This past weekend saw D-East wrestling pack the vans and head West to the historical Gettysburg area to conduct a battle scene of their own. New Oxford HS hosts a 32-team tournament that draws competition from all over the state. Lines were drawn and cannons fired! The Cougars finished the two-day event with 183 team points and a 2nd place finish, just nine points shy of champions Tunkhannock. They boasted 7 place-finishers, highlighted by champions Wade Cummings (132) and Nik Zimmerman (138). Lukas Richie (106) finished 2nd, while James Strommer (113) and Alec Horne (170) finished 3rd. East’s final medalists were Connor Birzes (126) who placed 4th, and Brent Czajkowski (182) who battled back for 5th. Wade Cummings was voted “Most Outstanding Wrestler” of the tournament. The East JV squad also had a great tournament finishing 2nd behind champions Milton-Hershey, who had double the amount of competitors there. Josh Wileczek (195) and Jarrett Hansen (120) took home top honors and Stuart Regitz (138) finished 2nd. The Cougars will refresh and gear up for another big week with league action and crosstown rivals D-West on Wednesday night and District Dual action on Friday night. Come out and support the Cougars as the season speeds towards an exciting post-season!
Tag: varsity
DE passes the first round of District 1 Duals with flying color
The Cougar wrestlers put on a strong performance Thursday night at the first round of District 1’s 16-team play-off. Facing the Panthers of Quakertown, East won 10 of 14 bouts and wrapped up the dual with a 44-20 scoreline. Wade Cummings (132), Nik Zimmerman (138), and Alec Horne (170) registered pins for the Cougars while Brett Horne (120) won by technical fall. Lukas Richie (106), James Strommer (113), and Connor Birzes (126) added to the total with dominant major decisions. With the victory, East advances to the next rounds of D1 action next weekend at Upper Dublin HS. The stakes get higher and the competition gets hotter! Good luck Cougars!
East braves the snow and comes back from West Grove with a decisive victory!
The remnants of winter storm Jonas could not slow down the Cougar wrestlers as they travelled down Route 1 South to Avon Grove HS Wednesday night and proceeded with league action. East cemented a 61-12 victory while visiting the Devils, winning 12 out of 14 bouts. Lukas Richie (106), James Strommer (113), Brett Horne (120), Connor Birzes (126), Wade Cummings (132), Nik Zimmerman (138), Jude McDowell (160), and Alec Horne (170) all recorded falls for the Cougars. Jack Clay collected his first league decision at 152, and Owen Morris battled to an epic tie-breaker win at 195. The JV Cougars also put on a show, finishing the contest with all wins. Jarrett Hansen, Praneeth Ramesh, Jett Lucas-Murphy, Stuart Regitz, Jack Lawton, Wayne Salt, Jack Hayward, Luke Moran, and Josh Wileczek all collected victories in a total team effort. Congrats on another league win and good luck with the first round of District 1 Duals!
The Cougars battle at the Tom Hecker Duals and face familiar foe in the finals!
Saturday 1/16 saw the East-side wrestlers compete at the Tom Hecker Duals at Garden Spot high school. The competition level was high and the stands were packed. The Cougars clawed their way to the top of their pool defeating Lasalle 49-20, Upper Perkiomen 51-15, Souderton 61-16, and Emmaus 56-15. In the championship final, East crossed over to old foe and perennial power Central Dauphin where they were dealt their first loss of the season, 48-15. Wade Cummings (132), Alec Horne (170), and Lukas Richie (106) went undefeated on the day while Nik Zimmerman (138), BrettHorne (120), Connor Birzes (126), Brent Czajkowski (182), and Owen Morris (195) all took one loss. Wade Cummings also established himself as “King of the Chesmont” by becoming the league’s all-time wins leader with 156 wins. He will be adding to that total going forward. Congrats to the Cougars for a great performance at the duals; the fans wish them the best as they return to league play this week and continue to set the pace.
D-East comes out on top vs. Coatesville!
