Parkland wrestling coach Jon Trenge is a man associated with wrestling greatness, and eventually he wants his Trojan program to obtain that status.

Last week’s Bethlehem Holiday Wrestling Classic provided a test which his team passed - with room for improvement. Parkland finished 10th out of 26 teams in fierce competition over two days at the Liberty High School Memorial Gym.

“We had a few starters out of the lineup for illnesses acquired over the holiday break,” Trenge said. “Despite entering non-varsity wrestlers at a few weights and entering nobody at 215, Parkland stood its ground and performed well.

“We lost a number of very tight individual matches, which troubles me,” said the coach. “Those are the most important matches to win, and at this tournament we lost more of those than we won.”

Trenge noted that’s expected with inexperienced wrestlers. However, he said “it is still displeasing, and we strive for better as a program.”

Trenge views Emmaus and Easton as benchmarks for his own troops this season.

“Although we defeated Emmaus in the dual, they and Easton both placed higher than us in the holiday classic,” Trenge said. Emmaus finished seventh, while Easton claimed fifth.

Nazareth won the BHWC team title with 228 points, followed by Phillipsburg (208.5), Council Rock South (165.5) and Saucon Valley (136).

Parkland junior Adrian Gacek finished in second place at the BHWC, winning his first three matches before falling in the 160-pound final. Gacek took down Dalton Clymer in the semifinals by a 4-1 decision. Clymer is a Class 2A District 11 champ and was last year’s Most Outstanding Wrestler at 2A districts. Council Rock South’s Matt Colajezzi beat Gacek 7-2 in the title bout.

Parkland senior Alex Neely finished fifth last week, pinning three opponents along the way. Neely pinned his first opponent, then lost by decision in the second round. He won by fall in his first two consolation bouts before falling 4-1 to Phillipsburg’s Caleb Rivera. Neely won the fifth-place bout by forfeit.

Trojan sophomore Blake Dergham finished seventh at 106. He lost his opening bout then won four of his next five matches to take seventh place.

January is a make or break month for the regular season and Trenge wants his crew to be ready for the fight.

“I have hopes of regaining our health, making some training adjustments, and getting our attitudes geared up for a tough month ahead.”

Trojan fans can look forward to some good wrestling at the Parkland Duals, scheduled for Jan. 8. Parkland will face Delaware Valley, Northampton and Hempfield - three solid teams.

“We will need to rebound by Jan. 8 for a day of five dual meets at Parkland High School,” Trenge said. “The kids are capable of being in the top five in District 11 Class 3A, but we will need to clean some things up to accomplish it.”

Parkland can use its performance at the Manion Memorial Duals earlier in December as a guideline to being successful. The Trojans wrestled five dual meets and amassed 54 wins and just 14 losses.

“The wrestlers really hustled and performed well,” Trenge said. “We took about eight non-varisty wrestlers and got them each at least one match as well, which serves as a great investment for Parkland’s future.”

Gacek has had a superlative season at 160 and 172 so far, going 11-1, including 3-1 at the Holiday Classic. Blake Dergham has also been outstanding at 106 and 113, going 12-2. Juan Moya, wrestling at 145 and 152, has registered a 9-3 record.

Parkland Results from the BHWC

106 - Blake Dergham

Cole Hubert (Saucon Valley) pinned Dergham in 1:49

Dergham dec. Dawson McWilliams (Phillipsburg), 10-3

Dergham won by forfeit over Daniel Mallitz (North Penn)

Dergham pinned Dayvion Marshmon (Whitehall) in 2:06

Dorian Hoffman (Wyoming Valley West) pinned Dergham in 4:10

Seventh Place Match: Blake Dergham pinned Tristan Hofman (Freedom) in 1:39

113 - Kaleb Contes

Contes dec. Aiden Knorr (Pen Argyl), 7-2

Cole Coffin (Pennridge) pinned Contes in 1:00

Contes won by forfeit over Louden Giza (Wyoming Valley West)

Miguel Lopez (Phillipsburg) 7-4 dec. Contes, 3-2)

120 - Max Mazin

Mario Hummel (Warwick) dec. Mazin, 6-5

Mazin dec. Matt Rissmiller (Pen Argyl), 5-1

Mazin major dec Nolan Schmeckenbecher (Whitehall), 9-1

Zander Remakus (Wyoming Valley West) dec. Mazin, 13-6

126 - Nate Kresge

Nate Kresge pinned Shawn Justin (Stroudsburg) in 3:22

James Day (Phillipsburg) major dec. Kresge, 9-1

Kresge pinned Evan Hilton (Quakertown) in :52

Jesse Scott (Emmaus) dec. Kresge, SV-1 2-1

132 - Phoenix DelVecchio

Cameron Wickemeyer (Freedom) dec. DelVecchio, 17-15

DelVecchio pinned Evan Keat (Pen Argyl) in 1:33

Todd McGann (Quakertown) major dec. DelVecchio, 10-2

138 - Leo Kern

Kern pinned Chandler Drew (Liberty) in 6:19

Clay Gainer (Hempfield) pinned Kern in 1:59

Kern dec. Alex Moser (Pen Argyl), 9-3

Kern pinned Andrew Minko (Pennridge) in 2:56

Joey Bodnar (Freedom) pinned Kern in 4:59

145 - Juan Moya

Moya pinned Dominic Delgado (Wilson West Lawn) in 2:54

Moya dec. Gio Iadonisi (Pennridge), 9-2

Reagan LeFevre (Hempfield) major dec. Moya, 8-0

Ryan Lepore (Spring Ford) dec. Moya, SV-1 3-1

152 - Owen Leon

Kamron Fickes (Hempfield) pinned Leon in 1:29

Matthew Donofrio (Phillipsburg) pinned Leon in 2:22

160 - Adrian Gacek

Gacek pinned Jake Mest (Spring Ford) in 1:23

Gacek dec. over Christian Reid (Liberty), 5-4

Gacek Dalton Clymer (Northwestern Lehigh), 4-1

Championship Match: Matt Colajezzi (Council Rock South) dec. Gacek, 7-2

172 - Mikeal Palmieri

Mason Sgarlat (Wyoming Valley West) dec. Palmieri, 6-2

Jonas Aponick (Hazleton) dec. Palmieri, 6-2

189 - Alex Neely

Neely pinned Kalani Adams (Northern Lebanon) in 3:32

Bryce Molinaro (Hazleton) major dec. Neely, 20-11

Neely pinned Aaron Kirby (Stroudsburg) in 3:44

Neely pinned Kaden Roesener (Quakertown) in 4:32

Caleb Rivera (Phillipsburg) dec. Neely, 4-1

Fifth-Place Match: Alex Neely won by forfeit over Michael Hynes (Easton)

285 - Zayd Afif

Afif dec. Trevor Manbeck (Blue Mountain), 6-0

Trevor Gitski (Emmaus) dec. Afif, TB-1 2-1

John Wargo (Phillipsburg) pinned Afif in :38