Easton gets the Phillipsburg monkey off of their back, snapping a five match P’Burg winning streak with an emphatic 40-24 win in the 25th Street Gymnasium tonight.

Match of the night was 189, where P’Burg bumped Derek Stone up from 172 to wrestle Shae Linegar, who Stone beat last year 9-8 in the toss up that essentially won P’Burg the dual. Tonight, Linegar was leading 5-1 and countered a throw by Stone to put the Stateliner on his back and pin him in the second period. Easton also git a lobster effort from Justin Cosover, who took nationally ranked and favorite to win a NJ state title Gavin Hawk to overtime in a match P’Burg was counting on big bonus points. Easton also got an OT win by Chris Kelly over Owen Garriques in a battle of state qualifiers.

But the story was bonus points. Up top Easton got a fall from Linegar, a major from Alonzo Parker, and Kurtis Crossman stalled the P’Burg heavyweight out of the match (4 technical violations is a disqualification, same points as a pin) as the P’Burg kid got hit with three stalls on bottom, then got hit fir backing up with a minute left in the third period. After a par of Phillipsburg pins at 107 and 114 tied the match at 24, Easton finished the dual fall, tech, tech with Noah Fenner fittingly getting the tech fall to clinch the dual after he could only get a major in the last match last season to lose on criteria.

It’s Jody Karam’s first coaching win over P’Burg at Easton. He beat them as the head coach at Delaware Valley, and went 3-1 in his four years as an wrestler at Easton.

Box Score
139: #8 Chris Kelly (E) decision #16 Owen Garriques: 3-0 (OT)
145: #2 Luke Geleta (P) tech Brendan Bowman: 15-0, 3:53
152: #19 Gavin Geleta (P) major Evan Caras: 17-6
160: #16 Quentin Hammerstone (E) tech Ben Mendoza: 16-0, 2:40
172: #1 Gavin Hawk (P) decision #16 Justin Cosover: 4-1 (OT)
189: #16 Shae Linegar (E) fall #18 Derek Stone: 3:12
215: Alonzo Parker (E) major Jesus Alfaro: 12-0
285: #6 Kurtis Crossman (E) DQ Ben Ellis: stalling
107: #17 Zack Swingle (P) fall Gavyn Mindler: 1:45
114: Antony Pettinelli (P) fall Chris Molina: 1:34
121: #4 Nick Salamone (E) fall Matt Velez: 1:07
127: #12 Noah Fenner (E) tech Massimo Gonzalez: 17-2, 4:42
133: #17 Ethan Krazer (E) tech Mason Hawk: 20-5, 4:30

BradlyPitt said:

maybe last years team would've won with Mccord and Harrison Jr, but there was only a 4 team playoff

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Sure , that was the reason. They told mccord he would not play in the bowl game and sent him on his way. He was the goat.

00shoe said:

I guess you do not have to go to St. Joes prep to be the best!

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maybe last years team would've won with Mccord and Harrison Jr, but there was only a 4 team playoff

HSFB99 said:

I am interested to see who takes over. There’s a lot of potential there in my opinion. Personally, I’d love to see someone like Rowan take that program over. I think he could have them at the top of the district consistently (not saying CBW isn’t there; I just think there is more to work with at Nesh). Just my opinion.

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It's going to get tougher and tougher (imo) to get Rowan to move from West - he's got a teaching job in the school that a new school would need to match, he lives in town, his top assistant has a job at West, another top assistant has a son in the program... so it would be more challenging to re-assemble a staff. I think that Pennridge had the best shot at poaching him but obviously failed to put together a compelling offer.

On the plus side, Neshaminy is set to complete the makeover to the sports complex, and it's a fantastic facility. The high school is 75% larger than CB West and consistently has larger roster sizes. Currently the third largest school in District 1. It's definitely (at least from an outsider's perspective) a very attractive job. It'll be interesting to see if they really do a search or if they have a replacement ready to go who's on the staff, as has been rumored.

Coaching, Administration, and most importantly the Jimmies and Joes on the field.

Sleeping giant for sure. Need to keep the kids at home versus the local non-boundary schools (i.e. Egan) in the area.

I am interested to see who takes over. There’s a lot of potential there in my opinion. Personally, I’d love to see someone like Rowan take that program over. I think he could have them at the top of the district consistently (not saying CBW isn’t there; I just think there is more to work with at Nesh). Just my opinion.

Wilmot announced he stepped down today. Skins' job is open.

00shoe said:

I guess you do not have to go to St. Joes prep to be the best!

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So I guess it is coaching then? … footnote that OSU DC is a prep grad

00shoe said:

I guess you do not have to go to St. Joes prep to be the best!

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Unless one wants to win a PIAA State Title beating up on boundary schools. O'Doyle Rules!

RCH13co18 said:

The Archbishop Carroll football team has
found its man.

Carroll hired Stephen Honick ‘17 as the ninth head coach in school history and fourth since the firing of legendary head man Dan Bielli back in 2010.

