SPRING-FORD WINS STATE BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

Game highlights, including post-game medal ceremony (video by Darryl Grumling/edited by Frank Otto)

By Mercury Staff

sports@pottsmerc.com

Spring-Ford's girls basketball team is golden.

The Rams beat Cumberland Valley, Friday night, 60-45, for the PIAA Class AAAA championship.

It was the first basketball title for an area school since the Pottstown boys in 1993. It was the Rams' first ever trip to the title game.

For complete coverage by Don Seeley, Austin Hertzog and Darryl Grumling, click on the below links:

Spring-Ford wins first state championship

Dynamic defense lifts Rams to PIAA crown

Superb, selfless seniors carry Spring-Ford to PIAA title

Future looks bright for Rams

There is plenty of video here and on our YouTube page at youtube.com/pottsmercsports.

Don't miss Saturday's print edition of The Mercury, which includes a full photo page as part of five full pages of coverage.

Spring-Ford players receive their gold medals (video by Darryl Grumling)

Spring-Ford wins the PIAA Class AAAA Championship (Video by Darryl Grumling)

* * *

Below is video from tonight's game as it happened, courtesy of Darryl Grumling (@MercSmokinD), Austin Hertzog (@AustinHertzog) and Don Seeley (@DonSeeley1). Some clips are posted here, and all are available on our YouTube page at youtube.com/pottsmercsports.

After the jump you can find even more video.

GIRLS BASKETBALL: Spring-Ford’s Stipa a star generations in the making

Spring-Ford's Sammy Stipa celebrates Tuesday's PIAA-AAAA semifinal win over Cardinal O'Hara. Stipa, Brittany Moore (10) and the Rams take on Cumberland Valley for the state championship Friday at 6 at Hershey's Giant Center.

By Don Seeley
sports@pottsmerc.com

ROYERSFORD – Bob Stipa made quite a name for himself as a three-sport standout at the former Spring City High School. Mark Stipa was a pretty darn good two-sport athlete at Spring-Ford. And the late Jerry Hefelfinger was indeed revered as an outstanding three-sport athlete at the former Collegeville-Trappe High School.
But the older fellas yield to the youngest, and only female among them … Sammy Stipa.
Sammy Stipa, of course, is the 5-foot-5 dynamo who has filled many roles and filled them superbly in the rambunctious Rams’ drive to Friday night’s PIAA-Class AAAA final against Cumberland Valley at the Giant Center in Hershey.

(For complete story, click here ... )

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: Lineups are set for 2nd annual PAC-10 Senior Bowl

Spring-Ford quarterback Hank Coyne (11) of the District 1-AAAA finalist Rams will share quarterbacking duties with Pottstown’s Sage Reinhart on Team Freedom for the second annual Pioneer Athletic Conference Senior Bowl on Sunday, June 2 at Spring-Ford’s Coach McNelly Stadium. (Mercury file photo)

By Don Seeley
sports@pottsmerc.com

ROYERSFORD – The draft is over and done with. Now it’s time to play some more football.
For a good number of participants in the 2nd annual Pioneer Athletic Conference Senior Bowl, it’ll be the last football game they play in … and for each and every one of them, it’ll be the last game they ever play in representing their alma mater.
This year’s event kicks off 3 p.m. Sunday, June 2 at Spring-Ford High School’s Coach McNelly Stadium.

(For complete story, click here ... )

GIRLS BASKETBALL: SPRING-FORD GOING TO STATE FINAL

By Mercury Staff
sports@pottsmerc.com


As you can see above, the Spring-Ford girls basketball team is headed for the state final after a 53-49 win over Cardinal O'Hara in the PIAA Class AAAA semifinals.

The Rams will play Cumberland Valley on Friday at the Giant Center in Hershey at 6 p.m.

We have three stories from the game, all linked below, as well as some video posted below and more video on our YouTube channel from the game.

Keep it here all week as we get you set for the Rams' date with Cumberland Valley, as they try to become the first area basketball team in 20 years to win a state championship (Pottstown boys, 1995).

