Mediaboss Marketing

HERSHEY The number 13 may be considered unlucky in some circles, but not when it comes to the PIAA State Class AA Wrestling Championships.

Thats the number of medals that Mercer County wrestlers will be bring home after the championship and consolation finals that kick off at 2 p.m. today at Hershey Giant Center.

It was one of the strongest performances in county annals, and once again it is the Reynolds High Raiders leading the way as they are on the verge of securing their second state title this season, having won the dual-meet title earlier.

It has been a record-setting season for Coach Casey Taylors charges and that continued this weekend, as 8 of their 10 state qualifiers earned places, a school record.

Seven local matmen reached the semifinals Friday night, but only a pair Reynolds Beau Bayless (106) and Cole Matthews (138) earned spots in todays title matches.

We didnt do as well in the semis as I thought we would, said Taylor after only two of the five Raider entries came through. But overall Im so proud of this team and the way they competed and made this a historic weekend.

Competing in the 3rd-place consolations today are: Reynolds Gage Bayless (126), Gavin Wilkerson (160), Joel Leise (170), Cole Rickert (285).

Vying for 5th: Slippery Rocks Michael Doerflinger (138); Greenvilles Blake Reynolds (220).

Shooting for 7th: Reynolds Andrew Ischo (120), Chaise Hauck (145); Commodore Perrys John Mott (145); Sharons Nick McClimans (170); Greenvilles Jacob McMaster(182).

Following isa look at how locals fared Friday:

Finalists

Beau Bayless came in as the top-rated wrestler at 106 and he has done nothing to make anyone think differently. In the quarterfinals, the Raider sophomore won a major decision, 13-0, over Sheldon Seymour of Troy. In the semifinals against Kaden Cassidy of Bishop McCort, he scored a key 3-point near-fall in the 3rd period en route to a 4-1 victory.

Bayless (33-4), 4th at the weight last season, will take on MountUnions Josh Boozel (33-6) in the finals. Boozel was a state qualifier in 2016.

Cole Matthews (138) is a man on a mission, but so is his finals opponent Max Murin of Central Columbia. Both were state champs in 2015, both lost to Brian Courtney of Athens last season at 126, where Matthews (43-1) was 3rd and Murin (39-0) 2nd. This will be the most anticipated finals bout.

In the semis, Matthews pinned Sammy Hepler of Tri-Valley in 37 seconds, while Murin pinned his man in 21 seconds. Earlier in the quarters, Matthews beat Noah Stamm of Milton, 9-3.

Vying for 3rd

Reynolds senior Gage Bayless had a great run through the consolations to get a medal. He beat Austin Mihalchik of Mount Pleasant, by fall in 3:38, then faced an old nemesis, Tye Vandall of Cambridge Springs whom he had never beat. Until now. Bayless win a 7-1 decision after a takedown and back-points led to the victory. Next up, he topped Tanner Ball ofPequea Valley, 3-1. This brought a rematch with John Rocco Kazalas of Quaker Valley, who defeated the Raider, 8-7, in the tourney first round. Bayless gained his revenge with a 7-3 victory.

Today, Bayless (33-9) will take on Brian Earlston (35-8) of Line Mountain.

Raider senior Gavin Wilkerson lost a heartbreaker in the semifinals that he thought he had won. Wilkerson was awarded a takedown at the buzzer on Northern Lehighs Ryan Farber for a 7-6 win. But the referees conferred and took away the takedown, giving Farber a 6-5 victory.

In my opinion, Gavin won that match, said Taylor. The head referee said he had the takedown, but somehow he let the mat judge convince him that he didnt.

In the quarterfinals, Wilkerson had advanced with a 12-1 victory over Seth Baney of Huntingdon. In the consolations, he faced Kyle Bennett of Montoursville and bounced back with a convincing 6-2 decision. Today hell take on Baney again.

Senior Joel Leise of Reynolds lost in the semis,10-3, to Dalton Group of Susquenita in a match much closer than the final score. Leise was trailing 5-3 late in the match and give up 5 points on a desperation move. In the quarters earlier, Leise beat Jared McGill of Chestnut Run, 8-5. Dropping to the consys, the Raider took on Matt Lewandowski of Mahanoy. Leise pinned his foe in 1:21. Today he faces a rematch with McGill.

Reynolds big man Cole Rickert suffered his first defeat of the season, falling in the semis to Dan Scheib, 7-3. Earlier in the quarters, Rickert topped Evan Sweesy of Freedom, 3-1. In the consys, Rickert tangled with Ian Minnich of Williams Valley and won 3-2

Vying for 5th

Slippery Rock junior Michael Doerflinger (138) won his quarterfinal bout, 4-3, over Alex Caldwell of Ligonier Valley, but bowed in the semis to Max Murin of Central Columbia by fall in 21 seconds. In the consys he faced Fraziers Thayne Lawrence, but lost a 5-2 decision. Today hell meet Alex Caldwell of Ligonier Valley, whom Doerflinger beat earlier, 4-3.

Greenville senior Blake Reynolds suffered his first loss of the season in the semis, bowing to Josiah Jones of Bishop McCort, 7-4. Jones was 2nd at this weight last season. Earlier in the quarters, Reynolds pinned Jakob Paul of Halifax in 45 seconds. In the consys, Reynolds, who placed 4th at 195 last year, forfeited to Max Mason of Jersey Shore. The Lock Haven-bound Trojans had battled injuries all year.

