Pennsylvania Claims Four Champions and 22 Medalists at National Preps
A total of four Pennsylvania Natives claimed National Prep Championships on Saturday evening at Lehigh University. In total the Keystone State earned 22 total Medalists at the 2017 National Prep Tournament with wrestlers from nine different schools.
With the absence of Kurt McHenry (St. Pauls, MD), the top National Prep wrestler at 106 lbs., someone had to fill the void and that opened up an opportunity for Pennsylvania’s talented rookie Drew Munch (Wyoming Seminary). Entering the Tournament as the fifth seed Drew earned a (10-4) decision over fellow PA Freshman and fourth seed Chris Kim (Germantown Academy) in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals Munch, a Stroudsburg, PA native, face top seed Nick Incontrera of Blair. The last time they faced off in January Incontrera was the winner (5-3). This time around Munch, despite giving up the opening takedown, stormed back earning an escape and takedown in the second period finishing off the match with another takedown to win (6-5) over the top seed. In the National Prep finals Drew jumped out to a (14-2) lead on second seed Chris Barnabae (Mount St. Joseph’s) and earned his first career National Prep Championship with a (15-6) major decision. Also earning a spot on the medal stand was Malvern Prep freshman Dalton Harkins who finished in third place. A week prior Harkins was a PAISAA Champion pinning Munch in the State Finals.
At 113 lbs. Malvern Prep sophomore Shane Hanson-Ashworth earned his second career National Prep medal as he placed third. Additionally sophomore Jake Bruce (Kiski Prep) and Germantown Academy senior Brandon Seidman each finished in the top eight. The second National Prep Champion from Pennsylvania came at 120 lbs. when the Top Incoming Freshman Beau Bartlett (Wyoming Seminary) dominated his way to the Championship. Bartlett picked up two first period falls and two tech-falls to advance into the Championship finals. There he upended King Sandoval (St. Mary’s Ryken, MD) with a (6-2) decision. Sophomore and Nazareth, PA native Mike Madara (Blair Academy) claimed his second National Prep medal placed third and Henry Hague (Malvern Prep) finished sixth.
Returning National Prep Champion Jack Davis (Wyoming Seminary) fell one point shy in ultimate tiebreaker of earning his second straight Championship. In the 126 lbs. finals Davis fell (9-8 UTB) to Blair’s Chris Cannon who he defeated (3-2) back in January. Likewise, Wyoming Seminary senior Jake Riegel, also fell a win short of National Prep gold when he was forced to injury default in the finals against top seed Zach Sherman (Blair Academy) in the second period down (2-1). Two additional Pennsylvania wrestlers placed at 132 lbs. with Central Valley, PA native Kyle Gorant (The Hill School) finishing third and Kennett Square, PA native Caden Mareno (McDonough) finishing sixth. It was Gorant’s second straight National Prep medal and Mareno’s first.
At 138 lbs. 2017 Escape The Rock Champion PJ Crane (Malvern Prep) improved on his fourth place finish from 2016 with a National Prep Runner-up finish in 2017. The Horsham, PA native fell in tiebreaker to top seed Malcolm Robinson (Blair Academy) score (2-1). One of the Keystone State’s top freshman, Aurelius Dunbar (Mercersburg Academy) battled through an injury to finish in sixth place at 145 lbs. while sophomore Darrien Roberts (Wyoming Seminary) had a solid tournament finishing in third at 160 lbs.
Wyoming Seminary sophomore Jake Hendricks, a Schuylkill Haven, PA native, improved on his (2-2) performance at the 2016 National Prep Tournament as he finished in fifth place at 170 lbs. Malvern Prep wrestler Nick Florschutz, a Coatesville, PA native, grabbed his second straight National Prep medal placing eighth at 170 lbs. Yet another Pennsylvania rookie ended the day as a National Prep All-American as Chambersburg, PA wrestler Jack Wimmer (McDonough) placed sixth at 182 lbs.
Bumping up to 195 lbs. after he won a 2017 Escape the Rock Championship at 182 lbs. the Nation’s top ranked wrestler, Malvern Prep junior Michael Beard, won his second straight National Prep Championship with a dominating performance. Beard, a Northwestern recruit, collected three first period falls, a (21-8) major decision in the semifinals, and close out his Championship with a tech-fall (20-5) in the finals. Haverford School senior Chris Kober grabbed his second straight National Prep medal placing third at 220 lbs.
Closing out the 2017 National Prep Championships returning Champion Seth Janney (Malvern Prep) closed out his career with his second straight National Prep Championship. The former PIAA State Runner-up had no issues with the 285 lbs. field as he rolled to three first period falls, a (5-0) decision in the semifinals, and a third period fall in the finals.
Full Brackets can be found on the FloArena here.
106 lbs.
1st Drew Munch (Wyoming Seminary) MD Chris Barnabae (Mt St Joseph), 15-6
3rd Dalton Harkins (Malvern) DEC Blair Orr (Episcopal Acd.), 2-0 SV
5th Nick Incontrera (Blair) F Luke Kowalski (St. Johns College), 2:07
7th Ryan Shepherd (Haverford) DEC Gabe Slate (Benedictine), 2-1
113 lbs.
