Escape The Rock Shows off National Talent
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Solanco’s Thomas Haines Won His Fourth Escape The Rock Title
The 2014 Escape the Rock Tournament proved it is one of the best Tournaments not only in Pennslyvania but the Nation. Anytime Blair Academy headlines a tournament it is bound to be full of talent. Add 3x PIAA Class AA State Champions Bethlehem Catholic and Virginia’s power J.W. Robinson and you got yourself a talented mix of competition.
The 2014 ETR was highlighted by Blair Academy bowing the field away with 277.5 points as Bethlehem Catholic finished second with 197.5 points.
At 106 lbs. BECA freshman Jake Riegel survived a gauntlet of a weight-class by downing fellow freshman Dan Moran (Northampton) in the finals (2-1 TB). Moran upset returning PIAA State runner-up Connor Sheehan (Solanco) in the semifinals (3-1). Sheehan finished in third place downing Pennridge sophomore Kordell Rush (4-0) in the consolation finals. Rush fell to Moran (4-3 UTB) but rebounded to defeat District 1’s talented freshman Riley Palmer (Council Rock South) by a (3-0) score to guarantee a top 4 finish.
Bethlehem Catholic made it two in a row as sophomore and returning PIAA State runner-up Luke Karem was able to hold off Northampton Area’s junior and PIAA State Medalist Michael Scheetz (5-1) in the finals. Moving up from 106 lbs. Parkland sophomore Jacob Lizak finished in third place, Lizak fell to PIAA State Medalist Derek Gulotta (Owen J. Roberts) in the quarterfinals (6-2) but reversed the result by defeating Gulotta (2-0) in the consolation finals.
In the most talented weight-class of the Tournament senior Scott Parker was unable to add to his Beast of The East and Hurricane Classic championship titles despite defeating rival and 2x PIAA State Champion Ethan Lizak (Parkland) in the semifinals (2-1). After the upset defeat Parker met Blair Academy’s Charles Tucker in the finals but was unable to earn a comeback victory falling (4-3). Ethan Lizak bounced back and finished third by defeating Kiski Prep’s Justin Patrick (3-2) in the consolation finals. Patrick is a former 2x PIAA State Medalist who competed for Lignoir Valley in his first three seasons.
Bethlehem Catholic’s senior Zeke Moisey continued his undefeated season by defeating Blair Academy’s National Champion Matt Kolodzik for the second time this season (7-4). In a battle of two 2013 PIAA State Medalists Northampton’s senior Zach Valley downed Dallastown’s Rodney Sunday (3-1 SV) to finish in third place at 126 lbs. Pennridge’s Ben Ross was able to finish in fifth place while Solanco’s Wyatt Jennings upset PIAA State Medalist Dan Martoccio (Council Rock South) in the seventh place bout by fall in (2:10).
Former PIAA State runner-up Matt Grossman (Manheim Twp.) had an impressive Tournament capturing the 132 lbs. title by defeating Southern Columbia’s Kent Lane (5-2) in the finals. Delaware Valley senior Jalen Palmer was unable to match his 2013 runner-up finish but settled for fifth place. Bethlehem Catholic’s Stephen Maloney wrestled back after a second round defeat to finish in seventh place by defeating Council Rock South’s surprise place winner Harry Murray (5-1).
For the second time this season Manheim Township’s Cortlandt Schuyler fell to the Nation’s top 138 lbs. wrestler in Blair Academy’s undefeated senior Joey McKenna in the finals. At the Beast of The East Finals Schuyler fell (9-2) to the National Prep Champion but closed the gap at the ETR falling (3-0) to finish second at 138 lbs. Delaware Valley’s Frank Carrozza finished in fourth place and Council Rock North’s Tim Ambacher placed fifth.
Returning to the mat for Father Judge was 145 lbs. wrestler and returning PIAA State Champion Joe Galasso. The senior captured his second straight Escape the Rock Championship belt with relative ease. Galasso picked up 2 technical falls 1 pin and a (5-2) decision over Blair Academy’s Walker Dempsey in the finals. After falling to Dempsey in the semifinals Big Spring’s Chad Wickard bounced back to finish in third place. Central Mountain’s Demetri Probst had a solid tournament finishing in fifth place at his first career ETR. BECA senior Mason Angstadt finished in seventh place by defeating Council Rock South’s Lucas Martoccio (4-2).