Honick, statistically one of the best quarterbacks in Carroll history, played for the Patriots from 2013 to 2016. In that time, under coaches Joe Powel and Dan Connor, the team went an underwhelming 9-32 while Honick established himself as one of the best quarterbacks around by his senior season.

Honick, now four years removed from his time at West Chester University, where he served as a student assistant, will be one of the youngest head coaches in the area. The former Golden Ram also spent his first two years of college at Ursinus, where he played quarterback for the Bears.

Honick was eventually promoted to quarterbacks coach at West Chester while also spending time with Next Level Greats 7v7 as head coach and offensive coordinator for their 13u team. Honick’s last stop was as a graduate assistant at Division I Temple University, a position he assumed back in 2022.

He will now be tasked with turning around a Carroll program that hasn’t seen sustained success since the early 2000s under Bielli, who won three consecutive Philadelphia Catholic League titles in 2000, 2001, and 2002. The team is coming off of five consecutive losing seasons.

Honick inherits a team plagued by inconsistencies, on-field struggles, and mounting rumors of transfers. Some have already taken place. Star wideout Ty Ty Mattison, a sophomore, announced he’d be transferring to Northeast high school for the 2025 season.

With the news of Honick’s hiring now official, offseason workouts, which have trudged on in the absence of a head man, should resume as planned for the winter while Honick prepares his team for the 2025 campaign, which kicks off Aug. 22 at William Tennent High School in Warminster, Bucks County.

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This is as big a challenge as Wood has.

Has Spring-Ford hired a coach yet? Brubaker left in early Nov if I remember correctly. Any insight?

Nice article about Will Howard in today's WSJ.

bucksftball said:

Whitehall's Saquon Barkley and Downingtown West's Will Howard with the performances of the weekend in the NFL and NCAA.

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I guess you do not have to go to St. Joes prep to be the best!

RoverNation05 said:

Salamone got smoked by U17 world champion Paul Kenny (Christian Brothers Academy, NJ) 20-3, but just went out and flipped his loss to Reef Dillard from a week ago with a 5-2 win on a last second takedown (I actually think it came too late, lots of arguing at the table).

Some really good finals -
107: Jojo Burke, SJR vs Justin Farnsworth, Malvern Prep: both top five in the country
114: Freddy Bachman, FCA vs Liam Davis, LHP: Bachmann #1 in America and a big favoritr
121: John McGinty, SJR vs Paul Kenny, CBA: probably NJ state final
127: Joey Bachmann, FCA vs Karson Brown, St. Ed’s: disappointed Keanu Dillard had to scratch, but a good PA vs OH state champ battle.
133: Kasen Roark, Father Ryan TN vs Tyler Conroy, Malvern Prep: Mutarelli scratched here, and Tyler DeKraker had to injury default out
139: Ryan Kennedy, Spire Academy vs Caden Baum, Biship McDevitt: Cayden Riccardi scratching and Kennedy with an upset over Jayce Paridon caused chaos here.
145: Eren Sement, CRN vs Charlie DeSenna, LHP: Sement has been on fire
152: Chase Van Hoven, Brooke Point VA vs Zeno Moore, LHP: Pair of top ten kids, neither local but a high level match up
160: Collin Gaj, Quakertown vs Ben Weader, Chantilly VA: Future college teammates at Virginia Texh
172: Ryan Burton, SJR vs Asher Cunningham, State College: Bith top 5 in America, Burton has won their earlier match up this year. Marquee bout of the tournament.
189: Adam Waters, FCA vs Vincenzo LaVelle, Hanover Park NJ: Waters is incredible. One of the best junior upper weights I’ve ever seen.
215: Lucas Lawler, Bishop McDevitt vs Jason Singer, FCA: Probable 2A state semifinal for the right to wrestle Austin Johnson (Muncy)
285: Mark Effendian, FCA vs Jacob Levy, LHP: top two seeds, have been in the finals of a bunch of big tournaments.

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On finals -
Jojo Burke looked like a monster and hammered Farnsworth.
Bachmann goes 2-3 in major tournament finals with a win here at at Ironman.
Kenny takes round 1 against McGinty in a really tight match. Book that for an Atlantic City state final
Karson Brown with the HUGE upset of Bachmann. He was the better, more aggressive wrestler. Got the stall call to force OT, then went out and got a score to win.
Conroy dominated
Great tournament from Ryan Kennedy. Took down a pair of nationally ranked foes to win the tournament
Sement looked the best i've seen him in high school
Van Hoven smoked Moore. Lehigh is getting a good one.
Gaj smoked his future teammate. Absolute mostenr.
Burton handled Cunningham. Not as close as I thought it would be.
Waters by tech fall. Not close, he's as good as anybody in AMerica.
Singer takes round 1, will almost definitely see it again at states
Levy takes the rubber match - Effendian beat him at Ironman, he beat Effendian at Beast, nice win here with two elite big guys

Relayer said:

Happy for Eren Sement, hope he wins gold this year. The CRN-CRS match in a couple weeks could be interesting, obviously the rivalry has been somewhat lopsided over the years.

