POWERade Day 1 in The Books – Semifinals Set

Day 1 of the 2015 POWERade was brutal from start to finish. Wrestlers who are accustomed to having their hand raised found themselves wresting in the consolations. The quarterfinals were particular tough for the top wrestlers in Pennsylvania with a total of 23 matches featuring PA State Ranked wrestlers going head-t0-head.

Below is a recap of the quarterfinals and a look at the Championship semifinals.

 

106 lbs.

#1 Aaron Burkett (Chestnut Ridge) vs. Brandon Kassis (Parkland)

#2 Jacob Dunlap (Belle Vernon Area) vs. #1 Job Chishko (Penn Trafford)

 

PA’s #1 ranked wrestler Aaron Burkett had no issues with Good Council, MD wrestler Jared Thomas picking up a tech-fall (16-1) to advance into the semifinals. There he will meet unranked freshman Brandon Kassis (Parkland) who is (11-1) on the season. After knocking out #9 Brady Sherback (Greater Latrobe) by major decision (16-4) in the round of 32, he picked up a solid win over #3 Beau Bayless (Reynolds) in the quarterfinals (3-1). On the bottom half the top two ranked wrestlers in the State at 106 lbs. will face off with #1 Job Chishko meeting #2 Jacob Dunlap. The two met twice last season including once at the POWERade with Job Chishko coming away the winner both times. Dunlap had a solid win in tiebreaker (1-0) over #6 JJ Wilson in the quarterfinals.

 

113 lbs.

#1 Gavin Teasdale (Jefferson Morgan) vs. #2 Matty Parker (Pennridge)

#2 Alan Diltz (Benton Area) vs. Patrick Glory (Delbarton, NJ)

 

One of the more intriguing meetings of the semifinals will be undefeated State Champion Gavin Teasdale against #2 Matt Parker. Teasdale has yet to face an opponent like Parker this season and the test will be difficult. Parker won in UTB over Quincy Monday (Texas) in the quarterfinals to set up the meeting with Teasdale who cruised in his three matches of the day. Speaking of cruising Benton Area’s #2 Alan Diltz was all business against #5 Logan Macri (Canon McMillan) recording a major decision (14-2) over the sophomore. For the second year in a row Diltz takes on Delbarton, New Jersey’s very formidable Patrick Glory who was a POWERade Runner-up last season. In the semifinals at 106 lbs. Glory defeated Diltz (7-5).

 

120 lbs.

#3 Charlie Lenox (Fort LeBoeuf) vs. #10 Hunter Baxter (Pine-Richland)

Josh Humphreys (St. Albans, WV) vs. Jack Davis (Wyoming Seminary)

 

Number one seed and 3x POWERade Medalist Charlie Lenox had no issues advancing into the semifinals with a major decision over #14 Zach Ortman (Parkland). He meets junior #10 Hunter Baxter who defeated #7 Gage Bayless (Reynols) in the quarters. PA Native Jack Davis upset the number two seed Dan Planta (St. Pauls, MD) in the quarters and he moves on to face West Virginia’s tough sophomore Josh Humphreys (St. Albans) in the semifinals.

 

126 lbs.

#1 Cole Matthews (Reynolds) vs. Zach Atencio (Plainview, OK)

Jake Riegel (Wyoming Seminary) vs. #6 Kordell Rush (Pennridge)

 

PIAA State Champion Cole Matthews looked sharp on his way to the semifinals picking up two falls and a (9-4) decision in he quarters. He faces Plainview, Oklahoma wrestler Zach Atencio who is the fourth seed. Former PIAA State Champion Jake Riegel took out the third and sixth seeds to set up a meeting with senior Kordell Rush. The anticipated meeting with #2 Ethan McCoy (Greater Latrobe) did not take place as the Wildcat defaulted due to an injury.

 

132 lbs.

#2 Tate Ortz (Brookville Area) vs. #3 Seth Hogue (Reynolds)

Kennedy Monday (Arlington Martin, TX) vs. #6 Zach Hartman (Belle Vernon Area)

 

#2 Taylor Ortz came back to survive against #4 John Pipa (Bishop McDevitt) in an entertaining quarterfinal match. Down in the third period Ortz got a reversal and takedown to win (5-4). He meets rival #3 Seth Hogue who stopped rookie #3 Jared McGill (Chestnut Ridge) from advancing with a (3-2) decision in the quarters. Ortz and Hogue met in last season’s POWERade with Ortz coming away the winner (5-3) in the consolation round. On the bottom half PIAA State Medalist Zach Hartman has a rematch with Kennedy Monday from a season ago. Las year in the consolation finals Hartman earned third place with a (13-0) major decision over Monday t0 claim third place.

