Giorgio, Homan and Bashore qualify for PIAA state wrestling tournament

After finishing in 10th place as a team, Schuylkill Valley High School will send two wresters, Josh Giorgio and Zach Homan, to the PIAA State Wrestling Championships at the Giant Center in Hershey, Pa. this Thursday through Saturday, March 7-9

Hamburg’s Austin Bashore has also qualified for the state tournament.

Giorgio and Bashore each qualified by finishing in fourth place at last weekend’s Class AA Southeastern Regional Tournament at Wilson High School. Homan qualified by finishing fifth in the tournament.

Schuylkill Valley’s Joey Waack, Dante Giorgio and Trevor Crupi all competed at the Southeastern Regional Tournament, but did not finish in the top five to qualify for the state tournament.

Hamburg’s Cody Miller and Chris Kummerer also wrestled in the regional but did not qualify for the state tourney.

Josh Girogio began the regional tournament in he quarterfinals where he earned a 4-1 victory over Bryan Israel of Saucon Valley in their 120 pound weight class bout. That advanced Giorgio to the semifinals on Saturday where he lost a 5-3 decision to Matt Williams of Pen Argyl.

That sent him to the consolation semifinals where he defeated Terrence White of Bishop McDevitt, 6-4 in overtime. That assured Giorgio of a state tournament berth and advanced him to the third place bout where once again he went up against Israel. This time it was Israel that came out on top, defeating Giorgio, 3-0.

At 145 pounds, Homan had to start his regional tournament in the first round where he defeated Jared Krugman of Springfield by a technical fall, 22-6 in 4:37. In the quarterfinals, Homan was pinned by Michael Racciato of Pen Argyl in 1:54, sending Homan to the consolation bracket.

His first wrestle-back was a 9-5 decision over Kyle Wanner of Pequea Valley which advanced him to day two of the tournament. There he decisioned Tyler Kauffman of Boiling Springs, 4-0, before losing a 1-0 battle with Briton Shelton of Bermudian Springs in the conso semifinals.

That put Homan into the fifth place bout where he qualified for states and took fifth place by defeating Vinny Vonelli of Pius X, 9-3.

At 195 pounds Bashore opened the tournament in the first round where he won a 10-2 decision over Richard Nase of Panther Valley. In the quarterfinals, Bashore pinned George Zsis of Lower Moreland in 3:05, advancing him to Saturday’s semifinals.

In that semifinal round, Bashore lost by a technical fall (23-8, 4:28) to Adam Geiger of Trinity, sending Basore to the consolation semifinal. There he defeated Josh Naylor of Wyomissing, 3-1. In the third place bout, Bashore was pinned in 2:37 by Jonathan Rummel of Williams Valley.

Schuylkill Valley’s Joey Waack just missed a state berth by finishing in sixth place in the 170 pound weight class. He opened the tourney by pinning Guy Zimmerman of Pine Grove in 3:45. in the quarterfinals, Waack had to forfeit due to an injury.

He was able to come back in first round of the consolation bracket to win a 10-2 decision over Zimmerman once again. On Saturday, Waack defeated Connor Staples of Pope John Paul II, 10-4, then was pinned by Tristan Sponseller of Bermudian Springs in 46 seconds. In the fifth place bout, for a spot in the state tournament, Waack lost a 9-4 decision to Nick Cortopassi of Bethlehem Catholic.

Crupi also came within one spot of a state berth by finishing sixth in the 285 pound class. In the first round, he won a 3-1 decision over Rian Shuback of Panther Valley. In the quarterfinals, Crupi earned a 6-3 victory over Josh Bildstein of Pope John Paul II.

That advance him to Saturday’s semifinals where he was pinned in 3:29 by Trevor Stover of Biglerville. In the consolation semifinals, Crupi lost a tight 7-6 decision to Andrew Dunn of Bethlehem Catholic. That sent him to the fifth place bout where he needed to win in order to qualify for states. But there he lost a 1-0 decision to Ben Wertz of Wyomissing.

At the 220 pound weight class, Dante Giorgio also just missed a state berth by finishing in sixth place. He pinned Jeremiah Haywood of Bristol in 2:49 of their first round bout. In the quarterfinals, Giorgio was pinned by Ray O’Donnell of Saucon Valley in just 20 seconds.

In the first round of consolations, Giorgio earned a 3-2 decision over Vanyel Leytham-Peterson of Columbia, sending him to Saturday’s action. There he began his day by pinning Jacob Iller of Fairfield in just 37 seconds, then losing to Dennis Atiyeh of Notre Dame Green Pond, 6-2, sending Giorgio to the fifth place bout. He was pinned in 4:02 by Calvin Barrick of Boiling Springs to finish in sixth place.

At 132, Kummerer lost his first round bout, 6-0 to Michael Comunale of Pius X. He won by forfeit in the first round of the consolation bracket. In the second round, Kummerer lost a 2-1 decision to Cameron Scalio of Fairfield to end his season.

Hamburg’s Cody Miller pinned Daulton Brady of Bristol in 59 seconds of their first round bout. In the quarterfinals, Miller lost a 4-3 decision to Michael Ortiz of Northwestern Lehigh. In the first round of the consolation bracket, Miller earned a 10-2 victory over Guy Zimmerman of Pine Grove. But his season ended early on Saturday when he lost his consi second round bout, 5-2 to Josh Asper of Biglerville.