Jason Jones (left) and his brother Josh both advanced to the Quarterfinals of the 2018 lead PIAA State Wrestling Championships in Hershey.
Almost one week after taking six Panther wrestlers to the PIAA Southeast Regional tournament and advancing all six to the State tournament, Saucon Valley coach Chad Shirk still has five of those six grapplers alive to live another day in Hershey.
Jason and Josh Jones are keeping the dream alive to be state champions this year as both won and advanced to the Quarterfinal Round of the Championship bracket. Angelo Mahaffey, Dane Csencsits and Thomas Spirk had mixed results as each won one and lost one. All three fell to the Consolation bracket and are on a long, tough road to wrestle back for 3rd Place. Nick Warnke had a tough time and lost both of his matches of this double-elimination tournament.
PANTHERS IN THE QUARTERFINALS
Josh Jones
126 lbs. Jr. Josh Jones (35-2)
- Preliminary Round: BYE
- Round One: FALL over Reynold’s Kaeden Berger (17-10), 0:58
- Quarterfinals: Friday morning Josh will wrestle Everett Jr. Garrett Cornell (34-3)
Jason Jones
138 lbs. Sr. Jason Jones (35-4)
- Preliminary Round: BYE
- Round One: DECISION over Sharpsville’s Brock Salvatore (29-8), 10-3
- Quarterfinals: Friday morning Jason will wrestle St. Joseph So. Caleb Dowling (34-1)
PANTHERS IN THE CONSOLATION BRACKET
Thomas Spirk
145 lbs. So. Thomas Spirk (26-14)
- Preliminary Round: FALL over Berlin Bros. Sr. Austin Lee (37-7), 1:35
- Round One: lost by DECISION to Brookville Sr. Caleb Hetrick (32-5), 3-1
- Consy Round 1: BYE
- Consy Round 2: Friday morning Spirk will wrestle Hanover Jr. D.J. Erickson (32-6)
Angelo Mahaffey
152 lbs. Sr. Angelo Mahaffey (31-11)
- Preliminary Round: DECISION over Glendale Jr. Isaac Krause (27-12), 5-1
- Round One: lost by DECISION to Southern Columbia So. Cade Lin (41-9), 3-2
- Consy Round 1: BYE
- Consy Round 2: Friday morning Mahaffey will wrestle Bermudian Springs Sr. Darren Beall (35-10)
Dane Csencsits
195 lbs. So. Dane Csencsits (31-9)
- Preliminary Round: FALL over United Sr. Riley Miller (25-6), 2:11
- Round One: lost by DECISION to Greenville Sr. Brendan Calvin (38-2), 5-2
- Consy Round 1: BYE
- Consy Round 2: Friday morning Csencsits will wrestle Mount Union Sr. Levi Hockenberry (34-9)
Saucon sophomore Nick Warnke will be back to Hershey!
285 lbs. So. Nick Warnke (15-5)
- Preliminary Round: lost by Fall to Union City Jr. Matt Long (33-5), 2:18
- Consy Round One: lost by Decision to Brookville So. Colby Whitehill (38-5), 9-0
UP NEXT: The “AA” Quarterfinals and the 2nd round of the Consolation Bracket are scheduled for 9 a.m. Friday morning. The 3rd round of Consolations will get going at 11:15 a.m. The Semi-Finals and the 4th Round of Consys will kickoff at 7:30 p.m. with the 5th consolation round getting under way at 9:30 p.m. The “AA” Championship and medal round is scheduled for Saturday, 2 p.m.
Good luck Panthers, the Source is with you!