Northwestern experienced both victory and defeat at the state level Tuesday night.

The Tigers beat Conwell-Egan in the preliminary round of the state 2A team wrestling tournament before suffering a shutout loss to two-time defending state champion Faith Christian in the first round.

“We got our first state win,” said Tiger head coach Joe Killar of his young team. “Got to wrestle a little more into the postseason this year.”

The Tigers, who have seven freshmen in their starting line up, opened the night at Boyertown High School with a 49-23 win over Conwell-Egan.

Northwestern (15-7) won the first three bouts, including pins from Weston Killar (114) and Braydon Uricchio (127) and Elijah McCown’s win by decision.

The District 12 champion Eagles (16-2) won the next two matches to get within 15-12 before the Tigers won the next six matches to take a 49-12 lead and shut the door on Egan.

Colby Townley (145) and Nolan Koehler (152) pinned their Eagle opponents in the first period. Nate Geiger (160) and Vinnie Fugazzotto (172) recorded back-to-back technical falls before Luke Fugazzotto (189) and Jackson Bailey (215) both won by forfeit.

“I thought we did fine,” said Joe Killar. “The other team didn’t have a couple of their guys here. We wrestled fine.”

The Tigers’ match against Faith Christian, which is coached by Northwestern Lehigh graduate Ben Clymer, saw the Lions win all 13 bouts, including nine pins and three technical falls. Faith (11-1) won 75-0 with not one match getting to the third period.

“It’s hard to have a school like us wrestle them,” said Killar.

Northwestern reached the state tournament for the first time in several years, which was a goal despite the young roster.

“I thought at the beginning of the year it would be a good goal to be top two at districts and we did it so I was pleased with that,” said Joe Killar. “I think they’re getting some confidence, starting to compete with guys on their level. That last match didn’t help much.”

Faith Christian will go on to the quarterfinal round to face Burrell Friday. Burell is one of just three public schools left in the eight-team Class 2A bracket. In 2A first-round matchups between public and private school teams, private schools went 5-0, including Berks Catholic’s 32-31 win over District 11 champ Saucon Valley.

The Tigers plan to get back to the state tournament in future years. The team had just two seniors in the line up against Egan and just one took the mat against Faith. Along with the seven freshman, two juniors and two or three sophomores are regulars in the line up.

The Tigers punched their ticket to states with a runner-up finish in the District 11 2A team tournament Saturday.

It marked another step forward for Killar and his program.

“We’re getting there,” said Killar. “I thought we wrestled pretty well. In that last match we got beat up. But the kids are competing. They’re learning to fight.”

Northwestern finished the one-day event with a 2-1 mark, falling to top seed Saucon Valley 59-12 in the finals.

The Tigers, seeded second, topped Palmerton 43-28 in the semis and recorded a 44-26 victory over Pen Argyl in the quarterfinals. In the final, the Tigers took a 12-10 lead after four matches following back-to-back pins by junior Luke Fugazzotto – the two-time TN Wrestler of the Year – at 189 pounds and Jackson Bailey at 215. But Saucon won the final nine matches, which included six pins, to cruise to its first title since 2019-20.

“We’re a young team, but I feel like we’ve really progressed with wrestling more aggressively,” said Bailey, one of just two seniors in the Tigers lineup against the Panthers. “At the beginning of the season we weren’t as aggressive, and I think we’ve also improved our technique and conditioning throughout the season.

“And I think just having more confidence helps. You need to have that to do well.”

Freshmen Nolan Koehler, Vinnie Fugazzotto and Weston Killar, along with sophomore Braydon Uricchio and senior Jackson Huber, had pins against the Green Knights, while freshman Chase Sukanick won by tech fall.

While Northwestern’s day ended with a disappointing result against the Panthers, the Tigers showed the heart Coach Killar is looking for in a tough win over a talented Palmerton team in the semis.

Back-to-back pins by both Bailey and fellow senior Jackson Huber at 215 pounds and 285 gave Northwestern a 23-10 lead after six matches.

The Bombers responded with a fall from Thomas Pasquariello at 107 pounds over another gifted freshman Logan Uricchio – who had defeated him twice earlier this season – to trim the deficit to 23-16.

But Weston Killar delivered a clutch overtime 5-4 decision at 114 pounds to give the Tigers momentum.

“I think the guys are starting to fight, starting to believe in themselves a little more,” said the coach. “What we’re looking for is a good effort every match. We’re just trying to put effort into every match.”

Jaxs Miller came through with a pin at 121 pounds in the next bout to trim the deficit to 26-22. But Northwestern got a pin from Braydon Uricchio at 127 pounds, and a technical fall from Sukanick at 133 to make it 37-22 with just two matches left.