Wednesday's Stories

• Spring-Ford heading for Hershey after Stipa's clutch free throws seal victory (by Don Seeley)
• Hungry Rams get over semifinal hump (column by Darryl Grumling)
• Finally faced with pressure, Rams pass their biggest test (by Austin Hertzog)

Follow us on Twitter @PottsMercSports, as well as writers Darryl Grumling (@MercSmokinD), Austin Hertzog (@AustinHertzog), Don Seeley (@DonSeeley1) for the very latest.

Below is ticket information we received from Spring-Ford late Tuesday night:

Advance reserved-seat tickets for the PIAA Class AAAA girls basketball championship game between Spring-Ford and Cumberland Valley will go on sale in the high-school athletic office 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, and again 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Thursday while supplies last. Tickets are priced at $8.00 for adults and $4.00 for students.

Fan-bus information will be released by the school Thursday

COLLEGE SIGNING: Spring-Ford triple-threat Sheldon joining Bucknell football program

Spring-Ford senior R.J. Sheldon recently signed a letter of intent to play football at Bucknell University on a football scholarship. Sheldon is pictured with his parents Rich, left, and Sue, right, and sister Alyssa. (Kevin Hoffman/The Mercury)

By Don Seeley
sports@pottsmerc.com

ROYERSFORD – R.J. Sheldon has been very flexible and quite agreeable throughout his athletic career at Spring-Ford.
Give him a position to play in baseball and football, or an event to compete in swimming, and Sheldon was there … without any opposition, without the least bit of hesitation.
And while Sheldon has enjoyed his share of success in all three sports, as well as in the classroom – where he’s a member of the National Honor Society – he’ll soon be narrowing his grueling year-round schedule to include just one sport and, of course, academics.
Sheldon made that choice recently, albeit a surprising one to many who have played with or followed him the past three-plus years, after signing a national letter of intent to line up in Bucknell University’s football program.

(For complete story, click here ... )

WRESTLING: Unparalleled season doesn’t lessen pain of Wood missing golden dream

Solanco’s Thomas Haines, left, wrestles Boyertown’s Jordan Wood in the 220-pound final at the PIAA Class AAA high school wrestling championships Saturday, March 9, 2013, in Hershey. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

By Don Seeley
sports@pottsmerc.com

If there’s one thing each and every little fella or gal involved in sports has in common it’s dreams … dreams of hitting that game-winning home run, dreams of swishing the game-winning shot; dreams of catching the game-winning pass.
Dreams of being in the headlines.
Dreams of being in the spotlight.
Dreams of being the best there is.
No one knows for sure when Jordan Wood first dreamt of winning a state wrestling title … when he imagined jumping into his coaches’ arms, stepping up onto the top step of the awards podium with a gold medal around his neck, then being mobbed by youngsters begging for his autograph.
Last Saturday night during the PIAA Championships at the Giant Center in Hershey, in front of 8,000-plus fans watching his every move in what is arguably the most challenging state tournament of its kind in the entire nation, the Boyertown freshman nearly got to live his dream.
Few do, of course. Even fewer come as close as Wood did with his second-place finish.

(For complete story, click here ...)

WRESTLING NOTEBOOK: Owen J. Roberts trio makes medal sweep at states

Owen J. Roberts’ Gordon Bolig helped the Wildcats go 3-for-3 in state medalists when he finished eighth at the PIAA Championships over the weekend. Bolig joined teammates Derek Gulotta and Cloby Frank on the medal stand. (Photo by Nate Heckenberger)

By Don Seeley
sports@pottsmerc.com

Owen J. Roberts had a season of seconds and thirds – good seconds and thirds, that is – as in a second straight District 1-Class AAA Team Duals title and a third straight Pioneer Athletic Conference championship.
And if that wasn’t enough, the program came up with yet another first – three state medalists. And that was also another first for the PAC-10 being that no team had ever taken three or more qualifiers to the PIAA Championships and had each and every one of them return home with a medal.
It was indeed an up-and-down three days, or more like a follow-the-leader type three days, for Derek Gulotta (113 pounds), Colby Frank (126) and Gordon Bolig (182). All three won their openers, then dropped their quarterfinals, came back with wins in the second round of consolations, fell in the third round of consolations, and closed with losses in their seventh-place finals.

