Hester notches 100th career win

Montrose Area wrestler Joe Hester captured his 100th career win on his way to taking the title at the Tunkhannock Holiday Classic at 132 lbs.

Hester made quick work of Cranston’s Dean Smith earning a technical fall in 5:36 to win the title.

On his way to the championship, Hester earned the 100th win of his high school career by pinning Pocono Mountain West’s Charlie Palominio in 12 seconds.

“A big milestone for me that we’ve been working toward for a long time,” Hester said, noting how the different coaches he’s had throughout his career have helped to achieve the goal.

In the second round, Hester earned a 9-1 major decision over Mahonoy Area’s Cesar Rivera and then pinned Troy’s Trevor Williams in 38 seconds during the semifinal.

 The other top local finisher was Blue Ridge’s Nathaniel McArthur who finished second at 126-pounds.

McArthur opened the tournament with a pin of Elk Lake’s Codi Bomboy. He picked up a forfeit win when Magnus Frable bowed out to send McArthur to the finals against Coughlin’s Nino Cinti.

The two grapplers went back and forth neither giving an inch until overtime when Cinti was able to manage two points against McArthur to claim the championship.

Blue Ridge’s Adam Roe (152) and Montrose’s Bryan Ryan earned 5th place honors in their respective weight classes.

Roe advanced collecting a pin against Elk Lake’s Noah Atkins and an injury default win against Pocono Mountain East’s Billy Koch. Roe then was pinned by AJ Bencivenga of Cranford. He lost 4-0 to Troy’s Isaac Corey to end up in the 5th place match where he defeated West Scranton’s Nathan Trotta.

Ryan opened with a tech fall over Canton’s Carter Route and then pinned Alex Brunetti of Pocono Mountain East. In the next round Ryan lost on a technical fall to Mahonoy Area’s Colin Fegley and then suffered a 5-2 defeat at the hands of Pocono Mountain West’s Jon Owens. He picked up the forfeit win over Wyoming Area’s Jaryn Polit.

Blue Ridge’s Gavin Crawford placed 6th at 113 pounds. He opened with two wins, pinning West Scranton’s Aiden Kologe in 1:37 followed by a 4-0 decision over Will Fernandez of Cranford. 

Crawford suffered his first loss to Sheldon Seymour of Troy who pinned Crawford in 3:55. He was then pinned by Wyoming Seminary’s Corey Morabito and lost a close 7-5 decision to Cole Kroptovitch of Abington Heights.

It was feast or famine for Montrose’s Justin Kelly at 285 pounds. He opened with a pin of Bradford’s Dylan Mazzone in 1:20. In Kelly’s second round Northeast Bradford’s Dawson Brown pinned Kelly in 1:13. Kelly recovered to pin Tunkhannock’s Brett Sickler in 1:34 and followed that with a pin of Brad Prados of Pocono Mountain East in 1:11. In his final match Kelly met Brown again and Brown pinned Kelly in 2:16.

Montrose’s Nick Harder finished 8th at 106 pounds. Harder opened with a 10-4 loss to Saint Joe’s Prep’s John Dooley. Harder picked up a forfeit win over Coughlin’s Josh Warman. In the consolation rounds Canton’s Isaac Landis pinned Harder in 2:22, before Harder squared off again against Dooley, and lost a close 6-5 match.