106 pounds

#2 Carter Dibert (Franklin Regional) So. vs. #9 Nic Allison (Mifflin County) Fr. 

Allison is a small 106 pounder but is tough as nails. Dibert is a monster from top, like most Franklin Regional Panthers, and can score in bunches. Allison will need to win the match from neutral if he wants to slow Dibert down.

 

113 pounds

#1 @ 106 lbs. Dylan Chappell (Seneca Valley) So. vs. 9 Finn Solomon (Franklin Regional) So.

Not many, myself included, expected rookie Finn Solomon to be sitting in the semifinals. After his blockbuster win over top seed Kyler Waterman he followed it up with a fall in the quarters over Ruston Dzelak. Chappell is up from 106 pounds but is still expected to beat the freshman. Solomon is dangerous with a capital ‘D’ and he can’t be counted out. Expect a fight.

 

113 pounds

#5 @ 106 lbs. Jackson Arrington (Forest Hills) Fr. vs. #17 Braden Bower (Williamsport) Fr.

Two of the State’s top rookies will battle it out for a spot in the finals. Braden Bower came from behind to knock off 2-time PIAA State Qualifier and senior Nick Onea (Pottsville) in the quarterfinals. Arrington looked sharp in a major decision win over State Qualifier Sam McMonagle (WC Henderson).

 

120 pounds

#2 Killian Delaney (WC Henderson) Jr. vs. #7 Andrew Brest (General McLane) Sr.

Junior Killian Delaney was a State Finalist last season and still flies a little under the radar. He will take on senior Andrew Brest who always seems to wrestle tough at the King of The Mountain. Head Coach Ryan Cook says he is on a mission this year after a disappointing PIAA State Tournament.

 

126 pounds

#5 Will Betancourt (Manheim Central) Jr. vs. #9 Shane Hanson-Ashworth (Council Rock South) Sr.

This is a re-match from a week ago when Betancourt took down Hanson-Ashworth in the Cumberland Valley Kickoff Classic semifinals. The score was (1-0) so expect a tight bout again in Mill Hall. Both wrestlers are explosive when getting to their offense but don’t always open up in tight bouts.

 

145 pounds

#2 Kolin Myers (Boiling Springs) Sr. vs. #14 Antonio Petrucelli (Owen J. Roberts) Sr.

A great match-up, probably my favorite, as Kolin Myers, a PIAA State Finalist, will be pushed to the brink against Petrucelli. Myers can cradle from a mile away and Petrucelli is flat out tough. Myers is Lock Haven commit and Petrucelli is a top recruit.

 

145 pounds

#11 @ 138 lbs. Kenny Kiser (Sagertown) Jr. vs. #2 Nick Coy (Penn-Trafford) Sr.

State Medalist Nick Coy will have his hands-full in this bout with Kenny Kiser who looked poised in the quarterfinals against Erik Gibson. It will be low scoring but worth a watch.

 

Don’t Sleep On

 

120 pounds #6 Max Mendez (Council Rock South) Sr. 

The Council Rock South senior avenged a blood-round loss to Christian Fisher (Mifflin County) in the quarterfinal and will take on 2018 PIAA State Champion Alejandro Herrera-Rondon (Seneca Valley) in the semifinals. AHR is up from 113 pounds where last week he was an Ironman finalist. The sophomore hasn’t been cruising to victories like you might expect up at 120 pounds – winning by scores of (8-2) and (2-0) in his last two bouts. Mendez is a solid counter wrestler who likes to roll around – something he and AHR will probably do a lot of in this bout.

 

152 pounds #16 Ethan Richner (Bellefonte Area) So.

Richner had a solid win in the quarterfinals pinning top seed Cody Harrison of Phillipsburg in the first period. He will look to knock off #14 Nick Montalbono in the semifinals.