Nate Harka has a dentist's appointment this week to repair the damaged tooth as the result of a bout at the state team duals. He wasn't going to let that pain stop him from winning District 11 Class 2A gold at 152 pounds and help the Panthers win the team title.

BETHLEHEM — Nate Harka has a dentist appointment this coming week to fix the tooth that was bent back in his mouth during a match at the PIAA Class 2A Team Duals.

The Saucon Valley senior had wires holding things in place to get him through this weekend's District 11 individual tournament.


Wearing a mouth guard, Harka figured the least he could do is bring home a gold medal for his pain and suffering.

He did. So did teammates Jack Hill at 120, Jonah Zych at 126 and Devin Fontenez at 220, helping the Panthers to the team title and coach Chad Shirk to coach of the year honors Saturday night at Freedom High School.

Harka exorcised a couple of demons in the process by reversing early-season misfortunes against Tri-Valley's Chase Schaeffer in the 152-pound final.

"I wrestled him back at the [Liberty] Hurricane Classic," Harka recalled. "I lost twice there. It was my first time on the mat [after a state semifinals run with the Saucon football team].

"I knew I could take him down. Riding him out was where I got in trouble the other two times. I knew I had to cut him and wrestle him on my feet."

Harka did that, putting an exclamation point on the 5-2 win with a big takedown in the closing seconds.

Saucon Valley won the team title with 191.5 points, comfortably ahead of last year's champion Northern Lehigh (140.5). Northwestern (133), Pen Argyl (118) and Palisades (117) rounded out the top five.

"The goal all year long was to get a district team title," Harka said. "We wanted to make it as far as we did in team states and I wanted to get a district title.

"You can check it off."

The top five placewinners in each weight class advance to next weekend's Southeast Regional tournament at Wilson-West Lawn High School.

Hill was dominant from the start in the 120-pound final against returning champion Colton Rex of Northern Lehigh. He scored five quick points and never let up for a 12-2 major.

Fontenez, meanwhile, needed a reversal in overtime at 220 to beat top-seeded Joey Gladish of Central Catholic 3-1.

Zych also beat a top seed — Northwestern's Quentin Bernard — to win 126-pound gold, 5-4.

Jim Thorpe's Kevan Gentile (106), Pen Argyl's Chase Anklam (138), Northern Lehigh's Ryan Farber (160) and Lehighton's Connor Frey (195) all won their second consecutive district gold medal.


Williams Valley's Willy Girard won the 113-pound title and the tournament's outstanding wrestler award after registering three, first-period pins — including a 1:51 packing of Palisades' Zack Wasser in the final.

Gentile, ranked second in the state according to, was dominant. He won by major decision in the semis and picked up his second pin of the event in the final, decking Wilson's Jon Consorti in 3:51.

Anklam was the only one of the seven returning district champs to be seeded as low as third and the only one facing another returning champ — Northern Lehigh's Matt Schmall.

The Pen Argyl sophomore said unsettled nerves that nearly did him in last season were not there Saturday, and it showed with a stellar 14-4 major decision. A big second period turned around an early deficit, and Anklam was never threatened again.

"Last year was definitely more nerve wracking," he said. "Just not knowing what I was up against. I knew what was going down this year. I knew what was going to happen."

Farber registered a second-period escape and rode out Saucon Valley's Dylan Yonney in the third despite two cautions and a stall warning late in the 1-0 win.

Frey had no such drama in a 6-0 victory over Pen Argyl's Nathan Black.

For Palisades' Jacob Wasser, there was the longer-than-usual wait and then there was drama.

The 132-pound senior was a spectator for last season's postseason because of an injury. He amped up his offseason training and in-season conditioning, then held on, literally, for a 1-0 win over top-seeded Sammy Hepler of Tri-Valley.

Hepler, who won 2014 district gold and silver in 2015, went in for a deep single leg in the final 15 seconds. Wasser, however, was able to fend him off to stay perfect at 35-0.

"Waiting for that last match, my nerves were up," Wasser said. "I still felt good, but I know I can wrestle better than I did."

Healthy this year, he'll get the chance to prove that next weekend.

Salisbury's Alex Nicholas said his nerves were up because he saw a familiar face across the mat in the 285-pound final: Northern Lehigh's Cameron Kates.

Nicholas picked up a takedown late in the third period to pull off a 6-4 win which avenged an earlier loss this season to Kates.

"I was keeping my distance and getting in position," Nicholas said. "I knew I had to stay away from him. He rushed a shot. I sprawled back, spun around and got it."