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Sement is wrestling really well. He's in a brutal weight class right now - he, Tahir Parkins (Nazareth), and Dalton Perry (Central Mountain) are all in the top 8 in the country and Parkins and Perry have both won state championships (Parkins last year, Perry won as a freshman, took 3rd as a sophomore, and lost in finals last year). I wonder if you'll see movement for the postseason - there is not a clear favorite at 139 right now, with Mutarelli going down to 133, and Trey Wagner seemingly up at 139 at least for now is a favorite as a returning state champ, but probably a step down from Parkins/Perry/Sement on a talent scale. I don't know what Sement is pulling to get to 145 or if getting to 141 (139 plus the two pound allowance) is feasible for him. And it's not impossible for him to win 145 - he beat Parkins for 3rd place two years ago at states when they were at 126, and Parkins-Sement was an overtime match in the Beast of the East finals. He and Perry have never wrestled in high school - but I don't think Perry is as invicible as it seemed like he was going to be after a dominant freshman year. And those three are going to Penn State (Perry), Michigan (Sement), and Rutgers (Parkins), so it may be a round-robin that continues into college.

new2pa said:

Think housing. Younger families cannot afford NA or PR or SV.

Also, old timer NH people coupled with minorities wanting get out of the shit hole that is the Pittsburgh Public Schools.

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wasn't that always the case? NA has always been richer than North Hills and always right next to Pittsburgh

maybe I'm slow but I still don't understand why their best players seem to leave all the time, I asked Mike White in his chat and he ignored the question, i'm guessing because he lives and coaches in the district

new2pa said:

Think housing. Younger families cannot afford NA or PR or SV.

Also, old timer NH people coupled with minorities wanting get out of the shit hole that is the Pittsburgh Public Schools.

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yep good summary New

BP- my woke comment- a struggle at NH, and this whole topic- largely encapsulates why it is so difficult for a "normal public" school to be really successful- as opposed to most private schools. School policies, ADA, Title IX, funding, and other rules for "public schools." And- in the last 5-10 years, the push for "equity and fairness" by state and federal govt. NH tries to follow all those rules- more so than other schools- and yes like New said- their district being right beside City of Pittsburgh affects the social climate at NH.

So- this explain why NH football is mediocre and the BAND is so great- no better place for DEI than the BAND- everybody can play the tuba and flip flags!!

And lastly- to re-hash another topic- makes it so tough for NH to ever "aspire" to win a championship? in 2025- at the "biggest level" of 4, 5 or 6A? Almost gotta be a private school, or a "perfect public school." NH is neither of those- which is why "making the playoffs and going 8-2" is the best they can do!!!

Happy for Eren Sement, hope he wins gold this year. The CRN-CRS match in a couple weeks could be interesting, obviously the rivalry has been somewhat lopsided over the years.

how can they be "kinda racist" and "kinda woke"?

aerogenes said:

Good post. For whatever reason football is simply not important to the people of North Hills. The AD can stand on the sidelines laughing and joking while the team is down 40 points in a key football game, means nothing to him. As long as they scrape into the playoffs he is happy. The school board would never dream of replacing the ultimate mediocrity of Carey. He's a NH guy so he has a lifetime job just like McCurry, even though unlike McCurry he has very few accomplishments with the team. Think about it, NH tried to fire McCurry, yet replacing Carey is not even a topic of conversation, despite the fact so many kids won't play for him. The passion in NH is 1000X greater for the marching band than the football team, that's what people care about (and the band is good, no surprise).

There is still a hardcore group keeping football alive, you don't win 8 games in 5A on just luck. The youth football program is good. Unlike some bad teams I could mention, kids come to varsity and know how to play. Zangaro is a young coordinator who has tremendously improved the defense since coming on. The district has grown over the last decade, they need to get participation back up. I swear the marching band kids are bigger than the football team...

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haha yep the band is very good- great bands? Hempfield, Seneca Valley- and now North Hills... I imagine lots of big schools in East Pa have great bands, but Football goes 6-4 and never wins championships. It takes so much to be great in sports in 2025. First- me, as a Pine Richland supporter- I would be happy if NH was good every year- makes our conference better, football more fun to watch- sharpens skills for playoffs. Here are some reasons why IMO that NHs is not strong-

1- in some ways, in the last 10 years, Carey and NH copies their "neighbor" North Allegheny- good not great, does not do the extra stuff, plays, and tries to beat "local teams."
2- NH has become kinda "diverse and woke" and a district- really tough to win at the highest level without some "hurt feelings."
3- I've heard some rumblings of some racism at NH, might explain why some stud kids leave in grades 8/9.
4- Very difficult as a normal public school- these days, gotta have great coaching, stud talent and/or lots of resources ($$$ or facilities). My guess is their boosters does not raise lots of $$.
5- Again them being "kinda woke" that includes adding "new sports" over the last 10-20 years- very tough for all sports to thrive- tough to be multi-sports- ie Hockey, vollyball, lacrosse, rowing, bowling, rowing- I'm sure football loses kids to those sports. Probably some of those sports did not exist in the "prime years" of Nh in the 80s and 90s