PA Crowns 3 FloNationals Champions 26 Medalist

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The 2015 FloNationals took place in Indiana, PA on the campus of Indiana University of Pennsylvania and there was no shortage of Keystone State talent.

Last season Pennsylvania crowned four Champions and earned 27 medals. This season PA came away with three Champions and 26 medalists. It’s a sign of the FloNationals strength that some of Pennsylvania’s top wrestlers were unable to earn a top eight finish. The level of talent from outside of PA was on full display with brackets loaded with Nationally ranked wrestlers.

Final Brackets Here! 

 

106 lbs.

PA Wrestlers: 17

PA Ranked Wrestlers: 9

PA Medal Winners: 1

Northampton Area’s eighth grader Julian Chlebove showed why he should be considered one of the Top Incoming Freshmen of 2016 with a third place finish at 106 lbs. Chlebove was unstoppable against his older counterparts going (6-1) to finish in third place with his only defeat coming in the semifinals to eventual Champion Paul Konrath of Indiana in tiebreaker (3-1 TB).  Chlebove was the lone PA wrestler on the podium despite wrestlers such as PIAA State runner-up Aaron Burkett (Chestnut Ridge), Abe Guarriello (Fort LeBoeuf), and Jacob Dunlop (Belle Vernon Area) all competing.

 

113 lbs.

PA Wrestlers: 14

PA Ranked Wrestlers: 8

PA Medal Winners: 2

A week after winning the NHSCA Sophomore Nationals Brian Courtney (Athens Area) earned a hard fought fifth place finish at the FloNationals an improvement from a eight place finish a season ago. After advancing into the medal round PIAA State Finalist Gage Curry (North Hills) injury defaulted in the seventh place match to end up in eighth place. Curry placed sixth a season ago.

 

120 lbs.

PA Wrestlers: 16

PA Ranked Wrestlers: 10

PA Medal Winners: 1

At 120 lbs. super frosh Sammy Sasso (Nazareth Area) had an impressive Tournament finishing in third place behind two wrestlers ranked in the top 5 Nationally.It was his second straight FloNationals medal finishing fifth last season as an eighth grader. Sasso fell in the quarterfinals to Utah’s Taylor LaMont (8-5) but stormed back to advance into the third place match. In a rematch with LaMont the PIAA State Finalist turned the tables picking up an impressive (11-3) major decision to place third. Sasso was the lone PA medal winner at 120 lbs. despite 10 wrestlers competing who ended the season ranked in the State.

 

126 lbs.

PA Wrestlers: 19

PA Ranked Wrestlers: 7

PA Medal Winners: 2

Luke Pletcher’s disdain for the FloNaionals continued to increase as he fell in the finals at 126 lbs. to Indiana’s Chad Red ranked #1 in the Nation by Flo. Both Pletcher and Red were Super 32 Champions in 2014, Red at 126 lbs. and Pletcher at 132 lbs., Chad Red is a highly recruited junior from New Palestine, Indiana where he is a 3x State Champion undefeated at 139-0. In the finals Red, who is an absolute beast from the top position, was able to turn Pletcher for a fall in (4:16). For Pletcher, a 3x PIAA State Finalist and 2x State Champion, it was his second straight runner-up finish at the FloNationals. Fellow 2015 PIAA State Runner-up Zack Trampe (Council Rock South) finished in seventh place after getting pinned by Chad Red in the quarterfinals. Trampe did have a very impressive (13-0) major decision over 2x PIAA State third place medalist Tate Ortz (Brookville Area).

 

132 lbs.

PA Wrestlers: 17

PA Ranked Wrestlers: 11

PA Medal Winners: 1

Sophomore Jake Hinkson (North Allegheny) was fresh off a NHSCA Sophomore Nationals Championship and this week faired well against the top talent finishing in eighth place. The 2015 PIAA State Medalist was the only PA wrestler to earn a spot on the podium. Waynesburg Central junior Shaun Wilson was one win shy of earning a medal defeating three ranked PA wrestlers along the way.

 

138 lbs.

PA Wrestlers: 17

PA Ranked Wrestlers: 9

PA Medal Winners: 3

The highlight for Pennsylvania was Sam Krivus (Hempfield Area) who captured his third straight FloNationals Championship. The 2x PIAA State Champion has always wrestled well at the FloNationals and 2015 was no different for the Virginia recruit. Krivus defeated 3x PIAA State qualifier Dylan Chatterton (Central York) in the quarterfinals (8-1). In the semifinals Krivus took down New York freshman Frankie Gissendanner, ranked #20 in the Nation by Flo, (2-0) to advance into the finals. There Sam faced Missouri’s Will Roark who entered ranked #9 in the Nation by Flo. Krivus would not be denied his third straight FloNationals Championship earning a (6-1) decision. 2015 PIAA State Champion Kent Lane (Southern Columbia Area) fell to Roark in the semifinals (8-6) and ended up finishing in fourth place improving on an eighth place finish from last season/ Malvern Prep’s Matt Lattanze fell to Dylan Chatterton (5-1) in the championship round but earned a (2-1) decision over PIAA State Medalist Shae Bloom (Curwensville Area) to advance into the medal round. After falling (6-3) to Kent Lane Lattanze defaulted in the seventh place match finishing in eighth.

 

145 lbs.