Vying for 7th

Reynolds sophomore Andrew Ischo (120) bowed in the quarterfinals, 11-3, to Josh Jones of Saucon Valley, then bounced back in the consys to edge Baily Wehr of Northwest Lehigh, 6-4. He then lost to Upper Dauphins Bronson Garber, 5th at 113 last year, by a 9-4 count. In the final today, Ischo (35-8) will meet Notre Dames Ryan McGuire (39-10).

Senior Chaise Hauck (145) finished 8th for the Raiders last season, so hell be shooting to finish one step higher on the medals stand today. Hauck lost in the quarterfinals, 4-2, to Todd Lane of Southern Columbia. In his first consy match, he defeated Jason Jones of Saucon Valley, 2-0. He then lost to Nathan Haubert of Palisades, 3-1.

Today Hauck(31-10) will meet a familiar foe, John Mott of Commodore Perry, who beat Hauck in district and region finals.

CPs Mott followed the same path as Hauck. In the quarters, he lost to South Parks Dallas Bulsack by fall in 4:32. He bounced back to beat Cameron Palmer of Boiling Springs, 6-2, then lost to Kody Komora of Freedom, 8-4.

Sharons Nick McClimans will finish out his senior year with a medal. McClimans (36-8) takes on Carl Harris whom he beat earlier, 4-3 today. He lost in the quarters Friday to Gaige Garcia of Southern Columbia, 5-2, but came back in the consys to beat Zach Cassidy of Harbor Creek, 5-3. The Tiger fell in his next bout to Matt Lewandowski of Mahanoy, 9-5.

Greenville sophomore Jacob McMaster dropped a 7-3 decision to Exree Loe of Greater Johnstown to fall to the 7th-round consy bout. Earlier, McMaster defeated Brady Herr of Newport, 12-5, then pinned Mike Wilcox of Wyalusing in 2:31. Today McMaster (24-5) will face Ivan Balavage (33-5) of Scranton Prep.

Eliminated

Round 3 consys

Greenvilles Brendan Calvin (182) opened the consolation rounds with a 4-3 win over Colton Drawbaugh of Trinity. But in the next round, the Trojan junior lost to Zach Zimmerman of Troy, 5-0.

Mercers Bobby Gregory (285) lost in the quarterfinals to Berlin-Brothersvalleys Toby Cahill, 13-1, to fall into the consolations. In his next match, he gave up a 3rd-period takedown in a 3-1defeat to Ian Minnich of Williams Valley. Gregory finished runner-up to Cole Rickert at section, district and region tournaments.

Eliminated

Round 2 consys

Reynolds Hunter Michaels (132) was tied at 2 in the 3rd period when he was pinned by Bentons Colton Babock. Michaels finished the season at 33-7, winning section, district and region titles.

Reynolds Derek Skeehan (220) dropped an 8-4 decision to Jarrett Walters of Danville, finishing his sophomore year with a 27-17 record.

Quarterfinals

106 - Beau Bayless, Reynolds major dec. Sheldon Seymour, Troy, 13-0; Kaden Cassidy, Bishop McCort dec. Elijah Bundro, Wilson, 16-9; Nathan Smith, Bishop McDevitt (D-3) dec. Anthony Glasl, Brockway, 4-3; Josh Boozel, Mount Union dec. Jacob Blair, Muncy, 9-6.

113 - Jaret Lane, Southern Columbia major dec. Ritchie Markulics, Notre Dame-Green Pond, 8-0; Isaac Crowell, Fort LeBoeuf pinned Colby Bronzburg, Bloomsburg, 4:47; Wyatt Lutz, Montoursville dec. Garrett Cornell, Everett, 8-5; Chase Shields, Bishop McDevitt (D-3) dec. Austin Burkhart, Athens, 7-2.

120 - Gavin Park, Brookville pinned Cole Hauck, Line Mountain, 1:12; Colin Pasone, Wilkes-Barre Meyers dec. John Wheeler, Northwestern, 6-4; Josh Jones, Saucon Valley major dec. Andrew Ischo, Reynolds, 11-3; Cole Rhone, Benton dec. Kenneth Kiser, Saegertown, 6-5.

126 - Gavin Teasdale, Jefferson-Morgan tech. fall Tanner Ball, Pequea Valley, 20-5, 4:24; Kollin Myers, Boiling Springs dec. Tye Varndell, Cambridge Springs, 5-2; Austin Clabaugh, Bermudian Springs pinned Nick Oosterkamp, Harbor Creek, 2:31; John Rocco Kazalas, Quaker Valley dec. Brian Earlston, Line Mountain, 7-6.

132 - Brian Courtney, Athens tech. fall Tanner McHugh, Tamaqua, 22-7, 3:41; Carnell Andrews, Bishop McCort pinned Trevor Leonard, Northern Lebanon, 2:42; Tyler Griffiths, Southmoreland dec. Bodee Tolbert, Bishop McDevitt (D-3), 4-0; Gabe Miller, Pequea Valley dec. Caleb Dowling, St. Joseph's Catholic, 5-3.

