PIAA team wrestling: Reynolds returns to Class 2A podium with fourth-place finish

HERSHEY – Three years without winning a PIAA dual wouldn’t constitute a “drought” for most wrestling teams.

This is Reynolds, however, a program with higher standards than most. The District 10 Class 2A champions couldn’t help but feel disappointed when they missed Hershey in 2022 and went winless the year after.

Reynolds returned to Giant Center Thursday with a youth-laden roster and, before it was done, had re-established the reputation that comes with the royal-and-silver singlet.

The Raiders went home satisfied this year, returning to the podium with a fourth-place finish. Saturday saw them top Montoursville and Bishop McDevitt before falling to Notre Dame-Green Pond in the consolation final, an emphatic response after their opening-round loss Thursday.

“I love the kids and love the duals,” said Reynolds head coach Casey Taylor. “We take pride in competing in this, and it’s been a couple years since we’ve taken home some hardware. I always tell them, it’s for them.”

Raiders top Montoursville, shock McDevitt

Two victories Friday earned Reynolds a Saturday morning date with the District 4 runners-up, a Montoursville squad which had beaten Fort LeBoeuf the evening prior. Reynolds’ hammers got their money’s worth in this one, the Raiders posting six falls in a 42-19 triumph.

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That sent Reynolds into the consolation semifinals, where many expected District 3 champion McDevitt to join three of its private-school peers in the afternoon’s small-school finals. Reynolds quickly thwarted that idea, however, winning nine of 13 matches while securing bonus points in six of them.

Casey Resek started it with a fall at 285 pounds. After a key overtime victory from Chase Bell at 139 and pins from Vito Gentile (160) and Colton Tupper (215), Reynolds had itself a 36-24 upset.

“It’s weird because I think (Friday) they were a little more nervous,” Taylor said. “I just felt a little more at ease (Saturday), and I felt the kids were psyched to get into the day. It was a pretty cool feeling to watch what they did.”

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Notre Dame beats Reynolds in consy final

Notre Dame, the District 11 champion, lost Friday to the same Faith Christian Academy squad which beat Reynolds. The Crusaders rebounded with three consolation victories to reach the final against Reynolds, which had won four straight.

Despite some early meet victories, Reynolds couldn’t match the magic of morning and dropped a 41-18 decision to finish fourth. The Raiders and Crusaders split their first eight matches after starting at 107 pounds, but after Gentile gave Reynolds a brief lead at 160, ND used a forfeit and three pins to run away with the win.

“I think the kids wrestled really hard, and (Notre Dame’s) guys were pretty damn gritty,” Taylor said. “They stayed in position and wouldn’t give up bonus points in a lot of areas.”

Youth movement

Some predicted another rebuilding year for Reynolds, a team which often starts two freshmen, five sophomores, three juniors and three seniors. The youth movement was real, however, bookending the Raiders' experienced middle lineup with quality in the lower and upper weights.

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“We had first-year wrestlers starting in our lineup the past two years, and it’s tough for them to build confidence in that situation,” Taylor said. “To watch them all mature over the course of the season and not just be part of the team, but see them contribute in big ways, is pretty special.”

While young wrestlers filled the gaps, Reynolds still had its share of veterans, including senior Louie Gill, the only Raider to finish the PIAA team tournament undefeated. Gill’s weekend at 127 pounds, up from his usual 121, included three pins, a technical fall, a major decision and an overtime triumph over defending state champion Gauge Botero of Faith Christian.

“I know I’ve trained so hard this year,” said Gill, who next season will wrestle at North Carolina State. “I went out there with full confidence and got the takedown. I knew my slide-by was there… I hit it, and, luckily, I got the win.”

Gill is now 38-5 on the season and will be among the favorites to win his second PIAA title when individual postseason commences this week.

“You’ve gotta be in the room, man,” Gill said of his team. “Everyone loves it. Everyone wants to win – the blood, the sweat, the tears. No one complains in that room, and it’s one of the best rooms I’ve been in. They all love wrestling, and they all want to be there.”

Reynolds opens individual competition at the D-10 Section 2 tournament, scheduled for Friday and Saturday at Sharon. The Raiders finished team competition with a 22-2 dual meet record and were undefeated against public schools.

“Our guys came (Saturday) and put forth their maximum effort, and that’s all you can ask for,” Taylor said. “Being fourth in the state, I’m pleased for them.”

Consolation round three

Reynolds 42, Montoursville 19

215 pounds: Cole Yonkin (M) pinned Kolton Wilkinson (R); 285: Landon Morehart (M) dec. 1-0 Casey Resek (R); 107: Ari Bobotas (R) MD 11-1 Hudson Wolbert (R); 114: Angelo Lomonte (R) pinned Brady Bower (M); 121: Waylon Waite (R) pinned Ryan Aguirre (M); 127: Louie Gill (R) pinned Gabriel Newton (M); 133: Logan Stewart (R) pinned David Kennedy (M); 139: Blaize Vogel (M) dec. 4-2 Greyden Gustas (R); 145: Chase Bell (R) pinned Hunter Gee (M); 152: Emery Johnson (R) dec. 2-0 Haydan Harvey (M); 160: Gage Wentzel (M) dec. 8-2 Vito Gentile (R); 172: Louie DeJulia (R) dec. 5-3 Owen Kleinman (M); 189: Colton Tupper (R) pinned Evan Bloom (M).

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Consolation round four

Reynolds 36, Bishop McDevitt 14

285 pounds: Casey Resek (R) pinned Spencer Musti (BM); 107: Angelo Lomonte (R) MD 11-2 Braiden Lotier (BM); 114: Zane Crouse (BM) dec. 3-1 Waylon Waite (R); 121: Louie Gill (R) MD 11-0 Greyson Music (BM); 127: Logan Stewart (R) MD 10-1 Liam Lawler (BM); 133: Camden Baum (BM) pinned Greyden Gustas (R); 139: Chase Bell (R) SV 3-1 Easton Comp (BM); 145: Ryan Lawler (BM) pinned Kevyn Malgieri (R); 152: Emery Johnson (R) dec. 10-6 Nicky Negron (BM); 160: Vito Gentile (R) pinned Ryan Lengall (BM); 172: Louie DeJulia (R) dec. 4-1 Jaire Rawlison (BM); 189: Lucas Lawler (BM) forfeit; 215: Colton Tupper (R) pinned Jack Dawson (BM).

Consolation final

Notre Dame 41, Reynolds 18

107 pounds: Angelo Lomonte (R) dec. 2-0 Jacob Volpe (ND); 114: Ayden Smith (ND) tech. fall 21-6 Waylon Waite (R); 121: Louie Gill (R) pinned Cooper Feltman (ND); 127: Logan Stewart (R) dec. 11-4 Tanner Berkenstock (ND); 133: Gavyn Kelton (ND) dec. 4-0 Greyden Gustas (R); 139: Chase Bell (R) dec. 7-2 Tanner McQueen (ND); 145: Nino Morici (ND) pinned Kevyn Malgieri (R); 152: Josh Ludlow (ND) dec. 7-3 Emery Johnson (R); 160: Vito Gentile (R) dec. 7-1 Nathan Thomas (ND); 172: Dominic Sumpolic (ND) forfeit; 189: Keegan Ramsay (ND) pinned Louie DeJulia (R); 215: Connor Smalley (ND) pinned Kolton Wilkinson (R); 285: Gino Guerrisi (ND) pinned Casey Resek (R).

Contact Jeff Uveino at juveino@timesnews.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @realjuveino.

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Reynolds wrestling fourth at PIAA Class 2A team championships after 4-2 campaign