L-L wrestlers ready to test their mettle
State finals start Thursday morning in Hershey
  • Solanco junior Dan Neff (39-2) will have to navigate through an extremely tough and balanced field at 130 pounds if he wants to win the first state medal of his career.

By DAVE BYRNE
Lancaster
Published Mar 10, 2010 21:54
It's a new experience for Kyle Coblentz, Bobby Rehm, Austin Schultz and Cole Dillman.

It's another opportunity for Austin Miller, Dan Neff and Dylan Killian.

It's practically old hat for Antonio Giorgio.

It is the PIAA Wrestling Tournament, which gets under way at 9 a.m. today with the Class AA preliminaries and continues later today with the Class AAA prelims, beginning at 4 p.m.

All the above, except Killian, will be competing in the Class AAA tournament, which continues Friday afternoon with quarterfinals at 1 p.m. and semifinals Saturday at 8 a.m.

The Class AA finals are set for 2 p.m. Saturday with the Class AAA finals at 8 p.m.

Popular opinion holds that Giorgio will be there Saturday night, repeating his finals appearance of 2008.

There is a school of thought that he could also be joined in the finals by Miller and Neff.

But a lot has to happen between now and then for that to become reality.

Here's a look at all eight L-L wrestlers and the lay of the land in their respective weight classes.

Class AAA

Austin Miller (36-2) is one of four state-experienced wrestlers at 103 pounds. The Hempfield junior's first match of the tournament is with Billy Rappo, a sophomore from Council Rock South.

Rappo (34-14) is the latest in a line of grapplin' Rappo brothers — Rick, Mike (2) and Mark — who have four state titles among them. Number five will have to wait a year.

Miller would face freshman Ethan Kenney (42-6) of Connellsville in the quarterfinals with Cedar Cliff frosh Chris Vassar (37-9) continuing his hot streak into the semis where Miller awaits.

New Oxford's Jordan Conaway (38-1) should advance to the finals from the bottom half of the bracket.

Garden Spot's Kyle Coblentz (34-4) is bracketed with four returning veterans at 119, including Liberty's Anthony Marino (29-7), who placed fifth at 112 in 2009.

He would be a semifinal opponent for the Spartans senior should Coblentz negotiate his way past Derrick Nelson (30-4) of Waynesburg Central in the prelims and Meadville's Shelton Mack (37-1) in the quarterfinals.

Franklin Regional's Nico Megaludis (32-0), the returning 112-pound champion, is the king of the lower bracket.

Penn Manor junior Bobby Rehm (36-4) makes his PIAA debut against Bethel Park sophomore Dylan Mogan (23-1), who took his first loss of the year in the WPIAL semifinals.

Unbeaten Mitchell Port (41-0) of Bellefonte, fourth at 119 last year, looms in the quarters with the winner there holding a clear shot to the 125-pound finals.

Nazareth's Zach Moran (35-1), the 112-pound runner-up, meets the winner between South Western's Cameron Throckmorton (30-2) and Council Rock North's Matt Rappo (39-6) — yes, another Rappo — in the other semi.

Unbeaten Steve Spearman (38-0) of McDowell, third at 125, meets Blue Mountain's Tyler Rauenzahn (43-7), the 119-pound runner-up, in a preliminary round donnybrook at 130.

The survivor should meet Solanco's Dan Neff (39-2) in the semis. Neff opens with Upper Moreland senior Tim Santry (34-5).

Central Dauphin's Tyler Buckman (34-4), Pittsburgh Central Catholic's Tyler Zimroz (40-4) and Easton's Mitch Minotti (38-3) are the class of the opposite bracket.

Third time's the charm for Antonio Giorgio? If so, he'll have to defeat both of the top 189-pounders in the state.

Warwick's two-time state medalist and former state runner-up opens with sophomore Tyson Searer (29-9) of Lewistown — nephew of NHSCA web master Deron Shank — and faces Springfield Delco's Andre Petroskie (35-2), the returning bronze medalist at 189, in the quarters.

Corry's Michael Pollard (42-1) or Greater Latrobe's Eric Shaffer (37-2) could meet Giorgio in the semis, although Manheim Township's Austin Schultz (33-4), who opens with Pollard, just might muscle his way to a Giorgio rematch.

Returning 189-pound runner-up Jamie Callender (38-1) of Council Rock North is likely to emerge from the bottom bracket, although Dallastown's Phil Sprenkle (33-4) could provide a stiff quarterfinal test.

Cole Dillman (37-3) kicks off his first state tournament with Caleb Baker (37-6), a junior from General McLane, with Whitehall's Tony Bourzik (28-4) up next in the quarters at heavyweight.

Defending 285-pound state champion Evan Craig (46-0) of Abington Heights will be in the semis should Dillman get there. Central Mountain's Zach Corl (36-5) is the best of the bottom half of the bracket.

Class AA

Looking to improve on his two-and-through in 2009, Dylan Killian opens with Alec Eggerton (26-5) of Loyalsock. A-C's junior 140-pounder meets returning 135-pound runner-up Phillip Steinberg (33-1) of Central Cambria in the quarterfinals.

Returning 135-pound champion Colin Shober (49-0) of Schuylkill Valley — with 189 victories the state's winningest Class AA wrestler — is in the top half of the bracket.
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