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Four WVC girls teams step into PIAA basketball tournament

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PIAA wrestling preview: Lake-Lehman’s Josh Bonomo seeking to carve out his own legacy

Here&rsquo;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 2A
				Jaden Pepe, Wyoming Area (106)
				Grade: Freshman
				Record: 45-2
				Bio: The district champion is the first freshman in school history to reach the state tournament and is the first ninth grader from the Wyoming Valley Conference to reach the event since Jimmy Hoffman in 2014.
				Sizing up the bracket: While Pepe was ranked No. 1 in the state for most of the season, he is now down to seventh after taking third at regionals. There are no returning state qualifiers in this weight, but there are plenty of state-ranked opponents. Montoursville&rsquo;s Brandon Wentzel, who is the new No. 1 after winning regionals last weekend, is on the opposite end of the bracket. Seated atop the bracket is Chestnut Ridge&rsquo;s Calan Bollman (37-3), who is ranked No. 2 in the state. Pepe could see him in the semifinals.
				School notes: Pepe is the first state qualifier for the Warriors since Charlie Johnson placed fifth in 2015.
				Dave Evans, Tunkhannock (126)
				Grade: Senior
				Record: 42-1
				Bio: Now a three-time state qualifier, Evans reached states last year in Class 2A and in 3A the year before. He&rsquo;s coming off his third district title and second regional championship. With 134 career wins, Evans&rsquo; only loss this year is to defending state champion Brock McMillen of Glendale, who is in the 132-pound bracket.
				Sizing up the bracket: Notre Dame Green Pond sophomore Ryan Crookham, who is currently ranked No. 1 in the state and is a returning champion, sits atop the bracket. On the opposite side is Forest Hills sophomore Jackson Arrington, who is also a returning state champion. Also on the other half of the bracket is Biglerville&rsquo;s Levi Haines, who was second in the state a year ago.
				School notes: Evans is the first three-time state qualifier in school history. He and his teammate Gavin D&rsquo;Amato are trying to be the first state medalist for the school since Chris Thatcher in 1988 and 1989.
				Zach Stuart, Lake-Lehman (138)
				Grade: Junior
				Record: 27-9
				Bio: A two-time District 2 champion, Stuart placed second at regionals last weekend and enters states with 82 career wins.
				Sizing up the bracket: To start, Stuart will face Ayden Miller (37-7), who is from Cambridge Springs and is the third seed from the Northwest Region. There are a pair of state runner-ups in the bracket in Bedford&rsquo;s Kaden Cassidy (34-0), who is the top seed, and Saegertown&rsquo;s Kenneth Kiser (40-3), the second seed.
				School notes: The Black Knights have produced at least one state qualifier each of the last four years. Their last medalist was Derek Dragon, who placed eighth in 2015.
				Josh Bonomo, Lake-Lehman (145)
				Grade: Junior
				Record: 27-15
				Bio: A district runner-up and fourth-place finisher at regionals last week, Bonomo improved by one place in each of those events from last year. He enters with 52 career wins.
				Sizing up his side of the bracket: His first match is in the pigtails against Octorara sophomore Michael Trainor. With a win in that bout, Bonomo would face Bald Eagle Area&rsquo;s Gage McLenahan (35-2), who was state runner-up in 2018 and is currently ranked first in the state.
				School notes: Bonomo&rsquo;s father, Rocky won a state title for the Black Knights in 1981 along with his brother Ricky and Mike Leskowsky as the Black Knights won the team championship that year.
				Gavin D&rsquo;Amato, Tunkhannock (145)
				Grade: Senior
				Record: 44-3
				Bio: Now a three-time district champion and a two-time state qualifier after taking second at regionals, D&rsquo;Amato enters with 134 career victories.
				Sizing up his side of the bracket: D&rsquo;Amato will first face Tristan Pugh (41-3), who is from Berlin Brothersvalley and placed sixth last year. The No. 2 seed in the bracket is Saucon Valley senior Thomas Spirk, who was eighth a year ago. The fourth seed is Ethan Wiant (37-0) from Redbank Valley.
				School notes: D&rsquo;Amato and his teammate Dave Evans are trying to become the first medalist for the Tigers since Chris Thatcher in 1988 and 1989. This is the fifth straight season the Tigers have produced a state qualifier.
				CLASS 3A
				Cadden Kucek, Wyoming Valley West (120)
				Grade: Senior
				Record: 35-8
				Bio: After taking second at districts, Kucek followed with a fourth-place showing at regionals to qualify for states for the first time. He enters with 88 career wins.
