This column was originally published in the March 6, 2013 print edition of The Mercury.

Upper Perkiomen's Wolfgang McStravick
made his third appearance at the PIAA Championships.
(Mercury File Photo/Photo/Tom Kelly III)

HERSHEY – A history book on Pioneer Athletic Conference wrestling at the PIAA Championships would be a good read, perhaps the quintessential novel with chapters detailing the heartbreak and obvious disappointment of defeat, others explicating the excitement and elation of victory.

Then again, it would be much like the book written about nearly every league in Pennsylvania.
And, unfortunately, very much like the story or stories surely to be written about the PAC-10’s nine qualifiers competing on this week’s stage here at the Giant Center.

The current cast of characters in the PAC-10’s 27th annual series features Boyertown’s Eddie Kriczky and Jordan Wood; Methacton’s Tracey Green; Owen J. Roberts’ Derek Gulotta, Colby Frank and Gordon Bolig; Perkiomen Valley’s Nick Giangiulio; Spring-Ford’s Tyler McGuigan; and Upper Perkiomen’s Wolfgang McStravick.

Some of that crew may only make cameo appearances – lose twice today, head home and, like so many before them, not get much more than a line or two in the history book. Others may be around for all three days with win after win, by how much and how often no one knows for sure, but will nonetheless add a substantial storyline to the newest chapter, or become a principal part of it at the very least.

A few factors determine who leaves and who sticks around, though. Among them are a little luck of the draw, or who is wrestling who in the early going; who’s hot and who’s not; and, most important, who can step on a mat – in arguably the roughest, toughest high school wrestling tournament in all of America – with the confidence and determination to win.

“If you’re not ready to wrestle here you lose,” former Upper Perkiomen head coach Tom Schleicher said the day before his prized 103-pound freshman Brad Rozanski became the PAC-10’s first of two state qualifiers – the other being Phoenixville senior heavyweight Todd Van Horn – back in 1987.

Ready is one thing, armed and ready is indeed another, because for three days in early March, as it’s been in all of the previous 75 state championships, there are absolutely no gimmes here.

And respect is fleeting, so very hard to earn without win after win after win. Especially without at least one medal in hand.

McStravick can attest to that, perhaps better than any of the other eight PAC-10 qualifiers. This is his third trip to the season-ending spectacle and he owns just one win thus far. McStravick’s a senior now, but despite being a three-time qualifier with a gaudy 46-6 record and 152 career wins, he’s ranked 16th – the bottom – among those in his 132-pound weight class. And this afternoon he opens against a returning state medalist.

Gulotta and Bolig are back for the second time.

The 113-pound Gulotta, who a year ago joined a very short list of area freshman to win a state medal, is only ranked eighth. That’s because he happens to be part of a weight class that includes seven returning medalists (with a combined 11 medals), three of whom are nationally ranked. And he’ll open against a returning state qualifier today.

The 182-pound Bolig, who sandwiched a win in between losses to the eventual state champion and seventh-place finisher a year ago, is 45-5 with 125 career wins and only ranked seventh. Not bad, perhaps, but he starts his final appearance here against a two-time regional champion and state medalist.

Frank, Kriczky, Giangiulio, McGuigan, Wood and Green – despite all their years of wrestling and previous achievements – will learn rather quickly how nothing comes easy here, as McStravick, Gulotta and Bolig did before them, as McStravick, Gulotta and Bolig probably already told them.
The proof is in their brackets.

At 126, Frank (27-4) has an opponent with 116 career wins, and Kriczky (38-10) – who worked as hard and as impressively as anyone to survive this overloaded weight class at the Southeast Regional – debuts against a once-beaten freshman who surrendered just one measly point in winning four bouts and a regional title last weekend.

At 152, Giangiulio (36-3) gets a senior with 117 career wins. At 170, McGuigan (35-7) has to deal with an unbeaten regional champion and three-time state qualifier. At 220, Wood (43-1) – who has had to deal with the hype that’s already touting him as one of District 1’s all-time freshman greats – gets a returning state qualifier with 101 career wins. And at 285, Green (35-3) meets up with a seasoned senior with 102 career wins.

And all that is just for openers.

The reward for winning that first match is a spot in the even more pressurized quarterfinals, where another win would reserve a step somewhere on the medal stand on Saturday night. The consolation for losing that opener is a spot in the wrestlebacks, where the bottom line is win-or-go-home.
There may not be a more coveted medal in all of Pennsylvania high school sports than those presented every year here at the PIAA Wrestling Championships.

And there may not be a more intriguing read, year after year, than the next chapter on the history of Pioneer Athletic Conference wrestling at the PIAA Championships.

*

Rozanski’s debut as the PAC-10 first state qualifier to step on the mat in Hershey ended in a 12-1 loss to Nazareth’s eventual state champion Brad Silemperi – the head coach at Council Rock South. Rozanski didn’t qualify for states as a sophomore, but came back to take third as a junior and first as a senior. … Van Horn, now an administrator at Pottsgrove High School who helps out with the Falcons’ wrestling program, went 0-2. … Future PAC-10 members Boyertown and Methacton were also represented in 1987 by Jason Bonney and Eric Moser, respectively. ... This year’s nine qualifiers gives the PAC-10 an overall total of 217, with Upper Perkiomen (58), Boyertown (36), Spring-Ford (33) and Owen J. Roberts (26) alone accounting for 71 percent of the count. … Upper Perkiomen (25), Boyertown (13) and Spring-Ford (11) are the only programs with double-digit state medalists.

Owen J. Roberts’ Gordon Bolig grapples
with Nezar Haddad of Parkland in the
182-pound match at the PIAA Class AAA
Team Duals Tournament at Giant Center in Hershey.
Bolig won 3-1 in overtime.  (Mercury file photo)

This column was originally published in the March 5, 2013, print edition of The Mercury.

POTTSTOWN — No one was surprised to see Norristown’s Brett Harner and Owen J. Roberts’ Gordon Bolig advance through their 182-pound bracket and meet in Saturday night’s final of the AAA Southeast Regional.

No one was happier, either, than Bolig.

“It was good to wrestle him,” said Bolig, never one to turn down an opportunity to wrestle a good opponent.

Well, Harner is about as good as it gets. Pound for pound, he’s arguably the best in District 1.  He has 187 career wins, a total that could easily be higher if not for Norristown’s demanding schedule. He’s a three-time district champion, three-time regional champion, and three-time state medalist. He’s also nationally ranked.

“I wanted to see what he was like,” Bolig said. “I wanted to see what makes him so good. I sure found out.”

Bolig, who showed how dominating he can be with a quarterfinal pin and how clutch he can be with a thrilling one-point semifinal decision, was no match for the versatile Harner in the final. Though closer at times than the score may have implied, he fell behind 8-0 midway through the final period before three back points in the waning seconds closed out the 11-0 loss to Harner.

“He’s certainly tough on his feet, hard to get out from on the bottom, and you’re not going to ride him, either,” Bolig said of Harner shortly after receiving his silver medal and reservation in Thursday’s opening round of the PIAA Championships out in Hershey.

While Bolig doesn’t own as eye-popping a resume as Harner does, he is still quite the competitor. He’s come a long, long way since his freshman season, which ended with a rather abrupt exit from the Section Four Tournament and a mediocre 14-12 record. As a sophomore, he worked his way to the regional and more than doubled his win total with 32. Last year, he was golden at sections and districts, finished third at the regional to qualify for states, and again upped his win total to 34 before he was done.

This winter, Bolig has not only reached some lofty expectations but soared by a few.

The loss to Harner was only his fifth in 50 bouts. The first two occurred back in December at the Beast of the East Classic — one to two-time national prep champion and the nation’s No. 1 ranked Eric Morris of Wyoming Seminary, the other to two-time national prep medalist and Princeton-bound Troy Murtha of Georgetown Prep, Md. The other two setbacks were in mid-January at the Escape the Rock, both to Princeton-bound Nezar Haddad of Parkland, one of which he avenged with a sudden-victory win over Haddad during last month’s state team duals.

“A few times we thought about bumping (Bolig) around, but he always wants to go out and wrestle the best,” OJR head coach Steve DeRafelo said earlier this season. “That’s the way he is. He works so hard. He’s tough. And he wants to go against the best.”

Bolig will get an up-close look at Pennsylvania’s best later this week at states, where he debuts against Belle Vernon senior Adam Nickelson (37-2), the Southwest Region runner-up who was eighth in the state a year ago. Should he beat Nickelson, he’ll no doubt see Bald Eagle Area’s unbeaten and returning bronze medalist Jacob Taylor, who is one spot in front of Harner at No. 4 in the national rankings.
“Going out against all (the highly-touted opposition) doesn’t bother me,” Bolig said Saturday night. “I just know I have to wrestle well. Yeah, it makes you a little nervous, but I try to visualize the match warming up, then go out and attempt to hit my moves.

“This loss (to Harner) shouldn’t have any effect on me. Everyone knew he was favored, and everyone knows he’ll be favored (at states) with Taylor. I just know I have to get two more wins to get a medal. I won’t be thinking of this or any other losses when I get out there.”

Originally published in the March 17 edition of The Mercury.

ITHACA, N.Y. – Seth Ecker wasn’t exactly the 90-pound weakling getting sand kicked in his face at the beach a few years back. Looks, as most know, can be deceiving.

But when the then Pottstown High School freshman got knocked down and out of the 2005 Class AA Southeast Regional, there were some questions about his weight, about his strength ... about his future in wrestling.

“It always seemed that I was smaller than everyone else,” Ecker recalled earlier this week. “I lifted all the time back then, but I never got the muscle, never gained a lot of weight or packed on that muscle. I knew I had to rely on technique.”

He didn’t just rely on technique, he improved, refined and nearly perfected every imaginable move, both offensively and defensively.

Seven years and fortysome pounds later, Ecker not only became a three-time state medalist at Pottstown, but a three-time All-American – with two NCAA Division III national titles – at Ithaca College.

“I guess I just matured later,” Ecker said.