(For complete story, click here ... )

WRESTLING: Boyertown’s Jordan Wood finishes second at states

Photo by Nate Heckenberger Boyertown’s Jordan Wood battles with Solanco’s Thomas Haines in the 220-pound final on Saturday at the Giant Center in Hershey.

By Don Seeley
dseeley@pottsmerc.com

HERSHEY — Jordan Wood came oh so close to being where Thomas Haines was two years ago.
The Boyertown 220-pounder, arguably the best freshman upperweight in the Pioneer Athletic Conference’s 27-year history and absolutely one of the best upperweights in District 1’s eightysome-year history, lost a 7-2 decision to Haines during Saturday night’s final round of the PIAA-Class AAA Championships ... and that’s the same Thomas Haines who was touted as one of the best freshman upperweights in the Lancaster-Lebanon League and in all of District 3 when he won his first state title in 2011.

(For complete story, click here ... )

WRESTLING: Methacton’s Tracey Green takes 6th in PIAA-AAA championships

Photo by Nate Heckenberger Methacton’s Tracey Green tries to hold down Warwick’s Tom Devenney in a 2-0 loss in the 285-pound fifth-place bout on Saturday night in Hershey.

By Don Seeley
sports@pottsmerc.com

HERSHEY — Tracey Green wasn’t exactly on Pennsylvania wrestling’s radar screen when the season opened last December.
But he is now ... and will be when next season gets under way this December.
The undersized but overachieving Methacton junior proved he was among the state’s premier heavyweights this weekend by finishing sixth at 285 pounds during the PIAA-Class AAA Championships at the Giant Center.
The noticably shorter and lighter Green, surrendering upwards of 5-to-6 inches and 35-to-50 pounds to his opponents all year, won three of his six bouts over the grueling three days here, dropping his last one, 2-0, to Warwick senior Tom Devenney.
Green was the fifth and final Pioneer Athletic Conference medalist on the mats Saturday night, joining Boyertown’s Jordan Wood (second at 220), and Owen J. Roberts’ threesome of Derek Gulotta (eighth at 113), Colby Frank (eighth at 126) and Gordon Bolig (eighth at 182).

(For complete story, click here ... )

WRESTLING: Wood wins his way into semifinals at PIAA Championships; four others make final day

Boyertown's Jordan Wood nears a first-period takedown against Parkland's Shaun Heist in a 6-1 victory in the 220-pound quarterfinals Friday at the PIAA Championships at the Giant Center in Hershey. Wood was the lone PAC-10 wrestler to advance to the semifinals. (Photo by Nate Heckenberger)

By Don Seeley
sports@pottsmerc.com

HERSHEY — Jordan Wood is becoming a perfectionist ... at 14 years of age.
The Boyertown freshman wasn’t at all happy with his debut in Thursday’s opening round of the PIAA-Class AAA Wrestling Championships here at the Giant Center. He won, mind you, but beating a returning state qualifier two years his elder with over 100 career wins wasn’t good enough.
But his 6-1 win over Parkland’s Shaun Heist in Friday afternoon’s quarterfinals was a bit more acceptable for the brawling, baby-faced 220-pounder.
“I didn’t like (Thursday’s win) at all,” Wood said after his otherwise dominating performance with Heist earned him a berth in this morning’s semifinals against Southwest Regional champion Zach DeLuca (40-7) and, regardless of the outcome, clinched a medal.
Owen J. Roberts’ Derek Gulotta (113), Colby Frank (126) and Gordon Bolig (182) all lost in Friday’s quarterfinals, as did Methacton’s Tracey Green (285). But all four regrouped in a hurry and came back with wins during the second round of consolations to clinch medals as well.
Boyertown 126-pounder Eddie Kriczky, who offset an opening round loss with a stunner over a regional champion and medal favorite on opening day, was eliminated one win shy of the medal rounds.

