Local wrestlers compete in Henlopen Conference wrestling championships

Eight western Sussex wrestlers advanced to Henlopen Conference wrestling championship matches during last week’s individual championships. Sussex Tech’s Anthony Andrews and Logan King placed first in the conference, and Laurel’s Nathan Moore and Ezekiel O’Hara, Woodbridge’s Andrew Amalfitano and Te’Quan Smith, and Sussex Tech’s Bennett Brumbley and Caden Andrews each came in second.

“We’re all working to be state champs, but this is one step closer to that goal,” said senior Anthony Andrews. “No matter the opponent, you have to treat everybody the same.”

“I just keep my mind in a good place and not worry about the past,” King, Andrews’ practice partner, said of facing a familiar opponent in the finals.

Laurel’s Nathan Moore (120) held a 3-0 lead in the first period of his championship match against Smyrna’s James Haliburton. Halburton scored a point on an escape in the third period to tie the score at 4-4 before getting a takedown for the 7-4 win.

Anthony Andrews (132) took a 5-0 lead over Woodbridge’s Andrew Amalfitano through one period. Andrews went on to win the match, 11-2.

King (138) and Laurel’s Ezekiel O’Hara met in the finals and were scoreless through the first. O’Hara held a 2-1 lead in the second period, but King scored 12 points in the third for a 13-4 victory.

Brumbley (165) and Milford’s Davonne Dallas were scoreless at the end of the first. Dallas scored a point with an escape in the second, and Brumbley knotted the score at 1-1 in the third. Following a one minute overtime in which neither wrestler scored a point, Dallas came away with the 5-3 victory to win the conference title and earn his 100th career win.

Sussex Tech’s Caden Andrews (175) trailed Caesar Rodney’s Turhan Potter, 8-2, before Potter recorded a pin in the third period. Woodbridge’s Te’Quan Smith (285) lost by fall in the first period of his championship match.

The following are the results from the third, fifth, and seventh place matches:

106- Third place- Laurel’s Reggie Ferdinand earned a 7-2 win over Sussex Central’s Jonathon Ramirez.

Fifth place- Sussex Tech’s Colton Brennan topped Indian River’s Parker Hampton, 8-3.

113- Third place- Cape Henlopen’s Jack Hudson picked up a 10-1 victory over Sussex Tech’s Kayden von Arx.

Fifth place- Woodbridge’s Cooper Kerrick scored two points in the final seconds of third period for a 3-1 win against Indian River’s Salvador Delgado.

Seventh place- Milford’s Herman Littleton held off Seaford’s DonRognay Leme, 9-7.

120- Third place- Cape Henlopen’s Cale Baker recorded a third period pin against Sussex Tech’s Drake Rogers.

Fifth place match- Seaford’s Peter Cephas, Jr. was up 13-5 and 14-8 in the third period before Delmar’s Storm Hoffman won by fall with 11 seconds left in the match.

126- Fifth place- Smyrna’s Colton Price edged Sussex Tech’s Cason Andrews, 10-7.

Seventh place- Laurel’s Makhi Sturgis picked up a narrow, 7-6, victory over Polytech’s Jase Diaz.

132- Third place- Smyrna’s Gabe Crenshaw secured a third period pin against Delmar’s Reese Farr.

138- Seventh place- Delmar’s Noah Solis fell to Polytech’s Marvens Bernavil, 11-0.

144- Third place- Caesar Rodney’s Sean Dixon held off Laurel’s Kenyen Littleton, 5-2.

Fifth place- Woodbridge’s King Peden earned a 7-0 win over Smyrna’s Billy Wiseley.

Seventh place- Sussex Tech’s Noah Figgs jumped out to a 5-0 lead, but Delmar’s Connor Farr went up, 8-6, after two. Figgs went on to win the match, 15-13.

150- Fifth place- Laurel’s Ian Messick fell to Lake Forest’s Frederick Tolson.

Seventh place- Delmar’s Quinn Farr earned an 11-2 win over Polytech’s Isiah Bullock.

