STATES:Martoccio advances with narrow win

Photo by Sue Donohue
Council Rock South sophomore Matt Martoccio (background) edged South Western's Drew Redling, 2-1, in the 130-pound division.

STATES:Haynes scores major victory

Photo by Sue Donohue
Council Rock North senior Zac Haynes majored Andrew Spicer of Clearfield, 13-3

REGIONALS:Ten top area wrestlers headed to states

Photo by Sue Donohue
Council Rock South sophomore 130-pounder Matt Martoccio (22-3) placed third at regionals.

BRISTOL:Sabatini oh so spectacular

Warriors wrestler first ever to reach century mark

By Steve Sherman Sports Editor

Bristol senior Pat Sabatini became the first wrestler at the school ever to reach 100 career wins last Saturday, Feb. 14 in the Bicentennial Athletic League (BAL) Championships.

The 140-pounder did it in dramatic fashion, pinning New Hope-Solebury’s Beau Schwantes to take first place in the BAL wrestling tournament at Phil-Mont Christian Academy.

Along with winning first place in the tourney, Sabatini was also named the BAL's Most Outstanding Wrestler.

A world-ranked wrestler in Tai Kwon Do and Brazilian Jujitsu, Pat uses his knowledge of the eastern fighter’s game to his advantage on the mat, says Warriors head coach Enrique Velez.

“He knows a lot about body position--where to be--in his sport and that helps him in this sport,” said Velez. “He’s always in shape; he’s a coach’s dream.”

In addition to capping the century mark, Sabatini has even loftier goals set for himself before he completes his final campaign grappling for the red and white.

This year, Sabatini wants to reach regionals on his way to the state competition. Last year in a District One Class AA semifinal bout, Pat was leading 11-0 in a 135-pound matchup when he was called for an illegal maneuver.

As a combatant who takes to the mat in several sports, Pat says not being able to separate the sports - and the rules that pertain to each - got him into trouble with officials all season long in his junior campaign. In the postseason, it cost him dearly.

Brazilian Jujitsu fighting is a lot like wrestling - there’s a point system. But instead of winning by pinfall, a combatant wins by forcing his opponent to submit.

Pat says that last season he always seemed to instinctually resort to what he’s learned Jujitsu fighting.

“Once I get to the ground in wrestling, I go on pure instinct, which is my Jujitsu,” stated Sabatini. “Sometimes, I do submissions instead of wrestling holds. That cost me lots of penalty points, sometimes disqualifications.

“That time, it cost me a defensive pin.”

Whatever the ruling, Sabatini says it won’t happen again this time around.

“I think I’ve matured a lot in the last year,” he says. “With maturity, I’ve learned to separate the sports better.”

BRISTOL WRESTLING: Sabatini most outstanding!

By Steve Sherman; Sports Editor

Bristol senior Pat Sabatini became the first wrestler ever to reach 100 career wins yesterday (Feb. 14) in the Bicentennial Athletic League (BAL) Championships.

The 140-pounder did it in dramatic fashion, pinning New Hope-Solebury’s Beau Schwantes to take first place in the BAL wrestling tournament at Phil-Mont Christian Academy.

Along with winning first place in the tourney, Sabatini was also named the BAL's Most Outstanding Wrestler.

Three other Warriors earned BAL crowns including Dave Cramp, who took a first place trophy at 103 pounds with a 14-9 decision over DelCo's Isaac Moore.

Bristol also ruled the heavyweight classes, taking top prizes at 215 and 285 pounds. First, Tyler Bliss pinned New Hope 215-pounder Chris Warden in 1:05. Then, Will Meyerle pinned Lower Moreland heavyweight Matt Hladchuk.

Winning third place bouts for Bristol were Colin McGovern (171), who won a close decision over Lower Moreland's Manny Collazo and Steven Pepe, who pinned LM 189-pounder Alex Reimold in 25 seconds.
***

Bicentennial Athletic League Tournament
Team scores

1. New Hope-Solebury 207; 2. Lower Moreland 196.5; 3. Delco Christian Academy 147, 4. Bristol 140; 5. Phil-Mont Christian Academy 101, 6. Girard College 22.

***
Championships

103 pounds: David Cramp (Bristol) dec. Isaac Moore (Delco Christian), 14-9
112: Frank Gould (Lower Moreland) dec. Dylan Clark (Bristol), 4-0
119: Tim Yu (Lower Moreland) dec. Ethan Bravo (New Hope), 5-1
125: Andrew Mermelstein (Lower Moreland) pinned Anthony LaRocca (Delco Christian), 2:53
130: Dan Gelman (Lower Moreland) pinned Mike Pohlman (Delco Christian), 2:49
135: Devon Voorhees (New Hope) pinned Dom Scirrotto (Lower Moreland), 1:58
140: Pat Sabatini (Bristol) pinned Beau Schwantes (New Hope), 2:37
145: Wes O’Brien (Delco Christian) pinned Tom Kelley (Bristol), 1:38
152: Logan Cawley (New Hope) dec. Jared Epstein (Lower Moreland), 9-4
160: Tom Villareale (New Hope) pinned John Founds (Lower Moreland), 5:44
171: David DeFelice (Phil-Mont) dec. Eric Barnhart (New Hope), 14-5
189: Tyler Hendricks (New Hope) dec. Alex Avellino (Phil-Mont), 5-2
215: Tyler Bliss (Bristol) pinned Chris Warden (New Hope), 1:05
285: Will Meyerle (Bristol) pinned Matt Hladchuk (Lower Moreland), 0:35

***
Third-place bouts

112: Frank Gould (Lower Moreland) dec. Dylan Clark (Bristol), 4-0
130: Tom Hische (New Hope) pinned George Bernhard (Phil-Mont), 2:17
135: Nick Connelly (Delco Christian) dec. Nahir Francis (Phil-Mont), 13-2
140: Rashan Chanyothi (Lower Moreland) tech. fall Mark McLaughlin (Delco Christian), 12-0
145: Tom Cutner (Lower Moreland) pinned Ryan Moss (New Hope), 3:02
152: John Lozowski (Phil-Mont) pinned Sean Ellsworth (Delco Christian), 2:51
160: Stephen Langford (Delco Christian) pinned Shawn Perez (Girard), 2:48
171: Colin McGovern (Bristol) dec. Manny Collazo (Lower Moreland), 3-2
189: Steven Pepe (Bristol) pinned Alex Reimold (Lower Moreland), 0:25