That, of course, is quite an understatement.

Ecker always wanted to wrestle, but he wasn’t entirely convinced he wanted to go to college to do it. He was recruited by a number of schools before finishing his career at Pottstown, then signed a national letter of intent with The Citadel, a Division I military school in South Carolina.

But it wasn’t long at all after arriving on the Charleston campus that he packed up his belongings and headed north, all the way up to Ithaca.

“Things just didn’t work out down there,” Ecker said. “I called (Ithaca head coach Marty Nichols), told him I wanted to come up there, and transferred. I had visited there before when I was in high school and loved it, loved the whole atmosphere. I felt Ithaca offered that great balance of academics and athletics.”

And no one has provided a better balancing act the last four years than Ecker, either.

In the classroom, he has carried a 3.8 grade-point average as a business administration major, earning him NCAA Academic All-American honors as a sophomore and junior. Now in the final months of his senior year, Ecker’s GPA is right around 3.9, which will undoubtedly lead to more academic honors later this spring.

Pretty amazing considering wrestling – as well as lifting and running – consumed most if not all of his free time.

“Actually it’s not as tough as you’d think,” said Ecker, who valedictorian of his class at Pottstown. “Wrestling keeps you focused. I think we have more productive days than most college students because we don’t have any time to mess around.

“You work out, you practice, you study … (it’s a schedule) that makes things more fluid. You learn to relax. Sure, it gets frustrating at times, especially when you’re off at nationals around the time of mid-terms. But you keep focused, and that helps your grades.”

Ecker, the son of Aram Ecker and Danielle McCoy, never lost focus after a banner freshman year at 125 pounds ended with 24 wins and a sixth-place finish at nationals. Never lost focus after coming back the following year and finding a major challenge in his own practice room, namely teammate Chad Winowich – an eventual two-time All-American himself. Winowich not only bounced the 133-pound Ecker out of the lineup on occasion, but completely out of the postseason that ended an otherwise superb 22-4 sophomore year.

“That still helped me having (Winowich) on the team,” Ecker explained. “It was a great experience. With all the success I had had up to that point, to know you may not be starting, that’s a learning experience. I matured a lot that year.

“The funny part was that our lockers were right next to each other. We became pretty good friends. It was a tremendous experience, and it definitely motivated me to come back better and stronger.”

One might say Ecker came back with a score to settle … and not just in his own practice room but for anyone who dared to step onto the mat with him.

The 133-pound Ecker dominated throughout his 32-4 junior season. He not only won an Empire Collegiate Wrestling Conference title again but was named the OW of the championships. He won 21 of his final 22 bouts, including the last 12 – the most memorable, of course, being his 6-2 decision over RIT’s Mike McInally for his first NCAA Division III gold medal.

“That was incredible,” said Ecker, who spent a good part of last summer working out at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado.

So were the feelings when he came back for his final season … as a defending national champion.

“It’s definitely different,” he admitted. “You obviously don’t want to do any worse than you did the previous year. I couldn’t do any better than what I did, but I could do worse. So that kind of lit a fire under my butt because I would be disappointed if I didn’t win (a national title) again.

“All you can do is take it match by match. I had a few losses early on, and they can set you back a little. It can get frustrating at times. But I knew it’s all about who shows up that week (for nationals).”

He sure did.
Ecker, at 141 a good part of December and January, dropped to 133 and avenged those four regular-season setbacks with a flurry of pins to win his third ECWC title. He spent just over six minutes on the mat thanks to the three first-period falls that earned him yet another trip to nationals.

He opened with a 4-0 decision over returning All-American Tom Mirocha of Wartburg, then put together a similar workmanlike 5-2 decision over eighth-seeded Tim Wunnicke of Wisconsin-Platteville. He left little doubt about his desire to get back into the championship, pinning Joe Mileskie of Wisconsin-Stevens Point – who earlier had upset the fourth and fifth seeds – at the 4:25 mark of their semifinal.

And there was no doubt about his desire to finish on a high note after his 8-0 major of seventh-seeded Jordan Westfall of Coe in the final.

Ecker became the first Ithaca wrestler to win more than one NCAA title. The shutout capped his senior year at 30-4 and his career at 108-20.

“Obviously it is everyone’s goal to win a national title,” Ecker said. “To win two, to be a three-time All-American … I didn’t think about all that. I do know I always wanted to be an All-American.

“It’s funny, too, because at first I wasn’t even sure if I wanted to go to college. I always wanted to wrestle, though. I’m happy with the way things turned out. The most important thing was that I’ve always have had fun (wrestling). To me, that was the essence of wrestling.”

Originally published in the March 13 edition of The Mercury.

If there was one specific feeling shared by each and every one of the Pioneer Athletic Conference’s 11 wrestlers following the state championships last weekend, it was disappointment.

Forget the critics, especially the nameless website whackos who critique and criticize as well as discredit and disgrace high school athletes nowadays. This particular group of 11 manned up and didn’t mask its dissatisfaction, or its frustration.

Unlike so many from the past, too often content just getting to the big stage in Hershey, this gang – every one of them – wanted to win. And not just win a match or two to extend their stay, but win a medal, perhaps a state championship. No question a stretch for some, but nonetheless an admirable approach, or the right approach.

And you didn’t need an expert – not even a psychologist or psychiatrist – to unravel the anxiety or even diagnose the frustration when they came up short, when they lost what they were so determined to win.

Wrestling in the Giant Center, just as it was all those years in the nearby Hersheypark Arena, isn’t easy. The PIAA state tournament, without question, is one of the most competitive (if not the most competitive) in the entire country every single year. It draws as big a crowd as any other in the entire country every single year. It’s as big a showcase for college scholarships as any other every single year. And there may not be a medal more coveted, at least in Pennsylvania, than the eight awarded in each weight class every single year.

That’s pressure few experience, or the type of pressure even fewer who ever stepped on a mat in Hershey can understand.

Unfortunately, it has overwhelmed the very best … just ask all the defending champions who didn’t repeat and all the medalists who didn’t add to their collection, or even all the qualifiers who never made it back a second time.

Getting to Hershey and leaving early, or before Saturday’s final spectacle, is painful. Just ask Boyertown’s Jon Neiman, Owen J. Roberts’ Andrew Kinney, Pottsgrove’s Danny Michaels, Pottstown’s Trent Clifford, Spring-Ford’s Jason Dombrosky, and Upper Perkiomen’s Dalton Fleming – all seniors who were there Thursday and gone the following day. Their careers ended with a loss. No opportunity to make amends. There is no next year. That’s very hard to digest.

Owen J. Roberts’ Adam Moser and Gordon Bolig and Upper Perkiomen’s Dylan Steffenino and Wolfgang McStravick – all juniors – didn’t but into the excuse that they’re underclassmen. Their time, like all the others, was now. There are no wait-until-next-year guarantees. That’s very hard to accept.

And Owen J. Roberts’ Derek Gulotta, despite finishing eighth, despite being just the fourth PAC-10 freshman to medal at states – still wasn’t satisfied knowing seven others were better than him.

So, the bottom line wasn’t the group’s one medal and a combined 9-23 won-loss record, the kind of numbers we too often get caught up in and use to define success and failure.

The bottom line was all 11 went in Thursday determined to win, not to just be there. That’s how each and every one of them wrestled. For their coaches and their fans, that’s acceptable. And in time, they themselves will be able to accept that, too.

* * *
For the record, District 1 wrestlers went a combined 67-102 with 18 medals at the state tournament. The 18 medalists went 7-11 during Saturday’s first, third, fifth and seventh place finals. … Ten of the district’s 11 regional champions all medaled; only two regional runners-up medaled; five who finished third at regionals returned home with medals; and one who was fourth at regionals earned a medal.

* * *
Six stories of note from the 2011-2012 season:

Owen J. Roberts dominates: The Wildcats won their second straight title and became the first team to hold every one of their nine PAC-10 opponents to nine points or less (the average score of their matches was 65-4). They also became just the third PAC-10 team to win the District 1-Class AAA Duals title, then swept both the Section Four and District 1-AAA South team titles.

Boyertown’s improvement: From the beginning to the end of the dual-meet season, that is. The Bears were 2-8 in mid-January, then won 9 of their last 10 duals before taking third and fourth, respectively, in the section and district postseason tournaments.

Injuries: Four in particular. Perkiomen Valley sophomore Luke DiElsi was 11-1 (lone loss to an eventual state qualifier), but except for a forfeit in February never actually wrestled after Jan. 25 because of nagging injuries. … Pottsgrove freshman Patrick Finn won a section title at 195 pounds only to see his season end following an injury during practice for districts. … Owen J. Roberts junior Kyle Shronk won the Section Four title and was on such a roll most figured him to be a potential state medalist. But a severe shoulder injury during his second bout at districts ended his season. … Owen J. Roberts sophomore Colby Frank, one of the state’s best 120-pounders, suffered a concussion in his regional opener and couldn’t continue.

Turnaround: Many were made, but perhaps none as big as Pottsgrove’s Danny Michaels. A year after going 27-11, the Falcon senior finished up at 37-7 – four of those losses to state qualifiers; two more to Norristown’s Brett Harner, who won his third state medal last weekend; and the other a two-point setback after moving up a bracket and falling to Pottstown’s Rashaad Lighty, a district champion. … Finishing a close second was Spring-Ford’s Tyler McGuigan. The junior was 2-5 last season, but came within a win of qualifying for states this time around – coming out of the regional pigtails to win five of seven bouts, finish fifth, and close with 37 wins.

Names of fame: Boyertown’s Mike Spaid and Upper Perkiomen’s Mark Smith were inducted into the District 1 Wrestling Coaches Association’s Hall of Fame. Very few brought more excitement to the mat than Spaid, who is still the only district wrestler to pin his way through the postseason to a state title, and Smith, a three-time state medalist who once owned the state record for career pins.

Originally published in the March 7 edition of The Mercury.

Some people still like to think one’s life in the PIAA Championships depends on the luck of the draw.

Not.

