this morning against Stroudsburg’s John Jakobsen, the bracket’s top seed, he will reach the state tournament for the first time in his career.
“I’ve never been so nervous before. That’s by far the biggest match I’ve ever had in my career,” Spachman said. “This is a new level and it’s setting me up for the final level of high school wrestling.
“A huge weight has been lifted off my back. I can come in tomorrow with a new found confidence.”
Despite taking second at last weekend’s District 2 Tournament, Spachman knew he had a chance entering this event at Liberty High School because his loss at districts was to Wallenpaupack’s Jared Wehrmann, a state qualifier from last year.
“I gave Wehrmann a good match,” he said. “Being on the district level, that gave me a nice confidence boost although I did lose, I gave him a run for his money.
“Just gotta win one more and I make it, that’s all there is. Anything after that, that’s awesome.”
Joining Spachman as first-time regional semifinalists are his teammate Jimmy Hoffman (126 pounds) and Crestwood 138-pounder Dan Ritz.
Dallas 285-pounder Ryan Monk and Wyoming Valley West’s Cody Cordes (160) are regional semifinalists now multiple times in their careers.
Although he was a state qualifier last year, Hoffman had to fight his way back through the consolation round to take third. On Friday, he had just one bout and knocked off Freedom’s Jonah Zych for the second time this season, this time 9-1 to advance the semis. Hoffman will face Parkland’s Jacob Lizak in the bracket’s final four with a state berth on the line. Lizak placed fifth in the state last season.
“It was a good match. I just dominated on my feet,” Hoffman said. “(A major decision) means I’m that much better than the rest of the pack. “
Ritz had perhaps the most dramatic quarterfinal match of the semifinalists from the WVC. He was trailing Northampton’s Travis Stefanik by one point late in the third period and was on the bottom. Ritz knew he had to do something. Then as Stefanik attempted to turn Ritz and pick up back points, Ritz grabbed Stefanik’s head and managed a reversal for two points to win 4-3 and reach the semifinals where he will take on Easton’s Jacob Montes, the District 11 runner-up. Earlier in the match, Ritz used the same move for a reversal.
“You hate those kinda matches cuz you’d rather just go out there and pin him but you gotta win those close ones too,” Ritz said. “I’m thinking I haven’t got out all period, what am I gonna do? I tried everything, I couldn’t get out and I figured I’d try the same reversal I got in the second period and it worked.”
Monk, now a three-time regional semifinalist, was also in a close quarterfinal tied with Cordell Cotto from Freedom. Tied late in the third period, Monk picked up his second takedown of the match to win 4-2. In today’s semis, he will see Pleasant Valley’s Ahmad Curtis, who is accountable for one of Monk’s three losses this season winning at the Lackawanna Trail Duals last month.
Just like his district tournament, Cordes looked dominant once again in his lone match on Friday. The Spartan senior, who was a state qualifier last season, had a bit of a slow start against Southern Lehigh’s Richard Frable before romping to the technical fall with a score of 17-1.
Cordes, a regional finalist last year, faces Emmaus’ Cole Franklin in the semis. Franklin got a tough match from Coughlin’s Brandon Butry in the quarters winning 7-3.
It’s the experience of getting to this point last year at regionals and advancing to the PIAA Championships that helps give that extra push this time around, Cordes said.
“Last year, being in this environment with the good kids and making it to states helps you out a bit winning some matches here,” he said.
A total of 11 wrestlers from District 2 reached the regional semis, while three No. 2 seeds from the district fell in the quarters.
Those who lost in the quarters will wrestle this morning at 9:30 in the second round of consolations trying to advance their way through the consolation bracket and get to the PIAA Championships by finishing in the top four.