				Sizing up the bracket: Kucek has a pigtail bout against Dylan Coy (32-8) from North Allegheny. The winner of the bout will see four-time state qualifier and two-time medalist Will Betancourt (34-2) from Manheim Central. Sitting atop the bracket is Dylan Chappell, who is from Seneca Valley and was state runner-up last year.
				School notes: This is the third straight year Valley West has a state qualifier. Kucek is on a mission to be the first state medalist for the Spartans since Cody Cordes placed second in 2015.
				Charles Everdale, Hazleton Area (152)
				Grade: Senior
				Record: 44-5
				Bio: Everdale placed third at regionals last week and is a two-time District 2 champion entering the event with 149 career wins as he looks to join rare company and be just the 10th member of the 150-win club in District 2.
				Sizing up the bracket: Everdale will meet Council Rock South senior Joel Martsinovsky in the pigtail round. The winner moves on to see Gettysburg&rsquo;s Luke Sainato (35-11), who was a state qualifier last year. Sitting atop the bracket is defending state champ Ed Scott from DuBois. The No. 2 seed is Council Rock North&rsquo;s Cameron Robinson (40-2), who was second last year.
				School notes: The four state qualifier for the Cougars is the most ever for the program in one year. It&rsquo;s the first time a 3A school from the WVC did that since Meyers in 1978.
				Bryce Molinaro, Hazleton Area (160)
				Grade: Sophomore
				Record: 43-7
				Bio: Molinaro won his first district title two weeks ago and followed up with a second-place finish at the Northeast Regional. He enters with 77 career victories.
				Sizing up the bracket: Molinaro, ranked 10th in the state, has a tough draw right off the bat facing three-time state qualifier Coy Bastian from Selinsgrove, who is ranked No. 9. A win in that round likely sets up a bout in the quarterfinals against top-seeded Clayton Ulrey from Lower Dauphin. Ulrey is ranked No. 1 in the state and was state runner-up a year ago.
				School notes: The Cougars have had at least one state qualifier each of the last seven years, which ties Dallas for the longest current stretch in the WVC.
				Jake Marnell, Hazleton Area (182) 
				Grade: Senior
				Record: 42-5
				Bio: Marnell is a two-time District 2 titlist and qualified for states for the first time after taking fourth at regionals to get to 131 career wins.
				Sizing up the bracket: Marnell is in the pigtail round to start things off against Dylan Forbes from New Oxford. The winner has his work cut out as he will meet defending state champion Gerrit Nijenhuis from Canon McMillan. At the bottom portion of the bracket is two-time state medalist Maximus Hale from Downingtown West.
				School notes: The school&rsquo;s last medalist was Jimmy Hoffman, who placed second two years in a row in 2016 and 2017.
				Seth Hunsinger, Hazleton Area (195) 
				Grade: Junior
				Record: 39-7
				Bio: Hunsinger reached states for the first time by taking third at regionals last weekend and finishing second at the District 2 Tournament. He begins the tourney with 91 career wins.
				Sizing up the bracket: Hunsinger, ranked No. 12 in the state, will meet Central Bucks West sophomore Carl DiGiorgio (34-5) in the pigtails. The winner moves on to meet Sun Valley junior Ryan Catka (36-2), who is ranked No. 7 in the state. The top seed in the bracket is returning state runner-up Luke Stout from Mount Lebanon.
				School notes: The program&rsquo;s only state champion was Nate Eachus, who won gold in 2007. That is also the last year anyone from the WVC won a gold medal. Lake-Lehman&rsquo;s Scott Davis also won a state title that year.
				Taylor Bolesta, Dallas (285) 
				Grade: Senior
				Record: 26-2
				Bio: Bolesta is coming off his first D2 title and was regional runner-up to advance to the state tournament for the first time. With 68 career wins, he is also an all-state football player for the Mountaineers and will play at Division I Long Island University.
				Sizing up the bracket: Bolesta is ranked No. 13 is the state and starts out with Adam Kase (35-5) from Conrad Weiser in the second round. A win there would likely mean a match against Hempfield Area junior Isaiah Vance (38-1), who is No. 2 in the state and was fourth last year.
				School notes: The Mountaineers have advanced at least one wrestler to states in each of the last seven years, and eight of the last nine. The team&rsquo;s most recent medalist was 2015 when Ryan Monk placed third. Coincidentally, Monk and Bolesta have been working out together at times this season.

PIAA wrestling preview: A look at all 11 WVC entrants in Hershey