1st Trevor Mastrogiovanni (Blair) DEC Moasha Schwartz (Wyoming Seminary), 7-5 SV
3rd Shane Hanson-Ashworth (Malvern) DEC Noah Miller (Trinity Christian), 4-3
5th Hayden Brown (Phillips Exeter) DEC Jack Bruce (Kiski), 7-2
7th Sal Jones (Li Lutheran) DEC Brandon Seidman (Germantown), 4-2 SV
120 lbs.
1st Beau Bartlett (Wyoming Seminary) DEC King Sandoval (St. Marys Ryken), 6-2
3rd Michael Madara (Blair) DEC Paul Truntich (Arch. Spalding), 3-1
5th Gabriel Elkin (Mba) DEC Henry Hague (Malvern), 2-1
7th Connor Alexander (St. Christophers) DEC Luke Harvich (Cape Henry), 6-3
126 lbs.
1st Chris Cannon (Blair) DEC Jack Davis (Wyoming Seminary), 9-8 UTB
3rd Mark Salvatore (Malvern) DEC Nathanil White (Dematha), 2-1
5th Gray Hart (St. Christophers) DEC Ray Eason (Father Ryan), 6-1
7th Rick Couch (Arch Spalding) DEC James Jesuroga (Liberty Chr-tx), 2-1
132 lbs.
1st Zachary Sherman (Blair) DEF Jake Riegel (Wyoming Seminary)
3rd Kyle Gorant (Hill) DEC Shawn Orem (Mt St Joseph), 4-3
5th DeShawn Herbert (St. Benedicts) DEC Caden Mareno (McDonogh), 4-2
7th Brock Herring (McCallie) F Brady Biller (Benedictine), 4:34
138 lbs.
1st Malcom Robinson (Blair) DEC Paul Crane (Malvern), 2-1 TB2
3rd Imran Heard (St. Pauls) DEC Trevor Brown (Cba), 6-5
5th Benny Baker (Wyoming Seminary) DEC Nathan Thacker (Gonzaga), 5-2
7th Wilfredo Gil (St. Benedicts) DEC Brendon Gallagher (Landon), 3-2
145 lbs.
1st Philip Conigliaro (Belmont Hill) DEC Josh Wyland (Benedictine), 1-0
3rd Ethan Krause (Georgetown Prep) DEC Quinn Devaney (McDonogh), 5-1
5th William Kaiser (Blair) M FOR Aurelius Dunbar (Mercersburg), 0-0 0:00
7th Nick Goray (Arch Spalding) DEC Bryce Wittman (Mba), 3-0
152 lbs.
1st Bailey Thomas (Good Counsel) DEC Mason Reiniche (Baylor), 8-6 UTB
3rd Julian Ramirez (Blair) F Darwin Pena (St. Benedicts), 1:47
5th Ethan Dendy (McCallie) M FOR Zach Phillips (Mt St Joseph), 0-0 0:00
7th Kieran Duggan (Wyoming Seminary) MD Joshua Laubach (Arch Curley), 13-5
160 lbs.
1st Andrew Merola (Blair) DEC Jackson Turley (St. Christophers), 5-4
3rd Darrien Roberts (Wyoming Seminary) DEC Jeff Klenk (Malvern), 3-2
5th Isaiah Bailey (Tabor) FOR Corneilus Schuster (Mt St Joseph)
7th Aryemis Brown (Bullis) F Nick Konovalchik (Brooks), 3:32
170 lbs.
1st Khamari Whimper (Baylor) DEC Dale Tiongson (St. Pauls), 9-5 SV
3rd Leonrdo Tarantino (Blair) DEC Tanner Hood (St. Christophers), 5-1
5th Jake Hendricks (Wyoming Seminary) DEC Justin Henry (Mt St Joseph), 3-2 UTB
7th Garrett Kappes (Mcdonogh) DEC Nicholas Florschutz (Malvern), 5-1
182 lbs.
1st Ryan Karoly (Malvern) DEC AJ Pedro (Phillips Exeter), 3-2
3rd Austin Cooley (Wyoming Seminary) DEC Jack Parr (St. Pauls), 3-3 TB1
5th David Schultz (Mt St Joseph) DEC Jack Wimmer (McDonogh), 5-1
7th Judah Duhm (Mccallie) DEC Carter Davis (St. Christophers), 7-4
195 lbs.
1st Michael Beard (Malvern) TF Yaraslau Slavikouski (Nmh), 20-5 5:32
3rd Nick Mosco (Blair) DEC JT Correl (Wyoming Seminary), 5-4
5th Noah Kalishman (St. Pauls) F Brian Hennessy (St. Johns College), 4:54
7th Jeffrey Thompson (Trinity-Pawling) F Michael Spirito (Springside Cha), 0:31
220 lbs.
1st Chase Singletary (Blair) MD Brady Gilliland-Daniel (Good Counsel), 10-0
3rd Chris Kober (Haverford) DEC Colin Lawler (Kinkaid), 2-1
5th Mansur Abdul-Malik (Wyoming Seminary) F Michael Okaro (St. Benedicts), 0:13
7th George Hooker (Father Ryan) DEC Hannis Boehning (Rye Cds), 3-2 SV
285 lbs.
1st Seth Janey (Malvern) F River Henry (McCallie), 4:48
3rd Dan Herman (Wyoming Seminary) DEC PJ Mustipher (McDonogh), 5-2
5th Thomas Gates (Georgetown Prep) DEC Will Hare (Hill), 3-1 SV
7th Tunde Sogo (Germantown Friends) F Darryl Badley (St. Christophers), 4:24