Wildcats Advance into PIAA Quarterfinals

By Joe Walker

HERSHEY-The Central Mountain Wildcats advanced into the quarterfinal round of the PIAA Class AAA Team Championships with a solid 35-25 win over District 3 runner-up Boiling Springs. The Wildcats (now 10-0) will face District 1 Champion Council Rock South (15-1) in the quarterfinals at 2 pm on Friday, as the Rock won a 37-24 dual over District 7 Third place finisher Franklin Regional (20-2) in the opening round. 

The match started at 127 pounds, where Wildcat freshman Patrick Tarantella faced Luke Magnani (26-9), as the Bubbler junior controlled the bout and won a 6-0 decision to give the Bubblers a 3-0 lead. 

Boiling Springs increased the early lead to 7-0, as senior Jackson Mentzer (17-12) recorded six takedowns enroute to a 17-7 major decision over Wildcat sophomore Mario Serafini (0-2). Serafini kept things at a major decision, as he did catch Mentzer in a petersen roll for a four point move late in the final period, but it was not enough to overcome the big lead Mentzer had at the time. 

The Wildcats then hit the heart of their order and they proceeded to win seven straight bouts, starting at 139 pounds. Junior Dalton Perry (23-2) went out and muscled Kayanm Soto (13-12) on his back and recorded the fall in just 14 seconds of the first period. The two-time state place winner and a former state champion cut the Bubbler lead to 7-6. 

Defending Wildcat state champion Luke Simcox (19-1) racked up three takedowns and three near fall points before pinning Ian Longenberger (28-9) in 1:47 of the first period. The six pointer by the Wildcat senior put the Wildcats up 12-7 after 145 pounds. 

Senior Griffin Walizer (28-6) used four takedowns to take a 9-6 lead into the final period against the Bubbler’s Ean Wilson (25-9). In the final period, Walizer hit a four point move early in the final period to go up 13-6 and then gave up an escape to Wilson, but could not get a final takedown as time ran out, but still won a 13-7 decision and after 152 pounds, the Wildcats led 15-7. 

Dalton McDermott (3-4) gave the Wildcats a big boost at 160 pounds, as he was filling in for the injured Hunter Donaley. McDermott got the initial takedown and then rode the Bubblers’ Sawyer Young (12-11) the rest of the first period. McDermott rode Young for the whole second period to lead 2-0 after two periods. Young rode McDermott the entire third period, but the young Wildcat sophomore refused to be rolled over and thus won a 2-0 decision, making it 18-7 Wildcats. 

Wildcat junior Jacob Weaver (24-14) continued his late season surge, as he posted a solid 7-3 decision over the Bubblers two-time state qualifier Collin Neal (28-10) at 172 pounds. Leading 3-1 heading into the final period, Weaver gave up an escape to make it a 3-2 bout, but then with 25 seconds to go, brought Neal down and rolled him for two nearfall points to come away with the big win, putting the Wildcats up 21-7. 

Wildcat head coach Biff Walizer then made a switch, as he sent out Rocco Serafini (27-6) at 189 pounds and the senior standout dominated Demetri White (19-11) by the 15-0 technical fall. Serafini led 14-0 after two periods, as White got hit with two stalling points late in the second period. Serafini was in the down position to start the third, but escaped just three seconds into the final period for the technical fall win and a 26–7 Wildcat lead. 

Junior Bryce Brungard (27-13) made the switch move look like gold, as he took down Lance Schwang (1-3) and pinned the Bubbler in just 48 seconds of the first period, increasing the Wildcat lead to 32-7.

Having a big lead and few bouts to go, Coach Walizer then elected to forfeit 285, as senior Giovanni Tarantella was just getting back from an earlier injury, which set the team score at 32-13. 

Freshman Gavin Heverly (26-10) then locked the dual meet up for the Wildcats, as used a takedown in both the first and second periods and a third period escape to walk away with a 5-0 victory and set the team score at 35-13. 