138 - Max Murin, Central Cambria pinned Logan McClain, Ridgway, 2:48; Mike Doerflinger, Slippery Rock dec. Alex Caldwell, Ligonier Valley, 4-3; Sammy Hepler, Tri-Valley dec. Thayne Lawrence, Frazier, 11-6; Cole Matthews, Reynolds dec. Noah Stamm, Milton, 9-3.

145 - John Pipa, Bishop McDevitt (D-3) dec. Kody Komara, Freedom (D-7), 8-5; Dallas Bulsak, South Park pinned John Mott, Commodore Perry, 4:32; Justin McCoy, Chestnut Ridge dec. Nathan Haubert, Palisades, 4-3; Todd Lane, Southern Columbia dec. Chaise Hauck, Reynolds, 4-2.

152 - Edmond Ruth, Susquehanna Township dec. Brock Biddle, Martinsburg Central, 8-5; Kaidon Winters, Athens dec. Derek Yingling, West Branch, 5-3 OT; Robert Patrick, Ligonier Valley dec. Caleb Clymer, Northwestern Lehigh, 5-3; Chase Anklam, Pen Argyl dec. Caleb Hetrick, Brookville, 3-1 TB2.

160 - Creighton Edsell, Wyalusing Valley major dec. Tanner Vogel, Wyomissing, 12-4; Larry Brown, Moshannon Valley dec. Gage Arnold, Coudersport, 1-0; Gavin Wilkerson, Reynolds major dec. Seth Baney, Huntingdon, 12-1; Ryan Farber, Northern Lehigh dec. Morgan Deremer, Chestnut Ridge, 4-3.

170 - Jacob Oliver, Huntingdon pinned Matt Lewandowski, Mahanoy Area, 2:54; Gaige Garcia, Southern Columbia dec. Nick McClimans, Sharon, 5-2; Joel Leise, Reynolds dec. Jared McGill, Chestnut Ridge, 8-5; Dalton Group, Susquenita dec. Nate Bradley, Athens, 3-0.

182 - Julian Gorring, Fort LeBoeuf dec. Christian Hutzell, Meyersdale, 5-3; Dominic Fundy, Beth-Center major dec. Joe Koss, Towanda, 11-2; Cody Mulligan, Saegertown dec. Anthony Marra, Burrell, 3-1; Dominic DeLuca, Derry dec. Zach Zimmerman, Troy, 3-2.

195 - Gavin Hoffman, Montoursville tech. fall Jerry Moore, Blairsville, 20-4, 4:16; Xavier Molnar, Brookville dec. Luke Walter, Mifflinburg, 4-1; Clay Verbanac, Cambridge Springs pinned Michael Wilcox, Wyalusing Valley, 4:48; Anthony Walters, Bishop McCort dec. Noah Fleshman, Bermudian Springs, 6-5.

220 - Cole Nye, Bishop McDevitt (D-3) major dec. Landon Fisher, Huntingdon, 21-10; Bishop McCoy, South Side Beaver pinned Max Mason, Jersey Shore, 5:58; Josiah Jones, Bishop McCort dec. Devin Fontanez, Saucon Valley, 3-2 UTB; Blake Reynolds, Greenville pinned Jakob Paul, Halifax, 0:45.

285 - Cole Rickert, Reynolds dec. Evan Sweesy, Freedom (D-7), 3-1; Dan Scheib, Tri-Valley dec. Nick Winfield, Southern Huntingdon, 7-2; Toby Cahill, Berlin Brothersvalley major dec. Bobby Gregory, Mercer, 13-1; Garrett Kieffer, Line Mountain pinned Jeffrey Kraemer, North East, 0:42.

Second Round Consolations

106 - Steve McGarvie, Fort LeBoeuf major dec. Devan Blose, Newport, 16-4; Baylor Shunk, Penns Valley major dec. Kody Evans, Susquehanna Township, 13-3; William Burgess, Union City dec. Luke Gorg, Hughesville, 4-2 OT; Ethan Paul, Upper Dauphin pinned Trent Valovchik, Burrell, 4:06.

113 - Derrick Christie, Westmont Hilltop dec. Bryan Gaul, Burrell, 3-1; Kyle Bush, Ridgway dec. Z.J. Ward, Freedom (D-7), 8-2; Tyger Evans, Susquehanna Township by medical forfeit over Dylan Williams, Chestnut Ridge; Keelan Kunselman, Brookville dec. Marckis Branford, Wilson, 6-5.

120 - Ryan McGuire, Notre Dame-Green Pond dec. Darren Yearick, Penns Valley, 3-1; Trent Bechtold, Burrell dec. Collin Leonard, Northern Lebanon, 7-4; Bronson Garber, Upper Dauphin dec. Jacob Powers, St. Joseph's Catholic, 9-3; Baily Wehr, Northwestern Lehigh dec. Isaiah Bryner, Newport, 8-1.

126 - Gage Bayless, Reynolds pinned Austin Mihalchik, Mount Pleasant, 2:18; Devin Pietkiewicz, Shamokin dec. Nick Reto, Pen Argyl, 6-5; Joe Klock, Benton pinned Shawn Broadway, Derry, 1:47; Jeremy Hanford, Warrior Run dec. Nicholas Vonelli, Notre Dame-Green Pond, 10-4.

