HAMBURG — It’s been a season of transition for the Hamburg wrestling program.
A state team tournament semifinalist in 2013-14, the Hawks lost nine starters to graduation and other factors. A lot of leadership, experience and production wasn’t in the wrestling room anymore.
So coach Derek Sola and his staff went to work with the next wave of Hamburg wrestlers. Predictably enough, there have been growing pains along the way, but some successes, too. For example, the Hawks went 13-6 in dual meets, including a perfect 6-0 to win the Berks League Section II title. In the District 3 Duals, though, they got knocked out in the first round.
Saturday’s District 3 Class AA Section II Tournament atop Hawk Hill turned out a lot like Hamburg’s season — some good, some bad, some hope for the future.
The good news for Hamburg is that 12 guys qualified for the District 3 Class AA Tournament, set for
Friday and Saturday at the Hersheypark Arena.
The bad news is none of them finished in the top two, meaning they’ll run into champions and runners-up from the other sectional early at districts.
The hope for the future comes in the form of two seniors, four juniors, four sophomores and two freshmen making up their dozen to districts.
“I think the biggest thing for some of them is that this is a multi-week event, and you do have the opportunity to redeem yourself the next week,’’ Sola said. “We’ve seen that a lot over the years.
“For some of them, it’s a four-week marathon, really,’’ he added. “So you can’t get discouraged after one bad day. We have a lot of wrestling to do.’’
That applies to senior 120-pounder Sean Stanish, a state qualifier last season. Stanish (36-6) suffered a 3-0 loss to Trinity’s Andrew Wert in the semifinals but rebounded with two wins to take the bronze. After a two-hour afternoon break, Stanish started slowly in his third-place bout against Lancaster Catholic’s Mark Goldbach before rallying for a 10-2 major decision.
“At the beginning of that match, I wasn’t really feeling too well,’’ Stanish said. “But then there was a moment when instinct kicked in, and I just went hard. ... It was just a snap (snaps fingers). I knew I could beat him at that moment so I just kept going harder and harder through the match.’’
Leading 2-1 late in the second period, Goldbach was riding tough with legs when Stanish snaked his arms around Goldbach’s head and arm and cinched in a tight headlock. The reversal and two near-fall points in the final 5 seconds of the period gave him a 5-2 lead.
“That was the snap moment,’’ Stanish said.
He added a takedown and three more back points with an armbar to win going away.
“Some days I’m just off,’’ Stanish said. “I’ve got to focus on getting into that mindset (where) I really want it, and I need to be out for blood, and I need to attack and attack and attack.
“That’s pretty much all I need to do,’’ he added. “I have the technique down. I’ve been wrestling for how long. I have the heart. I just need to want it and be looking for blood.’’
Northern Lebanon won the team title with 222.5 points. Annville-Cleona (151) finished second, followed by Hamburg (133), Wyomissing (132) and Schuylkill Valley (122). Senior 132-pounder Josh Giorgio of Schuylkill Valley won his fourth sectional title and was named the tournament’s Outstanding Wrestler.
Joining Stanish as third-place finishers for Hamburg were Matt James (152) and Ignacio Reynoso (182).
Mike Madara (132) and Tyler Herber (170) took fourths.
Romeo Eaddy (113), Dylan Miller (145), Ron Lavigne (160), Max Kline (220) and Jacob Metcalfe (285) placed fifth, while Reese Mason (138) and David Madara (195) finished sixth.
Those 12 Hawks have earned spots in District 3’s 12-man Class AA brackets. They’ve survived and advanced.
“It’s definitely a good experience to go out there, wrestle in Hersheypark Arena and get that experience,’’ Sola said. “It’s been pretty tough, but I definitely think the kids have improved a lot.’’
District 3 Class AA
Section II Tournament
Saturday at Hamburg H.S.