Class 3A Northeast Regional Tournament Results
(at Liberty H.S., Bethlehem)
Team Scores: 1. Bethlehem Catholic (BC) 87.5; 2. Freedom (Free) 51.5; 3. Liberty (Lib) 45; 4. Nazareth (Naz) 42; 5. Northampton (North) 37; 6. Scranton (Scr) 34.5; 7. Easton (East), Parkland (Park) 33; 9. Wallenpaupack (Wall) 23; 10. Hazleton Area (Haz) 21.5; 11. Emmaus (Emm) 21; 12. St. Joseph’s (SJ) 19; 13. Delaware Valley (DV) 18.5; 14. Stroudsburg (Str) 17.5; 15. Dallas (Dal) 17; 16. Pleasant Valley (PV) 16; 17. Archbishop Wood (AW), Dieruff (Dier) 15; 19. Whitehall (White), Pottsville (Potts) 14; 21. Southern Lehigh (SL), West Scranton (WS) 13; 23. Father Judge (FJ) 12; 24. Tunkhannock (Tun) 10; 25. Blue Mountain (BM), Coughlin (Cou) 9; 27. Wyoming Valley West (WVW) 8.5; 28. George Washington (GW) 8; 29. Crestwood (Cre), Mariana Bracetti (MB) 7; 31. LaSalle (Las) 5
Preliminaries
106 — Stephen Veneziale (AW) pinned Pat Clarke (Cou) 3:38; Nick Dolak (Park) forfeit Zachary Robles (Cen); Tim McCall (FJ) maj dec Keith Maurer (Haz) 14-1; Sean Redington (BC) pinned Nicholas Palermo (SJ) :57; Tyson Klump (Naz) pinned Michael McLaren (Las) :24
113 — Dakota Conner (Ber) maj de Mike Metzger (FJ) 12-2; Dylan Brown (Free) tech fall Dom Divirgilio (DV) 19-2, 4:38; Alex Shaffer (AW) maj dec Duncan Waite (SJ) 8-0; Chris Lasecki (Haz) maj dec Zach Ortman (Park) 8-0; KJ Fenstenmacher (Lib) tech fall John Wuffen (Frank) 22-6; Luke Carty (BC) maj dec Wayne Smith (WVW) 20-6
120 — Jake Reigel (BC) maj dec Nick Yankoski (Cou) 9-1; Mike Scheetz (North) pinned Andrew Mimm (AL) :47; Jason Jacobi (PV) dec Jimmy Forsette (WS) 8-3; Sammy Sasso (Naz) tech fall Zach Shaffer (AW) 22-7, 2:25; Anthony Martoccio (Haz) dec Jonathan Guervara (Cent) 6-5; Luke Gardner (Potts) tech fall Charles Wallace (AR) 18-3, 3:48
126 — Dakota Quick (Tun) pinned Alexandre DeSouza (NE) 3:42; Richard Bentz (Potts) pinned Greg Nau (FT) 4:35; Travis Smith (Naz) dec James Fayocavitz (AH) 9-8; Trevor Elfvin (FJ) maj dec Josh Brown (Cou) 9-1; Jacob Lizak (Park) pinned Brett Yoos (AW) 2:44; Jonah Zych (Free) pinned John Pires (SJ) 2:49
132 — PJ Testino (DV) tech fall Brandon Bravo (Cent) 15-0, 2:25; Lucas Schaf (Emm) maj dec Bobby Hawkins (Cou) 10-1; Joey Gould (BC) maj dec Daniel Gunan (SJ) 13-3; Rui Evanitsky (Scr) pinned Chris Filice (Las) 1:11; Brock Wilson (Naz) forfeit Jonathan Wojtiw (FT); Todd Hetrick (North) maj dec Bubba Novak (WS) 10-0