PA Wrestlers: 20

PA Ranked Wrestlers: 12

PA Medal Winners: 2

The second straight FloNationals Champion from PA was 145 lbs. wrestler Hayden Hidlay (Mifflin County) who scraped his way to the Championship. After picking up two wins by fall Hidlay won (3-2) in the quarterfinals, before knocking-off Ohio sophomore Kyle Lawson, ranked #17 in the Nation by Flo at 152 lbs., in sudden victory (4-2 SV). In the finals Hidlay proved his National prominence as he defeated Maryland’s Austin Kraisser, who entered ranked #7 in the Nation by Flo at 152 lbs., with a narrow (7-6) decision. The other PA medalist was Northern York junior Jonathan Ross who finished in eighth place. In a re-match of the PIAA State Quarterfinals Ross repeated his victory over Jimmy Saylor (Easton Area) to advance into the medal round (3-2).

 

152 lbs.

PA Wrestlers: 17

PA Ranked Wrestlers: 9

PA Medal Winners: 4

The fourth PA wrestler to advance into the FloNational finals was South Park junior Jake Wentzel at 152 lbs. The 2015 PIAA State Champion advanced into the finals where he met surprise finalist Connor Flynn of Missouri who entered ranked #12 in the Nation at 160 lbs. In the semifinals Flynn earned a significant upset over Penn State recruit and FILA Cadet National Champion Mason Manville (6-4). Flynn capped it off with a narrow (7-6) decision over Wentzel in the finals. Wentzel was one of four Keystone State wrestlers to bring home a FloNational medal. 2x PIAA State Medalist Kaleb Young (Punxsutawney Area) finished in sixth place while WPIAL rivals Nino Bonaccorsi (Bethel Park) and Ethan Smith (Greater Latrobe) finished seventh and eighth respectively.

 

160 lbs.

PA Wrestlers: 11

PA Ranked Wrestlers: 6

PA Medal Winners: 3

Pennsylvania’s fifth FloNational Finalist was 2015 PIAA State Champion Cole Walter (Mifflinburg Area) who gave up a late lead to Xavier Montalvo falling (8-6) to finish as the runner-up. Montalvo dropped from 182 lbs. where he is ranked #9 in the Nation by Flo. Walter placed fifth at the 2014 FloNationals. One of the most impressive performances of the Tournament was no doubt Greensburg Salem’s Zach Mattucci who finished in sixth place. Matucci ended his senior season ranked #11 in the State at 160 lbs. despite never qualifying for the PIAA State Championships. Also finishing in the top eight was 2015 PIAA State Medalist Noah Stewart (Mifflin County) who finished in seventh place.

 

170 lbs.

PA Wrestlers: 17

PA Ranked Wrestlers: 14

PA Medal Winners: 2

A total of 17 wrestlers from PA, 14 of which ended the season ranked in the State, competed at 170 lbs. A pair of PIAA Class AAA Medalists came away with FloNational hardware as junior Austin Bell (Belle Vernon Area) finished in third place and Kyle Gentile (Pennridge) placed fifth. Bell lost to eventual Champion Nick Reenan (Wyoming Seminary) in the semifinals (5-1) but bounced back to win in tiebreaker capturing third place. Gentile had a solid tournament defeating Oklahoma’s Hayden Hansen, ranked #14 in the Nation by Flo, in the second round score (3-0). In the quarterfinals Gentile avenged a defeat to Jake Shaffer (Greater Latrobe) from the PIAA State Tournament last month. Shaffer defeated Gentile (3-1) in the PIAA State consolation semifinals but this time around Gentile was the winner (3-1).

 

182 lbs.

PA Wrestlers: 8

PA Ranked Wrestlers: 3

PA Medal Winners: 2

The third Champion from Pennsylvania was 2015 PIAA State Champion Dakota Geer (Franklin) who defeated New York’s Triston Engle in the finals (13-7). The semifinals were 2015 PIAA State Finals rematch at 182 lbs. as Geer met Corey Hazel (Penns Valley Area). In the State Finals Geer was victorious (10-3) and this time came away a winner (4-0). Hazel ended up finishing in fourth place as he and Geer were the lone PA medalists.

 

195 lbs.

PA Wrestlers: 7

PA Ranked Wrestlers: 4

PA Medal Winners: 0

The only weight that did not see a Pennsylvania wrestler on the podium was 196 lbs. 2015 PIAA State Medalist Trey Hartsock (Mifflin County) came one win shy of placing as did Travis Schmeling (Greater Latrobe).

 

220 lbs.

PA Wrestlers: 9

PA Ranked Wrestlers: 5

PA Medal Winners: 2

2015 PIAA State Runner-up Jacob Robb (Kittanning) fell to eventual Champion Austin Meyers of Kentucky (13-4) in the semifinals but ended up placing fourth. Joining Robb on the medal stand was sophomore PIAA State Medalist Cole Rickert (Reynolds) who finished in seventh place. Two PA wrestlers came one win shy of earning a medal as both Cole Nye (Wyoming Seminary) and Andrew Gunning (Bethlehem Liberty) fell in the blood round.

 

285 lbs.

PA Wrestlers: 5

PA Ranked Wrestlers: 4

PA Medal Winners: 1

At heavyweight 2015 PIAA State Runner-up Jake Beistel (Southmoreland) headlined a group of five PA wrestlers earning a fourth place finish. Beistel, a junior and 2x PIAA State Medalist, fell in the consolation finals to Ohio’s sophomore Kevin Vough who is ranked #7 in the Nation by Flo score (5-1).

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