(For complete story, click here ... )

WRESTLING: OJR’s Gulotta leads five locals into quarterfinals at PIAA Championships

Owen J. Roberts' Derek Gulotta celebrates after his first-period pin of Pleasant Valley's Kenny Yanovich at 113 in the first round of the PIAA Championships Thursday at the Giant Center in Hershey. (Photo by Nate Heckenberger)

By Don Seeley
sports@pottsmerc.com

HERSHEY — Derek Gulotta was about uncharacteristically relaxed prior to Thursday afternoon’s opening round of the PIAA-Class AAA Wrestling Championships.
Once he got onto the mat, he was anything but.
Owen J. Roberts’ 113-pound sophomore needed less than a half-minute to take down Pleasant Valley’s Kenny Yanovich and only 96 seconds overall to lock in a cradle and pin him to debut with an impressive win and underline a perfect three-for-three showing by the Wildcats’ state qualifiers.
Gulotta, along with teammates Colby Frank (126) and Gordon Bolig (182), advanced into today’s (1:30 p.m.) quarterfinals, where they’ll be joined by Boyertown’s Jordan Wood (220) and Methacton’s Tracey Green (285) ... all needing one more win to guarantee themselves a spot in the medal rounds.

(For complete story, click here ... )

WRESTLING: PIAA preview capsules

By Don Seeley
sports@pottsmerc.com

(A preview of the weight classes featuring local qualifiers)

113 Pounds
Local Qualifier: Derek Gulotta, Owen J. Roberts (38-6, 74-17 career), who opens against Pleasant Valley junior Kenny Yanovich (34-4) – a returning state qualifier.

The Bracket: Defending state champion Ethan Lizak (40-2, 116-13), also runner-up in 2011, headlines the weight class. In addition to Gulotta (eighth), there are five other returning state medalists — two-timers Tanner Shoap (38-7, 147-25) of Chambersburg; Jake Gromacki (29-2) of Erie Cathedral Prep; and Zach Fuentes (43-4, 178-35) of Norristown; as well as Domenic Forys (39-3, 117-15) of North Allegheny and Scott Parker (32-1, 101-8) of Pennridge.

Others to Watch: Waynesburg Central sophomore A.C. Headlee (39-3, 81-6) and Mifflin County freshman Hayden Hidlay (27-5).

(For complete story, click here ... )

SEELEY ON WRESTLING: Heartbreak, triumph a guarantee at PIAA Championships

File photo by Nate Heckenberger Upper Perkiomen’s Wolfgang McStravick, here controlling Robert Rizzolino of Easton in a 3-2 victory in the 132-pound consolation match last year in Hershey, will make his third trip to states this week.

By Don Seeley
sports@pottsmerc.com

HERSHEY – A history book on Pioneer Athletic Conference wrestling at the PIAA Championships would be a good read, perhaps the quintessential novel with chapters detailing the heartbreak and obvious disappointment of defeat, others explicating the excitement and elation of victory.

Then again, it would be much like the book written about nearly every league in Pennsylvania.

And, unfortunately, very much like the story or stories surely to be written about the PAC-10’s nine qualifiers competing on this week’s stage here at the Giant Center.

The current cast of characters in the PAC-10’s 27th annual series features Boyertown’s Eddie Kriczky and Jordan Wood; Methacton’s Tracey Green; Owen J. Roberts’ Derek Gulotta, Colby Frank and Gordon Bolig; Perkiomen Valley’s Nick Giangiulio; Spring-Ford’s Tyler McGuigan; and Upper Perkiomen’s Wolfgang McStravick.

(For complete story, click here ... )

SEELEY ON WRESTLING: OJR’s Bolig not one to shy away from a challenge

Owen J. Roberts' Gordon Bolig

By Don Seeley
sports@pottsmerc.com

POTTSTOWN — No one was surprised to see Norristown’s Brett Harner and Owen J. Roberts’ Gordon Bolig advance through their 182-pound bracket and meet in Saturday night’s final of the AAA Southeast Regional.

No one was happier, either, than Bolig.

“It was good to wrestle him,” said Bolig, never one to turn down an opportunity to wrestle a good opponent.

Well, Harner is about as good as it gets. Pound for pound, he’s arguably the best in District 1. He has 187 career wins, a total that could easily be higher if not for Norristown’s demanding schedule. He’s a three-time district champion, three-time regional champion, and three-time state medalist. He’s also nationally ranked.

“I wanted to see what he was like,” Bolig said. “I wanted to see what makes him so good. I sure found out.” 