Team scores: 1. Northern Lebanon (NL) 222.5, 2. Annville-Cleona (AC) 151, 3. Hamburg (Ham) 133, 4. Wyomissing (Wyo) 132, 5. Schuylkill Valley (SV) 122, 6. Trinity (Tr) 115.5, 7. Pequea Valley (PV) 112, 8. Bishop McDevitt (BM) 92, 9. Brandywine Heights (BH) 78, 10. Lancaster Catholic (LC) 53, 11. Kutztown (K) 27, 12. Columbia (C) 25, 13. Tulpehocken (Tu) 20
Championship finals
106 — L. Pipa (BM) dec. Breidegan (NL), 7-3
113 — Lobeck (LC) pinned Yourakavitch (Wyo), 1:24
120 — J. Pipa (BM) maj. dec. Wert (Tr), 9-0
126 — D. Pipa (BM) dec. Ch. Drawbaugh (Tr), 3-0
132 — Giorgio (SV) maj. dec. C. Blatt (NL), 9-0
138 — H. Gimbor (BH) dec. Q. Blatt (NL), 3-1
145 — Naylor (Wyo) dec. Wanner (PV), 3-2
152 — Inman (AC) maj. dec. Co. Drawbaugh (Tr), 9-0
160 — Funck (NL) dec. Wagner (AC), 7-0
170 — Kilhefner (Wyo) dec. Daub (NL), 4-2
182 — Geisinger (SV) dec. Spitler (NL), 7-0
195 — Tindall (SV) maj. dec. Light (AC), 8-0
220 — Vines (NL) dec. Reichart (K), 5-4 UTB
285 — Dunbar (Wyo) dec. Conrad (BH), 3-1 TB
3rd-place bouts
106 — Tan. Ball (PV) dec. Z. Renninger (AC), 10-4
113 — Styer (PV) dec. Zechman (NL), 3-0
120 — Stanish (Ham) maj. dec. Goldbach (LC), 10-2
126 — Solomon (SV) pinned Tay. Ball (PV), :53
132 — J. Renninger (AC) tech. fall M. Madara (Ham), 16-1, 3:55
138 — Darok (AC) dec. Kosinski (Tr), 3-2
145 — Emborsky (NL) pinned Limberiou (SV), 3:48
152 — James (Ham) dec. Negerios (NL), 7-5
160 — Forrester (Tr) tech. fall Stembridge (Wyo), 15-0, 4:10
170 — Jackson (BM) dec. Herber (Ham), 8-6 SV
182 — Reynoso (Ham) pinned McCarthy (Wyo), 1:40
195 — Swackhamer (BH) pinned Broomell (PV), 2:30
220 — Martin (Tr) dec. Orfino (AC), 12-6
285 — Thompson (NL) pinned Philips (C), 4:23
5th-place bouts
106 — T. Gimbor (BH) dec. Bentley (Tr), 1-0
113 — Eaddy (Ham) dec. Myers (AC), 4-2
120 — Kelly (NL) dec. Caskie (BH), 10-4
126 — Seyfert (Tu) dec. Combs (Wyo), 6-3
132 — Smith (PV) maj. dec. Bui (Wyo), 9-1
138 — Fisher (PV) medical forfeit over Mason (Ham)
145 — Miller (Ham) dec. Himmelberger (AC), 7-1
152 — Gillespie (LC) dec. Bonino (Wyo), 5-3
160 — Lavigne (Ham) pinned Jimenez (LC), 2:31
170 — Zechman (AC) pinned Huber (PV), 4:26
182 — Cooksey (BM) dec. Rardain (Tr), 11-4
195 — Wallace (NL) pinned D. Madara (Ham), :25
220 — Kline (Ham) pinned Daub (Tu), 2:32
285 — Metcalfe (Ham) pinned Boepple (PV), :56
UDA’s Campbell wins
sectional title
COVE — Upper Dauphin senior Coy Campbell won the 113-pound championship at the District 3 Class AA Section I Tournament at Susquenita High School.
Campbell (27-5) notched two falls to reach the finals, then topped Bodee Tolbert of Susquenita 8-1.
Upper Dauphin teammate Connor Boyer finished second at 120, falling 17-1 to Hanover’s Caleb Garland in the finals.
Jackson Kennerly (sixth at 145) and Hayden McAllister (fifth at 170) also advanced to the District 3 Tournament for the Trojans.
Halifax had three district qualifiers: Lucas Burke (fifth at 132), Travis Enders (third at 182) and Jake Paul (fourth at 220).
District 3 Class AA
Section I Tournament
Saturday at Susquenita H.S.