 

138 lbs.

#1 Luke Pletcher (Greater Latrobe) vs. #18 Shaun Wilson (Waynesburg Central)

Ty Lucas (Plainview, OK) vs. #1 Micky Phillippi (Derry Area)

 

#1 Luke Pletcher defeated PIAA State Place winner  #7 Jake Hinkson (North Allegheny) in the quarterfinals (12-6). He will face Waynesburg senior Shaun Wilson in the semifinals. Luke is going for his fourth straight POWERade Championship. On the bottom half Luke’s friend and possible opponent Micky Phillippi took down #8 Joey Blumer (Kiski Area) and is one step closer to a rematch with Pletcher. He meets Plainview, OK wrestler Ty Lucas who defeated #13 Jacob Lizak (Parkland) in the quarterfinals.

 

145 lbs.

#2 Cameron Coy (Penn Trafford) vs. Dylanger Potter (Arlington Martin, TX)

Mekhi Lewis (Bound Brook, NJ) vs. Kevin Budock (Good Counsel, MD)

 

The biggest news of the day came when #1 Jarod Verkleeren fell in the quarterfinals to Bound Brook junior Mekhi Lewis in UTB. Verkleeren was seeded third and now the way is open for #2 Cameron Coy (Penn Trafford) who looks to earn his first POWERade Gold. The Penn Trafford Warrior will met Dylanger Potter (Arlington Marton, TX).

 

152 lbs.

Mason Manville (Wyoming Seminary) vs. #2 Nick Monico (Saegertown)

Trevell Timmons (Lockport, IL) vs. #1 Hayden Hidlay (Mifflin County)

 

The stage is getting set for a Manville vs. Hidlay Part V meeting with Hiday taking care of business against #17 Derek Verkleeren (Belle Vernon Area) despite giving up the first takedown and earning a fall. Manville will face #2 Nick Monico, a 3x PIAA State Medalist, as he attempts to make his second appearance in the POWERade finals in as many tries.

 

160 lbs.

#1 Jake Wentzel (South Park) vs. Will Verallis (Wyoming Seminary)

Jose Taylor (Arlington Martin, TX) vs. #3 Trent Hidlay (Mifflin County)

 

PIAA State Champion #1 Jake Wentzel secured two periods of action to go up ten points on #6 Josh Stilling (Pennridge) but the Ram was able to turn and ride out Wentzel in the third period falling (10-3). Wentzel meets Wyoming Seminary’s difficult Will Verallis in the semifinals. On the bottom half #3 Trent Hidlay earns his first POWERade Medal and will compete for a finals appearance against Jose Taylor of Arlington Martin, TX.

 

170 lbs.

#1 Austin Bell (Belle Vernon Area) vs. Spencer Carey (DePaul Catholic)

#5 Nino Bonaccorsi (Bethel Park) vs. #3 Noah Stewart (Mifflin County)

#1 Austin Bell picked up an (11-4) decision over PIAA State Qualifier #11 Matt McGillick (Penn Trafford) score (11-4) and will meet Spencer Carey of DePual Catholic, NJ) the fourth seed. On the bottom hald PIAA State Medalists #5 Nino Bonaccorsi and Noah Stewart will face-off with #3 Noah Stewart.

 

182 lbs.

#1 Kyle Gentile (Pennridge) vs. Brandon Kui (DePaul Catholic, NJ)

#14 Colin McCracken (Waynesburg Central) vs. #3 Jake Woodley (North Allegheny)

 

195 lbs.

#2 Drew Phipps (Norwin) vs. #3 Francis Duggan (North Allegheny)

Christian Dietrich (Wyoming Seminary) vs. Noah Bushman (Cave Spring, VA)

 

220 lbs.

Cody Amos (Cave Spring, VA) vs. #7 Chad Kuhn (Kiski Area)

Jack Meyer (Moeller, OH) vs. Will Hilliard (Wyoming Seminary)

 

285 lbs.

Joe Hensley (Moeller, OH) vs. #12 Hayden Rice (Norwin)

Ronald Tucker (Lockport, IL) vs. #3 Gene Ringer (Reynolds)