The Bubblers’ Alex Mentzer gave up the initial takedown to Wildcat sophomore Collin Bauman (1-4), before escaping and then takedown Bauman and recording a fall with just one second left on the clock, cutting the Wildcat lead to 35-19. 

With the dual meet a locked up, Coach Walizer then forfeited the 121 pound bout to the Bubblers, as looking to avoid any possible fluke injury to freshman standout Aiden Kunes (28-10) in a dual meet already wrapped, as that set the final at 35-25. 

Council Rock South, as noted above, comes into the quarterfinal round match-up with a 15-1 record after defeating Franklin Regional. The Golden Hawks are led by senior standout Bekruz Sadriddinov (33-3) at 172 pounds, as the Golden Hawk was a fifth place finisher in last year’s state tournament and has a record of 139-26 going into tomorrow’s match-up. 

The Golden Hawks have four other 2023 state qualifiers in their line-up, as Connor Lenahan (107, 33-8), Luke Reitter (29-8), Ben Brillhart (13-4) and Gavin Cole (33-6) provide more power to an impressive line-up. They also have junior Anthony Mutarelli (32-3) at 133 pounds, as he previously wrestled at Malvern Prep and was a national prep champion in 2021. 

A familiar local face will be on the Golden Hawk bench, as former three-time Sugar Valley/Bald Eagle-Nittay state champion and Lock Haven Bald Eagle Trap McCormick is still serving as a longtime assistant coach for the Golden Hawks. 

The winner of the Wildcat and Golden Hawk match will face the winner of the quarterfinal round match between District 7 runner-up Trinity (12-1) and two-time defending state team champions Bethlehem Catholic (13-1). Trinity defeated District 4 champion Selinsgrove 54-14, while Beth Catholic defeated District 3 third place finisher Central Dauphin 37-18. 

In Class AA action Thursday, the Eagles of Bald Eagle Area dropped a 41-16 match to District 11 champion Notre Dame-Green Pond. The Eagles will drop into the consolations where they will meet District 10 champion Reynolds, who lost a 54-9 match to state power and District 1 champion Faith Christian Academy. 

Other area teams in the Class AA action saw the District 9 champion Clearfield Bisons defeat District 7 runner-up Burgettstown 42-27. District 4 champion Warrior Run lost a narrow 25-23 match to District 10 runner-up Fort LeBoeuf and District 4 runner-up Montoursville lost to District 3 champion Bishop McxDevitt 41-25. District 6 power Bishop McCort won a convincing 57-6 match over District 3 runner-up West Perry. 

The Wildcats will wrestle two matches on Friday, the first will be in the quarterfinal round against Council Rock South, then the second dual meet will be either in the championship semifinals or the second round of consolations, depending on their quarterfinal round results. We will have a story on the match-up with Council Rock South after its conclusion.

CENTRAL MOUNTAIN 35, BOILING SPRINGS 25 127 – Luke Magnani (BS) WBD Patrick Tarantella, 6-0. (0-3) 133 – Jackson Mentzer (BS) WMD Mario Serafini, 17-7. (0-7) 139 – Dalton Perry (CM) WBF Kayan Soto, :14. (6-7) 145 – Luke Simcox (CM) WBF Ian Longenberger, 1:47. (12-7) 152 – Griffin Walizer (CM) WBD Ean Wilson, 13-7. (15-7) 160 – Dalton McDermott (CM) WBD Sawyer Young, 2-0. (18-7) 172 – Jacob Weaver (CM) WBD Collin Neal, 7-3. (21-7) 189 – Rocco Serafini (CM) WTF Demetri White, 15-0, 4:03. (26-7) 215 – Bryce Brungard (CM) WBF Lance Schwang, :48 (32-7) 285 – Gage Hughes (BS) won by forfeit. (32-13) 

107 – Gavin Heverly (CM) WBD Chase Evans, 5-0. (35-13) 114 – Alex Mentzer (BS) WBF Collin Bauman, 1:59. (35-19) 121 – Drew Scherer (BS) won by forfeit. (35-25) 

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