LEHIGHTON — Pine Grove senior Danny Diaz-Walton recorded the 100th victory of his career at Saturday’s Lehighton Indian Duals, helping the Cardinals reach the finals.
Diaz-Walton went 5-0 on the day at 132 pounds with three pins, a technical fall and a decision as the Cardinals defeated Allentown Central Catholic 53-25, Palmerton 45-23, Springfield-Delco 43-33 and East Stroudsburg North 39-32 before falling to Lehighton 50-27 in the championship match.
The Cardinals won Pool B with a 3-0 record, downed E.S. North in the semifinals and fell to the host Indians in the title match.
Alec Soltys (195) and Scott Werner (285) also went 5-0 for the Cardinals, with Soltys racking up four falls and Werner collecting three. Daniel Howerton (106) went 4-1 for Pine Grove.
Lehighton defeated Pius X 66-12, Southern Lehigh 54-15 and East Stroudsburg North 46-27 to win Pool A.
The Indians topped Palmerton 42-27 in the semifinals before beating Pine Grove to win the title.
Dustin Koons (152), Tyler Cann (160), Connor Frey (182), Wyatt Clements (220), Zac Kemmerer (120) and Tegan Durishin (138) had falls for Lehighton, while Nate Kemmerer (106) and Grant Wetzel (126) won by major decision.
Hamburg’s Stanish
takes 2nd at BCIAA Tournament
READING — Senior Sean Stanish was the runner-up at 120 pounds to pace a strong Hamburg effort at Saturday’s Berks County Individual Wrestling Championships at the Geigle Complex.
Stanish (23-5) pinned Wilson’s Tyler Wilkes in the semifinals before being decisioned by Exeter’s Brett Kulp 5-1 in the finals.
The Hawks placed 10 wrestlers and finished third in the team standings with 147.50 points.
Governor Mifflin crowned four champions and took first with 253.50 points, while Exeter also had four champions to place second with 223 points.
Dylan Miller (145) and Ignacio Reynoso (182) placed third for Hamburg, while Romeo Eaddy (113), Matt James (152) and Ron Lavigne (160) were fourth, Mike Madara (132) finished fifth and Reese Mason (138), Tyler Herber (170) and Max Kline (220) were sixth.
Red Tornadoes go 5-0
at South Williamsport Duals
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT — Lane Tanney (120), Dion Watson (126), Blake Panko (160) and Allen Yancoskie (195) compiled 5-0 days as Mount Carmel went 5-0 at the six-team South Williamsport Duals.
Gabe Bogutskie (182) and Wes Shurock (220) went 4-1 for the Red Tornadoes, who defeated South Williamsport 63-15, Loyalsock 42-27, Coudersport 46-25, Sugar Valley Rural Charter 66-12 and Danville 42-29.
Winter Track
Local athletes excel at
LVC High School Invitational
ANNVILLE — Pottsville’s Kevin Hampford earned a pair of top-eight finishes to lead a contingent of eight area schools that competed at Saturday’s Lebanon Valley College High School Winter Track Invitational at the Arnold Sports Complex.
Hampford placed second in the 200-meter dash in 24.74, then was sixth in the 400 in 56.29. Camp Hill’s Andrew Snyder won the 200 in 24.26, while Pottsville’s James Close was sixth in 25.33.
Pottsville’s Sarah Lombel took third in the girls’ 55-meter dash in 7.69 after running a 7.80 in the prelims. Mercersburg Academy’s Finley Stewart (7.58) took first, followed by Bishop McDevitt’s Rachel Pitman (7.59).
Tamaqua’s Monika Shimko also medaled, taking third in the 800 in 2:34.04. Shimko also took ninth in the 1,600 in 5:58.24.
Athletes from Hamburg, Minersville, Mount Carmel, Pine Grove, Pottsville, Shamokin, Shenandoah Valley and Tamaqua were among the 40 teams in attendance.
Other top finishes by local athletes included:
• Pine Grove’s Maddie Frew was sixth in the girls’ triple jump (32-6) and seventh in the 55-meter hurdles in 9.93.
• In the 4x800-meter relay, the Mount Carmel quartet of Nate Bartos, Ciaran Fisher, Tommy Moser and Brandon Sorge was third in 9:03.30, while the Minersville team of Wesley Yutko, Clement Rushanan, Michael Hoptak and Ben Hinkel was eighth in 9:55.97.
• Mount Carmel’s Dominic Farronato was sixth in the boys’ shot put with a best throw of 43.7.
• Pottsville’s Aysia Centano was eighth in the 400 meters in 1:06.92, while Pine Grove’s McKayla Lally was ninth in the same event in 1:07.15.
• For Shamokin, Christian Duganitz was second in the shot put (47-0), Draven Faus tied for sixth in the pole vault (11-6), and Chris Petraskie was fourth in the high jump (5-10) and fifth in the triple jump (40-2).
Lehighton qualifies
for Competitive Spirit state meet
EASTON — Lehighton finished fifth in the Small Division at Saturday’s District 11 Competitive Spirit Championships held at the Easton Area Middle School.
The Indians compiled 166.3 points, qualifying for the PIAA Competitive Spirit Championships to be held Jan. 23-24 in Hershey.
Local teams Williams Valley and Blue Mountain participated in Saturday’s competition, but did not advance.
District 11 Competitive Spirit Championships
At Easton Area Middle School
Small Division — 1. Wilson 212*, 2. Whitehall 196.6*, 3. Parkland 194.2*, 4. Liberty 182.1*, 5. Lehighton 166.3*, 6. Emmaus 164.5, 7. East Stroudsburg North 136.8, 8. Williams Valley 105
Medium Division — 1. Pleasant Valley 223*, 2. Easton 207*, 3. Freedom 185*, 4. Southern Lehigh 174.5*, 5. Blue Mountain 163
Large Division — 1. Pocono Mountain West 221*, 2. Nazareth 202*, 3. Northampton 171.5, 4. Stroudsburg 151
Coed Division — 1. Allentown Central Catholic 192.1*, 2. Pocono Mountain East 167.6
* State qualifier