The Konkrete Kids wrestling team kicked off their 2023-2024 campaign with a customary trip to Williamsport and the Tom Best Memorial Top Hat Tournament. Northampton crowned 2 champions, freshman Gabe Ballard and sophomore Trey Wagner, on their way to a fifth-place team finish (163 points) behind Central Mountain (213), Saucon Valley (177), Easton (176), and Connellsville (175).

Ballard won the 114-pound weight class with a pair of pins, an injury default, and an 8-6 decision over Easton’s Nicholas Salamone, the PIAA 3A 7th place finisher at 107 pounds last year, in the final.

Wagner claimed victory at 133 with a major decision, a pin in the quarterfinals, a 3-2 decision over Easton’s Chris Kelly, a 2023 state qualifier, in the semis, and an 8-2 decision against Dean Houser of Daniel Boone in the final. Houser is a two-time state medalist and Lock Haven commit.

The K-Kids also had a pair of third-place finishers.

Junior Colin Marano saw his first high school action since last year’s Top Hat and won 4 consolation matches to place at 127. Sophomore Chase Grabfelder suffered a 7-2 loss to Easton state medalist Ben Fanelli in the championship semifinals but won his other 4 matches to stand on the third step.

Two Northampton wrestlers, senior Austin Noe and junior Ryan Marano, took home fifth place honors. Noe racked up 4 pins in the 145-pound division. Marano scored the first 5 wins of his varsity career during the competition at 121.

Other results:

107 Jr. Michael DiSante (0-2), 114 So. Tyler Hollowell (0-2), 127 So. Matthew Sommer (3-2), 133 Jr. Nicholas DiSante (0-2), 152 Fr. Robert Wambold (2-2), 160 Jr. Devlin Chevere (2-2), 172 So. Chace Roland (2-2), 189 Fr. Joell Small (1-2), 215 Sr. Jacob Koch (2-2), 285 So. Brandon McIntyre (1-2).

The team has a pair of tournaments bookending next Wednesday’s dual meet at Stroudsburg. They will appear at the Beast of the East at the University of Delaware this weekend and the Bethlehem Holiday Wrestling Classic at Liberty High School on Dec. 28 and 29.

The next opportunity for fans to see the K-Kids in Pete Schneider Gymnasium will be a dual meet with Nazareth on January 3. The Blue Eagles lost 39-19 to Easton earlier this month, so Northampton has an opportunity to knock off their long-standing rivals for the first time in 5 years.