( To read the complete story, click here )

AAA REGIONAL WRESTLING: Frank, Giangiulio, Wood, Green grab golds as PAC-10 advances 9

Boyertown's Jordan Wood points to his supporters in celebration after topping Coatesville's Mike Boykin 4-3 in the 220-pound championship final Saturday at the AAA Southeast Regional at Pottstown High School.
(Photo by Nate Heckenberger)

VIDEO:  PAC-10 competitors in the finals and consolation finals at the Southeast Regional

By Don Seeley
sports@pottsmerc.com

POTTSTOWN — Colby Frank, Nick Giangiulio, Jordan Wood and Tracey Green sure measured up to their own expectations … and, not surprising, beyond what a whole lot of others had of them.
That, and that alone, helped make Saturday night’s final rounds of the Class AAA Southeast Regional one of the most dynamic, most competitive and, of course, most thrilling since the inaugural event back in 1951.
Frank, a junior from Owen J. Roberts, wasn’t often mentioned among the leaders of the pack at 126 pounds this year. Giangiulio, a junior from Perkiomen Valley, saw his stock nearly bottom out after finishing third at 152 pounds at districts last week. Wood, the 220-pound freshman phenom from Boyertown everyone had heard of and heralded all year, was well aware of how the critics suddenly split ranks on him this weekend. And Green, a junior from Methacton who gives up nearly 50 pounds and close to a foot if not more to his 285-pound rivals, certainly got an earful of not being able to match up the big boys because of his stature.
Funny thing is, when all was said and done, all were golden … regional champions.

(For complete story, click here ... )

WRESTLING: Giangiulio leads 12 locals into semifinals at Southeast Regional

Perkiomen Valley's Nick Giangiulio, right, squares off against Wissahickon's Dan Schueren in the 152-pound preliminary bout Friday during the PIAA Southeast Regional at Pottstown High School. Giangiulio won 3-1 in tiebreaker before going on to win in an upset in the quarterfinals over North Penn's Jeff Reimel. (Photo by Nate Heckenberger)

By Don Seeley
sports@pottsmerc.com

POTTSTOWN — When Nick Giangiulio strolled onto the mat Friday night, he was well aware it was the beginning of the penultimate weekend of high school wrestling season, a time when more often than not the difference between winning and losing is nothing more than sheer will.

And Giangiulio’s resolve was never more evident than during his two bouts in the preliminaries and quarterfinals of the Class AAA Southeast Regional at Pottstown High School.

The Perkiomen Valley junior wasn’t quite up to snuff in last weekend’s District 1 West Tournament, settling for third place after a semifinal setback to Boyertown upstart Gregg Harvey. But he showed that disappointment was behind him Friday evening, coming from behind twice to outlast Wissahickon’s Daniel Schueren in a 3-1 ultimate tie-breaker marathon, and North Penn’s Jeffrey Reimel in a 6-4 sudden-death thriller — becoming the lone preliminary round winner to defeat a No. 1 seed.

Giangiulio’s wins were two of the not-so-many highlights provided by the Pioneer Athletic Conference’s 25 qualifiers. The PAC-10 was a perfect six-for-six in the preliminaries. But even though that entire group of 25 was still intact going into the quarterfinals, only 12 won in the quarterfinals to advance into today’s (10 a.m.) semifinal showdowns which, when completed, will determine two-thirds of the Southeast Regional’s 42 entries into next week’s season-ending state spectacle out in Hershey. 

( To read the complete story, click here )

WRESTLING: Boyertown freshman Wood living up to the hype

Boyertown freshman Jordan Wood entered the season to a great deal of expectation, expectation that he’s lived up to en route to a 40-1 record and titles at the PAC-10 Championships and District 1-AAA West Tournament. (John Strickler/The Mercury)

By Don Seeley
sports@pottsmerc.com

There didn’t seem to be a wrestling soul anywhere in the area, or around the state for that matter, who hadn’t heard of Jordan Wood before he strolled into Boyertown’s practice room for the first time last November.
In other words, the 14-year-old freshman’s reputation preceded him… as did some rather lofty expectations, the result of his success in youth and junior high school wrestling.
Wood hasn’t disappointed anyone since, either.
Going into tonight’s opening round of the Class AAA Southeast Regional at Pottstown High School, the 220-pound phenom has proven time and time again there’s no noticeable chink in his wrestling armor. He has won 26 in a row since his only loss to Wyoming Seminary’s highly regarded Garrett Ryan during the Hurricane Classic at Bethlehem Liberty four days after Christmas. And that was no upset, mind you, not when considering InterMat’s No. 11 ranked Ryan was a state prep champion two weeks ago and the national prep runner-up to the almighty Kyle Snyder of Good Counsel (Md.) last weekend.

