Four Parkland wrestlers competed in the PIAA Class 3A Northeast Regional Championships last weekend.

All four won at least two matches, while two Trojans finished in the top six and one advanced to this weekend’s state championships with a first-place finish at regionals, which were held Friday and Saturday at Liberty High School.

Senior Adrian Gacek, who finished third in regionals and districts as a junior last season, took first place in both events this season.

After pinning all four opponents at districts to win that event’s pinner award, Gacek started regionals in much the same fashion. He put Crestwood’s Lincoln Bibla on his back in just 40 seconds, then showed Easton’s Aidan Hutchinson the lights in 1:08.

For the second straight week, Gacek met Whitehall’s Melquan Warren in the final. For the first time in the postseason, Gacek was on the mat for six minutes and pulled out a 7-3 win by decision for the 189-pound title.

“I’m really excited to get on the podium,” he said of this week’s goals at states. “I really believe I have a shot at winning this thing.”

Last year’s 1-2 showing at states motivated Gacek to work hard toward a deeper run at states this year. Then another major event in his life gave him the freedom to enjoy wrestling even more.

“After last year I kind of knew where I wanted to go with wrestling,” said the Clarion University recruit. “After I committed to college all that stress came off my body. It was one goal out of the way. Once I got that little thing out of the way, wrestling just felt so much easier.

“I’ve been having fun. I’ve been letting loose. When I make little mistakes I don’t push myself too hard on it. I just keep wrestling throughout the moment.”

He gave a large portion of credit for his success to head coach John Trenge.

“Trenge has been a beast and he has been helping every single day,” Gacek said. “I wouldn’t be here without him. I have been pushing myself really hard.”

Trojan junior Blake Dergham placed sixth at regionals, missing a trip to states by two places as the top four finishers in Class 3A qualify for the state championship meet, which will be held this weekend in Hershey.

Dergham (114) opened the tournament with a win, but lost his second bout to Delaware Valley’s Landon Machado, 3-1. Dergham won two consolation matches by major decision before falling in the consolation semifinals, which put him in a fifth-place match against Machado again. The result was the same, a 3-1 win for Machado.

Parkland senior Aaron Ciampittiello (121) also won his first bout, a pin of LaSalle’s James Chlodo before falling in his second bout. After pinning Giovanni Mauro (St. Joe’s Prep) in his first consolation bout, Ciampittiello was eliminated in by Hazleton’s Simon Zamuidio by fall in his next match.

Sophomore Michael Gavrilesku (285) followed that same path. He won his first bout by fall over Nick Giza (Wyoming Valley West) then was pinned by Maxwell Roy (St. Joe’s Prep). After a win by fall over Pittston’s David Sudo in his first consolation match, Gavrilesku lost 1-0 in the next round.