How three Pa. wrestlers earned state titles
Doug Zapf has always been one of the smaller guys in the wrestling room. It's part of why the Downingtown West junior fell in love with the sport in first grade.
Doug Zapf has always been one of the smaller guys in the wrestling room. It's part of why the Downingtown West junior fell in love with the sport in first grade.
"I like that no matter how big you are, it doesn't matter," said Zapf, who was one of three District 1 wrestlers to win PIAA Class AAA state titles earlier this month. "It's just all on you. If you work hard, it's going to pay off."
When Zapf went to Downingtown West as a freshman, he weighed just 95 pounds. Wrestling at 106, he often went up against wrestlers who were 10 pounds heavier and three years older. Still, Zapf finished 31-13 and made it to regionals.
"For him to win 30 matches and get to the regionals was a special feat for him being so undersized," Downingtown West coach Brad Breese said.
Zapf was still a bit undersized as a sophomore last season, weighing about 102 pounds. Breese said there were still some kids who could "overpower" him, but Zapf continued to succeed, going 33-9 and advancing to the state tournament.
Knowing he had many of the necessary skills in place, Zapf put his focus into catching up to the size and strength of his competitors. He spent last summer working out at Crossfit Rocksolid in Downingtown.
"I definitely lifted a lot more, and I got a lot bigger," Zapf said.
This season, Zapf lost just twice, finishing 45-2 and winning Downingtown West's first state title since Downingtown split into two schools in 2003.
He knows it won't be easy to repeat.
"More people will be trying to get after me," Zapf said. "But I'm looking forward to it."
Zack Trampe, Council Rock South
Council Rock South senior Zack Trampe had been close to a state title before.
As a sophomore, he advanced to the state championship but lost in the title match after a 45-win season.
Trampe came back as a junior ready for another shot at the title. He won 47 matches that time but lost in the state semifinals to Hazleton Area High School's Jimmy Hoffman.
"He was putting a lot of pressure on himself," Council Rock South coach Brad Silimperi said. "I think it eventually weighed him down and got to him a little bit. This year, we just tried to kind of stress having fun and scoring points and wrestling free."
Trampe lost one match this season. In a match in December, Hoffman caught Trampe in a cradle and secured a pin.
The 132-pound senior dominated opponents following the loss to Hoffman. Before the state tournament every one of his wins ended in a major decision, technical fall or pin.
When the state brackets came out, Hoffman and Trampe were placed on either side.
"I knew from the beginning of the tournament I'd have a chance of seeing him in the finals if I made it there," Trampe said.
Both parties took care of business, leading to a rematch of last year's semifinals match in the state championship. Trampe, who is headed to Binghamton University next year, earned a 4-2 win to end his career with the state title he'd long coveted and his 166th career win.
"It was awesome," Trampe said. "Everything I worked for finally paid off."
Brian Kennerly, Upper Darby
When Upper Darby 220-pound senior Brian Kennerly started wrestling in eighth grade, he had no idea how much he'd like the sport.
He already thought he had found his passion when he began playing football in sixth grade.
"Coming into high school, I loved football more than anything," Kennerly said.
After a 40-6 season last year, Kennerly gave up football to focus on wrestling.
He capped a perfect 38-0 season with a 3-2 overtime win over Laurel Highlands's Ian Edenfield in the state championship.
"Wrestling is one of those sports where a lot of people think if you don't start early you don't have a chance," said Kennerly, who will wrestle at the University of Virginia next season. "To show that you can succeed in a sport if you just put the work in, overall just means a lot to me."