As the regular season nears a conclusion, the Parkland wrestling team is geared up for the postseason.

“We are getting to the time of season when kids start finding their post season weights,” said coach Jon Trenge.

The Trojans secured an entertaining and hard-fought victory at home Jan. 11 over Freedom, 34-31. Four nights later on Senior Night, Easton proved too hard to handle in a 35-24 decision. On Jan. 17, Parkland offered a solid performance at the New Oxford Tournament at New Oxford High School.

The Trojans finished eighth in a 29-team tournament with 110 points. Brian Diaz, a tough Trojan, was outstanding, finishing second overall in the 132-pound weight class.

Another pugnacious Parkland wrestler is Garrett Fitzgerald, wrestling at 195 pounds. Fitzgerald is a wrestler who earned what he has acquired.

“Garrett is doing a fantastic job,” said the coach. “He is just a grinder. He loves getting the close match victories by burning out his opponent and sticking to his position.”

Fitzgerald pinned Freedom’s Ian Connell in just 56 seconds and then engaged in a glorious match against Easton’s Anthony Embardino. Fitzgerald’s penchant for performing in the clutch proved the difference as he pulled out a 5-4 decision. Then he did some outstanding wrestling in the New Oxford tournament, earning seventh place with a decision over LaSalle’s Grant Hughes in a 7-3 decision.

“He is just going to get better and better,” Trenge said.

Another Parkland wrestler, Mackenzie DelVecchio, has impressed Trenge this season.

“Mackenzie is a special case,” the coach said. “She was the first female ever to earn a varsity letter for Parkland’s wrestling team.”

DelVecchio, who has wrestled for less than one year, earned two varsity falls and one junior varsity fall earlier this month at the Parkland Duals.

“She works really hard and pays attention to the technique at practice,” said Trenge. “Her attitude is fantastic, and she is especially resilient. I am super proud of her.”

The Trojans will host Bethlehem Catholic in their regular season finale Jan. 22. They’ll participate in the East Penn Conference Duals on Jan. 25 at Easton Middle School.

New Oxford

Tournament Results

106 – Aaron Ciampittiello

Ciampittiello major dec. Zachary Brown (Hershey), 14-2.

Ciampittiello SV-1 dec. Micheal Korbin (Hanover), 10-8.

Isaac Landis (Canton) SV-1 dec. Ciampittiello, 5-3.

Third-place match

Ciampittiello major dec. Jake Deysher (Brandywine Heights), 16-6

113 – Carson Hain

Hain pinned Treton Bradley (Troy) in :35.

Connor Brown (Littlestown) tech. fall Hain, 18-2.

Hain pinned Quantes Williams (Truman) in 3:40.

Zach Malay (Middletown) pinned Hain in 2:45.

120 – Gabe Montenez

Montenez tech. fall Joe Roberto (Milton Hershey), 16-0.

Zach Emory (York Suburban) pinned Montenez in 2:08.

Dominic Taylor (Hanover) pinned Montenez in :58.

126 – Caleb Watson

Watson pinned Eli Randall (Troy) in 3:05.

Ayden Bertoldi (Hershey) pinned Watson in 1:14.

Dalton Kirby (Hanover) pinned Watson in 1:50.

132 – Bryan Diaz

Diaz dec. Ethan Slaybaugh (Biglerville), 7-2.

Diaz dec. Luke Fegley (Middletown), 3-2.

Diaz dec. Hayden Ward (Canton), 6-4.

First-place match

Timothy Uhler (New Oxford) pinned Diaz in 2:51.

138 – Joe Dolak

Dolak major dec. Ryan Hussey (Northeastern), 11-3.

Blake Showers (Biglerville) dec. Dolak, 8-1.

Seventh-place match

Dolak dec. Ian Coller (Line Mountain), 3-2.

145 – Luke Yatcilla

Yatcilla pinned Gage Bishop (Biglerville) in 3:20.

Malcolm Gerlach (Hanover) dec. Yatcilla, 13-12.

Yatcilla dec. Colin Greenblatt (Truman), 5-2.

Yatcilla dec. Travis Salisbury (New Oxford), 5-1.

Fifth-place match

Blake Romjue (Susquehannock) pinned Yatcilla in 4:18.

152 – Edwin Moya

Moya pinned Isaac Lupp (Middletown) in :58.

Caleb Dowling (St. Joes Catholic) tech. fall Moya, 16-1.

Moya dec. Adam Booze (Greencastle Antrim), 3-1.

Brad Vespe (LaSalle) dec. Moya, 10-5.

160 – Jacob Ortman

Ortman pinned Jack Bender (Susquehannock) in 3:51.

Riley Heim (Line Mountain) pinned Ortman in 3:17.

Tim Kelly (Northern York) pinned Ortman in 1:53.

170 – Alex Neely

Neely dec. Case Woodley (Middletown), 15-8.

Tyler Stoltzfus (St. Joes Catholic) pinned Neely in 1:20.

Neely pinned Keegan Lohman (Waynesboro) in 3:26.

Dylan Miller (Brandywine Heights) dec. Neely, 7-6.

182 – Marcus Loch

Loch dec. Moustafa Elhousany (York Suburban), 4-3.

Brian Czaus (Muhlenberg) dec. Loch, 7-0.

Loch pinned Kehgan Wolf (Hanover) in 1:44.

Michael Stank (Red Land) pinned Loch in 2:49.

195 – Garret Fitzgerald

Fitzgerald dec. Jakob Schorn (Waynesboro), 10-4.

Frank Regalis (Truman) pinned Fitzgerald in 4:22.

Fitzgerald dec. Omar Figueroa (New Oxford), 4-2.

Mike Jury (York Suburban) pinned Fitzgerald in 2:48.

Seventh-place match

Fitzgerald dec. Grant Hughes (LaSalle), 7-3.

220 – Zayd Afif

Afif pinned Omar Abdo (Hershey) in 2:51.

Trevor Williams (Canton) SV-1 dec. Abdo, 7-5.

Afif dec. Jeremy Gebhart (Littlestown), 6-3.

Brock Hoffer (Susquehannock) won by forfeit

285 – Nick Rode

Rode pinned Cordell Irwin (Littlestown) in 3:47.

Isaiah Morales (Milton Hershey) dec. Rode, 5-2.

Rode dec. Garrian Phanhthy (Susquehannock), 4-0.

Jaden Hulslander (Canton) pinned Rode in 2:16.