Major Keystone State Matchups Highlight POWERade Semifinals
Pennsylvania advances 38 wrestlers into the 2016 POWERade Semifinals following a terrific quarterfinal round. The POWERade Semifinals are historically some of the most entertaining bouts of the Tournament and the 50th Annual should be more of the same.
North Hills rookie Sam Hillegas continues to roll through knocking off top ranked talent along the way and will now face #1 Louis Newell (Seneca Valley) a 2016 PIAA State Runner-up. On the other half of 113 lbs. is fellow top ranked wrestler Beau Bayless (Reynold) who will take on Jacob Dunlop (Belle Vernon Area).
The much anticipated meeting between undefeated junior Gavin Teasdale and rookie Beau Bartlett is close to happening but #8 Logan Macri (Canon-McMillan) will hope to ruin that plan taking on Bartlett in the semifinals. Undefeated senior Spencer Lee (Franklin Regional) does what “The Kid” does best and that is destroy his opponents.
A pair of Class AA grapplers will meet at 138 lbs. with stud #3 Cole Matthews (Reynolds) taking on solid #5 Carnell Andrews (Bishop McCort) in the semifinals. Seniors #3 John Pipa (Bishop McDevitt) and #2 Jarod Verkleeren (Hempfield Area) each had solid quarterfinals victories and will clash for a spot in the finals. Senior Cameron Coy (Penn Trafford) looks sharp in his return to the mat as he meets 2016 PIAA State Medalist Carter Starocci (Cathedral Prep).
Two of the State’s top ranked wrestlers will face-off at 170 lbs. when #2 Trent Hidlay (Mifflin County) and #3 Tim Wallace (Albert Gallatin) clash. Hidlay is looking to advance into his second straight POWERade finals. At 182 lbs. #1 Nino Bonaccorsi (Bethel Park) and #2 Cody Mulligan (Saegertown) appear to be on a collision course.
The most talked about bracket is no doubt 195 lbs. where three Pennsylvania State Champions are bunched together. #1 Gavin Hoffman (Montoursville Area) will take on #2 Cole Nye (Bishop McDevitt) in a battle of 2016 PIAA Class AA State Champions. A pair of State top ranked wrestlers are going to meet at 220 lbs. in the semifinals with #1 Francis Duggan (Cedar Cliff) and #1 Josiah Jones (Bishop McCort) for a chance to compete for a POWERade Championship. The big boys will give fans some fireworks as #3 Isaac Reid (Kiski Area) and #4 Brendan Furman (Canon-McMillan) will meet for the second time in seven days. Reid was the winner last week but Furman won a season ago at POWERade.
106 lbs.
Kurt McHenry (St. Pauls, MD) vs. Matt Ramos (Lockport, IL)
Drew Munch (Wyoming Seminary) vs. #1 Darren Miller ( Kiski Area)
113 lbs.
#1 Louis Newell (Seneca Valley) vs. #12 Sam Hillegas (North Hills)
#1 Beau Bayless (Reynolds) vs. #3 Jacob Dunlop (Belle Vernon Area)
120 lbs.
#1 Gavin Teasdale (Jefferson Morgan) vs. #18 Colton Camacho (Franklin Regional)
#8 Logan Macri (Canon McMillan) vs. Beau Bartlett (Wyoming Seminary)
126 lbs.
#1 Spencer Lee (Franklin Regional) vs. Jordan Ward (Moeller, OH)
Carmen Ferrante (Bergen Catholic, NJ) vs. Jack Davis (Wyoming Seminary)
132 lbs.
Jake Riegel (Wyoming Seminary) vs. Marc Garofalo (Colonial Forge, VA)
#10 Job Chishko (Penn Trafford) vs. #9 Caleb Morris (Waynesburg Central)
138 lbs.
Josh Humphreys (St. Albans, WV) vs. #2 Luke Kemerer (Hempfield Area)
#5 Carnell Andrews (Bishop McCort) vs. #3 Cole Matthews (Reynold)
145 lbs.
Frankie Gissendanner (Penfield, NY) vs. #3 Jake Hinkson (North Allegheny)
#3 John Pipa (Bishop McDevitt) vs. #2 Jarod Verkleeren (Hempfield Area)
152 lbs.
#1 Cameron Coy (Penn Trafford) vs. #6 Carter Starocci (Cathedral Prep)
Shane Griffith (Bergen Catholic, NJ) vs. Stephan Glasgow (Bound Brook, NJ)
160 lbs.
Mekhi Lewis (Bound Brook, NJ) vs. Jared Lough (Colonial Forge, VA)
Trevell Timmons (Lockport, IL) vs. #7 Zach Hartman (Belle Vernon Area)
170 lbs.
#2 Trent Hidlay (Mifflin County) vs. #3 Tim Wallace (Albert Gallatin)
#7 Gavin Wilkerson (Reynolds) vs. Dale Tiongson (St. Pauls, MD)
182 lbs.
#1 Nino Bonaccorsi (Bethel Park) vs. George Walton (Bound Brook, NJ)
Jacob Hart (Independence, WV) vs. #2 Cody Mulligan (Saegertown)
195 lbs.
#1 Jake Woodley (North Allegheny) vs. #3 Anthony Walters (Bishop McCort)
#2 Cole Nye (Bishop McDevitt) vs. #1 Gavin Hoffman (Montoursville Area)
220 lbs.
Noah Adams (Independence, WV) vs. Brady Daniel (Good Counsel, MD)
#1 Josiah Jones (Bishop McCort) vs. #1 Francis Duggan (Cedar Cliff)
285 lbs.
Ronald Tucker (Lockport, IL) vs. #2 Kawuan DeBoe (Cathedral Prep)
#3 Isaac Reid (Kiski Prep) vs. #4 Brendan Furman (Canon-McMillan)