Catasauqua’s wrestling team managed to relive history recently.

Two years ago, the Rough Riders finished fourth in the District 11 AA team duals. COVID really sidetracked Catty’s season last year.

This year, the Roughies were determined to return to the district duals. They did, and head coach Joe Russo and his squad couldn’t be happier.

“I’m really proud of our guys,” said Russo. “We set a team goal in the beginning of the season to be in the top-four of the district duals again. We wanted to get back there.

“North Schuylkill was just a little better than us for third (place). But we will get another chance to finish ahead of them in the individual district tournament.”

Catty received pins from Jon Cordon-Pinot (126), Gavin Fehr (138), and Luis Del Rosario (172) to help turn the tide and advance to the semifinals with a 42-31 win over Tri-Valley. The Roughies were without Cole Brown (132) and Chad Beller (160) in their lineup.

“That was awesome,” proclaimed Russo. “We were without Brown and Beller, but they all stepped up, and we pulled out a close one against Tri-Valley.

“Del Rosari and Cordon-Pinto each had huge pins to push us over the top. Fehr had a pin against a 20-plus-match winner.”

From there, the Roughies faced a powerhouse Saucon Valley squad in the semifinals, and were on the short end of a 51-21 score. Stewart Oakley had the lone team decisions at 285, and Brown, Jaryn Hartranft (145), and Dominic Melendez (215) picked up forfeits.

But the Roughies rebounded with a 37-33 victory over Lehighton that launched them into the consolation final.

Brown, Fehr, Jaryn Hartranft, Del Rosario and Mihail Hartranft (113) notched falls in the process and Miles Melendez recorded a significant victory.

However, Catty’s day ended with a 47-17 defeat to North Schuylkill in the consolation final.

“Jaryn pinned a district runner-up,” added Russo. “Miles Melendez battled to a 10-1 major decision, and Del Rosario got another huge pin to seal the win and push us into the consi finals.

“Against North Schuylkill, Cordon-Pinto, Brown, Fehr and Jaryn all had wins, but we came up a bit short.”

Fehr, who had two falls and a major decision in the tournament, believes his team is coming together at the right time. He has a 29-8 slate with 14 falls.

“I feel that the weekend went pretty well,” said Fehr. “Our goal at the beginning of the year was to place in the top four at districts, and we accomplished that goal.

“We all wrestled well, especially against Lehighton. The Lehighton match was definitely the most in sync we’ve been all year as a team. We each did what we had to do to win.”