Phoenix head to District 4 Sectional
By Joe Walker
HUGHESVILLE-The Sugar Valley Rural Charter School wrestling squad will travel Hughesville on Saturday for the District 4 Class AA Central Sectional Tournament. This is the first step for the Phoenix wrestlers in trying to make their way to Hershey for the PIAA Class AA state tournament.
The nine other teams joining the Phoenix in the Central Sectional 10-team field are Benton, Bloomsburg, Central Columbia, Hughesville, Loyalsock, Montgomery, Montoursville, Muncy and South Williamsport. There are also District 4 AA Northern and Southern Sectionals this Saturday as well.
Jarren McCloskey (133) and Cameron Quick (145) both were awarded third seeds at their weights to lead the Phoenix. Wyatt Conoway (139) and Ethan Bartenope (152) were awarded fifth seeds, while Leroy Culvey (107), Cayden Weaver (172), Brandon Galentine (215) and Levi Galentine (285) all received sixth seeds. Sam Goldsmith (189) rounds out the Phoenix wrestlers with a ninth seed and a pigtail round match.
Montgomery leads the field with four number one seeds, including two-time state champion Connor Harer and younger brother Brant Harer, who was state runner-up last year. Muncy only has one top seed, but it is in the person of returning state champion Austin Johnson, who was a state runner-up in 2022.
Action gets under way at 10:00 am on Saturday and the top four place finishers in each of the three sectionals will advance to the District 4 Class AA tournament to be held in Williamsport on Feb. 23-24.
Sugar Valley Rural Charter first round matches:
107 – (6) Leroy Culvey (Fr, 9-9) vs (3) Manny Stoltzfus, Montgomery (So, 33-5)
133 – (3) Jarren McCloskey (Jr, 24-9) vs (6) Julius Serrano, Bloomsburg (Fr, 13-15)
139 – (5) Wyatt Conoway (So, 17-8) vs (4) Karter Stone, Montoursville (So, 17-17)
145 – (3) Cameron Quick (Sr, 27-5) vs (6) Logan Hrinda, Bloomsburg (Jr, 4-21)
152 – (5) Ethan Bartenope (So, 8-12) vs (4) Jonah White, South Williamsport (Sr, 12-12) 172 – (6) Cayden Weaver (Sr, 16-13) vs (3) Luke Stutzman, Hughesville (Jr, 18-16)
189 – (9) Sam Goldsmith (Sr, 1-11) vs (8) Connor Diehl, Muncy (Sr, 6-12)
215 – (6) Brandon Galentine (Jr, 5-17) vs (3) Owen Bird, South Williamsport (Sr, 22-8)