(For complete story, click here ... )

WRESTLING: Boundless history in 62 years of regionals

Owen J. Roberts head coach Steve DeRafelo, center, was a participant in the PIAA Southeast Regional 25 years ago as a student at Great Valley. DeRafelo finished third at 138 pounds to qualify for states. (Photo by Tom Kelly III)

By Don Seeley
sports@pottsmerc.com

POTTSTOWN — Tonight’s opening round of the Class AAA Southeast Regional marks the 62nd anniversary of the very first regional, which featured qualifiers from both District 1 and District 3.
The inaugural event, held in 1951, featured 11 weight classes. District 1 qualifiers accounted for 11 of the finalists and 11 of the consolation finalists.
Cheltenham’s John McHugh gave District 1 the first of its six champions by winning at 95 pounds. McHugh would later become the district’s first three-time regional champion after winning at 103 pounds the ensuing two years.

(For complete story, click here ... )

WRESTLING NOTEBOOK: OJR’s Moser: Black and blue and gold

Owen J. Roberts’ Adam Moser won the 145-pound title at the
District 1-AAA West Tournament over the weekend. (Photo by Tom Kelly III)

By Don Seeley
dseeley@pottsmerc.com

ROYERSFORD — Adam Moser looked as if he had just survived a backyard brawl, not a wrestling match.

The Owen J. Roberts senior’s nose, which had just stopped bleeding, was black-and-blue, his eyes were watering … all the result of a very physical encounter with Garnet Valley’s John Dambro. But Moser, with a gold medal draped around his neck for winning the 145-pound final with Dambro during last weekend’s District 1-Class AAA Tournament, said all was well.

Actually real well considering what he endured earlier this winter.

Moser suffered a throat injury that got to be a bit too much for him during the Beast of the East Classic in Delaware. That is if not being able to eat or drink anything without pain qualifies as a bit too much. And when it worsened right before the Buckskin Classic out in Lancaster during the holidays, he found himself in the hospital for six hours, undergoing a series of tests that included a scope of his esophagus.

“(The doctors) tried a lot of different drugs, then one seemed to work and I felt better,” Moser explained. “I was on liquid meals, and taking a pill before and after I ate.

“When I got back to wrestling I had a hard time breathing at first. I also lost 10 pounds, which is one of the big reasons why I’m down at 145 now.” 

( To read the complete story, click here) 

SEELEY ON WRESTLING: Peaking PAC-10 showing strength in numbers

Owen J. Roberts’ Colby Frank, top, and Boyertown’s Eddie Kriczky worked their way through a daunting 126-pound bracket over the weekend at the District 1-AAA West Tournament. Frank won the gold medal and was named tournament Outstanding Wrestler while Kriczky pulled out the bronze in a 1-0 thriller against Spring-Ford’s Sean Hennessey to earn a spot at this weekend’s Southeast Regional at Pottstown. (File photo by Tom Kelly III)

By Don Seeley

dseeley@pottsmerc.com

 

All things are indeed relative, even in wrestling believe it or not.

In the past, there have been some great sectionals (well before this year’s switch to league championships). In the past, there have been some great districts (well before this year’s switch to a three-district alignment). And in the past, there have been some great Class AA districts (most notably when Octorara, Oxford, Phoenixville and Pottstown — just to name four — were much smaller and part of the bracket).

Yes, the weight classes have changed quite a few times, even the postseason schedule has been altered along the way.

And there have been good Pioneer Athletic Conference teams, actually great teams — most notably Pottstown, Spring-Ford and former member Great Valley early on, and Upper Perkiomen, Boyertown and Owen J. Roberts of late – that have stepped up and above the rest in their respective February fights, too.

But in the past two weeks, the PAC-10 — collectively, that is — just may have been the best it’s ever been. 

( To read the complete story, click here )