District XI Wrestling Wrap-Up: Panthers Crown Four, Advance Twelve (Brought to You by Spirk Brothers Inc.)

Saucon senior Dane Csencsits won his 2020 District XI title in style.

If Notre Dame or anybody else within the District XI wrestling community had any ideas about getting a little payback from the Saucon Valley wrestlers for their outstanding dual- meet season, they were out of luck again this year. From start to finish, the Panthers as a team dominated the tournament crowning four champions and advancing twelve wrestlers to next weekend’s PIAA Southeast Regional tournament.  It is Saucon Valley’s fifth consecutive District XI team title.

Panther sophomore Chris Arciuolo gets “TWOOoo!” in the 2020 District championship final.

Saucon Valley’s Chris Arciuolo (132), Thomas Spirk (145), Matt Arciuolo (170) and Dane Csencists (182) each claimed a first-place medal on Saturday night. Chris Arciuolo, a sophomore, refused to give in to a couple of significant injuries and courageously battled his way to an impressive decision over Josh Bauman of Notre Dame.  Spirk followed and calmly tilted his way to a technical-fall of Northern Lehigh’s Trevor Amorim.  Matt Arciuolo was, as usual, a takedown machine against Tri Valley’s Jacob Scheib. And, Dane Csencsits was dominant and finished in style with a fall over Wilson’s Alec Snyder.

Spirk, Matt Arciuolo and Csencsits are all seniors and now each a two-time District XI champion. It should be noted that all three of these powerful Panthers are also stellar student-athletes.  Spirk (Business Analytics) is Bucknell bound, Arciuolo (Computer Science) is committed to Columbia while Csencsits (Mechanical Engineering) will head west to Pitt.  All four Panther champs will advance to the PIAA Southeast Regional tournament next weekend with the hopes of qualifying for a trip to Hershey.

Thomas Spirk of Saucon Valley turning the corner toward a two-point takedown in the 2020 District XI Finals.

The Panthers Matt Arciuolo runs his feet for a takedown in the 2020 District XI championship final.

The Panthers will also advance second-place finishers Connor Nicholas (113), Jake Jones (138) and Tyler Pfizenmayer (152) to the Regional tournament.  Jones and Pfizenmayer are freshmen and Nicholas, a sophomore.

In addition, Travis Riefenstahl (120), Braydyn Lugardo (195) and Nick Warnke (285) will move on to Regionals with their third-place efforts.  Riefenstahl is a freshman, Lugardo and Warnke are seniors.  Lugardo was a 2019 District XI champion.

Sophomores Cael Markle (126) and Ty Csencsits (160) also qualified for Regionals with their fourth-place finish.  In all, Saucon Valley advances what appears to be a school-record twelve wrestlers into the Regional tournament.

Panther Nation showing their appreciation in the 2020 District XI wrestling championships.

Recent Panther-Power in District XI Tournament

•   2015:  1 Champion, 6 other Regional Qualifiers
  • Champ:  Jason Lynch (170)
  • Regional Qualifiers:  Paul Miller (106), Jack Hill (113), Jason Jones (132), Dylan Yonney (145), Nate Harka (152)
• 2016:  4 Champs, 5 Regional Qualifiers
  • Champs:  Jack Hill (120), Jonah Zych (126), Nate Harka (152) and Devin Fontanez (220)
  • Regional Qualifiers:  Nick Rosengrant (106), Josh Jones (132), Jason Jones (138), Dylan Yonney (160), Blayne Hirschbeck (182)
• 2017:  3 Champs, 7 Regional Qualifiers
  • Champs:  Josh Jones (120), Paul Miller (126) and Devin Fontanez (220)
  • Regional Qualifiers:  Nick Rosengrant (113), Justin Kyra (132), Angelo Mahaffey (138), Jason Jones (145), Dane Csencsits (152), Nate Kehs (170), Trey Polak (285)
• 2018:  3 Champs, 3 Regional Qualifiers
  • Champs:  Josh Jones (126), Jason Jones (138), Dane Csencsits (195)
  • Regional Qualifiers:  Thomas Spirk (145), Angelo Mahaffey (152), Nick Warnke (285)
• 2019:  4 Champs, 6 Regional Qualifiers
  • Champs:  Josh Jones (132), Matt Arciuolo (160), Thomas Spirk (138), Braydyn Lugado (182)
  • Regional Qualifiers:  Cael Markle (106), Chris Arciuolo (113), Nick Rosengrant (145), Ty Csencsits (152), Dane Csencsits (195) and Nick Warnke (285).

