High school wrestling rankings week 3
(The Morning Call)

It is going to take a crane to remove Notre Dame-GP’s three returning state champions from the top spots at their respective weights in the weekly Morning Call rankings.

That sentence is going to need amending: There are four Crusaders who are not budging at this point in the season.


Sophomore Brandan Chletsos solidified his position as the area’s clear-cut top 120-pounder with his performance at the 15th annual Escape the Rock tournament. He left Council Rock South High School with a championship belt and a boatload of confidence.

“Once I won Trojan Wars [in late December in Chambersburg],” Chletsos said, "I knew I was on a roll. Training with my partners and coaches in the room, their motivation constantly pushed me to improve and really helped me a lot.

“Winning this tournament really showed me what I was capable of. I’m hoping for a big season this year.”

Notre Dame-GP's Brandan Chletsos, right, is a nationally ranked wrestler, his nationally ranked teammates say.
Notre Dame-GP's Brandan Chletsos, right, is a nationally ranked wrestler, his nationally ranked teammates say. (Amy Shortell/The Morning Call)

Crusaders coach Matt Veres said from the start of practice in November that he believed Chletsos was a state champion in the making.

Nothing he’s seen since has changed his mind ... or that of his teammates.

“Brandan may be the best wrestler who gets slept on by far the most,” teammate Brett Ungar said. “He is, in my eyes the best [120-pounder] in the state, top five in the country, but he just gets ... it’s weird.”

Chletsos knocked off No. 3 seed Alex Almeyda from St. Joe’s Regional (N.J.) and No. 8 Georgio Mazzeo of Paulsboro (N.J.) on Sunday to win the title. The sophomore Crusader allowed only eight points and did not yield a takedown in his five matches.

He’s proving to be a tough ride on top. His strength has always been a major asset. He’s now refined his offense from neutral and been able to limit his time on bottom.

“I needed to improve on my shots a lot,” the returning PIAA Class 2A sixth-place finisher said. "because that makes a difference in my matches. When a kid gets in on my legs it hurts me a lot. That was my biggest improvement.

“That and getting out from bottom, just not letting a kid hold me down.”

Chletsos won Sunday’s Escape the Rock final against Mazzeo by getting an escape seven seconds into the third period after riding him out in the second.

Ungar, Ryan Crookham and Andrew Cerniglia did nothing last weekend to hurt their national rankings. Chletsos did plenty to earn the right to join them.

Time will tell.

On with The Morning Call’s humble rankings (records through Sunday) where there was plenty of movement elsewhere thanks to the start of the late-January weight descent (and in some cases, ascent) and a lot of good action on the mats:


106 pounds

1. Cael McIntyre, Bethlehem Catholic (17-6)

2. C.J. Horvath, Freedom (25-2)

3. Charlie Bunting, Nazareth (29-4)

4. Carson Wagner, Northampton (19-9)

5. Evan Maag, Notre Dame-GP (19-9)

Honorable mention: Marco Albanese, Emmaus (15-6); Zach Borzio, Quakertown (19-10); Aaron Ciampittiello, Parkland (8-3); Josh Griffith, Pleasant Valley (16-6); Josh Jasionowicz, Stroudsburg (18-8); Wilfred Jimenez, Whitehall (15-7); Matt Milkowich, Upper Perkiomen (16-6); Jacob Nye, Catasauqua (13-7); George Pultz, Pen Argyl (10-7); Connor Werner, Liberty (22-4).

Of note: The top three don’t move after McIntyre took fourth at ETR, beating Wagner along the way, Horvath was third at War at the Shore, and Bunting beat Wagner in a dual. Wagner was sixth at ETR. Maag took seventh by pinning Jasionowicz. Maag takes Jasionowicz’s place at No. 5. In HM, Milkowich was 5-0 and Nye 4-1.


1. Brett Ungar, Notre Dame-GP (25-2)

2. Javien DeLeon, Liberty (22-2)

3. Braxton Appello, Easton (14-5)

4. Dante Frinzi, Bethlehem Catholic (15-9)

5. Connor Bevan, Freedom (21-8)

Honorable mention: Jake Doone, Nazareth (17-6); Jaryn Hartranft, Catasauqua (20-1); Everett Lata, Pleasant Valley (13-8); Matt Martin, Upper Perkiomen (25-4); Todd McGann, Quakertown (19-7); Connor Nicholas, Saucon Valley (13-11); Mark Ortiz, Stroudsburg (12-9); William Schwartz, Jim Thorpe (18-4); Brenden Smay, Northern Lehigh (16-5); A.J. Stayton, Faith Christian (20-5); Landon Uhler, Bangor (13-9); Gunnar Wagner, Northampton (14-9).