Fact is, there is no such thing as luck of the draw in Pennsylvania wrestling’s showcase event. Each and every one of the 16 qualifiers from the top to the very bottom of each weight class, from 103 all the way up to 285 pounds, is good … very good.

Just ask any of the area’s 11 entries on today’s opening-round cards, nine of whom debut against regional champions – and one is a defending state champion; another is a returning runner-up; three others were fourth, fifth and sixth a year ago; and two more have each been here two times before.

Almost forgot, the remaining two haven’t lost in a combined 79 matches this season, and both have been locked in at No. 1 in their respective weight classes statewide most of the winter.

And ever hear of adding insult to injury? Well, it isn’t quite the same, but this is close. Because of an injury to Garnet Valley’s Fred Alderman, the fourth and final qualifier out of the Southeast Regional at 126 pounds, Upper Perkiomen’s Dylan Steffenino moved into his spot. His reward? A first-round bout against that aforementioned defending state champion – Blue Mountain’s No. 1 ranked Corey Keener, who also medaled as a sophomore and freshman, and is an eye-popping 43-1 after dominating his bracket in the Northeast Regional last weekend.

“I don’t know what all the fuss is about,” a coach was overheard saying during a practice earlier this week. “This year isn’t any different than any other. You don’t ever get an easy match out there.”

Some, though very few, may be a bit less challenging than others. But none has ever been easy.

What often doubles the degree (or degrees) of difficulty is the environment … constant action, or mayhem as some have called it, spread out on six mats in front of upwards of 9,000 fans.

It’s been said the best remedy for the butterflies – or the nerves that have taken down some of the best wrestlers to ever roll around in Pennsylvania – is to get here early on, as a freshman or sophomore, to get acclimated to all the commotion and chaos. There has never been a better (or worse) example of what those jitters can do to someone than what happened to North Penn’s Chris Kwortnik back in 1986.

The undefeated freshman was favored to win it all at 167 pounds. But he was upset in the first round. One and done. He later admitted the cavernous Hersheypark Arena and the deafening roar from the crowd got the best of him. That was the last time, though, because Kwortnik never lost a match the rest of his high school career and pinned down three state titles – which no one from District 1 has yet to match.

Not everyone, of course, gets here as a freshman. Owen J. Roberts’ Derek Gulotta, who debuts at 113 pounds this afternoon, is just the ninth wrestler in the 26-year history of the Pioneer Athletic Conference to work his way here as a freshman. Steffenino and teammate Wolfgang McStravick (132) were here as sophomores last March. Boyertown’s Jon Neiman (152) was a junior when he competed here a year ago, just as Owen J. Roberts’ Adam Moser (138) and Gordon Bolig (170) are this week.

For first-time senior qualifiers, though, there’s that sense of urgency – that last opportunity to get a win, to get a medal … to go all out for the gold.

It’s what Pottstown’s Trenton Clifford (132) is likely to feel this morning when he steps on the mats in his Class AA debut, and what Spring-Ford’s Jason Dombrosky (145), OJR’s Andrew Kinney (145), Pottsgrove’s Danny Michaels (160), and Upper Perkiomen’s Dalton Fleming (182) are likely to feel this afternoon when they step on the mats in their Class AAA debuts.

So forget about any luck of the draw.

And don’t even think about how sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good … that doesn’t apply to wrestling, especially during the second weekend of March in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

* * *
Upper Perkiomen, with the late addition of Steffenino, has had 57 state qualifiers while a member of the Pioneer Athletic Conference. Boyertown (34), Spring-Ford (32), Owen J. Roberts (23) and Pottstown (22) round out the league’s top five. … Upper Perkiomen is also first in total individual state bouts won (108) and state medalists (25) – exactly one-third of the league’s total of state medalists. The Indians have accounted for five of the PAC-10’s six state champions – the other belonging to Boyertown’s Mike Spaid, who was inducted into the District 1 Wrestling Coaches Hall of Fame last weekend during the Southeast Regional at Oxford. … Nineteen former PAC-10 wrestlers have combined to win 48 of the league’s 75 state medals. Upper Perkiomen’s Chris Sheetz and Zack Kemmerer won four apiece, while Boyertown’s Alex Pellicciotti, Pottstown’s Joey Allen and Seth Ecker, Spring-Ford’s Matt Moley, and Upper Perkiomen’s Derek Zinck and Mark Smith all won three each. Eleven others are two-time medalists.

Originally published in the March 6 edition of The Mercury.

Derek Gulotta is just the third Owen J. Roberts wrestler to qualify for the PIAA Tournament as a freshman. (Mercury file photo)

A few hours after earning a spot in this week’s PIAA-Class AAA Championships, Owen J. Roberts’ Derek Gulotta was already talking about next season – about what he had to do to get better, about what he needed to do in order to get a couple of steps higher on the postseason awards podium.

Pretty heady stuff for a freshman who could’ve easily rambled on about three impressive wins that led to a third-place finish at the Southeast Regional and the coveted trip to Hershey.

The 113-pound Gulotta is just the third OJR wrestler to qualify for states as a freshman. He’s in a position to become the first OJR wrestler to medal at states as a freshman. And looking ahead, he has the opportunity to become just the fourth four-time state qualifier in the history of the Pioneer Athletic Conference – joining a very short, select list that includes Upper Perkiomen graduates Derek Zinck (1998-2001), Chris Sheetz (2004-07) and Zack Kemmerer (2004-07).

For now, though, Gulotta is only peeking ahead to Thursday afternoon’s opener against Northeast Region champion Sean Bianco of Pleasant Valley and, after he’s finished with his business in the Giant Center, returning to the practice room.

“I have to get better,” Gulotta said shortly after his 4-1 decision of Pennsbury’s Jason Bing in Saturday evening’s consolation final. “I have to get a second shot. I need another shot that’s just as good as my sweep, something I can set up on.

“I definitely need better set-ups. And I need to lift more, which I’ll start doing in the summer.”

Gulotta’s first season began with a lot of promise, mostly because of the hype surrounding all the success from his youth and junior high school wrestling. Reality set in immediately, though, when he was decked by Big Spring’s Greg Warner in his Wildcat debut at the Bealer Memorial Bear Duals, and when he was forced to default in his bout with Blair Academy’s national prep champion Joey McKenna during the Beast of the East a week later.

But there was no denying the improvement, and the maturity, as the season rolled into the New Year. Of Gulotta’s five losses since flipping the calendar over to January, two have been to defending state champion Billy Rappo of Council Rock South; another to returning state medalist Zach Fuentes of Norristown; one to regional runner-up Michael Marino of Garnet Valley (who took Rappo into overtime last Saturday night); and the other to Delaware state runner-up Tyler Carney.

Gulotta battled back from an 11-3 semifinal setback to Rappo earlier Saturday with a pin that assured him to trip to states. He nonetheless finished with the 4-1 decision of Bing.

“I knew I had a chance (to go to states) in the beginning of the season,” Gulotta said. “I know I wanted to go, but I didn’t really know if I could.

“After (clinching) winning my consi semi, it was almost like a relief. So now my goal is to get out there and place. I’m not happy just getting there. I want to go and do something there.”

And eventually add to that “something” the next three years, too.

* * *

Some AAA regional ramblings of note:

* The Pioneer Athletic Conference did not have an AAA Southeast Regional champion for the first time in 19 years, or since 1993. The league has been blanked in the gold-medal count just five times – four of which came in its first seven years of existence (1987-93). The two regional finalists – OJR’s Andrew Kinney and Pottsgrove’s Danny Michaels – were the fewest since 2002.

* The nine state qualifiers ties the league’s seventh-best previous mark, half of the PAC-10 record 18 – including a record seven regional champions – who made the trip to Hershey six years ago.

* Jon Neiman extended Boyertown’s streak of 10 straight years of having at least one state qualifier, or every season since returning to District 1. Owen J. Roberts has qualified at least one wrestler eight years in a row, and Pottsgrove – thanks to Michaels – has now sent someone to Hershey three years in a row. … Upper Perkiomen has been represented at states in 14 of the last 15 seasons, Spring-Ford in 11 of the last 12.

* Phoenixville, which got an outstanding season from senior Brendan Bonner, has had the longest stretch of no state qualifiers of any PAC-10 team (11 years), while Perkiomen Valley is next (eight years). The Phantoms’ last qualifier was Bret Wade (2001), while the Vikings – who nearly had one last weekend when Nick Giangiulio finished fifth place – was Steve Van Alstine (2004).

* The 28 regional qualifiers from the PAC-10 compiled an overall won-loss record of 58-50. … Hats off to Spring-Ford’s unsung junior, Tyler McGuigan, who came out of Friday night’s pigtails and went 5-2, finishing fifth at 170.

* * *
Pottstown, overlooked somewhat because of competing in the AA bracket, will be represented at states this week (by 132-pound Trenton Clifford) for the fifth time in the last seven years. Rashaad Lighty just missed joining Clifford after finishing sixth at 182.

* * *
Wrestling lost a legend last week when Phoenixville native Bill Harvey, who guided Duke’s program for 31 years, passed away at the age of 76.

Harvey was the Blue Devils’ head coach from 1967 through 1997, retiring with a school-record 220 career wins – fourth all-time in the Atlantic Coast Conference. One of his biggest achievements, though, was his last team finishing with the highest grade-point average (3.98) in the nation.

A member of the Duke Athletics Hall of Fame, Harvey was presented an honorary lifetime membership in the National Wrestling Coaches Association (2001) and awarded the Lifetime Service Award from the National Wrestling Hall of Fame (2005). Both were to recognize his years of dedication to the development of leadership and citizenship in young people through the sport of wrestling.

In his 37 years at Duke, Harvey also served as an assistant coach in wrestling and football and as the head coach of the Blue Devils’ freshmen baseball team.

Services were held for Harvey on Monday morning in Durham, N.C.

Originally published in the Feb. 27 edition of The Mercury


Boyertown’s Jon Neiman, top, exhibited takes Tommy DiSanti down during a 13-2 major decision in the 152-pound finals.

