Schools
Middle School Wrestlers Collect Championship
The Saucon Valley Middle School wrestling team took the 2012 AA District XI Title Championship at the Junior High District XI Wrestling Tournament at Parkland High School the weekend of Feb. 18.
The weekend of Feb. 18, the wrestling team participated in the Junior High District XI Wrestling Tournament at Parkland High School. The tournament consisted of 44 teams from both AAA and AA classifications. With each team able to enter every wrestler from its roster (and not just their starters), the tournament is one of the largest and toughest junior high tournaments on the East Coast. Some of the 17 weight classes included more than 55 participants.
The Panther team finished fourth overall in the tournament and collected the 2012 AA District XI Title Championship--its first ever title in this tournament. The team is coached by Mason Messinger (2012 AA Coach of the Year) and David Iobst.
Individual award winners were: 82 lbs. Jack Hill (1st Place), 117 lbs. Blaine Hirschbeck (2nd Place) and Jonah Rodriguez (4th Place), 124 lbs. Nate Harka (3rd Place), 132 lbs. Dylan Yonney (3rd Place), 140 lbs. Jason Lynch (3rd Place), 147 lbs. Bill Lugo (7th Place) and 167 lbs. Brandon Blobe (1st Place).
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Other contributing team members were: Paul Miller, Harley Lau, Jarred Kyra, Bryan Galdo, Ty Druckenmiller, Riley Gaydos, Zac Petrucelli, Zaimon Farkas, Nick Kurtz, Riley Haggerty, Justin Propsner, Nate Kehs, Cullen McCormick, Darius Wilkins, Abraham Lugo, Tony Solt, Devon VanVliet, Devon Fontanez and Braden Hudak.
This year's title was the third consecutive Colonial League team title (with three undefeated Colonial League match seasons) for the team. The team ended its season with a dual meet record of 21-2, with a first place finish in the 2011 Saucon Valley Middle School Team Tournament, a second place finish in the Blue Mountain Tournament, a first place finish in the Emmaus Duals and a second place finish in the 2012 Saucon Valley Middle School Team Tournament.
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Congratulations to the coaches and wrestlers of the 2011-2012 Saucon Valley Middle School wrestling team!
-Courtesy of Dave Yonney
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