On the shelf: Tyler Kasak, Bethlehem Catholic (0-0).

Of note: Ungar won ETR. DeLeon has been steady all season, so he switches spots with Appello who beat Frinzi but didn’t medal at ETR. Frinzi took sixth. Bevan was fourth at War at the Shore and re-enters at No. 5, replacing Hartranft, who suffered his first loss at the Berwick Duals. Schwartz won the Schuylkill League tournament.


1. Brandan Chletsos, Notre Dame-GP (30-4)

2. Luis Vargas, Freedom (25-3)

3. Eric Alderfer, Faith Christian (22-2)

4. Andreo Ferraina, Nazareth (21-8)

5. Ashton Campbell, Palisades (16-4)

Honorable mention: Austin Brett, Catasauqua (13-7); Lucas Buskirk, Pen Argyl (4-2); Johnny Colon, Whitehall (15-7); Lukas Ferguson, Lehighton (10-8); Blaze Hartrum, Wilson (11-10); Kyle Miller, Quakertown (24-7); Ansar Niazi, Liberty (20-8); Franniel Reyes, Executive Education (13-3); Travis Riefenstahl, Saucon Valley (18-8); Bryson Vaughn, Notre Dame-GP (4-1).

On the shelf: Alex Hanley, Northampton (0-2); Andrew Harmon, Bethlehem Catholic (11-8).

Of note: The top three don’t move, even though Vargas lost three times to take eighth at War at the Shore. Alderfer had the week off. With Harmon getting injured and re-injured, Ferraina moves up one to his vacated No. 4 spot. Campbell enters at No. 5. His two local losses are to Chletsos and Harmon in OT. In HM, Reyes was 5-0.


1. Ryan Crookham, Notre Dame-GP (27-1)

2. Matt Mayer, Bethlehem Catholic (11-4)

3. David Kreidler, Central Catholic (21-3)

4. Connor Huber, Freedom (20-6)

5. Vinny DeSpirito, Quakertown (23-8)

Honorable mention: Gavin Fehr, Catasauqua (18-6); Gabe Heaney, Jim Thorpe (19-7); Vinny Hebel, Nazareth (18-10); Cael Markle, Saucon Valley (19-9); Nathan Mendez, Whitehall (10-6); Dawson Miller, East Stroudsburg South (13-4); Caidan Poff, Bangor (12-5); Noah Reichelderfer, Northampton (17-9); Jeff Pasciak, Stroudsburg (11-4); John Samy, Salisbury (10-8); Blake Sheridan, Wilson (17-5); Nick Velde, Emmaus (12-7).

On the shelf: Evan Camire, Emmaus (8-3); Andrew Smith, Nazareth (3-2).

Of note: No changes here after Crookham won ETR and Mayer took seventh. Kreidler stays at No. 3, but Huber (fifth at War at the Shore) flip-flops with DeSpirito, who had a 2-3 week. In HM, Heaney was third in the Schuylkill League tournament.


1. Patrick Noonan, Stroudsburg (24-4)

2. Evan Gleason, Bethlehem Catholic (21-8)

3. Dagen Condomitti, Northampton (20-6)

4. Zack Lewis, Quakertown (21-4)

5. Xavier Arner, Whitehall (19-8)


Honorable mention: Braedon Alder, Salisbury (14-4); Josh Bauman, Notre Dame-GP (12-10); Jon DeNato, Palisades (11-8); Bryan Diaz, Parkland (20-9); Nick Foster, Nazareth (6-4); Steve Fritzinger, Lehighton (16-10); Ben Griffith, Northwestern (15-7); Lucas Kern, Parkland (17-5); Reinaldo Lebron, Freedom (17-8); Dennis Lombardi, Palmerton (10-5); Charlie Palomino, Pocono Mountain West (7-2); Randy Steigerwalt, Tamaqua (15-8); Jerry Villanueva, Dieruff (8-5); Isiah Vizcarrondo, Faith Christian (17-9).

On the shelf: Chris Arciuolo, Saucon Valley (13-4); Kyron Bryson, Easton (6-6).