Jon Neiman was a class act Saturday night, just as he’s been throughout his high school career on the wrestling mat and out on the football field.

Moments after receiving his gold medal for winning the 152-pound weight class during the District 1-Class AAA South Tournament at Spring-Ford High School, the Boyertown senior started talking about rival Kyle Shronk of Owen J. Roberts, then about his Boyertown teammates, then – finally – about himself.

What a shame this current generation of so-called primetime me-me-me pro athletes didn’t have an opportunity to listen in.

Neiman had at last won a postseason tournament. Yes, he wrestled his way through the sections and districts as a sophomore and junior, even qualified for state’s last March. And yes, he was well over celebrating the moment he hit the 100-win career mark this year, too.

But what Neiman never had was a gold medal from any of the previous eight postseason tournaments he participated in until Saturday night.

And his first comment after stepping off the top rung of the awards podium? “That’s a real shame about Shronk.”

Shronk was on a roll, winning 16 of his last 18 bouts by pin – the only two not by pin coming against Neiman – and looked to be a serious contender to not only get to states but medal as well.

So, if there was anyone who would have a legitimate excuse not to talk about Shronk, or about anyone who happens to compete in an Owen J. Roberts singlet, for that matter, it would be Neiman.

Back on Jan. 4, during their highly anticipated Pioneer Athletic Conference match, Shronk used an early takedown for the difference in a 3-1 win over Neiman. Just over a week ago, during their equally anticipated rematch in the Section Four final, Shronk held on for a 7-6 decision over Neiman. Those two losses account for half of Neiman’s setbacks this season – the first was 4-2 to Governor Mifflin’s Mike Shermot on opening day of the season (when Neiman was making the transition from football to wrestling), and the other one was right after Christmas, 3-1 to state-ranked Rustin Barrick of Mechanicsburg.

So if that alone didn’t have Neiman seeing red, as in the red glare of OJR’s singlets and mass of followers up in the stands, knowing he lost three straight postseason meetings a year ago to the Wildcats’ Jordan Moser sure did. Moser beat him in the section final and then in both the district and regional consolation finals last season before graduating.

But it sure seemed like another Neiman-Shronk brawl was in the making this past weekend, at least until Shronk injured his shoulder during Saturday’s semifinals and had to default out of the tournament, ending his otherwise sparkling season.

“I really thought we’d go at it again and both of us would end up at states,” Neiman said. “Just a real shame.”

Then it was time to talk about his teammates. Not just district runners-up Gray and Chase Garber nor fellow district champion Jordan Wertz, but the entire Boyertown gang that was so vastly improved from those woeful warriors in the beginning of the season. They finished third in the PAC-10, then a very surprising third in the District 1-AAA South Tournament.

“From the beginning of the season until now, I’d say we improved more than any team I’ve seen,” Neiman said. “I guess it was sort of a surprise for me. I knew we’d eventually prove ourselves, but everyone worked hard to do it. That’s the great part of it.”

Anything about Neiman, though?
“I finally won first in something,” he mumbled. “It feels good to get the gold (medal).”

*
Talk about a lack of class?
One critic called the District 1-AAA South’s 195-pound weight class “the weakest I have ever seen in my life.” Another wrote the bracket was “abysmal.”

Makes you wonder if they would’ve said or wrote the same thing if their own son had won that gold medal Saturday night. Absolutely not.

Congratulations to Boyertown’s Jordan Wertz, who could’ve easily attempted to go at a lower weight and gotten eliminated in wrestle-offs by one of the Garber brothers ... then relaxed and enjoyed three meals a day over the past two weeks.

*
Congratulations are also in order for Upper Perkiomen’s Wolfgang McStravick and Pottsgrove’s Danny Michaels for reaching the 100-win mark last weekend over at Quakertown; to Pottstown’s Rob McCoy, Trenton Clifford, Darien Hain and Rashaad Lighty for capturing District 1-Class AA titles last weekend in their home gym; and to The Hill School’s Colin Farawell, who finished third at the National Prep Championships and was presented the Bob Dalling Award for Most Falls in the least amount of time (five in 7:24) – an absolutely impressive achievement.

*
The Pioneer Athletic Conference will be represented by 27 wrestlers in this weekend’s AAA Southeast Regional, with 19 coming out of the South and the remaining eight from the North.

Speaking of the North... the PAC-10 did not have a gold medalist in District 1-North for the second consecutive year. Last year was the first time the league was denied gold since 1989. The four gold medalists in District 1-South matched last year’s count. Owen J. Roberts’ team title, by a narrow one-point margin over Rustin, was the Wildcats’ second in a row, and the 11th overall district team championship for the PAC-10.

Since the Pioneer Athletic Conference’s inaugural season (1986-87), the league has won 122 individual district AAA titles.

Originally published in the Feb. 24, 2012 edition of The Mercury.


Upper Perkiomen's Dylan Steffenino, right, will be joined by his brothers, Dante and Dustin, in competing at the District 1-AAA North Tournament at Quakertown this weekend. (Photo by John Strickler/The Mercury)

A few years ago, actually twentysome, Bob Fieo may have thought about selling his heating and air conditioning business and starting up a dry wall business. He sure hung enough new walls, or patched up enough holes in the existing ones, during his sons’ wrestling careers at Spring-Ford. Seems as though the kids – George and Robert – didn’t only bring homework home, but enough energy to wage a few evening workouts of their own. Give them a room, any room, even a hallway, upstairs or downstairs, it didn’t matter ... they sure went at one another.

Kind of makes you wonder what may go on in a few other households throughout the wrestling neighborhood.

Especially up in the Red Hill area with the Steffeninos – all three of them.

In all likelihood, Dustin and twin brothers Dante and Dylan have been rolling around on the mats and everywhere in the house since soon after taking their first steps. Even if they haven’t cost mom and dad a buck or two for house repairs, they sure have forced them to dig into their pockets to fill up the gas tank for trips to all those youth tournaments (and now to all their high school matches).

“They are a great family that is very tight,” said Upper Perkiomen head coach Tom Hontz.

Mike and Rita Steffenino won’t need a full tank to steer their way up Route 663 to Quakertown for tonight’s opening round of the District 1-AAA North Tournament, but it may be a one-of-a-kind cruise for them.

Looking back through the record book, or history book, there doesn’t seem to be a year in which three brothers qualified for or wrestled in a District 1 tournament – North or South (or Central during the three-year, three-district format). There have been countless twosomes. There have even been some so-called “close others,” where three or even more wrestled their way into the spotlight – just not all together at the same time.

The most famous threesome, of course, would be North Penn’s Kwortniks – state champion Jim, Jeff and three-time state champion Chris. There was also Methacton’s Fab Four Mosers – Rick (the program’s first district champion), Billy (the program’s first regional champion), Jon (the program’s first state champion), and Eric (the youngest brother). And then there’s the Royal Ring of Rappos, all five of them – Rick, Mike, Mark, Matt and Billy (the favorite in Dustin Steffenino’s 106-pound bracket this weekend). All the Rappos have done is won a combined 13 district titles (so far), 10 Southeast Regional titles (so far), and five state titles (so far) ... not to mention a mind-boggling 699 career wins going into Billy’s opener tonight.

But again, it doesn’t appear anywhere in the record books that an area family had three brothers lined up together for a single district tournament.

Dustin Steffenino was in and out of the lineup during the regular season this winter, sharing time at 106 with Eric Miller. Dante, because he was only 90 pounds (soaking wet) as a freshman, spent ninth grade on the junior high school team and has collected 60 wins in his two seasons with the Indians. Dylan, the heavier of the twins two years ago, is in his third season and needs just four wins to reach the coveted 100-win career mark.

“Dylan and Dante definitely feed off one another,” Hontz said. “They are competitive with one another, too. I’m pretty sure Dante was bummed when Dylan made it to states last year after coming up one point shy of joining him (in Hershey). I’m certain Dylan was equally bummed that Dante didn’t make it to states with him, too. They’re very supportive when one or the other is on the mat. Both of them are really, really supportive of little brother Dustin as well.

“It is really something when the three of them can all be successful, like they were last weekend (at the Section Two Tournament), and share in each of their accomplishments. Likewise, it can be tough when one of them loses a tough match, or on that super rare occasion when all three lose. The whole family shares in any setbacks.”

*
There will actually three sets of brothers in this weekend’s District 1-AAA South Tournament – Boyertown’s Dylan and Jordan Wertz at 106 and 195, and Gray and Chase Garber at 170 and 182, and Spring-Ford’s Adam and Jason Dombrosky at 132 and 145. ... Perkiomen Valley’s Luke and Anthony DiElsi would’ve likely been together up North tonight, too. Anthony, a senior, will be at 182. Luke, a sophomore, had his season cut short by injuries after going 11-1.

* * *
Upper Perkiomen’s Wolfgang McStravick and Pottsgrove’s Danny Michaels are both within reach of the 100-win career mark. McStravick, the top seed at 132 pounds, is at 99. The junior has won his last 16 bouts and is 28-1 overall, his lone loss coming to three-time North Carolina prep school state champion Chris Caton of Northside Christian (who recently committed to Air Force). Michaels, seeded second at 160, needs three to become just the fifth Falcon to hit the milestone and seven to tie older brother Ryan (104). ... Others, in addition to Dylan Steffenino (96) who could get to the 100-win mark by season’s end include Pottstown’s Trent Clifford (92), Spring-Ford’s Chase Brown (92), and Upper Perkiomen’s Dalton Fleming (89). ... Up North, Plymouth-Whitemarsh’s Justin Staudenmayer, a junior, is at 97. In the South, unbeaten Dave Forte of Interboro, a senior, is also at 97. Ironically, both could meet up next week at regionals being they’re both at 145 pounds.

* * *
Owen J. Roberts has more district qualifiers (11) than anyone – North or South – and will be looking for its second straight district team title. The Wildcats, who went a perfect 10-for-10 in last Saturday’s Section Four finals, would be the eight straight South team champion from Section Four if they can repeat. Over the last 25 years, 19 of the District 1-AAA South (and Central) team champions have come out of Section Four. The remaining six are split evenly among Section Five and Section Six. ... Upper Perkiomen (three times) is the only non-Suburban One Conference team to win a District 1-AAA North team title in the past 10 years.

