9 Can't-Miss Powerade Quarterfinals
9 Can't-Miss Powerade Quarterfinals
Powerade is off to an incredible start. Here are the quarterfinal matchups you need to watch on day 2 of one of the nation's toughest tournaments.
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Day one of Powerade is in the books, and the stage is set for quarters, semis and finals tomorrow. The quarterfinal round should be incredible. Check out these quarters we're especially excited about.
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120 lbs - #5 Mason Gibson, Bishop McCort vs #13 (113) Nick O'Neill, Malvern Prep
Gibson is the higher ranked wrestler of the two. His dynamic offense makes him the favorite as he just has so many ways to score, but Nick O'Neill's lanky body type and gritty top game could make this match interesting. The safe money is with Gibson, but don't count out O'Neill who finally seems to be at the right weight class after an obvious 2020 growth spurt.
Gibson's path to the quarters included tech fall wins over Hunter Forcellini of Forest Hills and Kaiden Fischer of South Park. O'Neill got here with a fall over Aiden Stella of Thomas Jefferson and a 4-0 decision over Ethan Lebin of Hempfield.
Mason Gibson's tech over Kaiden Fischer
126 lbs - Joey Fischer, South Park vs Ty Watters, West Allegheny
Top seed Joey Fischer is a returning state finalist with national level results. He'll see Ty Watters in a very intriguing quarterfinal. Watters was just missed placing at PIAAs last year but proved he was very close in a controversial match with Tyler Kasak early in the tournament.
Fischer got to the quarters with a tech over Rudy Brown of Burgettstown and a 7-2 decision over Connor Saylor of Hickory. Watters advanced to this match with a tech over Alan Danner of Hampton and a 5-3 decision over Gino Serafini of Central Mountain.
126 lbs - Dustin Norris, LaSalle vs Luke Simcox, Central Mountain
A must-watch bottom-side quarter at 126 is #17 Dustin Norris vs Central Mountain freshman Luke Simcox. Purdue commit Norris has been on the national scene for a long time, and he'll welcome the challenge from the freshman Simcox.
Norris punched his ticket to the quarterfinals in dominant fashion with two falls. He's beaten Aiden Beam of Norwin and Easton Toth of Forest Hills and has only been on the mat for 2:11 so far. Simcox had a tech over Joel McClintock of Northern York and a 4-2 decision over Sam Cartella of Western Reserve Academy.
Luke Simcox's tech over Joel McClintock
132 lbs - Dylan Chappell, Seneca Valley vs Eric Alderfer, Faith Christian
Alderfer has been on a roll through the first two rounds with a fall over Mt. Pleasant's Jamison Poklembo and a 17-10 decision over Latrobe's Nate Roth. He'll need that kind of output against Seneca Valley's Dylan Chappell in the quarterfinals. Chappell has two falls in just over two minutes of action against Cody Miller of Hickory and Tyler Holman of Ambridge.
The winner of this bout will hope to come out of the top half of the bracket where they'll potentially see #8 jackson Arrington in the finals.
138 lbs - Jake Niffenegger, LaSalle vs Pierce Taylor, Archbishop McNicholas
The final quarterfinal at 138 will feature two dominant wrestlers who have combined for four bonus point wins. Pierce Taylor of Archbishop McNicholas is not as credentialed as LaSalle's Jake Niffenegger, but a win tomorrow could begin to change that.
Taylor got here with a major over Forest Hills' Tye Templeton and a fall over Montoursville's Broc Lutz. Niffenegger has also been dominant with a fall over Wayne Pirt of Seneca Valley and a tech over CJ Wagner of Northern York.
Jake Niffenegger's tech over CJ Wagner
145 lbs - Wyatt Henson, Waynesburg vs Kale Buckiso, Thomas Jefferson
Make no mistake, #3 Wyatt Henson is a big time favorite in the top quarter at 145 lbs, but Kale Buckiso has dominated his way through the bracket thus far and will look to create an interesting matchup.
Henson has made quick work of his opponents with second period falls over both Shawn Taylor of West Allegheny and Ashten Slavick of Canon-McMillan. Buckiso has ended his matches early on points with techs over Ty Hornick of Mt. Pleasant and Dominic Pappalardo of Moeller.
152 lbs - Grant Mackay, Laurel vs Ty Linsenbigler, Hempfield
Laurel's Grant Mackay and Hempfield's Ty Linsenbigler find themselves in a quarterfinal at 152 lbs with a probable ranked semifinal match on the line. Linsenbigler has the higher seed in this bracket, but both have looked solid thus far.
Mackay has techs over Lucas Eicher of Mt. Pleasant and Dj Slovick of Burgettstown while Linsenbigler has a pair of falls over Waynesburg's Colby Pauley and Trinity's Adam Gill.
Grant Mackay's tech over DJ Slovick of Burgettstown
160 lbs - Enzo Morlacci, Kiski Area vs Antonio Amelio, Seneca Valley
Enzo Morlacci entered this tournament without a top 8 seed, but the #17 man in the country has been looking solid with a fall over Hickory's Ty Holland and a tech over Central Mountain's Damien Galentine.
He'll have a tough test in the quarters against Seneca Valley's Antonio Amelio. The #2 seed had a bye in the first round but followed that up with a tech over DuBois' Ryan Gildersleeve. A win for Amelio in the quarters could put him on the national radar.
172 lbs - Sammy Starr, Kiski Area vs Rune Lawrence, Frazier
Sammy Starr is the #15 guy in the country, and he's a big time favorite tomorrow in the quarterfinals, but freshman Rune Lawrence already has a couple nice wins under his belt and looks intent on causing problems for anyone in his way.
Starr has two falls in less than two combined minutes over Tanner Babeo of Norwin and Adison Meister of West Allegheny. Lawrence has also pinned his way to the quarters over Anthony Barle of Norwin and Andrew Connolly of Malvern Prep.
Rune Lawrence's round of 16 fall over Andrew Connolly