157- Seventh place- Sussex Tech’s Austin Chavez defeated Polytech’s Wyatt Porter, 10-3.

165- Fifth place- After a scoreless first and second period, Delmar’s Teddy Egolf scored a point on an escape to defeat Indian River’s Shane Forjan, 1-0. The win came after Forjan defeated Egolf, 15-8, in the second round.

Seventh place- Seaford’s Doubensly Saint Jean recorded a pin with 36 second left in the second to top Caesar Rodney’s Fritzsen Brunache.

175- Third place- Woodbridge’s Noah Jackson trailed, 7-2, after two and was behind, 8-6, before getting a takedown with around 10 seconds left in the third to defeat Milford’s Riley Carmean, 9-8.

Seventh place- Indian River’s Levi Perez earned a 14-2 win over Sussex Academy’s William Hendershot.

190- Fifth place- Lake Forest’s Zander Protain recorded a third period against Laurel’s Kymani Roberts.

215- Fifth place- Sussex Tech’s Eric McGlotten outscored Indian River’s Alex Peacock, 22-12.

Seventh place- Woodbridge’s Jack Wanzer held a 7-0 lead before winning by fall in the second period against Seaford’s Jae’dyn Sterling.

285- Third place match- Smyrna’s Takai Fearon earned a second period pin against Laurel’s Maxx Bryan.

Seventh place- Delmar’s Masyn McIntyre pinned Lake Forest’s Khalil Mayo in the first period in a rematch of a round one match.

Local wrestlers to take part in state wrestling championships Feb. 27-28

The following are the local wrestlers’ seedings for the DIAA individual state tournament which will take place Friday, Feb. 27 (round 1 preliminaries, 4 p.m.; round 2 quarterfinals, 7 p.m.) and Saturday, Feb. 28 (matches beginning at 10 a.m.) at Cape Henlopen High School.

106- 6. Reginald Ferdinand, Laurel (H3); 10. Colton Brennan, Sussex Tech (H5)

113- 5. Kayden von Arx, Sussex Tech (H4); 6. Cooper Kerrick, Woodbridge (H5); 12. DonRognay Leme, Seaford (H7)

120- 5. Nathan Moore, Laurel (H2); 8. Drake Rogers, Sussex Tech (H4); 11. Storm Hoffman, Delmar (H5); 13. Peter Cephas, Jr., Seaford (H6); 16. Noah Lewis, Sussex Central (H7)

126- 8. Seth Milligan, Sussex Central (H3); 13. Cason Andrews (H6); 14. Makhi Sturgis, Laurel (H7)

132- 1. Anthony Andrews, Sussex Tech (H1); 2. Andrew Amalfitano, Woodbridge (H2); 9. Kaden Farr, Delmar (H4); 14. Jayden Mieth, Sussex Central (H8)

138- 2. Logan King, Sussex Tech (H1); 5. Ezekiel O’Hara, Laurel (H2); 7. Mark Everett (H3)

144- 5. John Rovillard, Sussex Central (H2); 10. Kenyen Littleton, Laurel (H4); 11. King Peden, Woodbridge (H5)

150- 7. Peyton Conaway, Sussex Central (H4); 9. Ian Messick, Laurel (H6); 10. Patrick Farr, Delmar (H7)

157- 14. Gabriele Perez Mercado, Sussex Central (H5)

165- 4. Bennett Brumbley, Sussex Tech (H2); 11. Ben Lee, Sussex Central (H4); 12. Theodore Egolf, Delmar (H5); 14. Doubensly Saint Jean, Seaford (H7)

175- 9. Kayden Andrews, Sussex Tech (H2); 10. Noah Jackson, Woodbridge (H3)

190- 8. Jimmy McLane, Sussex Central (H4)

215- 11. Anthony Roblero, Sussex Central (H4); 14. Eric McGlotten, Sussex Tech (H5)

285- 4. Te’Quan Smith, Woodbridge (H2); 13. Maxx Bryan, Laurel (H4)