Governor Mifflin takes third place in the Berks Individual Wrestling Tournament

The Governor Mifflin High School wrestling team had two individual champions and finished in third place as a team at the 2013 Berks Individual Wrestling Tournament that was held at the Geigle Complex in Reading Jan. 11 and 12. Jonah Fisher and Jan Johnson were the Mustangs who captured first place.

Exeter took seventh place and Daniel Boone was 12th. Exeter’s Alex Kramer also took a gold medal in the tournament while teammate Ethan Stever captured second place. Also getting a silver medal was Mifflin’s Marcus Johnson and Keith Stednitz, as well as Daniel Boone’s Jordan LaHaise.

Fisher, wrestling at 126 pounds, began the tournament with a technical fall victory over Dillon Kramer of Conrad Weiser, 15-0. In his semifinal round bout, Fisher earned a hard-fought 1-0 overtime decision over Jaquan Gordon of Wyomissing.

That sent him to the championship bout where he also won in overtime, 3-1 over Jake Werner of Wilson.

At 195 pounds, Jan Johnson pinned Twin Valley’s Matt Hatfield in 1:44. In the semifinals, Johnson decisioned Austin Bashore of Hamburg, 6-1. It was a tough bout in the championship round, but Johnson got by Josh Naylor of Wyomissing, 1-0.

Exeter’s Alex Kramer (145) begn with a technical fall victory over Ruben Trujillo of Hamburg, 17-1. In the semifinals, Kramer decisioned Bryce Pych of Wilson, 4-2. In the championship bout, he pinned Daniel Boone’s LaHase in 2:34.

“This Berks County championship was just one more goal that Alex has met in his wrestling career,” said Exeter Head Coach Jonathan Rugg. “I consider a stepping stone for him as he continues to reach his higher goals for the season of 100 wins and a medal at states. He did exactly what we expected of him, winning the championship at 145 lbs.”

Exeter’s Ethan Stever (138) began his silver medal trek in the quarterfinals with an 11-2 decision over Gavin Arredondo of Wyomissing. In the semifinals, Stever decisioned Governor Mifflin’s Matt Harris, 8-0. In the championship bout, Stever lost a 2-1 decision to Mike Hafer of Wilson.

“I knew that Ethan would be in the finals, but wasn’t sure what to expect with his rematch against Hafer from Wilson,” said Coach Rugg. “To be honest, as a coaching staff, we were dissapointed in Ethan’s performance. He lost 2-1 and really didn’t wrestle to his potential. When he goes all out and opens up on the mat, he’s almost impossible to beat, but when he sits back and waits for the action to come to him, he’s very beatable, it’s all up to him. However, taking second place in the county tournament as a sophomore is still a good accomplishment.”

Boone’s Jordan LaHaise (145) opened the tournament with a 1:15 pin of Caleb Naylor of Wyomissing in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, LaHaise won a 7-7 decision over Zach Homan of Schuylkill Valley to get him to the championship bout where he was pinned Exeter’s Alex Kramer in 2:34.

Marcus Johnson (182) started out in the quarterfinals where he pinned Wilson’s Isaac Schannauer in 52 seconds. In the semifinals he won a 9-5 decision over James Moran of Exeter, 9-5, then lost to Brandywine Heights’ Adam Mackie in the finals, 7-0.

Stednitz (152) of Mifflin began with a 3:45 pin of Colby Geisinger of Schuylkill Valley. In the semifinals, Stednitz pinned Daniel Boone’s James Kramer in 52 seconds, then lost to Parker Eidle of Wilson, 3-1 in the championship bout.

Exeter’s James Moran (182) captured third place in the tournament after pinning Kody Reichert of Kutztown in 3:57 of his quarterfinal round bout. He was beaten by Marcus Johnson of Mifflin in the semifinals, 9-5, then fought back with a 3-0 victory over Reading’s Aboubacar Kallo in the consolation semifinals to get him to the third place bout. There he defeated Hamburg’s Cody Miller, 8-2.

“Where James was at in the bracket, we knew he would be wrestling Johnson from Mifflin in the semi’s, and that it would be a close match,” said Coach Rugg. “He wrestled really well, but lost a close match, and then showed us what type of kid he is by coming back and taking third. If James continues to improve his conditioning, he’s got some great potential for this postseason.”

Exeter’s Tristan Watts (113) also finished in third place after pinning Alex Popescu of Muhlenberg in 40 seconds in the preliminary round. In the quarterfinals Watts he won a 10-8 decision over Twin Valley’s Aaron Wildonger.

But in the semifinals, Watts fell to Alec Torres of Wyomissing, 6-2, sending him to the consolation round semifinals where he decisioned Austin Weller of Brandywine Heights, 5-0. Then in the third place bout, Watts decisioned Wildonger for the second time in the tournament, 6-4.

“Last year Tristan took second in the county tournament, winning two close matches to get to the finals,” said Rugg. “I actually think he wrestled better this year and took third. He beat a tough freshman from Twin Valley twice in the tournament, and lost a very close semi to Torres from Wyomissing. Tristan is one of our leaders and is wrestling better as the season goes on.”

A 106 pounds, Exeter’s Brett Kulp took fourth place in the tournament. He opened with a 40 second pin of Jon Garcia of Muhlenberg in the preliminary round. In the quarterfinals, Kulp won a 6-4 decision over Oley Valley’s Ryan Fretz.

But in the semifinals, Kulp lost a 4-2 decision to Jake Horst of Schuylkill Valley, sending him so the consolation semifinals where he pinned Daniel Boone’s Owen Powell in 47 seconds. In the third place bout, Kulp lost a 1-0 decision to Fretz, the wrestler he beat in the quarterfinals.

At 160 pounds, Daniel Boone’s Nick Limone began with a 5-1 quarterfinal round victory over Anthony Rivera of Reading. In the semifinals, Shawn Kilhefner of Wyomissing topped Limone, 7-5. In the consolation semifinals, Limone won a 2-1 decision over Preston Hopkins of Twin Valley, then lost in the third place bout to Conrad Weiser’s Dylan Dalton, 10-2.

Daniel Boone’s Owen Powell (106) and Exeter’s (132) Scott Baker each finished in fifth place while Governor Mifflin’s Colin Johnson (120) and Gilbreil Toure (220), as well as Daniel Boone’s Christian Fernandez (138) and James Kramer (152) all finished in sixth place.