Of note: Noonan recovered from an ETR semifinal loss to take third by handling returning 2A state champ Brock McMillen in the consolation semis and St. Joe’s Regional’s Justin Bierdumpfel in the consolation final. With Arciuolo still out, Condomitti and Lewis, who didn’t medal at ETR, move up one and Arner comes in at No. 5. In HM, Lombardi beat Markle and Fritzinger. Diaz is down from 138 and took second at the New Oxford tournament. Steigerwalt also is down from 138.


1. Kenny Herrmann, Bethlehem Catholic (24-2)

2. Ethan Szerencsits, Northampton (23-5)

3. Jake Jones, Saucon Valley (23-5)

4. Holden Garcia, Notre Dame-GP (23-8)

5. Kordell Waiters, Emmaus (15-3)

Honorable mention: Attikos Clifford, Central Catholic (21-6); Aaron Coccio, Tamaqua (12-10); Tyler Cunningham, Whitehall (15-3); Joe Dolak, Parkland (19-7); Dustin Hunara, Wilson (9-6); Gavin Marks, Upper Perkiomen (9-6); Antonio Reto, Pen Argyl (9-5); Zach Rozanski, Upper Perkiomen (23-6); Lucas Sangiuliano, Lehighton (13-10); Blaine Wilson, Nazareth (17-10).

On the shelf: Dom DeFalco, Quakertown (21-5).

Of note: Herrmann won Escape the Rock by scoring nine points in his last three bouts — and giving up only four. Szerencsits, who lost to Herrmann 6-3 in quarters, had a solid tournament and finished fourth. He moves up one spot. Jones has been stellar lately. He bumps up one to No. 3. Garcia slides down two spots after missing out on an ETR medal. Waiters stays put at No. 5. In HM, Rozanski was 6-0 last week. Dolak and Coccio moved down from 145.


1. Cole Handlovic, Bethlehem Catholic (22-4)

2. Jagger Condomitti, Northampton (23-2)

3. DaShawn Farber, Nazareth (17-6)

4. Steven Storm, Pocono Mountain East (23-2)

5. Jason Rezac, Liberty (23-3)

Honorable mention: Devon Alder, Salisbury (11-7); Nick Alejandro, East Stroudsburg South (15-4); Trevor Amorim, Northern Lehigh (19-4); Ashtyn Berberena, Wilson (17-6); Chris Clifford, Central Catholic (21-7); Chris Colasurdo, Southern Lehigh (15-11); Michael Gomes, Freedom (14-7); Jamar Harrison, Allen (12-6); Patrick McCoy, Quakertown (17-10); Andy Muzika, Faith Christian (14-6); Lorenzo Reto, Pen Argyl (13-7); Mason Smeland, Palisades (17-6); Thomas Spirk, Saucon Valley (23-5); Shane Storm, Freedom (23-8); Luke Yatcilla, Parkland (16-11).

Of note: With Handlovic moving down from 152 and beating Condomitti 3-0 in the Escape the Rock final, he’s the new No. 1 here. Condomitti, Farber and Storm slide down one spot each. Rezac stays put at No. 5. In HM, Storm was seventh at War at the Shore (Md.). Yatcilla moves down from 152.


1. Ben Haubert, Palisades (20-3)

2. Jake Dressler, Nazareth (19-6)

3. Gino Ianelli, Pocono Mountain East (20-7)

4. Anthony Micci, Wilson (17-6)

5. Tyler Pfizenmayer, Saucon Valley (18-9)

Honorable mention: Harrison Bernhard, Northwestern (20-6); C.J. Fritz, Northampton (10-6); Wayne McIntyre, East Stroudsburg North (18-5); Jackson Marcantonio, Liberty (14-10); Aaron Sanchez, Quakertown (13-8); Gavin Sandt, Bangor (17-11); Caleb Sell, Tamaqua (17-7); James Syracuse, Pleasant Valley (16-5).

On the shelf: Matt Lackman, Bethlehem Catholic (11-4).

Of note: With Handlovic moving down to 145 and Lackman getting hurt at Escape the Rock, Haubert moves into the top spot. Dressler moves up to No. 2. Ianelli and Micci, who each lost last week, also move up a spot each. Pfizenmayer enters at No. 5 thanks to a strong stretch lately. This will be a volatile weight class for some time, especially with others potentially moving from 160. In HM, Sell was a Schuylkill League runnerup.