Twitter @TomHousenick



Saturday's results


106: Gentile (JT) pinned Consorti (W), 3:51.

113: Girard (WV) pinned Z. Wasser (Pali), 1:51.

120: Hill (SV) maj. dec. Rex (NL), 12-2.

126: Zych (SV) dec. Bernhard (NWL), 5-4.

132: J. Wasser (Pali) dec. Hepler (TV), 1-0.

138: Anklam (PA) maj. dec. Schmall (NL), 14-4.

145: Marsh (Pali) dec. Clymer (NWL), 3-2.

152: Harka (SV) dec. C. Schaeffer (TV), 5-2.

160: Farber (NL) dec. Yonney (SV), 1-0.

170: K. Schaeffer (TV) pinned Young (NL), 5:29.

182: Mooney (Palm) dec. Moyer (PV), 8-3.

195: Frey (Leh) dec. Black (PA), 6-0.

220: Fontenez (SV) dec. Gladish (CC), 3-1 TB.

285: Nicholas (Sali) dec. Kates (NL), 6-4.


106: Gentile (JT) maj. dec. Markulics (NDGP), 10-2; Consorti (W) dec. Rosengrant (SV), 3-1.

113: Girard (WV) pinned Fronheiser (ND), 1:08; Zack Wasser (Pali) dec. Markulics (NDGP), 5-3.

120: Hill (SV) dec. Wehr (NWL), 11-8; Rex (NL) dec. Kemmerer (Leh), 4-0.

126: Bernhard (NWL) dec. McHugh (Tam), 3-1; Zych (SV) dec. Haubert (Pali), 3-2 UTB.

132: Hepler (TV) pinned Daniel (NDGP), 3:05; Wasser (Pali) dec. White (NWL), 7-0.

138: Schmall (NL) dec. Kennedy (PV), 3-2 SV; Anklam (PA) maj. dec. Jones (SV), 10-0.

145: Marsh (Pali) dec. Klinger (PA), 3-1; Clymer (NWL) dec. Durishin (Leh), 4-3.

152: Schaeffer (TV) pinned VanBlargan (NWL), 3:54; Harka (SV) dec. Capobianco (PV), 5-4.

160: Farber (NL) maj. dec. Alexander (NS), 12-1; Yonney (SV) dec. Reif (NDGP), 7-2.

170: C.J. Young (NL) dec. Rabuck (WV), 7-2; Kolt Schaeffer (TV) dec. Holden (PA), 6-1.


182: Mooney (Palm) dec. Mickatavage (NS), 7-2; Moyer (PV) maj. dec. Donnelly (Pali), 16-4.

195: Frey (Leh) dec. Steinhilber (NS), 6-0; Black (PA) dec. Connelly (CC), 2-1 UTB.

220: Gladish (CC) dec. Wismer (NDGP), 7-0; Fontenez (SV) dec. Clements (Leh), 6-4.

285: Nicholas (Sali) dec. Motko (SH), 7-3; Kates (NL) pinned Fox (PA), 3:47.

Third-place matches

106: Rosengrant (SV) dec. McGuire (NDGP), 1-0.

113: Markulics (NDGP) dec. Fronheiser (NL), 2-1, TB.

120: Kemmerer (Leh) dec. Wehr (NWL), 7-4.

126: Haubert (Pali) dec. McHugh (Tam), 1-0.

132: White (NWL) dec. Daniel (NDGP), 1-0.

138: Jones (SV) dec. Kennedy (PV), 3-1.

145: Durishin (Leh) dec. Klinger (PA), 5-1.

152: Capobianco (PV) dec. VanBlargan (NWL), 9-4.

160: Lewandowski (MA) dec. Alexander (NS), 1-0.

170: Fegley (MA) dec. Sorensen (NWL), 7-2.

182: Mickatavage (NS) pinned Rittenbaugh (PG), 3:37.

195: Steinhilber (NS) dec. Connelly (CC), 3-2.

220: Wismer (NDGP) dec. Clements (Leh), 2-1 TB.

285: Minnich (WV) pinned Tarantelli (NS), 3:12.

Fifth-place matches

106: Pesta (WV) dec. Roma (CC), 6-2.

113: Boyer (NS) dec. Branford (W), 2-1.

120: Reto (PA) pinned Marsh (Pali), 2:43.

126: Corriere (W) maj. dec. Neff (NL), 10-0.

