Devon Alder had not placed in previous trips to Panther Valley’s Coal Cracker Tournament.

The event has grown over the years he’s been attending and is now held in two different gyms at Lehighton High School.

This year’s field was certainly the deepest and most talented field the tournament has ever seen. And Alder, a Salisbury High School senior, thrived against the top competition.

“I’m pretty happy with how I did,” he said. “In the past I have never placed in this tournament. I came in this year and got seventh, It’s a great feeling.”

Alder pinned his first two opponents, Andrew Rodriguez of Valley View and Jake Kurlak of Faith Christian.

He lost to eventual runner up Dalton Klinges of Lackawana Trail by fall in the quarterfinals, then won his first consolation match by pinned Pen Argyl’s Jack Rissmiller.

A loss to Berwick’s Nicholas Yule put Alder in the seventh-place match, where he earned an 11-1 major decision win over Hutch Lynott of Abington Heights.

Alder said the event was a good tune up for the postseason. He’ll be competing in districts next month and hopes to advance to regionals and even the state championships.

“Most of these guys I’ll see in districts,” he said. “It kind of measures up where I am now and where I need to improve.

“I definitely want to make it out of districts. I’ve got a lot of work to do and I’m going to come back even better.”

Alder was one of five Salisbury wrestlers to compete at the Coal Cracker.

Ben Krauss won three matches in the event, all by fall. Toby Linn went 2-2, while Braedon Alder won one match Saturday.

132 – Braedon Alder

Dalton Watt (Bloomsburg) dec. Alder, 8-4.

Alder pinned Joe Giesen (Berks Catholic) in 2:21.

Trey Zabroski (Crestwood) dec. Alder, 3-1

138 – Devon Alder

Alder pinned Andrew Rodriguez (Valley View) in 3:28.

Alder pinned Jake Kurlak (Faith Christian Academy) in 5:55

Dalton Klinges (Lackawanna Trail) pinned Alder in 3:55.

Alder pinned Jack Rissmiller (Pen Argyl) in 4:24.

Nicholas Yule (Berwick) pinned Alder in 3:26.

Seventh-Place Match

Alder major dec. Hutch Lynott (Abington Heights), 11-1.

145 – Toby Linn

Lucas Miller (Northwestern) pinned Linn in 4:42.

Linn dec. Ryan Moyer (Selinsgrove), 9-3.

Linn pinned Kaleb Shumer (Blue Ridge) in 2:07.

Caleb Sell (Tamaqua) pinned Linn in 1:32.

170 – Ben Krauss

Krauss pinned Porsha Linhard (Overbrook) in :20.

Donavan Kerns (Carlisle) pinned Krauss in 4:48.

Krauss pinned Mason Iswalt (Berks Catholic) in 1:49.

Kruass pinned Tomas Delosrios (Abington Heights) 1:41.

Richard Fronheiser (Lehighton) pinned Krauss in 1:44.

220 – Kyle Killri

Nate Schon (Selinsgrove) pinned Killiri in 1:26.

Tanner Edwards (Bangor) pinned Killiri in 2:26.