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Their view: Despite the Age of Trump, candidates’ pitches sound … normal

2019 State QualifiersHere&#8217;s a closer look at the 11 Wyoming Valley Conference state qualifiers, who will be participating in the PIAA Championships this weekend at Giant Center in Hershey:CLASS 2ADavid Evans, Tunkhannock (120)Grade: Junior; Record: 21-1Bio: Now a two-time state qualifier, Evans reached states last year in Class 3A. He got to this stage last weekend by winning his first regional title after being runner-up a year ago. Last year, he was one point away from grabbing a medal, but lost by one point in the state quarters. He&#8217;s just the third two-time state qualifier in school history and the first since Jeremy Stephens in 1991-92. Evans enters with 91 career wins.Sizing up the bracket: The big dog in Evans&#8217; bracket is Notre Dame Green Pond freshman Ryan Crookham, who is currently ranked No. 2 in the country by Intermat and FloWrestling. The only time Evans would see him in the championship rounds would be in the finals as they&#8217;re on opposite ends of the bracket. Beau Bayless, a 2017 state champion from Reynolds is in the same side of the bracket as Evans and they could meet in the semis.Joey Rowley, Hanover Area (120)Grade: Junior; Record: 35-11Bio: Rowley advanced to the state tournament for the first time by placing fourth at the Northeast Regional Tournament, after taking third at districts. His first two years at districts, he placed second. He starts the event with 85 career wins.Sizing up the bracket: The Hawkey has a pigtail bout against Penns Valley senior Baylor Shunk. If Rowley gets past that bout, he&#8217;ll see 2017 state champion Beau Bayless from Reynolds in the first round.Bob Long, Lake-Lehman (132)Grade: Senior; Record: 30-8Bio: Long is back to the state tournament for the first time since qualifying as a sophomore. He was district runner-up and fourth at regionals, losing both times to District 2 rival Joe Hester from Montrose. He has a district title on his resume winning one as a freshman. Long begins states with 116 career victories.Sizing up the bracket: Josh Jones from Saucon Valley is ranked first in the state by PA Power Wrestling and No. 18 in the country by FloWrestling. Jones was state runner-up last year as a junior and enters as a two-time state medalist. A win for Long in the pigtail round against Newport&#8217;s Dorian Gonzalez sets up a bout with Cambridge Springs senior Tye Varndell, who is unbeaten at 39-0 and is ranked second in the state.Gavin D&#8217;Amato, Tunkhannock (145)Grade: Junior; Record: 30-9Bio: He placed third at regionals after winning his second district title two weeks ago. In the district title bout, and the third-place match at regionals, D&#8217;Amato defeated Lake-Lehman&#8217;s Hunter Burke both times. D&#8217;Amato, who has 89 career wins, is in the state tournament for the first time and is part of Tunkhannock history as he and David Evans became the first teammates in school history to reach the state tournament in the same year.Sizing up the bracket: Gabe Miller from Pequea Valley sits at the bottom of the bracket and could see D&#8217;Amato in the semis. He&#8217;s currently ranked second in the state with a mark of 40-0.Hunter Burke, Lake-Lehman (145)Grade: Sophomore; Record: 22-9Bio: He placed fourth at regionals a week after taking second at districts for the second year in a row to advance to the PIAA Championships for the first time. He improved on last year&#8217;s showing at the regional tournament by one spot, but it was still good enough to move on. In two seasons with the Black Knights, he has compiled 56 career wins.Sizing up the bracket: Burke is in a preliminary round bout against Fairfield senior Page Karsteter, who is 28-8. A win by Burke in that match would set up a bout against junior Caleb Dowling from St. Joseph&#8217;s Academy, who is ranked No. 1 in the state with a record of 39-5 and took second last season.D.J. Erickson, Hanover Area (152)Grade: Senior; Record: 38-4Bio: The all-time career wins holder in school history with 121 and counting, is a three-time state qualifier and also holds the school record for wins in a season. He&#8217;s coming off his first regional championship and second district title. He&#8217;s currently ranked third in the state.Sizing up the bracket: A senior from Pope John Paul II, Ryan Vulakh is ranked No. 1 in the state with a mark of 31-0 and is seeded on the opposite side of the bracket as