* * *
Pottstown and Pope John Paul II will end their two-week layoff when they join 16 other teams in the District 1-AA showdown Saturday in Strom Gymnasium at Pottstown High School.

The host Trojans have four of the seven defending champions back – Clifford (132), Jasheel Brown (145), Darien Hain (152) and Rashaad Lighty (182) – and along with District 1-AA Duals champion Lower Moreland are expected to contend for the team title. Clifford (32-2), Hain (17-5) and Lighty (29-3) are all top seeds in their brackets, while Brown (17-13) is a third seed.

Pope John Paul II, somewhat surprisingly, didn’t draw a first, second or third seed. Head coach Sheldon Staples’ group is led by Nick Foreman (17-12) at 106, John Cherneskie (17-12) at 152, his son Connor Staples (14-13) at 160, and Jared Robbins (20-9) at 170.

Lower Moreland is the defending team champion. Pottstown swept back-to-back titles in 2006-07.

Moments after Owen J. Roberts won the District 1-AAA Team Duals title two weeks ago, the critics began weighing in on the district’s great teams of the past and comparing them all. And before Owen J. Roberts even stepped on the mat for last Thursday night’s opener in the PIAA Team Duals out in Hershey, the critics began chirping how it was a team that couldn’t do this and couldn’t do that on the state level.

What the you-know-what ever happened to that one simple word, you know, congratulations (remember that one?), and just letting it go at that?

I may be wrong, but it would seem the 14 wrestlers who put their heart and soul into it – as well as all their lesser-known but just as important teammates who pushed them in the practice room – had earned the simplest of props.

But stray a step out of Bucktown, run into one fan or a gang of them from a neighboring or distant school district, and the occasional compliment may be difficult to hear above all the negativity.

Or might that just be envy?
Student-athletes strive to be the best they can be. Most do anyway, and most play or compete to win. Talent alone doesn’t win championships. That’s been proven time and time again, in all sports. But a little talent, an unwavering work ethic, and some fire in the belly is hard to beat. That’s also been proven time and time again, in all sports ... including wrestling.

Owen J. Roberts, with its collection of just-above-average, tireless blue-collar working and highly-motivated wrestlers, proved how hard it was to beat this winter. From the first weekend of December all the way up until last weekend, Owen J. Roberts proved it was the best team in District 1 and one of the best teams – arguably among the eight best – in all of Pennsylvania for the 2011-2012 season.

Acknowledge it. Accept it.
And instead of finding some sort of consolation by comparing this Owen J. Roberts team to your favorite team or some power from the past, applaud it.

There is always enough time to reflect back on the Pioneer Athletic Conference’s best teams, always enough time to look back and talk about District 1’s and Pennsylvania’s best teams. Making comparisons – and drawing up those fantasy matches – is fine, actually fun to do.

Like looking back six years ago, Upper Perkiomen won district and state duals with what most consider the most talented lineup in the history of District 1, a lineup that ranks right up there among the best ever in Pennsylvania. Like looking back at the Cheltenhams in the 30s and 40s; the Council Rocks and Phoenixvilles in the 70s; the Downingtowns, Neshaminys, North Penns and Pottstowns in the 80s, and all those other Upper Perkiomens, Norristowns, Council Rocks Souths and Boyertown since...

But all those teams did their thing then, not now.

For now, for this recently completed dual-meet season, Owen J. Roberts was the best ... in the PAC-10 and in District 1.

For that, and for that only, the Wildcats – along with head coach Steve DeRafelo and his staff – all deserve a “Congratulations.”

* * *
Some notes from the state duals: Canon-McMillan, as expected, won its first AAA title. The Macs defeated four-time defending champion Central Dauphin (28-25) in the semifinals, then stopped surprising Erie McDowell (35-20) for the championship. Central Dauphin, which had its all-time, state-record 95-match winning streak snapped in the semifinal setback, ended up finishing third. ... Bethlehem Catholic, as expected, won its second straight AA title. ... Mechanicsburg, which finished fourth, had an interesting final week and a half. The Wildcats faced three straight unbeaten teams – losing to Central Dauphin in the District 3-AAA final, then topped both Central Mountain and Owen J. Roberts in the first two rounds of states. ... A total of 25 matches were decided by 12 points or less – 14 in AAA and 11 in AA.

* * *
The second season gets under way Saturday with the district’s six sectionals. Phoenixville and Upper Perkiomen will be at Pottsgrove for Section Two; Methacton and Perkiomen Valley will be at Hatboro-Horsham for Section Three; and Owen J. Roberts and Spring-Ford will be at Boyertown for Section Four. ... Daniel Boone, after a near three-week layoff, will be at Governor Mifflin as part of the 12-team field for the District 3-AAA Section Four Tournament. ... The Hill School travels to Episcopal Academy on Friday for the start of the two-day state prep tournament.

* * *
Perkiomen Valley hosted its 14th annual Viking Invitational last weekend and Spring-Ford Gold, on the strength of four individual champions and 15 medalists overall, captured the team title (264.5). Boyertown East, which also had four individual champions and 11 medalists, was second (204). Easton (178.5), Quakertown (144.5) and Boyertown West (141) rounded out the top five in the 16-team field.

Spring-Ford Gold got gold from Matt Krieble (110 pounds), Will Meredith (130), Steve Rice (145) and Danny Krieble (165), while teammates Hunter Mitch (100), Jimmy Frank (105) and Matt Goodrich (210) settled for runner-up honors. Boyertown East’s champions were Lucas Miller (100), Gregg Harvey (138), Jordan Wood (210) and Zack Davis (275), with J.T. Cooley (110) and Mike Fretz (165) settling for seconds, Crosstown rival Boyertown West got gold from Garrett Mauger (95) and tournament OW Lance Kokonas (155), and seconds from Matt Wilde (75) and Andrew Fronheiser (130).

Pottstown, which had a strong showing and finished sixth, had two champions in Logan Pennypacker (85) and Bryant Wise (122), and two runners-up in Mason Pennypacker (95) and Bubba Gephart (115).

Arcola (Bryce Reddington at 85), Upper Perkiomen (Jake Folk at 90), Phoenixville (Max Sheperd at 80 and Mark Cermanski at 122), and Spring-Ford Blue (Danny Kelchner at 185) all had runners-up as well.

This article was originally published in the Feb. 9, 2012, edition of The Mercury.

HERSHEY – Every one of the Top 10 ranked teams in Pennsylvania are here. Actually, all but two of the Top 15 are here.

Owen J. Roberts is among them.
And, as usual, confident.

The Wildcats, a spotless 18-0 after Wednesday night’s win over Pottsgrove closed out their second straight unbeaten Pioneer Athletic Conference season, open their second straight appearance in the PIAA-Class AAA Team Duals this evening (6 p.m.) against Greensburg Salem.

But unlike a year ago, when they took on and nearly upset District 11 power Nazareth in a familiar and considerably friendlier environment (Methacton High School’s gym), the Wildcats will be dealing with the Golden Lions here at the Giant Center … a sprawling arena where many wrestling dreams begin but, unfortunately, end as nightmares.

Since 2005, when the state tournament went to a double-elimination format, Upper Perkiomen and Boyertown are the PAC-10’s only other Class AAA teams that have competed here. And only one, Upper Perkiomen’s powerhouse six years ago, survived the grind and won it all.

With the possible exception of the annual Powerade, there simply isn’t any collection of talent in any Pennsylvania setting – tournament, invitational or otherwise – that can measure up against what is here, year after year, in the state duals.

Owen J. Roberts, mind you, has certainly earned a spot in the 16-team field. Owen J. Roberts, mind you, belongs here.

But as good as the Wildcats are, everyone else – literally a Who’s Who in Pennsylvania Wrestling – is, too.

For starters, there are the top four teams situated in the rankings ahead of the No. 5 Wildcats. That elite foursome includes unbeaten No. 1 (and No. 5 in the nation) Canon McMillan (22-0); unbeaten No. 2 (and No. 25 in the nation as well as four-time defending duals champion) Central Dauphin (20-0); No. 3 (and four-time duals champion) Easton (19-2); and No. 4 Erie McDowell (14-1). If that group isn’t enough to rattle the wrestling nerves, there is No. 6 Norristown (9-1), which OJR outlasted in last Saturday’s District 1 final; No. 7 Mechanicsburg (14-1); No. 8 Big Spring (18-3), which eliminated Spring-Ford last year and Council Rock North this past Monday in a pair of opening-round thrillers; No. 9 Parkland (19-3), which eliminated Spring-Ford in the opening round this past Monday night; and No. 10 North Allegheny (17-4).

The rest of the field includes No. 12 Delaware Valley (17-4); unbeaten No. 13 Central Mountain (15-0); No. 15 Greensburg Salem (14-4); unbeaten No. 23 DuBois (13-0) and the only two unranked entries, La Salle (14-1) and Jersey Shore (12-4), who ironically, face off against one another tonight.

Almost forgot, more than 40 of the teams’ wrestlers are ranked among the Top 10 in their respective weight classes, too … including five returning state champions.

*
Owen J. Roberts faces a Lions’ lineup quite similar to its own – one with very few holes, or noticeable weak spots.

Greensburg Salem, which finished third in District 7, advanced through the opening round with a 60-16 laugher over District 8 champion Taylor Allderdice. There is strength down low with Austin Caldwell (31-11) and Carl Kelley (27-13) at 106 and 113, respectively; in the middle with Tyler Reinhart (35-5) and Zach Voytek (33-3) at 132 and 152; and up top with Anthony Calbe (26-6) and Tanner Hahn (34-4) at 170 and 220.

The Wildcats are likely to counter that select six with Aston White (19-6) and Derek Gulotta (20-6) at 106 and 113; with Demetri D’Orsaneo (22-8) and Kyle Shronk (25-6) at 132 and 152; and with Gordon Bolig (22-8) and either Jim Warta (27-6) or Brad Trego (22-9) at 170 and 220.

