Staudenmayer leads 10 locals into state wrestling semifinals

HERSHEY, Pa. - It was just the quarterfinals, but Plymouth Whitemarsh's John Staudenmayer knew his round-of-eight match was likely his greatest obstacle on the way to a state championship.

In a clash of unbeatens and the top two ranked 171-pound wrestlers in Pennsylvania, Staudenmayer trumped Bethel Park's Nick Bonaccorsi with a slim 5-3 decision to reach the semifinals at the PIAA Class AAA Wrestling Championships on Friday at the Giant Center in front of a crowd of 6,425.

It's the third consecutive year that Staudenmayer (40-0 and ranked No. 1 by Pa. Power Rankings) beat Bonaccorsi (40-1) at the state tourney, with all three encounters decided by three or fewer points.

Staudenmayer, a senior seeking his first state crown, exuded such a glowing energy after the match that it's a wonder he stayed in his tights. He advances to Friday's 8 a.m. semifinals against Solanco's Connor Moran with a relieved sense of confidence.

"It's nice to get that out of the way in the quarters," Staudenmayer said. "Feel good going into [Saturday] - a whirlwind of emotions right now. I'm so happy."

"We knew this was going to be the toughest match he had," Plymouth Whitemarsh coach Nate Wachter added. ". . . That win should get him some confidence and take that right into the finals."

Including Staudenmayer, 10 wrestlers from Districts 1 and 12 remained in the championship draw and advanced to the semifinals. The others were West Chester Henderson's Jim Long (103 pounds), Billy Rappo (Council Rock South, 103), Matt Harkins (Hatboro Horsham, 119), Jeremy Minich (Boyertown, 125), Joe Mazzi (La Salle, 130), Matt Cimato (La Salle, 140), John Bolich (Upper Moreland, 189), Brandan Clark (Methacton, 215), and Jeremy Reith (Father Judge, heavyweight).

Twenty-two area wrestlers remained in contention to place at the tournament; the top eight finishers from each class earn medals.

Conversely, the season ended for a bevy of big names with great aspirations.

Council Rock South 140-pounder Matt Martoccio followed up a shocking first-round defeat with a 2-0 loss in the first round of consolations to Scott Bosak (State College). In two days, Martoccio (44-4), a senior, doubled his loss total, abruptly ending a stellar season that included district and regional championships.

The season of West Chester Rustin sophomore Corey McQuiston also came to a halt, after a loss in the 112 quarterfinals, 8-4, to Jordan Conaway of New Oxford (No. 2 Pa. Power). McQuiston (39-4), ranked third, followed it with a 7-0 defeat in the second round of consolations to Paul Bewak (Hempfield).

And Norristown's Brandon Parker (53-7) fell, 3-0, in the 145 quarterfinals to Trey Duncan (Spring Grove) and then to freshman Garrett Peppelman (Central Dauphin), 1-0, in the second round of consolations.

C.R. South senior Matt Rappo, older brother of Billy Rappo, lost his 135-pound quarterfinal bout (9-6 to Chambersburg's Garett Hammond), but rebounded with a 1-0 win over Jason Stephen (Northhampton) to stay alive.

Upper Moreland's Bolich continued his hot streak by pinning Mike Mirra (Crestwood) in 1 minute, 25 seconds at 189. Bolich's victory arranged a dream semifinal match, in which he'll face Central Dauphin's Kenny Courts, a senior who won the state title at 171 last year.

Courts and Bolich are ranked No. 1 and No. 2 by Pa. Power, respectively.

"It's the match I've been looking forward to all year," Bolich said.

La Salle has the most wrestlers remaining of any area school, four, and is fourth overall in team points, with 32. Canon-McMillan led all teams with 46. C.R. South was 10th with 18.5, and had three wrestlers remaining.

Explorers coach Vic Stanley was encouraged by Mazzi and Cimato - who earned his 50th win this season - moving forward in the main draw.

"I think both of them can win it," Stanley said.

The match of the day in AAA occurred between another Explorer, Nick Burns, and C.R. South's Shane Gilmore in a second-round consolation bout at 171. Gilmore and Burns wrestled to an ultimate tiebreaker - after regulation, they wrestled through two one-minute overtime periods and into the second of two 30-second tiebreak periods - before Gilmore eked out a 2-1 win with an escape.

Gilmore next faces Bonaccorsi.

"It was a huge win for us. We've had a rough day - very rough day," South coach Brad Silimperi said, referring to the three South losses Friday. "To get that one in dramatic fashion definitely helps."

Early Friday, Church Farm's Baffour Atakora-Bediako, the area's lone participant in the AA field, fell in the first round of consolation matches, 5-0, to Ligonier Valley's Joshua Patrick.

Atakora-Bediako, a junior who entered the state tournament at 33-2, had dropped his opening-round match Thursday, 9-6, to Jamestown's Tyler Roberts.