1. Andrew Cerniglia, Notre Dame-GP (23-1)

2. Max Schultz, Faith Christian (22-3)

3. Nathan Stefanik, Nazareth (18-4)

4. Jamir Jiminez, Bethlehem Catholic (10-5)

5. Kai Clark, Whitehall (19-6)

Honorable mention: Patrick Carrillo, Freedom (16-10); Nick DeNave, Southern Lehigh (14-8); Xavier Garcia, Allen (12-7); Shawn Gardner, Palmerton (13-4); Kyle Goodwin, Quakertown (18-7); Jared Groller, Emmaus (12-5); Dylan Hogan, East Stroudsburg North (17-7); Colby Judd, Northampton (12-6); Chris Jurado, Freedom (16-10); Danny Kelleher, Palisades (14-7); Zach Orsargos, Stroudsburg (12-10); Christian Reid, Liberty (18-9); Jared Reto, Bangor (18-7); Manuel Rodriguez, Allen (15-8); Tyler Watson, Northwestern (12-6); Alex Womack, Pleasant Valley (19-2).

On the shelf: Eric Moyer, Panther Valley (6-5); Ty Csencsits, Saucon Valley (0-0); Dante Mahaffey, Saucon Valley (3-2).

Of note: Cerniglia did not give up a takedown until the final 10 seconds of the Escape the Rock final. He was leading 14-0 at the time and was named the tournament’s outstanding wrestler. With Arciuolo’s exit to 170, Schultz, Stefanik and Jiminez move up a spot each and Clark enters with an eight-match winning streak — including six 1st-period pins. In HM, Watson and Womack dropped down from 170. DeNave had a tough week with losses to Cerniglia, Bernhard and Clark.


1. Lenny Pinto, Stroudsburg (27-3)

2. Matt Arciuolo, Saucon Valley (24-1)

3. Connor Herceg, Nazareth (25-2) 2-0

4. Dom Falcone, Easton (15-4)

5. Kevin Hennessy, Liberty (22-5)

Honorable mention: Anthony DeRosa, Bethlehem Catholic (8-5); Tommy Flud, Upper Perkiomen (10-8); Rich Fronheiser, Lehighton (14-1); Ben Krauss, Salisbury (11-6); Carson Krell, Tamaqua (8-4); Matt Lalik, Palmerton (11-7); Ceasar Lewis, Pocono Mountain West (12-6); Jared Newhall, Jim Thorpe (20-4); Traisach Roland, Northampton (21-8); Gavin Sandt, Bangor (17-11); Cayden Trimmer, Wilson (17-4); Damon Waltenbaugh, Faith Christian (9-0).

On the shelf: Jaden Youwakim, Bethlehem Catholic (0-1); Dusten Pompei, Quakertown (13-7).

Of note: Tempting to move Pinto out of the top spot after he had a bad 90 minutes or so to finish fourth at Escape the Rock, but he stays put. Arciuolo comes up from 160 to take the second spot. Herceg and Falcone, who was pinned by Pinto at ETR, each drop one spot. Falcone was fifth at ETR. Hennessy stays at No. 5. In HM, Krell came off the shelf to finish second at the Schuylkill League tournament. Newhall was fourth.


1. Drew Clearie, Nazareth (21-6)


2. Caden Wright, Emmaus (18-2)

3. Isaiah Reinert, Easton (17-7)

4. Alec Snyder, Wilson (18-3)

5. Dane Csencsits, Saucon Valley (21-5)

Honorable mention: Dom DiDomenico, Upper Perkiomen (18-7); Ryan Havercamp, Northwestern (11-7); Ajay Hiller, East Stroudsburg South (12-9); Micah Kunkle, Quakertown (8-4); Caleb McDermott, Jim Thorpe (15-11); Charlie Maloy, Pocono Mountain West (14-5); Adam Reinhart, Catasauqua (19-4); Britton Walter, Faith Christian (13-7); Nate Wickersham, Tamaqua (17-5); Austin Winters, Palisades (10-6); Alex Zeigenfuss, Lehighton (15-9).

On the shelf: Derek Berlitz, Notre Dame-GP (9-3); Gavin Dorn, Pleasant Valley (6-2); Riley Gallagher, Northampton (7-6).