That leaves, of course, eight other bouts.

On paper, which resolves nothing, OJR should be favored in three of them with Colby Frank at 120, Adam Moser at 138, and Andrew Kinney at 145.

Head coach Steve DeRafelo’s concern will be the toss-ups – specifically at 126 with Dominick Petrucelli; at 160 with Mike Lenge; at 182 with either Tyler Rogers or Paul Minninger; at 195 with either Nick DeAngelo or Warta; and at 285 with either Trego or Kevin Kerwin.

* * *
OJR defeated Big Spring (31-25) in both teams’ very first match of the season at the Bealer Memorial Bear Duals in Boyertown. Both teams are situated in the upper-half of the AAA bracket. Big Spring has to deal with Easton in its opener. … Longtime Easton head coach Steve Powell is a graduate of Henderson, where he was a two-time section champion (1971-72) for the Warriors. … Central Dauphin, which swept its record fifth straight District 3 title last weekend, has won a state-record 93 straight dual matches. The Rams, who open tonight against Norristown, will likely put that streak on the line in an expected semifinal showdown with powerful Canon-McMillan, which shouldn’t have a problem with Parkland or the winner of the Delaware Valley-DuBois in getting to the semifinal round. The Macs have six wrestlers ranked No. 1 in the state, including defending state champions Connor Schram (120) and Cody Wiercioch (170). … The field’s other three returning state champions are Erie McDowell’s Steve Spearman (138), who is actually ranked second behind Canon-McMillan’s Solomon Chisko; Easton’s Mitchell Minotti (145); and Central Mountain’s Brian Brill (160).

This article was originally published in the Jan. 30, 2012, print edition of The Mercury.

What Owen J. Roberts has done this season – actually done in a little over a week – has a lot of wrestling fans talking. That’s fans in the Pioneer Athletic Conference and fans throughout District 1. And who knows, more than a few diehard matheads from around the state are probably talking about the Wildcats, too.

In a period of 11 days, OJR shut down rivals Upper Perkiomen (53-7) and Methacton (59-6), humbled Upper Darby (66-4) in its District 1-AAA Team Duals opener, and put a shellacking on Spring-Ford (52-8) in what was billed as the PAC-10 showdown – and rightfully so – but ended up as anything but.

Four duals against four quality opponents, 56 individual bouts ... and the Wildcats won 50 of them.

That’s impressive.
With undermanned but not-ready-to-roll-over Phoenixville and Pottsgrove remaining on the PAC-10 card, the Wildcats have a very good chance to do something no one has ever done since the league’s inaugural 1986-87 season – limit every opponent to single digits. Those strong Pottstown teams in the late 80s couldn’t do it, neither could any of Spring-Ford’s superb teams in the 90s. Upper Perkiomen failed to do it throughout its incredible nine-year run that ended in 2006. Even Boyertown was a bit more generous during its run the ensuing four years.

That’s even more impressive.
Right now, OJR’s average margin of victory in the PAC-10 is 59.1 points. Ironically, the league record is that exact same number, set in 2006 by Upper Perkiomen (against eight opponents, because Lansdale Catholic didn’t have a wrestling team at that time).

To say the Wildcats are good, or very good, would be an understatement, of course. Heck, one fan leaving the Spring-Ford High School gymnasium after Saturday’s matinee said “(Owen J. Roberts is) the best team (he’d) ever seen around here.”

For now – repeat, for now – that may be a bit of a stretch.

In other words, no one should get ahead of themselves. Even OJR head coach Steve DeRafelo would plead the fifth if questioned about that issue.

What the Wildcats have right now are movers-and-shakers, an aggressive gang ... all guts and no guile. They have a leader in Mike Lenge, who along with Andrew Kinney and Jim Warta, are the lone seniors to step on the mat this season. They also have what arguably is the most talented freshman class to ever come through this area – a group of freshmen who push those three seniors as well as every junior and sophomore in between – which provides a little insight as to how long the Wildcats could be good.

But just how good the Wildcats will be by season’s end – repeat, by season’s end – has yet to be determined.

Yes, they seem to have a lock on the PAC-10 title.

They want more, though.
The District 1-AAA Team Duals title is well within their reach, but they’ll have to get past Council Rock South, which has won three of the last five titles, in Friday’s quarterfinals; then either Rustin or Marple-Newtown in the semifinals before heading to bed for the night. Saturday, in all likelihood, they’ll get pin-machine Norristown in the final. That won’t be easy by any stretch of the imagination. It never is at this point, otherwise more than three area teams – Methacton, Upper Perkiomen and Boyertown – would have the coveted hardware in their respective trophy cases.

So while fans continue to talk the talk, the Wildcats are hoping, and determined, to walk the walk.

* * *
Talking about some of the best, and having a little fun with it – put Upper Perkiomen’s lineup from the PIAA Duals final (a lopsided win over Easton) up against Owen J. Roberts’ lineup from Saturday’s match against Spring-Ford. … The weight classes are different, of course, but going head-to-head with no juggling, it wouldn’t be too much of a stretch – at least on paper – to see each team having an edge in five bouts with four toss-ups. It would be interesting to hear what Upper Perkiomen’s Brent Fiorito and OJR’s Robert Hoffman had to say about it, though. Fiorito, who rolled up a major on Hoffman in the Indians’ 68-0 shutout of the Wildcats dual that season, went on to become the state champion at 160, while Hoffman finished seventh in the state at 152. Both are currently assistant coaches for their alma maters.

* * *
Feeling slighted? Pottsgrove’s Nico Demetrio may be. The 132-pound sophomore has recently won two tournaments and is 21-3 overall, but still ranked below No. 3 Demetri D’Orsaneo of Owen J. Roberts, No. 2 Trent Clifford of Pottstown, and No. 1 Wolfgang McStravick of Upper Perkiomen. Ironically, turn that order around and that’s who Demetrio – who has won 15 of his last 16 bouts – may be seeing before the regular season ends because Upper Perkiomen, Pottstown and OJR are up next on the Falcons’ schedule.

* * *
Rambling on… McStravick, a junior, is 21-1 (with 92 career wins). His lone loss was 5-3 to North Carolina state champion Chris Caton of Northside Christian two days before Christmas in the finals of the King of the Mat Tournament in N.C. ... Clifford and Pottstown teammate Rashaad Lighty have won 22 and 15 in a row, respectively. ... Pottsgrove’s Danny Michaels has won 18 straight. ... Two of the most versatile talents this winter have been OJR’s Brad Trego and Perkiomen Valley’s Chris Kline. Trego has been an integral part of the Wildcats’ run at 220 and 285, while Kline has worked anywhere from 170 up through 195 and won 12 of his last 13. ... One of the postseason’s most anticipated matchups – or rematches – could be at 152 between OJR’s Kyle Shronk (22-6) and Boyertown’s Jon Neiman (25-3). Shronk beat Neiman in a 3-1 thriller back on Jan. 4. Of the two rivals’ combined nine losses, five have come against state-ranked opponents.

This column was originally published on Jan. 13, 2012, in the print edition of The Mercury.

If wrestling ever needed a proverbial shot of enthusiasm in its collective arm – especially after the controversial change in weight classes prior to the current season – it got one Wednesday.

District 1 got one, that is.

The District 1 Wrestling Steering Committee approved a proposal to eliminate the current six sectionals and replace them with league championships, which will determine the qualifiers for two – or possibly three – district tournaments beginning next year.

The change, announced by steering committee chairman Dennis Kellon, still has a few minor issues to be addressed, namely the number of qualifiers from each league. However, it has become apparent coaches and administrators from around the district strongly support the move.

“The steering committee presented the proposal to the District 1 Board of Directors last year,” Kellon explained. “The board’s response was that it needed time to look at it, to review it. Our only concern was that we wanted to get it done before this month.”

Kellon, along with several coaches who helped develop the proposal, met with the board this past fall. The board supported the proposal and gave the steering committee the opportunity to move forward.

The idea of changing the first step in the postseason grind – which includes districts and regionals prior to the state championships – shouldn’t come as a shock to anyone affiliated with or a fan of District 1 wrestling. Declining attendances and rising costs at sectional tournaments in recent years have been a major concern.

“Every year we sit down at the end of the season and talk about all the tournaments,” Kellon said. “We’ve come up with all sorts of ideas in the past, like realigning the sections, going with two big sectional tournaments…

“We also look at the financial reports, which are part of our review every year but not a big part of it. Yes, attendances have been down, revenues have been down. At no time did (District 1 officials) say, ‘change.’ But we felt we had to look for ways to rectify those situations, too. We thought this was a time that we could be proactive.”

Upper Perkiomen head coach Tom Hontz, who along with Spring-Ford head coach Tim Seislove was instrumental in creating the new postseason proposal, sees the change as a positive one.

“I’m sure some people will groan about the lost tradition of the sections, but change can be good and I think fans will come to appreciate this new format,” Hontz said. “Also, I think you’ll see some of the great league rivalries become even more intense.”

At one time, like when Hontz wrestled for Quakertown High School back in the early 1980s, most of the sections consisted of league rivals. Through the years, due to occasional realignments within most of the sections, members of leagues have been moved around.

In the PAC-10, for instance, eight of its current AAA teams are split up in Section Two (Phoenixville, Pottsgrove and Upper Perkiomen), Section Three (Methacton and Perkiomen Valley) and Section Four (Boyertown, Owen J. Roberts and Spring-Ford).

“Because of the realignments, a lot of the league rivalries have become lost, and some of the fan interest has been lost, too,” Hontz said. “This is a great way to liven up the first round of the postseason.”

The tentative league championship formats – tentative being the operative word – are as follows:

* Pioneer Athletic Conference would get four qualifiers; the Central League would get five qualifiers; and the Ches-Mont League would get six qualifiers. The three leagues would advance their respective qualifiers to the District 1-AAA South Tournament.