132: Jones (SV) maj. dec. Christman (Palm), 10-0.

138: Greene (C) dec. Bernhard (NWL), 9-6.

145: Hinkle (Tam) maj. dec. Mahaffy (SV), 14-5.

152: Beltz (PA) pinned Kelleher (Pali), 3:59.

160: Reif (NDGP) dec. Hottinger (NWL), 7-2.

170: Rabuck (WV) dec. Holden (PA), 6-5.

182: Hirshbeck (SV) pinned Donnelly (Pali), 1:48.

195: Figueroa (W) pinned Caravella (MA), 3:19.

220: Shoop (WV) by fft. over Leffler (PG).

285: Motko (SH) pinned Fox (PA), 2:26.

Fourth-round consolations

106: McGuire (NDGP) maj. dec. Pesta (WV), 11-1; Rosengrant (SV) maj. dec. Roma (CC), 9-1.

113: Fronheiser (NL) dec. Branford (W), 7-2; Markulics (NDGP) dec. Boyer (NS), 7-3.

120: Wehr (NWL) dec. Reto (PA), 4-0; Kemmerer (Leh) dec. Marsh (Pali), 7-4.

126: McHugh (Tam) dec. Corriere (W), 8-5; Haubert (Pali) pinned Neff (NL), 1:48.

132: Daniel (NDGP) pinned Christman (Palm), 2:29; White (NWL) dec. Jones (SV), 6-0.

138: Kennedy (PV) dec. Bernhard (NWL), 4-3; Jones (SV) dec. Greene (C), 6-2.

145: Klinger (PA) pinned Mahaffy (SV), 0:56; Durishin (Leh) maj. dec. Hinkle (Tam), 12-1.

152: VanBlargan (NWL) dec. Beltz (PA), 6-2; Capobianco (PV) dec. Kelleher (Pali), 9-5.

160: Alexander (NS) dec. Hottinger (NWL), 7-1; Lewandowski (MA) dec. Reif (NDGP), 7-1.

170: Fegley (MA) dec. Rabuck (WV), 6-2; Sorensen (NWL) dec. Holden (PA), 9-3.

182: Mickatavage (NS) pinned Hirshbeck (SV), 0:42; Rittenbaugh (PG) pinned Donnelly (Pali), 4:20.

195: Steinhilber (NS) dec. Caravella (MA), 5-1; Connelly (CC) dec. Figueroa (W), 3-1 OT.

220: Wismer (NDGP) inj. def. over Leffler (PG), 2:14; Clements (Leh) dec. Shoop (WV), 7-2.

285: Minnich (WV) dec. Motko (SH), 9-4; Tarantelli (NS) pinned Fox (PA), 2:45.

Third-round consolations

106: Pesta (WV) dec. Locke (NS), 6-0; Roma (CC) pinned Buskirk (PA), 3:54.

113: Branford (W) dec. Rusnak (PV), 13-9; Boyer (NS) maj. dec. Pagotto (Leh), 9-0.

120: Reto (PA) dec. Vonelli (NDGP), 3-2; Marsh (Pali) pinned Melendez (C), 4:07.

126: Corriere (W) maj. dec. Yanders (CC), 10-2; Neff (NL) pinned Madden-Edwards (NS), 1:49.

132: Christman (Palm) pinned McGrath (NS), 2:42; Jones (SV) pinned Kintzel (PG), 1:30.

138: Bernhard (NWL) pinned Gehring (NS), 4:09; Greene (C) dec. Gordon (NDGP), 7-5 OT.

145: Mahaffy (SV) dec. Sterner (Palm), 7-2; Hinkle (Tam) pinned Fegley (MA), 4:59.

152: Beltz (PA) dec. Belfonti (NL), 8-2; Kelleher (Pali) dec. Scherer (Leh), 3-2.

160: Hottinger (NWL) dec. Condly (JT), 5-4; Lewandowski (MA) pinned Kern (PV), 3:52.

170: Fegley (MA) maj. dec. Phillippy (PG), 12-3; Sorensen (NWL) dec. Geisinger (JT), 7-3 OT.

182: Hirshbeck (SV) inj. def. over Rabuck (WV), 2:24; Rittenbaugh (PG) dec. Youssef (C), 4-2 OT.

195: Caravella (MA) dec. Ney (PG), 9-7; Figueroa (W) dec. Nosal (C), 8-6 SV.

220: Leffler (PG) maj. dec. Rodriguez (PV), 15-1; Shoop (WV) pinned Schaffer (NL), 4:23.