Norristown Area senior Mikey Springer knocked off two fellow PA wrestlers en route to a third place finish. Springer took down returning PIAA State Medalist Josh Ortman (Parkland) in the consolation semis (7-5). He then pinned Blake Marks (Southern Columbia Area) in a mere (0:48) seconds to earn the third place medal. Ortman went on to take fifth place and Brad Lay (Big Spring) finished in eighth.
At 160 lbs. Northampton Area senior Bobby Fehr made his season debut down from 170 lbs. The Koncrete Kid had no trouble earning the 160 lbs. Championship. Fehr defeated Chambersburg Area freshman Drew Peck (6-2) before knocking down Delaware Valley’s Colin Irwin (7-3) in the semifinals. It was Central Mountain senior Chad Reece who rattled off four straight wins to capture third place. In the third place match Reece defeated Kyle Gentile (Pennridge) by a (5-3) score. Colin Irwin was forced to injury default his last two matches and settle for sixth place. Talented freshman Drew Peck earned his first career ETR medal as he finished in sixth place at 160 lbs.
Father Judge junior Idris White was unable to improve on his runner-up finish from a season ago but in a deep weight-class a third place finish is just as impressive. White fell to BECA’s Nick Cortopassi in the quarterfinals (2-1) but reversed that result in the consolation finals earning a (3-1 SV) overtime victory. A total of 6 PA wrestlers earned medals at 170 lbs. In addition to White and Cortopassi, Big Spring’s Cody Seibert finished in fifth place by defeating Norristown Area sophomore Rashon Lusane (4-0). It was the second time Seibert beat Lusane as the two PIAA State Qualifiers met in the Championship quarterfinals which Seibert won by fall in (2:39). Central Mountain’s Gavin Caprio placed seventh by defeating Parkland’s Marcus Sturdivant by fall in (1:59).
Yet another finalist from Bethlehem Catholic appeared in the 182 lbs. finals. Senior Jose Ortiz met Manheim Township’s John Shorter for the second time this season but unlike their meeting at the Beast of the East, Ortiz was victorious (5-3). Ortiz was unable to capture the Championship title and settled for runner-up. Shorter wasn’t far behind finishing in third place. Chambersburg’s Calvin O’Farrell finished in fifth place to round out the PA place winners at 182 lbs.
Senior Nezar Haddad displayed why he should be considered one of the State’s top 195 lbs. wrestlers. Haddad, the second seed, needed ultimate tie-breaker to defeat John Carroll junior and #1 seed (3-2 UTB) to earn the 195 lbs. title. In the semifinals Haddad defeated returning PIAA State medalist Tommy Rayhart (Big Spring) by a (6-3) score. Rayhart would go on to finish in fourth place and Delaware Valley’s Matt Wagner finished in seventh.
For the second time this season Bethlehem Catholic’s Andrew Dunn and Parkland’s Omar Haddad faced off. Last time, in the King of the Mountain semifinals, Dunn was victorious (3-2). This time the two juniors met in the ETR Championship finals. Just as the first meeting Dunn was able to earn a narrow victory with a (4-3 TB) win. In the semifinals Haddad needed tie-breaker to defeat Solanco’s junior State Qualifier Bo Spiller (2-1 TB). Spiller rebounded to finish in third place. Central High’s Sam Reid was able to place sixth.
In the most impressive and dominating performance of the 2014 Escape the Rock Tournament, 3x PIAA State Champion Thomas Haines recorded four falls to capture the 285 lbs. Championship belt. It was the fourth career ETR belt Haines claimed. Haines longest match was only 2:48 in the semifinals against Norristown’s Shaheed Hill. Hill, a senior returning PIAA State qualifier, went on to place in fourth. Saucon Valley’s junior Sam Scheetz placed eighth.[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]