132 - Tyler Alberts, Ellwood City dec. Rodney Driscoll, Lake Lehman, 3-0; Colton Babcock, Benton pinned Hunter Michaels, Reynolds, 4:47; Liam Flaherty, Everett major dec. Collin Klinger, Line Mountain, 11-3; Charlie Beatty, Marion Center dec. Tyler Thompson, Bradford, 9-5.

138 - Josh Kuslock, Chartiers-Houston dec. Austin Lee, Berlin Brothersvalley, 7-2; Chase Komara, Freedom (D-7) pinned Braden Stahlnecker, Hughesville, 5:24; Brett Uhrin, Valley View dec. Jack Bennett, Schuylkill Valley, 10-8; Zach Kelly, Northern Lebanon dec. D.J. Erickson, Hanover, 3-0.

145 - Cameron Palmer, Boiling Springs dec. Josh Hancock, Cranberry, 3-2; Jude Mattocks, Saegertown pinned Kenny Boyer, Line Mountain, 4:57; Jason Jones, Saucon Valley dec. Logan Bennett, Milton, 6-4; Robert Lipski, Lake Lehman dec. Jared Hurd, Penns Valley, 6-3 TB2.

152 - Ashton West, Bermudian Springs dec. Cade Linn, Southern Columbia, 5-2; Josh Haley, Wyalusing Valley pinned Alden Hulings, Kane, 2:44; Jon Dale, Moshannon Valley dec. Dane Csencits, Saucon Valley, 7-2; Tyler Stoltzfus, Mifflinburg pinned Sam Garner, Laurel, 2:11.

160 - Jacob Carpenter, Shamokin dec. Joe Galvin, Iroquois, 3-2; Kyle Bennett, Montoursville pinned Jackson Kennerly, Upper Dauphin, 4:44; Brian Shermeyer, Delone Catholic dec. Derek Brown, Penn Cambria, 10-4; Colin Fegley, Mahanoy Area dec. Jake Kallenborn, Port Allegany, 5-4.

170 - Zach Cassidy, Harbor Creek tech. fall Tyler Fisher, Kutztown, 16-0, 4:25; Luca Colestock, Camp Hill dec. Dawson Schwalm, Tri-Valley, 5-4; Carl Harris, Littlestown major dec. Kyle Myers, West Branch, 9-1; Jared Kula, Fort LeBeouf dec. Bruce Parola, Scranton Prep, 3-1.

182 - Devin Evans, Susquehanna Township dec. Noah Cieleski, Brookville, 3-2; Jared Mooney, Palmerton dec. Andrew Shedleski, Lewisburg, 4-2; Brendan Calvin, Greenville dec. Colten Drawbaugh, Trinity, 4-3; Alec Dragos, Honesdale by medical forfeit over Luke Funck, Northern Lebanon.

195 - Ivan Balavage, Scranton Prep dec. Tyler Brooks, Saegertown, 8-5; Hunter Tremain, North Star dec. Tyler Stine, Summit Academy, 6-4; Exree Loe, Johnstown dec. Donny Gelnett, Upper Dauphin, 8-1; Jacob McMaster, Greenville dec. Brady Herr, Newport, 12-5.

220 - Hunter Poust, Muncy dec. Noah Wiencek, Derry, 11-4; Jarrett Walters, Danville dec. Derrick Skeehan, Reynolds, 8-4; Tyler Cook, Brookville dec. Nasir Pettus, Bishop McDevitt (D-12), 1-0; Cole Fuller, Western Wayne pinned Benjamin Nosal, Catasauqua, 2:57.

285 - Jason Schaffer, Northern Lehigh dec. Nate Martin, Central Cambria, 4-2 OT; Bryce Perkins, Delone Catholic pinned Sam Rishel, Mifflinburg, 0:49; Dawson Otis, Wyalusing Valley dec. Colton McClain, Ridgway, 2-1; Ian Minnich, Williams Valley pinned Josh Dauberman, Hughesville, 1:49.

Third Round Consolations

106 - Elijah Bundro, Wilson dec. Steve McGarvie, Fort LeBoeuf, 9-7; Baylor Shunk, Penns Valley dec. Sheldon Seymour, Troy, 4-3; Jacob Blair, Muncy dec. William Burgess, Union City, 3-1; Anthony Glasl, Brockway pinned Ethan Paul, Upper Dauphin, 2:36.

113 - Derrick Christie, Westmont Hilltop dec. Colby Bronzburg, Bloomsburg, 6-2; Ritchie Markulics, Notre Dame-Green Pond dec. Kyle Bush, Ridgway, 5-4 TB2; Tyger Evans, Susquehanna Township dec. Austin Burkhart, Athens, 10-6 OT; Keelan Kunselman, Brookville dec. Garrett Cornell, Everett, 6-0.

120 - Ryan McGuire, Notre Dame-Green Pond dec. John Wheeler, Northwestern, 8-3; Cole Hauck, Line Mountain dec. Trent Bechtold, Burrell, 5-1; Bronson Garber, Upper Dauphin dec. Kenneth Kiser, Saegertown, 3-2; Andrew Ischo, Reynolds dec. Baily Wehr, Northwestern Lehigh, 6-4.