285: Minnich (WV) pinned Polak (SV), 2:17; Tarantelli (NS) dec. Burger (Palm), 1-0.

Second-round consolations

106: Locke (NS) dec. Anderson (NWL), 4-1; Pesta (WV) pinned Henning (C), ; 1:43; Buskirk (PA) by fft. Over Kemmerer (Leh); Roma (CC) by fft. Over Armstead (PG).

113: Rusnak (PV) tech. fall Lucca (PA), 16-0, 3:25; Branford (W) maj. dec. Haas (NWL), 17-8; Boyer (NS) pinned Wroge (CC), 1:50; Pagotto (Leh) dec. Rodriguez (C), 7-5 SV.

120: Reto (PA) dec. Newhall (JT), 7-1; Vonelli (NDGP) maj. dec. Ogozalek (PV), 12-0; Marsh (Pali) pinned Rossi (PG), 1:50; Melendez (C) pinned Lupin (CC), 4:42.

126: Corriere (W) dec. Raho (WV), 6-2; Yanders (CC) dec. Faulstick (Palm), 11-4; Madden-Edwards (NS) dec. Adams (Sali), 6-5; Neff (NL) dec. Angle (SH), 6-4.

132: McGrath (NS) dec. Wroge (CC), 7-3; Christman (Palm) dec. Whiteman (Leh), 2-0; Jones (SV) pinned Lesher (W), 1:42; Kintzel (PG) dec. Zito (PA), 8-2.

138: Bernhard (NWL) pinned Fink (Palm), 2:05; Gehring (NS) pinned Zerbe (TV), 1:20; Greene (C) by inj. def. over Vinceguera (Pali); Gordon (NDGP) pinned Fleck (W), 4:39.

145: Mahaffy (SV) dec. Carlin (PG), 3-1; Sterner (Palm) by fft. over Rebuck (WV); Fegley (MA) pinned Heffron (TV), 3:43; Hinkle (Tam) pinned Beckham (PV), 3:18.

152: Beltz (PA) tech. fall Wilson (MA), 16-0, 4:47; Belfonti (NL) dec. Fischer (W), 10-9; Kelleher (Pali) dec. Greene (C), 7-5 SV; Scherer (Leh) maj. dec. Johnson (SH), 8-0.

160: Condly (JT) pinned Schock (Leh), 4:25; Hottinger (NWL) pinned Martin (WV), 3:42; Lewandowski (MA) pinned Kralik (Palm), 2:31; Kern (PV) dec. Batz (SH), 7-4.


170: Phillippy (PG) dec. Fessler (SH), 6-0; Fegley (MA) pinned Kapur (Palm), 1:23; Geisinger (JT) dec. Barnhardt (Pali), 8-2; Sorensen (NWL) pinned Kehs (SV), 2:00.

182: Hirshbeck (SV) dec. Houck (SH), 5-2; Rabuck (WV) pinned Zimmerman (Leh), 2:31; Rittenbaugh (PG) pinned Beltz (PA), 2:26; Youssef (C) by fft. over Parrish (NWL).

195: Caravella (MA) dec. VanVliet (SV), 5-4; Ney (PG) pinned Iles (Palm), 2:04; Nosal (C) pinned Tarlecki (SH), 1:51; Figueroa (W) pinned Hoffman (WV), 0:27.

220: Rodriguez (PA) pinned Schleicher (W), 3:35; Leffler (PG) maj. dec. Damiter (NS), 10-2; Shoop (WV) pinned Hower (SH), 9-0; Schaffer (NL) pinned Batts (JT), 4:33.

285: Minnich (WV) pinned Smith (Leh), 2:19; Polak (SV) pinned Murray (NWL), 2:04; Tarantelli (NS) pinned Herb (PG), 3:32; Burger (Palm) pinned O'Rourke (JT), 0:45.

Team standings, key:

Catasauqua (C),

Central Catholic (CC),

Jim Thorpe (JT),

Lehighton (L),

Mahanoy Area (MA),

North Schuylkill (NS),

Northern Lehigh (NL),

Northwestern (NWL),

Notre Dame-GP (NDGP),

Palisades (Pali),

Palmerton (Palm),

Panther Valley (PV),

Pen Argyl (PA),

Pine Grove (PG),

Salisbury (Sal),

Saucon Valley (SV),

Schuylkill Haven (SH),

Tamaqua (T),

Tri-Valley (TV),

Williams Valley (WV),

Wilson (W),