138 — Bill Manley (Tun) dec Andrew McLaren (Las) 10-5; Kyle Mallon (FJ) dec Jordan Kloiber (PME) 4-2; John Ritter (Lib) tech fall Aidan McNally (Scr) 15-0, 2:42; Billy Pearn (DV) dec Ronald Palmer (MB) 8-4; Jacob Montes (East) maj dec Connor Waite (SJ) 13-3; Travis Stefanik (Naz) pinned Larry Lewis (Cent) 2:36
145 — Dan Mitchell (WS) pinned Michael Lewis (COH) 3:08; Adam Evans (Free) pinned Tyler Ricco (RC) :38; Mike Manley (Tun) dec Chris Martinez (PMW) 5-4; Xavier Barber (Dal) dec Adam White (FJ) 6-2; Cole Karam (BC) pinned Kareem Fuller (SP) :47; Ronald Nguyen (Dier) pinned Gerrit Rosciolo (Cent) 3:56
152 — Jake Cole (Cou) forfeit Vincent Roscioli (Cent); Charles Sell (Bang) dec Kyle Kroptavich (WS) 6-0; Kazim Bakhriyev (Scr) tech fall Anthony Armstrong (FJ) 18-3; Shane Jones (Str) tech fall Frank Masi (AR) 18-3; Cade Moisey (North) tech fall Joel Corpening (AW) 15-0; Ricky Fornaciari (Naz) dec Nick Carr (AH) 7-5
160 — Richard Frable (SL) pinned Luke Ratchford (Las) :56; Brandon Butry (Cou) dec Isa Dalipaj (GW) 8-6; Cole Franklin (Emm) pinned Joar Dahn (RC) 14-9; Andrew Burgette (Scr) maj dec josh Coleman (Naz) 13-5; Dalton Ray (Tun) dec Nick Reidy (FJ) 8-3
170 — Jake Young (Free) pinned Nate Maczuga (Ber) 2:38; Cole Dixon (Dal) pinned Craig Duren (MLK) :53; Frank Guida (Park) pinned Thomas Rola (AR) 3:09; Niyaz Bakradze (Scr) dec Brody Keefe (PV) 5-2; Devon Krammes (BM) pinned Josh Mitchell (RC) 1:30; Todd Frick (Wall) pinned Jumaane Howard (Cent) 2:18
182 — Chris Duncan (DV) pinned Michael Leyland (RC) 5:41; Jody Crouse (BC) pinned Mark Khavinson (GW) 3:57; Derek Spachman (Haz) tech fall Dishon Springer (PMW) 15-0, 4:00; William Burger (FJ) pinned Isaiah Burgette (Scr) 4:57; Jayden Reyes (Dier) pinned Matt Murray (AW) 2:36; Brad Schuler (White) pinned Leoner Garcia (MB) 1:26
195 — Brandon Blobe (BC) pinned Bayram Temirov (GW) :22; Julius Santos (MB) pinned Anthony Sylvester (AH) 5:46; Thomas Alcaro (Emm) pinned Olajide Soyinka (Cent) 1:34; Trent Thomas (PV) dec Anthoy Piscopo (Las) 5-4; Joey Gladish (White) maj dec Jerome Haupt (Wall) 9-1; James Geiger (Dal) forfeit Sean Armstrong (FJ)
220 — Giorgi Ebanoidze (GW) dec AJ Seiber (DV) 2-1; Josh Newhart (Free) dec Josh Reoun (North) 4-0; Walter Ortiz (Naz) pinned Kyle Hartman (Wall) 2:37; Santino Pelusi (Las) pinned Simon Ubera (Scr) 1:36; Andrew Gunning (Lib) pinned Ryan Kidwell (AR) 4:12; Jason Kocher (North) pinned Michael Rodriguez (AL) 1:15
285 — John McCarthy (DV) dec Theodore Tootle (AL) 12-5; Kyle Gildner (Lib) dec Garrett Zobel (Las) 5-3; Jeremy Candelario (PME) dec Kamron VanWert (WS) 3-2 UTB; Stephane Eugene (GW) pinned Brandon Goodlavage (PA) 1:15; Ahmad Curtis (PV) pinned Miles Mimms (OC) 2:37; Cordell Cotto (Free) pinned Jason Barish (AW) :39