126 - Gage Bayless, Reynolds dec. Tye Varndell, Cambridge Springs, 7-1; Tanner Ball, Pequea Valley pinned Devin Pietkiewicz, Shamokin, 4:20; Brian Earlston, Line Mountain dec. Joe Klock, Benton, 4-2; Jeremy Hanford, Warrior Run dec. Nick Oosterkamp, Harbor Creek, 5-3.

132 - Tyler Alberts, Ellwood City dec. Trevor Leonard, Northern Lebanon, 7-1; Tanner McHugh, Tamaqua dec. Colton Babcock, Benton, 7-2; Caleb Dowling, St. Joseph's Catholic dec. Liam Flaherty, Everett, 4-3; Bodee Tolbert, Bishop McDevitt (D-3) dec. Charlie Beatty, Marion Center, 3-1.

138 - Alex Caldwell, Ligonier Valley dec. Josh Kuslock, Chartiers-Houston, 8-6; Logan McClain, Ridgway dec. Chase Komara, Freedom (D-7), 6-1; Brett Uhrin, Valley View dec. Noah Stamm, Milton, 6-5; Thayne Lawrence, Frazier pinned Zach Kelly, Northern Lebanon, 4:01.

145 - John Mott, Commodore Perry dec. Cameron Palmer, Boiling Springs, 6-2; Kody Komara, Freedom (D-7) major dec. Jude Mattocks, Saegertown, 13-3; Chaise Hauck, Reynolds dec. Jason Jones, Saucon Valley, 2-0; Nathan Haubert, Palisades major dec. Robert Lipski, Lake Lehman, 8-0.

152 - Derek Yingling, West Branch dec. Ashton West, Bermudian Springs, 5-2; Brock Biddle, Martinsburg Central pinned Josh Haley, Wyalusing Valley, 3:53; Caleb Hetrick, Brookville dec. Jon Dale, Moshannon Valley, 6-5; Caleb Clymer, Northwestern Lehigh dec. Tyler Stoltzfus, Mifflinburg, 4-3.

160 - Jacob Carpenter, Shamokin dec. Gage Arnold, Coudersport, 7-2; Kyle Bennett, Montoursville dec. Tanner Vogel, Wyomissing, 2-0; Brian Shermeyer, Delone Catholic dec. Morgan Deremer, Chestnut Ridge, 8-4; Seth Baney, Huntingdon major dec. Colin Fegley, Mahanoy Area, 9-0.

170 - Nick McClimans, Sharon dec. Zach Cassidy, Harbor Creek, 5-3; Matt Lewandowski, Mahanoy Area pinned Luca Colestock, Camp Hill, 2:56; Carl Harris, Littlestown dec. Nate Bradley, Athens, 9-8; Jared McGill, Chestnut Ridge major dec. Jared Kula, Fort LeBeouf, 8-0.

182 - Devin Evans, Susquehanna Township dec. Joe Koss, Towanda, 3-1; Christian Hutzell, Meyersdale dec. Jared Mooney, Palmerton, 5-3; Zach Zimmerman, Troy dec. Brendan Calvin, Greenville, 5-0; Anthony Marra, Burrell pinned Alec Dragos, Honesdale, 4:15.

195 - Ivan Balavage, Scranton Prep pinned Luke Walter, Mifflinburg, 0:57; Jerry Moore, Blairsville dec. Hunter Tremain, North Star, 4-3; Exree Loe, Johnstown pinned Noah Fleshman, Bermudian Springs, 4:53; Jacob McMaster, Greenville pinned Michael Wilcox, Wyalusing Valley, 2:01.

220 - Max Mason, Jersey Shore dec. Hunter Poust, Muncy, 6-2; Jarrett Walters, Danville dec. Landon Fisher, Huntingdon, 14-7; Tyler Cook, Brookville dec. Jakob Paul, Halifax, 3-1 OT; Devin Fontanez, Saucon Valley pinned Cole Fuller, Western Wayne, 1:33.

285 - Nick Winfield, Southern Huntingdon dec. Jason Schaffer, Northern Lehigh, 5-2; Evan Sweesy, Freedom (D-7) dec. Bryce Perkins, Delone Catholic, 3-1; Jeffrey Kraemer, North East dec. Dawson Otis, Wyalusing Valley, 5-0; Ian Minnich, Williams Valley dec. Bobby Gregory, Mercer, 3-1.

Fifth Round Consolations

106 - Elijah Bundro, Wilson dec. Nathan Smith, Bishop McDevitt (D-3), 2-1; Kaden Cassidy, Bishop McCort dec. Anthony Glasl, Brockway, 4-3.

113 - Wyatt Lutz, Montoursville dec. Ritchie Markulics, Notre Dame-Green Pond, 7-1; Tyger Evans, Susquehanna Township dec. Isaac Crowell, Fort LeBoeuf, 3-2.

120 - Cole Hauck, Line Mountain dec. Josh Jones, Saucon Valley, 8-4; Bronson Garber, Upper Dauphin dec. Colin Pasone, Wilkes-Barre Meyers, 2-1.

126 - Gage Bayless, Reynolds dec. John Rocco Kazalas, Quaker Valley, 7-4; Brian Earlston, Line Mountain major dec. Kollin Myers, Boiling Springs, 11-0.

