The Parkland High School girls wrestling team had a very successful day at the South East Regional tournament this past Sunday at Quakertown High School. The Trojans finished the event in first place as a team with 87 total points, 15 points ahead of second-place Souderton.

At the end of the day, Parkland had one weight class winner and four others that placed inside the top-three. All five student-athletes will now advance to the state tournament next weekend in Hershey.

Kelsey Gelb was the lone Trojan grappler to go undefeated on the day. She earned back-to-back pins in the championship quarterfinals and semifinals. Gelb pinned Kaylyn Adair of Upper Perkiomen in 1:53 in the quarters and then pinned Lane Harrington of Strath Haven in 4:49 in the final four to advance to the championship final. There, she recorded a 6-3 decision over Northampton’s Mylea Lambert to win the class.

Ella Hesener (100), Sylvyn Parham (112), Abigail Taylor (124) and Shannon Fratus (170) all tallied third-place finishes in their respective weight classes to qualify for states.

Hesener pinned Taya Wuchter of Kennett in her first match in the quarterfinal round, but lost a 16-11 decision in the semifinals. She then had to win two in-a-row to get third, picking up a 13-4 major decision over Pocono Mountain West’s Seretta Manuel in the consolation semifinals, and then pinning Chelsea Dressler of Nazareth in 0:27 in the third-place match.

Parham pinned Macayla Needham out of Central Bucks in 3:11, but then lost a close, 6-5 decision in the championship semifinals. She responded by pinning Upper Merion’s Kyla Riley in 1:45 and then notched an 8-0 major decision in the third-place match.

Taylor won via a 10-3 decision in her first match over Archbishop Ryan’s Molly Brangan, but dropped a 6-4 decision to Julissa Ortiz of Mariana Bracetti Academy. She bounced back with a pin against Hawa Konate of Penn Wood in 4:31, and then a pin in 1:24 over Abington’s Gracie Clift.

Fratus had a 3-1 decision against Meghan Gottschall out of William Tennent in the quarterfinal round, but fell just short in a 4-3 decision to Easton’s Maura Case. In the consolation semifinals, Fratus bounced back with a pin in 2:21 against Penn Wood’s Mariyatta Idris. She finished her day with a 5-4 decision over Maya Krieger of Bensalem in the third-place match.

Parkland will now send its quintet of wrestlers to the PIAA State Championships at the Giant Center in Hershey next weekend from Thursday, March 7, through Saturday, March 9th.

PIAA SOUTHEAST REGIONAL WRESTING CHAMPIONSHIPS

PARKLAND RESULTS

Ella Hesener (107)

Hesener pinned Taya Wuchter (Kennett) in :46

Payton Hinkle (Bensalem) dec. Hesener, 16-11

Hesener major dec. Seretta Manuel (Pocono Mt. West), 13-4

Third-place match: Hesener pinned Chelsea Dressler (Nazareth) in :27

Lily Snook (106)

Reese Dewar (Garnet Valley) major dec. Snook, 15-5

Anya Abel (Pennsbury) dec. Snook, 6-0

Sylvan Parham (112)

Parham pinned Macayla Needham (Central Bucks) in 3:11

Andi Bibeau (East Stroudsburg No.) dec. Parham, 6-5

Parham pinned Kayla Riley (Upper Merion) in 1:45

Third-place match: Parham major dec. Needham, 8-0

Abigial Taylor (124)

Taylor dec. Molly Brangan (Archbishop Ryan), 10-3

Julissa Ortiz (Mariana Bracetti Academy) dec. Taylor, 6-4

Taylor pinned Hawa Konate (Penn Wood) in 4:31

Third-place match: Taylor pinned Gracie Clift (Abington) in 1:24

Kelsey Gelb (155)

Gelb pinned Kaylyn Adair (Upper Perkiomen) in 1:53

Gelb pinned Lane Harrington (Strath Haven) in 4:49

Championship math: Gelb dec. Mylea Lambert (Northampton), 6-3

Shannon Fratus (170)

Fratus dec. Meghan Gottschall (William Tennent), 3-1

Maya Krieger (Bensalem) dec. Fratus, 4-3

Fratus pinned Mariyatta Idris (Penn Wood) in 2:21

Third-place match: Fratus dec. Krieger, 5-4

TEAM TOP 10

1. Parkland 87, 2. Souderton 72, 3. Liberty 63, 4. Easton 59, 5. Quakertown 51, 6. Palisades 50, 7. Downingtown West 40, 8. Garnet Valley, Neshaminy 35, 10. Kennett 34.