Wednesday night (1/13) saw league action roll back into play for East wrestling. They faced the black and red of Coatesville at home and defeated the Red Raiders 49-18. Although Coatesville got out to 3-match lead, East stormed back with falls by Brendan McGinley (285), Lukas Richie (106), Connor Birzes (126), Wade Cummings (132), and Nik Zimmerman (138). Senior James Strommer (113) returned to action with a technical fall, and Brett Horne (120) earned a major decision to increase the total. Decisions by Josh Wileczek (195) and Owen Morris (220) sealed the victory. On the JV front, Jett Lucas-Murphy (132), Stu Regitz (138), and Jack Hayward (152) all claimed wins to extend their league winning streaks. Next up for the Cougars is the ever-tough Tom Hecker duals at Garden Spot HS. Good luck to the squad for the weekend and keep up the strong effort!
The Cougars repeat at the Rage!
This past weekend saw the D-East wrestlers travel down 202 South and step on the line at Garnet Valley’s “Rage in the Cage” annual dual meet tournament. The Cougars defeated Interboro 54-21, Garnet Valley 42-29, and District III power Spring Grove 32-29 in the championship round to claim the top prize for the 2nd year in a row! Wade Cummings (132), Nik Zimmerman (138), and Owen Morris (195) all went a perfect 3-0 on the day. Congrats also goes out to Josh Wileczek (195/220) who was called out of his JV redshirt and captured a pin in the final against Spring grove. It was a job “well done” by the entire team who used a variety of wrestlers and shuffling maneuvers to collect the 1st place trophy. Good luck to the team this week as league action continues mid-week and the Tom Hecker dual meet tournament awaits next weekend at Garden Spot HS.
Downingtown East collects 4th straight title at the Ralph Wetzel Classic
The Winter break saw the Downingtown East wrestlers pack the bus and head to Bucks County to defend their title at Hatboro-Horsham’s “Ralph Wetzel Classic.” The 28 team tourney draws competitors from District 1 as well as Delaware, Connecticut, and Philadelphia. The Cougars finished with 221 team points and the top honor, claiming the championship for the 4th straight year. They out-distanced runners-up Unionville by over 60 points. Wade Cummings (132), Nik Zimmerman (138), and Alec Horne (170) all claimed gold medals and undefeated marks. James Strommer (113) and Brent Czajkowski (182) finished with silver, while Lukas Richie (106) won the bronze. Other place-winners were Brendan McGinley (285) who finished 5th, Brett Horne (120) and Owen Morris (195) who finished 6th, and Connor Birzes (126) and Carter Regitz (220) who finished 7th. Collectively, the team hit the event in stride and picked up bonus points at every corner helping them secure the team title. In the JV portion of the classic, Jett Lucas-Murphy (126), Stu Regitz (132), and Josh Wileczek (195) all won championships, while first-year wrestler Jack Hayward (152) lost in ride-out to take 2nd. The JV grapplers wrestled 4 or more times each and showed their grit as they aligned their championship intentions with the Varsity. Congratulations go out to the entire team as they put forth another monumental effort! Happy New Year to all and best of luck to the DE wrestlers in 2016!
The Cougars Scratch and Claw on the Mountain!
Once again in December, Central Mountain HS in Lock Haven hosted one of the state’s toughest tournaments, “The King of the Mountain.” Once again, the Cougar grapplers threw their names in the mix and faced some of the greatest challenges in PA wrestling. Downingtown East finished in 25th place out of 32 teams and placed one wrestler, Wade Cummings who took 2nd at 132lbs. The competition was stiff and East took several lumps as the two-day event lit up the Central Mountain gym. Lukas Richie (106) went 3-2 with 3 technical falls, but fell one match short of placing. Also going 3-2 were James Strommer (113), Alec Horne (170), and Brendan McGinley(285). Wade Cummings fell in the final to District 1 nemesis Zach Trampe of CR South, 6-2. The crowd saw an exciting final, and we’re sure they can’t wait to see the re-match whenever it goes down. Above all, the Cougars learned what is necessary to compete at the highest level in this state. It takes unwavering commitment and a winning attitude no matter who is standing in the opposite corner. East will now lick their wounds and get back to work as they await the Ralph Wetzel Classic at the end of the month. Merry Christmas and happy Winter Break!
Downingtown East Wrestling 