132 - Gabe Miller, Pequea Valley dec. Tanner McHugh, Tamaqua, 5-2; Caleb Dowling, St. Joseph's Catholic dec. Carnell Andrews, Bishop McCort, 7-4.

138 - Sammy Hepler, Tri-Valley pinned Alex Caldwell, Ligonier Valley, 4:24; Thayne Lawrence, Frazier dec. Mike Doerflinger, Slippery Rock, 5-2.

145 - Kody Komara, Freedom (D-7) dec. Todd Lane, Southern Columbia, 3-2; Nathan Haubert, Palisades dec. Dallas Bulsak, South Park, 5-2.

152 - Brock Biddle, Martinsburg Central pinned Chase Anklam, Pen Argyl, 2:50; Caleb Clymer, Northwestern Lehigh dec. Kaidon Winters, Athens, 4-1.

160 - Gavin Wilkerson, Reynolds dec. Kyle Bennett, Montoursville, 6-2; Seth Baney, Huntingdon dec. Larry Brown, Moshannon Valley, 3-1 OT.

170 - Joel Leise, Reynolds pinned Matt Lewandowski, Mahanoy Area, 1:21; Jared McGill, Chestnut Ridge dec. Gaige Garcia, Southern Columbia,

6-4 OT.

182 - Dominic DeLuca, Derry dec. Devin Evans, Susquehanna Township,

Read the rest here:
Raiders on track for team title; Beau Bayless, Matthews advance to ... - Sharonherald

WASHINGTON With the election of President Donald Trump and their long-awaited attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act finally at hand, Republicans find themselves facing peril of historic proportions.

Lets call it their Jimmy Carter problem.

After the outsider peanut farmer-turned-politician from Georgia won the White House in 1976s post-Watergate election, he took office with near historic majorities in both chambers ofCongress 61 Democrats in the Senate and a 292 to 143 edge in the House.

Democrats had high hopes for the optimistic, famously toothy embodiment of the New South. What they got was underwhelming a leader who feuded with Congress, and scored some foreign policy successes, but never managed to pull off anything especially ambitious.

He got some stuff through, but it was certainly not another Great Society, said Princeton University historian Julian Zelizer, referring to achievements of former President Lyndon B. Johnson, who also presided over one-party government. I think Democrats feel he wasted an opportunity that existed, and that helped open the door to the right.

There were certainly economic and international crises beyond Carters control, but his failure to achieve big-ticket success paved the way for former President Ronald Reagans revolution from which liberals still havent entirely recovered.

Now, House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and his fellow Republicans can see the historic writing on the wall with their own outsider reality-TV-star-turned-politician occupying the White House. Its the first time since former President George W. Bushs second election that the Republicans are starting a fresh four-year presidential term with unified control of government.

And theyve got something big they want to do. Or, more accurately, that they want to undo. Their signature promise for the last six years has been to repeal Obamacare.

Even as the GOP proposal to deliver on that promise got Ishtar level pans from the left, right and experts, Ryan and many of his colleagues made clear this past week how vital they think it is to propel their deconstructive blueprint into law.

Ryan told reporters on Capitol Hill that repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act should come first, before the GOP can pursue any other cherished goals. He offered an especially stark explanation in a radio interview Friday with conservative talk show host Hugh Hewitt.

I do agree that this is momentum-killing, the speaker said. If we dont do this and reduce or get rid of the trillion-dollar tax increases in Obamacare, that just puts tax reform a trillion dollars further out of our reach. So theres a lot that rides on this, not to mention just the schedule.

While Ryan cast it in practical terms, other Republicans were blunter, and recognized a global importance to their and Trumps agenda in revoking former President Barack Obamas signature achievement.

This is so basic to what we have promised over the last few elections, said Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), the second ranking Republican in the Senate. I think if we fail to keep this promise then I think it makes the rest of our work much, much more difficult to accomplish.

Failing to accomplish goals has electoral consequences. Historian Zelizer points to former President Bill Clintons first term, when he managed to boost taxes but failed utterly at health care reform, and the country answered with the Republican revolution ofNewt Gingrich, who was speaker from 1995 to 1999.

A similar tale was told when Bush won his second term in 2004.

Kevin Lamarque / Reuters

His big push was for privatizing Social Security, Zelizer said. That falls apart, he gets nowhere on immigration reform and he, too, is not able to really capitalize on united government, and, in that case re-election, which is in some ways even a better situation.

The wave election that that hit the nation in 2006 washed away the GOP majorities.

Republicans arent eager to entertain the possibility that they could fail to repeal and replace Obamacare, but they do see electoral doom in failure.

They are not willing to acknowledge that Americans might grow angry at the GOP for even pursuing a plan that, as it stands now, would cut health care for millions and dramatically raise costs for millions more if it passes.

But they are highly cognizant of how the more zealous portions of their electoral base will react.

Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) sees the need to satisfy that contingent as so important that his side would be best off simply repealing Obamacare and worrying about the replacement later.

We have to repeal it, and if we dont repeal it, were going to split with our base, he said. Thats a dangerous political thing to do.

Republicans have been talking for six years that were going to repeal and replace, and thats got to be the top category cause we may only get one chance, said Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa).

