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District 2 Swimming: Dallas boys win 3rd straight Class 2A title in impressive fashion

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WA Kiwanis tops ‘Invest in Vests’ fundraising goal

All season long, Wyoming Area&rsquo;s Jaden Pepe has been one of the top freshmen wrestlers in the state in Class 2A. On Saturday at the Class 2A Northeast Regional Tournament, Pepe proved that he belongs with the top in the state and made some history along the way.
				Pepe won two times on Saturday at Williamsport High School to take third and advance to the PIAA Championships, while making a little history along the way. When the 106-pounder won his consolation semifinal bout by fall over Aidan Kritzer from Line Mountain, he became the first freshman in school history to advance to states. He also became the first freshman from the Wyoming Valley Conference to accomplish the feat since Hazleton Area&rsquo;s Jimmy Hoffman did so in 2014.
				Pepe is one of five WVC wrestlers in Class 2A to advance to the state tournament, which is held Thursday through Saturday at Hershey&rsquo;s Giant Center. He&rsquo;s joined by Tunkhannock&rsquo;s Dave Evans and Gavin D&rsquo;Amato, and Lake-Lehman&rsquo;s Zach Stuart and Josh Bonomo.
				After Pepe lost his semifinal bout, Evans was the first to qualify for states when he won his 126-pound semi by fall in 42 seconds over Gabe Gramly from Mifflinburg to advance to the regional final for the second straight year. Against Jacob Blair from Muncy in the final, Evans won 7-4 to pick up his second straight regional title and become the first two-time regional champion in school history.
				Shortly after Evans qualified for states on Saturday morning, Stuart advanced by picking up a 8-6 win over Clayton Reed from Mifflinburg in the semis. The 138-pound junior then lost to Patrick Edmondson from Southern Columbia and settled for second.
				D&rsquo;Amato,a 145-pound senior, punched his ticket to Hershey just a few minutes after Stuart when he reached the regional final for the first time. D&rsquo;Amato took down Avery Bassett from Midd-West 3-2 to join Evans as a returnee to the state tournament. D&rsquo;Amato finished the tournament in second after losing to unbeaten Nathan Higley from Sullivan County by decision.
				Bonomo, the son of former state champ from Lake-Lehman Rocky Bonomo, who is also assistant coach for the Black Knights, joined his teammate Stuart when he knocked off Bryce Carl from Line Mountain in the state-qualifying bout. Later in the day, he placed fourth after being pinned by Bassett in the third-place bout.
				Joey Rowley, Hanover Area&rsquo;s state qualifier from last year, fell short of heading back to the PIAA Championships. The 120-pound senior lost both of his matches in the tournament. His brilliant career ends with 113 career wins.
				From elsewhere in District 2, Lackawanna Trail&rsquo;s Deegan Ross (fourth-place, 113-pounds), Scranton Prep&rsquo;s Antonio D&rsquo;Apollonio (fourth, 132) and Western Wayne&rsquo;s Matt Leslie (second, 152) also advanced to the state tournament.

2A wrestling: Five advance to states as Pepe excels, Evans wins regional