Team scores: 1. Boiling Springs (BoS) 275.5, 2. Bermudian Springs (Ber) 209, 3. Delone Catholic (DC) 138.5, 4. Biglerville (Big) 138, 5. Littlestown (Lit) 112.5, 6. Newport (New) 99, 7. Camp Hill (CH) 71, 8. Halifax (Hal) 69, 9. Upper Dauphin (UD) 61, 10. (tie) Eastern York (EY) and Hanover (Han) 49.5, 12. Susquenita (Sus) 46, 13. Fairfield (F) 22
Championship finals
106 — Hankerson (BoS) pinned Bryner (New), :38
113 — Campbell (UD) dec. Tolbert (Sus), 8-1
120 — Garland (Han) tech. fall Boyer (UD), 17-1, TNA
126 — Bond (BoS) maj. dec. Ugarte (DC), 19-6
132 — Myers (BoS) tech. fall Mentzer (Big), 21-5, TNA
138 — Shoop (BoS) inj. def. Cooper (Big), :01
145 — Newberry (Big) dec. Kostyak (BoS), 7-1
152 — Kauffman (BoS) dec. Matthews (Lit), 3-2
160 — Vaughn (BoS) dec. Group (Sus), 5-3
170 — Shelton (Ber) pinned Wickard (BoS), 1:16
182 — Dull (Ber) pinned Taylor (BoS), :18
195 — Barshinger (EY) pinned Guilday (Lit), :59
220 — McCollum (Ber) dec. Rider (DC), 6-2
285 — Linebaugh (Ber) dec. Perkins (DC), 9-2
3rd-place bouts
106 — Bruner (Hal) dec. West (Ber), 2-0
113 — Holley (BoS) maj. dec. Frey (New), 13-2
120 — Clabaugh (Ber) pinned Finicle (New), :38
126 — Becker (Lit) dec. O’Toole (New), 4-2
132 — Miller (Ber) pinned Mullican, 1:54
138 — West (Ber) dec. McClure (Lit), 5-2
145 — Shemeyer (DC) dec. Gallaher (CH), 5-0
152 — Shull (DC) dec. Mackley (EY), 4-2
160 — Repasky (DC) dec. Hurda (Big), 2-1
170 — Sneeringer (DC) pinned Teeter (CH), 2:22
182 — Enders (Hal) pinned Young (CH), 1:35
195 — Luckenbaugh (Ber) pinned Gouhin (BoS), 1:29
220 — Mentzer (Big) inj. def. Paul (Hal), TNA
285 — MacLeod (Lit) pinned Bower (New), 2:54
5th-place bouts
106 — Coniglio (CH) dec. Trousdale (Lit), 6-0
113 — Warthen (F) pinned Gladfelter (Han), 3:51
120 — Shoop (BoS) tech. fall Louden (Sus), 16-0, TNA
126 — Small (F) pinned Sanders (Ber), 4:07
132 — Burke (Hal) pinned Golden (Han), 4:19
138 — Kemble (CH) dec. Evich (DC), 4-2
145 — Stroup (New) pinned Kennerly (UD), TNA
152 — Asper (Big) maj. dec. Colestock (CH), 14-0
160 — Fleshman (Ber) maj. dec. Barshinger (EY), 10-0
170 — McAllister (UD) pinned Alex King (Big), 1:29
182 — Sentz (Big) dec. Geiman (Lit), 3-1
195 — McClintock (Han) dec. Herr (New), 5-2
220 — Ott (BoS) pinned Klinger (New), :59
285 — Lopez (Big) pinned Trent (BoS), 3:41
Blue Mtn.’s Seaman
wins D-11 JV crown
EAST STROUDSBURG — Blue Mountain’s Thomas Seaman won the 195-pound championship at the District 11 JV Wrestling Tournament.
In the finals, Seaman edged Easton’s Liam Ekoko 3-2.
Blue Mountain had two other placewinners. Nicholas Ney finished fourth at 182, and Zach Stemmler placed fifth at 285.
Panther Valley had three placewinners: Malik Zver (sixth at 126), Xander Kern (third at 145) and Hunter Kerestes (sixth at 170).
For Pottsville, Robert Ward placed fourth at 132.