In the House, where conservatives make up an even more powerful block, some lawmakers believe passing a hard-right health care plan is so pressing a requirement that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) should take the extraordinary step of rewriting Senate rules to end the filibuster.

Arizona Rep. Trent Franks (R) told The Huffington Post he doesnt especially like the House replacement plan, but he was inclined to support it because hes sure a more conservative alternative cannot get through a filibuster by Democrats.

The current GOP plan is being advanced as a budgetary measure under a process known as reconciliation. Such measures cannot be filibustered. But they are meant to deal only with budgetary matters. While the GOP has tried to craft their reconciliation plan as broadly as possible, there are still policy issues that cannot be addressed with a budget bill.

Franks said that leaves the House leaders in the terrible position of trying to satisfy a potentially furious GOP base and Senate rules that actually grant the Democratic minority power. This is like trying to walk a tightrope in an earthquake. Its just an untenable circumstance for them, he said.

Failure even if Senate Democrats cause it playing by the rules could doom his party, Franks added.

I think that Senate rule has the potential of putting both houses in the hands of Democrats next time, he said, referring to the 2018 elections.

Franks argued the consequences make it essential for the GOP to do whatever it can.

It just means whether or not Republicans are going to take this last best hope theyve had in a long time, and at least give the American people a snapshot of what Republican policy looks like, he said. Or if were going to become victims of our own traditions and send the Republican ideals down the corridors of history.

NBC via Getty Images

Its not just the Republican representatives and senators who would suffer under such failure.

Trump would also find himself in a precarious spot, even if his voters heap blame on Congress. Because members of Congress will blame Trump if he cant use the bully pulpit to help them succeed with legislation.

I think a lot of Republicans figured he was just going to blitz them with lots of legislation, and he hasnt. And its not even clear the White House is working on it, Zelizer said. I think theyre comfortable using executive action and causing a lot of chaos.

But that is not what the GOP lawmakers need. They need success, not some Trump-concocted blend of rhetorical and executive mayhem.

If nothing happens on ACA, if its just one big disaster, this whole effort in the next few weeks, it will soften or weaken Republican support on Capitol Hill for the president, Zelizer said.

If Republicans cannot count on Trump, the president may no longer be able to rely on the people who are holding back Democratic demands for probes of everything from his still ill-understood ties to Russia to his many and conflicted business entanglements.

This president could start entering a danger zone where members of his own party are willing to go after him, Zelizer said.

Just imagine an election in 2018 where Republicans have angered their base by failing to pass an Obamacare replacement, and their president is facing bipartisan investigations on multiple fronts.

Republicans certainly can, and the result doesnt leave them and their man remembered in history at all like previous titans of unified government an LBJ, JFK or FDR.

Instead, its more like JEC, and who even knows Jimmy Carters middle name?

Read the original post:
Donald Trump And The GOP Are Facing A Jimmy Carter Problem - Huffington Post

The momentum of far-right populist Geert Wilders has been slipping. Even if he were to win, there are obstacles to his taking over outright leadership of this NATO nation. Wilders' platform is a fun-house mirror of Trump and adviser Stephen Bannon's darkest views -- pushing the bar on all Muslim immigration, shuttering all mosques (Wilders calls them "Nazi temples") and asylum centers, banning the Quran and taking the Netherlands out of the European Union in a move dubbed Nexit, following Britain's ill-considered Brexit vote last year. For some time, the Dutch politician found himself with apparently unstoppable momentum. After all, it was Wilders who last April began tweeting, "MAKE THE NETHERLANDS GREAT AGAIN!" Wilders has expended some effort trying to emulate Trump's rise in the United States. He even attended the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland, and in response to Trump's shocking November victory, Wilders tweeted, "The people are taking their country back. So will we."

These kinds of remarks have enlarged his political appeal, or at least acceptability, to a large number of voters. Now, however, as Trump sinks more deeply into the morass of governing, many may be having some second thoughts.

Much of today's European political spectrum is less a straight right-left line. It's an oval track with candidates running around it in the direction of the popular will at the moment, with both extremes connecting as they round the circle. The challenge for any political candidate, but especially those at the extremes, is to snatch the checkered flag before someone else crosses the finish line going the other way.

Hopefully, Dutch voters and the politicians they finally send to The Hague will have the good sense to assemble a government without any of the extremes that seem so seductive in the short run, but pose an existential threat to Europe and the peace of democracies. And if Trump continues to surprise and horrify Europeans in the weeks to come, that good sense could sweep across the continent, burying the populist wave before it has a chance to take charge of a major nation.

Excerpt from:
Donald Trump casts long shadow over Dutch election - CNN

This post originally appeared on You Might Also Like, a new site about life, politics, and decisions.

The election of Donald Trump has come as a shock to me. Even though I live in Vienna and am not directly affected by Trumps presidency in the same way my American friends and family are, it is extremely painful to watch how this man is turning a whole country and its values upside down. Every day, my life begins and ends with Trump. In the morning I reach sleepy-eyed for my phone while laying still in bed and read about the latest media scandal. When I go to bed I open the New York Times app one more time to check what has happened.

For a while, I tried abstaining from the news, but I am proud to admit that I have found something that works much better: weight lifting.