• Panthers in the 2020 District XI Finals
  • 113  Brett Ungar, Notre Dame, fall Connor Nicholas, 1:53.
  • 132 Chris Arciuolo, decision Josh Bauman, Notre Dame, 5-2.
  • 138 Holden Garcia, Notre Dame, decision Jake Jones, 5-0.
  • 145 Thomas Spirk, tech-fall Trevor Amorim, Northern Lehigh, 18-2, 4:14.
  • 152 Ben Haubert, Palisades, decision Tyler Pfizenmayer, 6-0.
  • 170 Matt Arciuolo, tech-fall Jacob Scheib, Tri-Valley, 20-5, 2:58.
  • 182 Dane Csencsits, fall Alec Snyder, Wilson, 4:29.

• 2020 District XI Panther Place-winners
  • Third/Fourth Place
    • 120 Travis Riefenstahl, injury-default. Austin Brett, Catasauqua, 1:18.
    • 126 Lucas Buskirk, Pen Argyl, decision Cael Markle, 5-4.
    • 160 Gavin Harris, Pine Grove, fall Ty Csencsits, 4:24.
    • 195 Braydyn Lugardo, fall Adam Reinhart, Catasauqua, 2:49.
    • 285 Nick Warnke, decision Roger Russell, Wilson, 2-1, (OT).
  • Fifth/Sixth Place
    • 106 Ermal Duka forfeit Brenden Smay, Northern Lehigh, (Smay evidently did not make weight).

Coach’s Quote

“I am extremely proud of the effort the team showed this weekend.  It could be one of the best District XI tournaments in school history!”

Saucon Valley wrestling coach, Chad Shirk

With such a strong showing and advancing a record twelve wrestlers to the PIAA Southeast Regional tournament at Freedom High School next weekend, this proud Panther program finished first, easily taking the team title.

As a team, the Panthers pulled together to take their 5th consecutive District XI team title.

Top-15 Team Scores

1. Saucon Valley  275.5  (4 Champs)
2. Notre Dame  246.5  (6 Champs)
3. Wilson  170.5          (1 Champ)
4. Tamaqua  111      (1 Champ)
5. Pen Argyl  99.5
6. Lehighton  79
7. Catasaqua  78
8. Northwestern Lehigh 78
9. Mahanoy  70        (1 Champ)
10. Allentown Central Catholic 66.5
11. Pine Grove 65.5
12. North Schuylkill 63
13. Palisades  62   (1 Champ)
14. Jim Thorpe  59.5
15. Northern Lehigh   58

Individual Accolades

• Dane Csencsits:  2020 District XI “Most Outstanding” wrestler

“To be recognized as “Most Outstanding Wrestler” is an honor. I was quite surprised when they called my name as the recipient. All I have to say is that I am very honored and I believe that my hard work has shown this past tournament.”

Saucon Valley’s Dane Csencsits

Saucon Valley’s Dane Csencsits, who pinned his way through the tournament, accepts the 2020 “Outstanding Wrestler” award from District XI representative Gene Waas.

• Coach Chad Shirk:  2020 District XI “Coach of the Year”

Saucon Valley’s Chad Shirk was named District XI’s 2020 Coach of the Year.

Up Next:  Coach Shirk and staff will ride the momentum and take their twelve Panther qualifiers into the 2020 PIAA Southeast Regional tournament at Freedom High School (Bethlehem) on Friday, Feb. 28 and Saturday, Feb. 29.  A Top-6 finish will be needed in the Regional tourney for an individual to advance to Hershey for the PIAA State Championships.

Good luck Panthers, the Source is with you!

Panther wrestlers enjoying the post-tournament party at the Steel Club.