Skip to content
Rally High School Sports
Link copied to clipboard

Boyertown's Wood overcomes injury to win regional title

Boyertown's Jordan Wood woke up many nights in agony because of searing pain in his right shoulder. The 220-pounder, who won the Southeastern Regional Class AAA title at Oxford on Saturday, was working out last summer in Colorado with members of the senior world team. He landed on his elbow and tore his labrum. Wood saw his coming junior season flash before his eyes.

Boyertown's Jordan Wood woke up many nights in agony because of searing pain in his right shoulder.

The 220-pounder, who won the Southeastern Regional Class AAA title at Oxford on Saturday, was working out last summer in Colorado with members of the senior world team. He landed on his elbow and tore his labrum. Wood saw his coming junior season flash before his eyes.

"I was feeling really great [that summer]," Wood said after his championship win by injury default over Upper Darby's Josh Yeboah-Gyasi. "I was at the peak of my career and it just ended so quickly. They told me it would be a long recovery. If I got the surgery as soon as possible, there was [still] a good chance I would miss the [high school] season."

Wood had a bittersweet feeling as he watched his team get off to a hot start without him.

"The worst part was the beginning of the season," Wood said. "Going to all the big tournaments and not being able to compete was hard . . . I knew when I came back I could help add to that success."

Since returning to the lineup in the finals of the District 1 duals in January, Wood has posted an undefeated record, including winning his second regional championship Saturday.

The two-time state runner-up thinks his shorter schedule will ultimately help him in his third try for the title next week in Hershey.

"The injury got me hungrier," Wood said. "There was the off-chance that I wasn't going to be able to compete. That kept me hungry."

Tommy Killoran's last-second comeback also gave Boyertown a first-place finisher in the 285-pound class. His takedown, which came in the final 10 seconds of the match, helped push Boyertown to the team title.

"Tommy sealed the deal," Boyertown coach Pete Ventresca said. "Our guys didn't quit, they kept fighting and that was evident in the last match with Tommy."

Boyertown's Pac-10 rival Owen J. Roberts also finished in the Top 5 in team points, with three first-place finishers: 120-pound senior Derek Gulotta, senior Demetri D'Orsaneo (138) and junior Xavier Ferrizzi (195).

"It was a pretty good day for us," said Wildcats coach Stephen DeRafelo, who will send five wrestlers to states. "This is the best we've ever done in regionals."

The Results

CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS

106: Matt Parker, Pennridge, dec. Aidan Burke, Council Rock North, 3-0.

113: Dustin Steffenino, Upper Perkiomen, dec. Kordell Rush, Pennridge, 2-0.

120: Derek Gulotta, Owen J. Roberts, dec. Ryan Hayes, Spring-Ford, 8-4.

126: Wade Cummings, Downingtown East, dec. Zack Trampe, Council Rock South, 3-2.

132: Colin Cronin, Upper Darby, maj. dec. Joshua Stillings, Pennridge, 13-2.

138: Demetri D'Orsaneo, Owen J. Roberts, dec. Eric Thomas, Interboro, 7-2.

145: Riley Barth, Central Bucks West, dec. Dominick Petrucelli, Owen J. Roberts, 5-3.

152: Dylan Schwartz, Council Rock South, dec. James Meyer, Downingtown East, 2-1 TB.

160: Josh Shalinsky, Council Rock North, dec. Alex Elliott, Sun Valley, 5-2.

170: Kyle Gentile, Pennridge, dec. Tom Meyers, Radnor, 7-0.

182: Evan Wilson, Central Bucks East, dec. Gregg Harvey, Boyertown, 5-2.

195: Xavier Ferrizzi, Owen J. Roberts, dec. Ben Kenis, Council Rock South, 3-2.

220: Jordan Wood, Boyertown, won by inj. default over Joshua Yeboah-Gyasi, Upper Darby.

285: Tommy Killoran, Boyertown, dec. Bruce Graeber, Neshaminy, 4-3.

THIRD-PLACE MATCHES

106: Jakob Campbell, Boyertown, dec. Brett Kaliner, West Chester Rustin, 5-1.

113: Harrison Campbell, Quakertown, dec. Ben Radner, Council Rock South, 3-0.

120: Matt Marino, Garnet Valley, pinned Dylan Nuttall, Harry S. Truman, 3:07.

126: Lucas Miller, Boyertown, dec. Nick Puliti, Garnet Valley, 4-0.

132: Bryce Reddington, Methacton, dec. Colin Devlin, Upper Dublin, 7-5.

138: Bryant Wise, Pottstown, dec. Eric Miller, Upper Perkiomen, 3-1.

145: Chase Stephens, Coatesville, pinned Colin Shannon, North Penn, 1:49.

152: Zach Dellicompagni, Coatesville, dec. Jon Cooper, Spring-Ford, 1-0.

160: Frankie Krauss, Spring-Ford, dec. Dom DeLaurentis, Upper Moreland, 10-3.

170: Steve Okoorian, Sun Valley, pinned Steve Rice, Spring-Ford, 0:36.

182: Joe Pyfer, Penncrest, maj. dec. Philip Stolfi, Souderton, 16-4.

195: Wesley McGuire, Coatesville, dec. Brendan Zimmie, Spring-Ford, 7-5.

220: Ezra Outlaw, Pennridge, dec. Billy McGinley, Downingtown East, 3-1.

285: Zachary Dorsey, Spring-Ford, dec. Shaheed Hill, Norristown, 1-0.