Erickson. Vulakh is also ranked No. 3 in the country by Intermat and FloWrestling. If Erickson is going to meet Vulakh, it&#8217;s likely that he&#8217;ll have to go through Freedon Area sophomore Trent Schultheis, who is 33-4 and ranked just ahead of Erickson in the state rankings.T.J. Meehan, Lake-Lehman (220)Grade: Senior; Record: 21-12Bio: Meehan is coming off winning his first district title before placing fourth at last weekend&#8217;s Northeast Regional Tournament. He&#8217;s at the state tournament for the first time, but had a good showing at the team championships for the Black Knights winning both of his matches. In three varsity seasons for Lake-Lehman, Meehan has compiled 65 victories.Sizing up the bracket: The senior has a pigtail bout against Pequea Valley senior Joey Coblentz (36-10). A win there for Meehan would mean a matchup against Dominic DeLuca (36-1), a senior from Derry Area who was second in the state last year after taking third in 2017 and is ranked No. 13 in the country by Intermat.CLASS 3ADavid Krokowski, Wyoming Valley West (126)Grade: Senior; Record: 39-3Bio: Making his second straight state tournament, Krokowski is the third-place medalistfrom the Northeast Regional. He is a four-time District 2 champion and enters with 142 career victories, just three shy of tying the school record set by Cody Cordes in 2015.Sizing up the bracket: Right off the bat Krokowski hooks up with Kiski Area senior Darren Miller, who is currently ranked third in the state; Krokowski is No. 7. J.J. Wilson from Cedar Cliff is No. 1 in the state and is a returning fourth-place medalist. Also in the bracket is returning state runner-up, Colton Camacho from Franklin Regional.Steven Newell, Dallas (182)Grade: Senior; Record: 38-2Bio: A three-time District 2 champ, Newell is returning to states for the second straight season after taking second at regionals. His 152 career wins are most in school history.Sizing up the bracket: He meets Downingtown West junior Chase Mielnik (33-7) in the first round. Mielnik was runner-up in the Southeast Region. The winner of that match likely will meet Mount Lebanon junior Luke Stout (39-1) in the quarterfinals. Stout was a fourth-place medalist last year and is currently ranked No. 2 in the state. Sitting atop the bracket is Carter Starocci (39-0) from Cathedral Prep. Starocci is a returning state champion after being runner-up in 2018. Starocci is ranked No. 2 in the country by Intermat and FloWrestling, while Stout is No. 13 by Intermat and ninth by Flo.Shane Noonan, Hazleton Area (220)Grade: Senior; Record: 41-0Bio: Noonan is a three-time district champion and two-time state qualifier. He picked up his first regional title last weekend and is one of just two unbeatens in his bracket. His next win will be No. 150 in his career.Sizing up the bracket: Sitting at the top of the bracket is Hunter Catka from Sun Valley, who is a returning state champion and is ranked No. 1 in the state, No. 4 in the country by Intermat and No. 3 in the country by FloWrestling. Noonan is ranked No. 2 in the state, and the only way the two will meet in the winner&#8217;s bracket is in the state final. Catka missed most of the season with an injury, but returned in time for the postseason. Nate Schon from Selinsgrove is No. 3 in the state with a mark of 36-1. He and Noonan could square off in the semis.Shawn Henniger, Dallas (285)Grade: Senior; Record: 33-9Bio: A district champion last year as a junior, Henniger was second this season, but then rebounded to finish second at regionals to advance to states for the first time in his career. He enters with 89 career wins and his 33 this season are the most he&#8217;s ever had in one year.Sizing up the bracket: Likely waiting for Henniger in the quarterfinals, should they both get there, is Michael Wolfgram from Central York, who is 32-0 and took fourth at this tournament last year. He&#8217;s also ranked No. 2 in the state, and No. 7 in the country by both Intermat and FloWrestling. At the top of the bracket is Kawaun DeBoe from Cathedral Prep who is No. 1 in the state and No. 8 nationally by Intermat and 11th by Flo; he was state runner-up last season and is 36-0.<style>
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<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta>By Dave RosengrantsFor Times Leader</bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta>Reach Times Leader sports at 570-829-7143 or on Twitter @TLsports</shirttailMeta></div>

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