Nine of the PAC-10’s member schools are Class AAA, with Pope John Paul II – by virtue of the new enrollment classifications released last week – being Class AA. The Central League has 12 teams, all AAA. The Ches-Mont League will have the option of running two tournaments (one each for the National and American divisions), in which each division would get three qualifiers. If the Ches-Mont would run one tournament it would get six qualifiers.

* The Suburban One Conference would get 11 qualifiers – four each from the National and Continential divisions and three from the American Division. The Del Val League would get two or three qualifiers. Suburban One and Del Val would advance their respective qualifiers to the District 1-AAA North Tournament.

All 23 of the Suburban One’s member schools are Class AAA, as are the five in the Del Val League.

As previously mentioned, the officials’ plan is for 16-man brackets in each of the district championships, so adjusting the number of qualifiers for each league – or possibly having first-round byes for the individual top-seeds in each weight class – is one of the issues to be further discussed and approved.

“The number of qualifiers would be adjusted,” Kellon explained. “We’re looking for that balance. We’re looking at the number of teams in each league, the number of wrestlers they’ll bring to districts.

“But strength of schedule, for one thing, will have nothing to do with how (we adjust the qualifiers). We have to make it fair for everyone.”

Kellon also said returning to the three-district format – North, South and Central, which ran for three years from 2007 through 2009 – has been discussed as well.

“It’s a possibility,” he admitted. “But I know most of us prefer to go to with two districts, two sites … six (qualifiers) from each, along with the four coming in from District 12, to give us the 16-man bracket for the (Southeast Regional).”

Kellon did not know when all the “Ts” will be crossed and all the “Is” would be dotted on the new format. But his excitement was already noticeable.

“Very honestly, we anticipate the attendances to be good and the enthusiasm to escalate at the league championships,” he said.

NOTES
The District 1 section tournaments were first held in 1971. There were eight sectional tournaments the first three years, but beginning in 1974 that number was reduced to six – and remained unchanged through the current 2011-2012 season. … Ridley (19), Conestoga (17), North Penn (17), the former Downingtown High School (15), and Methacton (15) own the most section team titles.

This column originally ran in the Jan. 9, 2012 edition of The Mercury.

Like a lot of coaches in the Pioneer Athletic Conference and around District 1, Spring-Ford's Tim Seislove has been keeping both eyes on Owen J. Roberts' wrestling results this winter. But when he hears all the talk about how his own team could challenge the Wildcats for the PAC-10 championship, maybe even a district duals title, well, those words fall on deaf ears.

"Owen J. Roberts is heads and tails the best team in our district," Seislove said. "Owen J. Roberts and Norristown are above everyone else. Then you can throw about 10 other teams in the hat and take your choice."

A lot of people have indeed had an eye on unbeaten OJR, which has a wealth of talent and depth, or enough to make a run at a second straight league championship and, quite possibly, that district dual title.

But regardless of what Seislove says, or refuses to hear, the Rams haven't been able to escape the spotlight, either. Their quick start, 12 straight wins before a 38-28 loss to District 3-Class AA's top-ranked Biglerville in last Saturday's final of the Canner Duals, is the big reason, too.

The Rams have gotten the expected punch from their lightweights, a group of veterans that features Chase Brown, Sean Hennessey, Jimmy Stong, brothers Adam and Jason Dombrosky and Jesse Quave from 113 up through 145 pounds. But they're also getting some unexpected jabs from the upper portion of the lineup, namely Jon Cooper, Dan Dipipi, Tyler McGuigan and Dan Lawrence at 152, 160, 170 and 182, respectively. And they're slowly getting more and more consistency from Mason Romano, Josh Boyer and Zach Dorsey, two sophomores and a junior, who usually occupy the final three spots in the lineup.

"We're happy where we're at," Seislove said. "We're 12-1, so we can't complain."

But ...

"In wrestling, records can be very deceiving. It's one sport you can't look at records, and everyone should know that. We haven't wrestled the toughest schedule. We have wrestled some tough teams that, in the beginning, I felt we had a good shot at beating if we wrestled well."

The Rams have, for the record, wrestled quite well thus far. They've beaten, rather handily, four upper-level District 1 teams at the Abington Duals, crushed a couple of PAC-10 opponents, and had a good run at the Canner Duals, defeating longtime District 11-AA challenger Pine Grove, stuffing Southern Columbia, and topping Wyomissing, the No. 7 team in District 3-AA, before the setback to Biglerville.

The long road trips are over for now, with seven PAC-10 matches ahead of them.

"Traveling isn't anything new because (former head coach) Pat Nugent started doing that years ago here," Seislove said. "It's important to find good competition, the kind of that's your (own program's) top competition. You try to build a schedule, a tough schedule, with teams you can be competitive with.

"But now we have the meat of our schedule ahead of us. Nothing's easy in the PAC-10, and then you have the district duals in between those matches."

Spring-Ford will not overlook its next three opponents: Pottsgrove, Pottstown and Perkiomen Valley. But then there's a trip to Upper Perkiomen on Wednesday, Jan. 25; the opening round of district duals the following night; and, just two days later, the showdown with visiting Owen J. Roberts.

And don't forget the closing fireworks with Methacton and Boyertown.

"We're improving. We're getting better," Seislove said. "But our big concern is staying healthy. We have quite a few freshmen, a lot of inexperienced kids in the lineup, especially up top. They're good kids who work hard. But we have to stay healthy.

"You have to understand that we don't have any superstars. We don't have one kid who I can say is definitely going to go to states. We don't have any standouts, no superstars. But we do have good, hard-working kids."

Enough to everyone else around the PAC-10 and District 1 rather interested.

Frankie Krauss (145/152), Cooper and Dorsey are three freshmen getting a lot of mat time for Seislove. Dipipi, Mike Spohr (182) and McGuigan, an impressive 19-5 thus far, spent most of last season with the junior varsity. Lawrence blew his knee out early last year and missed most of the season, while Romano, a sophomore, opted to return to wrestling after sitting out his freshman year.

Upper Perkiomen returning state qualifier Wolfgang McStravick didn't wrestle the final day of last weekend's Battlefield Duals down in Va., after suffering a mild concussion the previous night. He is expected back in the lineup sometime this week.

The most improved team since the start of the season? Methacton, hands down. The Warriors have won their last two tournaments -the Wetzel Classic and Octorara Duals- and are 10-2 overall.

Owen J. Roberts has seven of the preliminary Top 10 seeds for this weekend's rugged Escape The Rock Tournament at Council Rock South, quickly becoming one of the top events in Pennsylvania if not the entire East Coast. Andrew Kinney (145), who'll go for his 100th career win Wednesday night against Perkiomen Valley, drew No. 6; freshman Demetrio D'Orsaneo (132), Kyle Shronk (152) and James Warta (195) drew seventh seeds; and freshman Derek Gulotta (113), Colby Frank (126) and Mike Lenge (160) are all 10th seeds.

Boyertown senior Jon Neiman needs two wins for 100 and should reach the milestone Saturday at the Cumberland Valley Duals.

Pottstown will recognize all Trojan wrestling alumni prior to its Wednesday, January 18th match against Phoenixville. The festivities including honoring the program for reaching 500 dual meets. All alumni are asked to arrive at the high school at 5:30 p.m. for food and beverages. The presentation begins at 6:25. Alumni planning to attend should contact head coach Jamie Gill at jgill@pottstownsd.org.

For those who haven't already heard, the PIAA state tournament will undergo a major change in March. And if anyone thought the new weight classes were a joke, the final day of states -- Saturday, March 10, to be exact -- may be an absolute comedy, but no one will be laughing.

The normal schedule featuring consolation finals for the seventh, fifth and third places on three mats followed by the championship finals on one mat is no more. That's right, no more. The new format (take a deep breath now) is all finals, consolations as well as the championships in each weight class, will be wrestled simultaneously, Class AA at two in the afternoon and Class AAA at seven that night.

Seems as though someone lost their headgear and got slammed a few times.

According to PIAA Executive Director Bob Lombardi, the change is the result of the three-day tournament ending way too late, which it does (usually around 11 p.m.). There is a genuine concern for kids on the road that late and about the costs of hotels/motels for an additional night in the Hershey area.

Lombardi's concerns are warranted, and no one in the PIAA office has ever been as supportive of wrestling as Lombardi has for the past twentysome years

However, Pennsylvania is among the best states (if not the best) in wrestling. In a sport that battles year in and year out for respect, this is one particular move from its own governing body that undermines that fight. A few other states have been going with the "all-finals-together" format, but who cares. This is Pennsylvania, be the best -- or, as one former state champion said, "set the trend."

This column originally appeared in the Dec. 12, 2011 edition of The Mercury.

Tom Hontz has a good memory — or at least you'd think it.

This past weekend, he was asked if there's any one win or any one match that stood out above all others in his 22 years as Upper Perkiomen's head coach.

"Obviously, the match with Nazareth in the semifinals (of the 2006 PIAA-Class AAA Team Duals) out in Hershey," Hontz said, recalling Chris Sheetz's last-second miracle move that helped the Indians stun their District 11 rival, 27-26. "And earlier that same season (Dec. 23, 2005), when Easton came down to our place. We had like seven pins (in the 49-26 rout), and Easton coach Steve Powell said he couldn't ever remember any of his teams being pinned that many times in a match."

Funny, Hontz forgot to mention Saturday afternoon's 44-25 whipping of Wyoming Valley West during the second round of the Quakertown Duals.

It was the 300th of his career.

So much for the short-term memory.

"Oh, it's kind of a neat milestone," he said.

It isn't every day, or year for that matter, when a wrestling coach sits in on 300 matches let alone has the opportunity to win 300. But Hontz did on Saturday, joining Boyertown's Bruce Hallman and Pottstown's Jim Tsakonas as the only area coaches to reach the "neat milestone." Hontz actually added two more wins Saturday to move into a tie with Tsakonas (302), and if the Indians are able to get by North Penn and Perkiomen Valley this Wednesday and Thursday, respectively, he'll not only move ahead of Tsakonas but Hallman (303) as well to become the area's winningest coach.