A couple of months ago I started a crossfit-similar exercise regimen that is mainly about lifting weights. Kettlebells, bar-bells, push-ups with 10 pounds laying on top of you. It sounds really hard, because it is.

In my first group lesson, I almost blacked out from the fast repetition of exercises, followed by the feeling of throwing up. When the lesson was over and everyone high-fived each other, tears were rolling down my cheeks a bodily response of relief. But it got better very quickly.

I have never been particularly interested in sports before, and besides the occasional yoga class, they never played a big role in my life. Sports basically meant YouTube Yoga or YouTube Pilates for me. I once started a 30 Day YouTube Yoga Challenge and it took me eight days to get past Day 4.

However, I am now completely in love with weight lifting. Not just because it is exercise for my body, but it gives me the piece of mind in a way that yoga never could. Weight lifting turns my brain in a blank slate. Nothing (including sleeping or watching TV) can reach that same level of calm for me than 30 squats with a 26 pound kettle bell in my hands.

While my body is preoccupied with exercise repetitions and, lets face it, constant pain, my brain can relax. Whereas in yoga groups you are encouraged to think about your day and let it all go, weight lifting doesnt even get you to this contemplative point. With stretching and staying in the downward facing dog for what feels like hours, my brain was still able to think about Trumps Muslim Ban or his latest attack on the news media. Yoga might as well have been as well be called Meditating with Trump.

Strength training has been associated with increasing brain function in multiple studies. It is said to slow dementia and increase long-term memory function by 10 percent. It also lowers stress, which can accumulate easily these days just by reading the news. Exercise promotes the production of hormones such as norepinephrine, while at the same time lowering cortisol levels significantly.

While Cardio and other forms of exercise still leave some room for you to think about current events, strength training doesnt. Instead of thinking about alternative facts, or immigration policies, the only things I can really think or rather feel about are WATER!, TOWEL!, ONE MORE!, all in capital letters and exclamation marks.

Since Trump got elected, many people have taken up new habits to personally deal with the constant news, be it going to events, stress eating, or obsessively caring about their nails like Jeanne Vaccaro, a postdoctoral fellow at Indiana University. While this might feel like an overtly personal act of self-care it is also a means to be stronger in order to face the new reality head on. It means dealing with it, instead of hiding from it. Dealing with it also means being active to counteract what is happening: be it going to the womens march, tweeting or having a very long and complicated conversation with your relative or friend.

Weight lifting helps me with all of that and I am only getting stronger every day.

The rest is here:
Donald Trump Is Making Me Toned - Huffington Post

Then he won, in epic fashion. His populist message swept the Rust Belt out from under Democrats and suddenly the victim of purported rigging was headed to the White House.

Again, no evidence was given, but Trump felt strongly enough to demand an investigation into the matter.

Now, people influential with the most powerful man in the world are publicly raising concerns that there is a cabal of entrenched bureaucrats hidden in the bowels of the nation's government who are intent on his political demise.

But the idea of a deep state, similar to the idea of a rigged election or a fraudulent vote count, could cause a more fundamental threat: Each presupposes the government is actually controlled by hidden hands that ignore the law without compunction. It assumes these government actors wantonly ignore the law. That's a potentially destabilizing and explosive idea. So is, however, the notion that Russians helped install the president. And that's something Democrats have taken to pushing even though there's no evidence that Russian meddling had any effect on the November results.

With all these swirling accusations in the ether, discussion of a "deep state" -- formerly the obsession of conspiracy theorists and scholars of Egyptian and Turkish politics and the subject of spy novels and TV shows like "Scandal" -- is creeping into the American mainstream.

Trump himself has not spoken publicly about the term. But he did accuse political holdovers of trying to undermine his presidency by leaking information about his campaign's communications with Russians.

White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer offered his take on the idea during Friday's White House press briefing.

"I think that there's no question when you have eight years of one party in office, there are people who stay in government and continue to espouse the agenda of the previous administration," Spicer said. "So I don't think it should come as any surprise there are people that burrowed into government during eight years of the last administration and may have believed in that agenda and may continue to seek it. I don't think that should come as a surprise."

Spicer dismissed the idea that the CIA is working to identify those people and remove them from government.

That would be against the law, by the way; the CIA is barred from conducting "internal security functions" inside the US.

But that didn't help squash the conspiracy theory this week following documents released by WikiLeaks suggesting the CIA knows how to tap into smart phones and TVs.

Of course, neither the CIA nor any other spy agency would be able to lawfully use those tools on an American citizen under the law without first getting a FISA warrant.

Neither would former President Barack Obama have been able to wiretap candidate Trump, as the President suggested recently without offering any evidence. At least not under the law. For starters, the President doesn't conduct investigations. Second, his government would need a warrant to monitor conversations between Americans. There's some gray area when it comes to communications with foreign nationals.

Trump opponents, it should be noted, have been no less paranoid about what the new president will do, and have taken a number of actions to protect data on climate change, for example, gathered by the federal government.

But none of this has stopped the idea of a "deep state" from taking hold.

According to CNN's most recent reporting, the former President is perturbed by Trump's wiretapping allegations, but he's trying hard to bite his tongue -- save for a statement from his spokesman -- and give the new administration room.

View original post here:
How Donald Trump could delegitimize his own government - CNN