Quarterfinals
106 — Luke Werner (Lib) pinned Veneziale (AW) :11; Corallo (East) dec Dolak (Park) 3-2; Redington (BC) dec McCall (FJ) 7-0; Klump (Naz) maj dec Stefhen Caple (WS) 14-2
113 — Daniel Moran (North) pinned Conner (Ber) 2:24; Brown (Free) dec Shaffer (AW) 7-4; Fenstenmacher (Lib) maj dec Lasecki (Haz) 16-2; Carty (BC) dec Matt McLaren (Las) 6-0
120 — Sean Lyons (SJ) dec Reigel (BC) 10-3; Scheetz (North) tech fall Jacobi (PV) 15-0, 5:14; Sasso (Naz) tech fall Martoccio (Haz) 18-3, 2:36; Gardner (Potts) tech fall Jimmy Wright (WVW) 20-4, 3:19
126 — Luke Karam (BC) pinned Quick (Tun) 2:47; Smith (Naz) maj dec Bentz (Potts) 14-3; Lizak (Park) maj dec Elfvin (FJ) 15-2; Jimmy Hoffman (Haz) maj dec Zych (Free) 9-1
132 — Evan Fidelibus (East) pinned Testino (DV) 1:35; Gould (BC) dec Schaf (Emm) 4-3; Evanitsky (Scr) dec Wilson (Naz) 6-5; Chad Haegele (AW) dec Hetrick (North) 10-7
138 — Stephen Maloney (BC) pinned B. Manley (Tun) 1:39; Ritter (Lib) pinned Mallon (FJ) 3:55; Montes (East) dec Pearn (DV) 5-1; Dan Ritz (Cre) dec Stefanik (Naz) 4-3
145 — James Saylor (East) pinned Mitchell (WS) 2:30; Evans (Free) dec M. Manley (Tun) 7-4; Karam (BC) dec Barber (Dal) 9-5; Chase Gallik (Wall) pinned Nguyen (Dier) 4:45
152 — Michael Labriola (BC) pinned Cole (Cou) 3:35; Jones (Str) dec Sell (Bang) 3-2; Bakhriyev (Scr) dec Moisey (North) 7-5; Robert Endy (SJ) maj dec Fornaciari (Naz) 12-2
160 — Cody Cordes (WVW) tech fall Frable (SL) 17-2; Franklin (Emm) dec Butry (Cou) 7-3; Burgette (Scr) dec LaBar (Bang) 16-10; Adam Soldridge (BC) dec Ray (Tun) 4-2
170 — Young (Free) dec Idris White (FJ) 5-3; Guida (Park) dec Dixon (Dal) 8-3; Krammes (BM) dec Bakradze (Scr) 9-3; Matthew Mirth (SL) pinned Frick (Wall) 2:57
182 — John Jakobsen (Str) pinned Duncan (DV) 1:58; Spachman (Haz) dec Crouse (BC) 8-1; Reyes (Dier) pinned Burger (FJ) 5:53; Jared Wehrmann (Wall) dec Schuler (White) 9-5
195 — Matt Wagner (DV) dec Blobe (BC) 3-0; Alcaro (Emm) dec Santos (MB) 3-1, OT; Gladish (White) pinned Thomas (PV) 4:59; John Callahan (Free) dec Geiger (Dal) 7-6
220 — Omar Haddad (Park) d. Ebanoidze (GW); Newhart (Free) maj dec Ortiz (Naz) 14-5; Gunning (Lib) dec Pelusi (Las) 5-2; Kocher (North) pinned Jake Vaxmonsky (PA) 1:35
285 — Andrew Dunn (BC) tech fall McCarthy (DV) 24-9, 3:06; Gildner (Lib) dec Candelario (PME) 3-0; Curtis (PV) dec Eugene (GW) 3-1; Ryan Monk (Dal) dec Cotto (Free) 4-2