Of note: Top three are unchanged. Reinert was fifth at Escape the Rock. Csencsits bumps up from 170 to No. 5 here after Snyder rallied in the last 10 seconds to beat him in a dual 6-4. Snyder slides into No. 4, the spot vacated by the shelved Berlitz. In honorable mentions, DiDomenico had a 6-0 week. Havercamp dropped here.


1. Logan Green, Pennridge (20-3)

2. Jon Owens, Pocono Mountain West (15-2)

3. Leo Muzika, Faith Christian (16-1)

4. Isaac Kassis, Dieruff (17-1)

5. Justus Bozzi, Bethlehem Catholic (12-8)

Honorable mention: Joe Capobianco, Nazareth (10-6); Garrett Fitzgerald, Parkland (12-7); Chris Frable, Pleasant Valley (18-2); Matt Frame, Northern Lehigh (13-9); Collin Gill, Southern Lehigh (15-11); Gavin Kreschollek, Palisades (9-8); Juwan Little, Stroudsburg (13-10); Braydyn Lugardo, Saucon Valley (14-7); Max Marrero, Freedom (20-8); Kyle Perl, Northampton (14-9); Josh Pittenger, Bangor (14-7); Freddie Retter, Quakertown (14-9); Sonny Sasso, Nazareth (2-2); Jason Sine, Notre Dame-GP (16-10); Austin Wickham, Wilson (10-4).

On the shelf: De’Antay Alston, Panther Valley (6-2); Tavion Banks, Bethlehem Catholic (1-0); Chase Levey, Nazareth (1-1).

Of note: Green, Owens and Kassis were unbeaten in limited action. Muzika didn’t wrestle. Bozzi was eight at Escape the Rock. Lugardo joins HM after Saucon’s recent bump-up. Marrero was fourth at War at the Shore. Sine was sixth at Escape the Rock.


1. Stephen Schott, Nazareth (22-6)

2. Matt Cruise, Easton (14-7)

3. Kolby Flank, Wilson (23-1)

4. Brett Gasker, Lehighton (19-4)

5. Zaire Mitchell, Liberty (19-9)

Honorable mention: Aiden Compton, Pen Argyl (10-5); Kendall Herron, Jim Thorpe (15-10); Makei Hubert, Northampton (10-9); Cody Lafaver, Emmaus (10-5); Ralph Martin, Quakertown (16-11); Randy Okungu, Whitehall (13-8); Nick Paredes, East Stroudsburg North (11-11); Glenn Pittius, Pocono Mountain West (10-5); Zach Scheirer, Catasauqua (10-7); Jullian Sparks, Stroudsburg (14-7); Aaron Williams, Pocono Mountain East (15-10).

On the shelf: Jerome Balliet, Tamaqua (8-2); Matt Bogardo, Freedom (14-4).

Of note: Schott stays put. Cruise was eighth at Escape the Rock. Flank has not lost since the Bethlehem Holiday Wrestling Classic to Cruise. Gasker moves up one spot to No. 4 that was vacated by Lambert who, for now, is up to 285. Gasker was third in the Schuylkill League tournament. Mitchell, a first-year varsity wrestler, is the new No. 5.


1. Karam Chakif, Dieruff (16-1)

2. Bronson Strouse, Tamaqua (21-1)

3. Derek Hunter, Jim Thorpe (20-2)

4. Nick Warnke, Saucon Valley (25-2)

5. Blake Lambert, Northampton (17-6)

Honorable mention: Lavonte Bouie, Catasauqua (13-6); Alex Brunetti, Pocono Mountain East (12-9); Matt Burton, Nazareth (12-9); Riley Craft, Southern Lehigh (13-4); Kyle Harris, East Stroudsburg North (14-7); Sebastian Khamis, Stroudsburg (16-7); Jeremy McGuigan, Quakertown (27-6); Nick Rode, Parkland (19-11); Roger Russell, Wilson (17-5); James Santichen, Emmaus (12-9); Josh Schaffer, Northern Lehigh (16-6).

On the shelf: Izak Bright, Whitehall (1-1).

Of note: Chakif stays put, but Strouse and Hunter flip-flop after Strouse won 3-1 in the Schuylkill League final. Lambert has been mostly at 285, so he bumps up from 220 to No. 5 here and nudges Bouie out.

Records are based on results reported to The Morning Call and various websites. To make updates or corrections, email thousenick@mcall.com.