And he'll have done it quicker than both Hallman (24 seasons) and Tsakonas (26).

"I would think that means we've done some good things consistently through the years," Hontz said.

That Upper Perkiomen, or Hontz, to be more specific, has done.

But no one in their right wrestling mind would've thought all the wins, all the Pioneer Athletic Conference championships and all postseason titles the Indians have accumulated were possible when Hontz took over the program in 1990.

"We struggled at first," Hontz said, his memories of those early years as vivid as any other. "One of our first goals was to put out a full lineup. In the beginning here we were forfeiting four or five weight classes. Sometimes we were beat before we even started (a match).

"It took a while. But we had some good people running our midget programs, guys like Brian Berlanda and Ken Gaugler. Everyone, at all levels of our program, started getting together and working together."

Don't think Hontz didn't welcome the help, or the support. He was, after all, just out of Duke University, only 22 years old and getting his feet wet in his first job as a teacher and coach.

"I had absolutely no idea what I was getting into," he explained. "The only coaching experience I had was being around other coaches (during his wrestling career at Quakertown High School and Duke). I was kind of copying what they did.

"I was very inexperienced, and pretty foolish in regards to having any kind of experience working with kids. I didn't understand that at first. So it's pretty amazing how all that evolved."

Hontz initially drew on what he learned from his former coaches: Dave Evans at Quakertown and Bill Harvey at Duke. As years passed, he didn't hesitate to pick up a few pointers from two of Pennsylvania wrestling's best: Nazareth's Ray Nunamaker and Powell.

"They say the best teachers are those who steal from other teachers," Hontz said, breaking into a laugh. I've been around some of the best. But what we do isn't all that much different from anyone else. We stress fundamentals, emphasize hard work. We want everyone on the same page."

For longer than some care to remember, the Indians have been just that: on the same page season after season after season.

After a rather uneventful start, Hontz guided the Indians to a record nine straight Pioneer Athletic Conference championships (1998-2006), a string that would've extended to 10 in a row if not for a wrestler's residency violation that eventually erased six of eight league wins and 16 others that season. He already owns a league-high 133 wins going into Thursday's PAC-10 opener against Perkiomen Valley.

And beyond all the section, district and regional team titles, Hontz has guided Upper Perkiomen into the state spotlight. He owns five district duals titles, the 2006 team following up that memorable win over Nazareth with a 46-19 rout of Easton for the state championship.

Five of District 1's seven winningest wrestlers, including state-record holder Zack Kemmerer (199 career wins), have been part of Hontz's program.

"I've been fortunate," he said. "For a number of years there we went on a magical ride with some amazing kids. And we feel it's still that way. We have a lot of great kids."

Enough to keep Hontz's mind occupied and busy creating some new memories.

"We had some rough times there and we didn't always know how things would work out," he said. "But it's been fun. I'm pretty sure I'll be back next year, but after that we'll sit down and evaluate things like we always do."

Hontz teaches a social studies gifted humanities class for 9th and 10th graders and 11th grade history at Upper Perkiomen. He has also been involved with the football program for 16 years, six at the high school and the last 10 at the junior high.

Hontz is the 17th coach in District 1 to pass the 300-win plateau. Up next after Hallman and West Chester East's Mike Colley is C.B. East's John Tomlinson and Hatboro-Horsham's Ralph Wetzel, who are tied for 12th on the list with 307 wins apiece.

The only District 1 coach to reach 300 wins quicker than Hontz was Pennsbury's Joe Kiefer, who retired following last season after 25 years and 411 career wins.

This article was originally published in the Feb. 15, 2011 edition of The Mercury.

Scott Syrek rarely ever failed to come up with the right move at the right time to win a wrestling match. Brute-like physical strength alone may have been good enough for him in a lot of instances, or so some had first thought. But extraordinary instincts — that sense of not only knowing what to do at any given moment but how to execute it – is what separated him from so many of the upperweights he confronted throughout his four seasons at Owen J. Roberts.

Unfortunately, the one thing the Syrek couldn’t quite ever escape from was the constant throbbing in his left shoulder.

So last week, not long after his 56-second fall helped the Wildcats pin down its first Pioneer Athletic Conference championship – the program’s first wrestling title of any kind in 36 long years – the soft-spoken Syrek called it quits. He had given as much as he could. He had gone as long as he possibly could.

And his emotions ran deep, stinging nearly as much as the pain in that left shoulder.

“Frustrated is probably the right word … I think that kind of hits the nail on the head,” Syrek said of his decision to sit out what would’ve been the fourth and final postseason of his outstanding career, a career that unfortunately will close prematurely with three appearances in the state tournament, one state medal, and 112 wins overall.

“It hurts knowing I put in all the hard work like everyone else did and won’t get a chance to finish it out. My goal was always to win a state title.”

Very few people outside the Syrek household were even aware of exactly when or how badly he injured his shoulder.

But most agree it happened during his very first match in the Owen J. Roberts gym –just over a week after the 189-pound freshman debuted with five impressive wins during the season-opening Bear Duals up in Boyertown.

“It was the sixth match of his freshman year,” OJR head coach Steve DeRafelo recalled. “Scott was wrestling (eventual state runner-up) Marc Petroski of Springfield-Delco, who ran a power-half and Scott wouldn’t go. I remember Scott coming off the mat and telling me, ‘I think I felt something tear.’

“We really didn’t know what happened for a long time. We knew he was hurt, but we didn’t know how bad.”

Syrek suffered a partial labral tear —actually tears to the front and back labrum tissue.

Despite the injury, Syrek wrestled his way to states and a 39-10 record that freshman year. He came back as a sophomore and, despite defaulting three postseason bouts, managed to return to states again, picked up a sixth-place medal and added 31 more wins to his ledger. Last year, however, the injury — and the pain — worsened. He was forced to default or forfeit three more postseason bouts and was nowhere near 100 percent on his third trip to states, an appearance that ended after three matches.

So last May, Syrek underwent surgery to “get things sewed up” as he explained. He spent five months in rehab before even stepping on a mat. He wasn’t in the lineup when OJR opened this season back in December, but was ready to return for the Beast of the East Classic right before Christmas … or ready until he re-injured the shoulder right before the trip down to Delaware.

No Beast … but he finally got on the mats Jan. 13, helping the Wildcats defeat PAC-10 rival Perkiomen Valley. The following night, he posted back-to-back wins in the rugged Escape The Rock Tournament over at Council Rock South … then injury defaulted to Solanco’s Thomas Haines and, unfortunately, was done for the weekend.

“I was concealing it because I thought it was just a strain,” Syrek explained. “But after the (Escape The Rock), I decided there wasn’t much I could do. I didn’t want to quit right there and then, but there was so much going on in my mind, and all of it was creating a lot of stress.”

Incredibly, Syrek didn’t walk away from his teammates.

Despite the pain, he went back out for six more bouts – and didn’t lose one – all of which helped OJR beat back challenges from four-time defending league champion Boyertown as well as from Spring-Ford, and earned the Wildcats a third-place finish in the District 1-AAA Team Duals and unprecedented berth in the state duals.

“It was really important to me that we win the PAC-10 title,” said Syrek, who never lost a PAC-10 match in his three-plus seasons. “I just wanted to help the team in any way I could. (After getting hurt at the Escape The Rock) I knew I couldn’t win a state title. That’s when my goals changed.”

“All Scott’s ever wanted to do was win a state title,” DeRafelo added. “But when he hurt that shoulder again he knew he couldn’t do it. I think everyone pretty much knew he wouldn’t be able to make a legitimate run at that.

“But he put that all aside and was back at it to help our team win. And he was absolutely a big part of us winning the title. It was hard for everyone else not to go out there and battle after watching what Scott was going through for them and our team.”

DeRafelo honestly believes Syrek was 100 percent for those first five bouts of his high school career, somewhere around 80 percent after the Petroski match and all the way up to last year’s postseason … but nowhere near that figure at states last March or at any point this year.

“Not too many people have ever been aware of how hurt Scott’s been,” DeRafelo said. “A lot of people had a lot of unrealistic expectations. He was never healthy, so it’s hard to imagine how he did what he did, how he managed to have one of the best careers of any upperweight we’ve ever had around here. He overcame a lot. Right now, we all feel bad for him.”

Eventually, the Penn State-bound Syrek admitted, he’ll feel a lot better.

“I’m having (shoulder) surgery shoulder March 2,” he said. “I’ll rehab it … then give it another go.”

*

BREAKTHROUGHS: Perkiomen Valley ended its 0-for-9 streak against Boyertown last week with a 40-30 decision of the ailing Bears. The Vikings, who had never beaten the four-time defending champion Bears, were outscored by an average 58-13 margin in those previous nine losses. … Pope John Paul II broke into the PAC-10 win column for the first time with its 45-36 victory over Phoenixville last week.

BREAKING THROUGH: Owen J. Roberts last week became the first team other than Boyertown, Spring-Ford or Upper Perkiomen to win or share a PAC-10 title since Great Valley and Spring-Ford finished atop the standings in 1997. And beyond than those four, Pottstown is the only other team to pin down a title (1987 and 1989).

FOR THE RECORD: Perkiomen Valley’s Gavin Milligan became his school’s winningest wrestler last week. The senior 145-pounder has 112 career wins, one more than the late Tim Smith. … Milligan is the second area wrestler to work his way to the top of his school’s career win chart. Earlier, Zach Robinson (now at 121) achieved the feat at Pottsgrove. … Daniel Boone’s Colin Martucci is within seven of the Blazers’ mark (116, held by Tyler Swartz).

MILESTONES AHEAD: Three more area wrestlers – Phoenixville’s Ken Cenci (99), Methacton’s Rob D’Annunzio (98), and Pottsgrove’s T.J. Demetrio (97) – should reach the 100-win mark during this weekend’s sectionals. … Spring-Ford’s Matt Krueger (94) and Owen J. Roberts’ Jonathan Dempsey (92) are also within reach heading into the postseason.