“I think they’ve just really been wrestling hard,” Killar said. “They believe they can win some big matches, and they’re competing hard against the better guys.”

The Tigers also got a technical fall from Nolan Koehler at 160 pounds in the match.

Dillon Lombardi had a major decision at 172 pounds for the Blue Bombers, and Vincent Taglieri recorded a pin at 139.

District 11 Class 2A

Team Tournament

Finals

Saucon Valley 59,

N’western 12

160 – Cole Hubert (SV) tech fall Nate Geiger, 17-0 (1:30); 172 – Jared Rohn (SV) tech fall Vinnie Fugazzotto, 20-4 (3:33); 189 – Luke Fugazzotto (NW) pinned Brit Ash in 1:05; 215 – Jackson Bailey (NW) pinned Nickolas Sheasley in 2:18; 285 – Ezekiel Deily (SV) pinned Jackson Huber in 2:38; 107 – Gavin Chunko (SV) pinned Logan Uricchio in 3:13; 114 – Carter Chunko (SV) tech fall Weston Killar, 17-2 (2:27); 121 – Gabriel Baer (SV) pinned Eli McCown in 2:45; 127 – Mack Santoro (SV) pinned Braydon Uricchio in 4:47; 133 – Aiden Grogg (SV) tech fall Chase Sukanick, 16-1 (4:14); 139 – Hector Mateo (SV) pinned Noah Griffith in 0:18; 145 – Braden Rohn (SV) dec Hunter Greenawalt, 12-5; 152 – Jackson Albert (SV) pinned Nolan Koehler in 0:27.

Semifinals

Northwestern 43, Palmerton 28

107 – Thomas Pasquariello (P) pinned Logan Uricchio in 3:38; 114 – Weston Killar (NW) dec Connor Messinger, 5-4 (TB2); 121 – Jaxs Miller (P) pinned Eli McCown in 2:41; 127 – Braydon Uricchio (NW) pinned Josh Merkel in 4:34; 133 – Chase Sukanick (NW) tech fall Aidan Ortiz, 17-1 (4:44); 139 – Vincent Taglieri (P) pinned Noah Griffith in 3:08; 145 – Hunter Greenawalt (NW) won by forfeit; 152 – Derek King (P) won by forfeit; 160 – Nolan Koehler (NW) tech fall Dillon Anthony, 23-7 (5:50); 172 – Dillon Lombardi (P) maj dec Vinnie Fugazzotto, 15-7; 189 – Luke Fugazzotto (NW) won by forfeit; 215 – Jackson Bailey (NW) pinned Anderson Garcia in 1:25; 285 – Jackson Huber (NW) pinned Domenick Brown in 2:26.

Northwestern 44, Pen Argyl 26

107 – Isaiah Adams (PA) pinned Logan Uricchio in 1:17; 114 – Weston Killar (NW) pinned Blayke Lacey in 3:04; 121 – Madacyn Rivera (PA) dec Eli McCown, 7-3; 127 – Braydon Uricchio (NW) pinned Chris Crespo in 2:14; 133 – Chase Sukanick (NW) tech fall Cole Lobb, 15-0 (3:28); 139 – Collin Ramsay (PA) pinned Noah Griffith in 0:47; 145 – Luca Albanese pinned Hunter Greenawalt in 5:38; 152 – Nolan Koehler (NW) pinned Zach Metzgar in 2:42; 160 – Nate Geiger (NW) dec Shane Moser, 13-7; 172 – Vinnie Fugazzotto (NW) pinned Hunter Beers in 3:24; 189 – Luke Fugazzotto (NW) won by forfeit; 215 – Nuallan King (PA) tech fall Jackson Baily, 18-2 (4:35); 285 – Jackson Huber (NW) pinned Noah Murcelo in 3:44.

PIAA Class 2A

Team Tournament

Preliminary Round

N’western 49,

Conwell-Egan 23

114 - Weston Killar (NW) pinned Owen Strapple in 3:02; 121 - Elijah McCown (NW) dec. Julian Solor, 11-7; 127 - Braydon Uricchio pinned Anthony Swarts in 3:36; 133 - Michael Gorrell (CE) pinned Chase Sukanick in 1:37; 139 - Colin Walther (CE) pinned Noah Griffith in :59; 145 - Colby Townley (NW) pinned Jacob Primich in 1:53; 152 - Nolan Koehler (NW) pinned Daniel Gomez in :50; 160 - Nate Geiger (NW) tech fall Chase Goffman, 17-2; 172 - Vinnie Fugazzotto (NW) tech fall Brian Shimp; 189 - Luke Fugazzotto (NW) won by forfeit; 215 - Jackson Bailey (NW) won by forfeit; 285 - Connor Horger (CE) pinned Jackson Huber in 1:07; 107 - Hunter Webster (CE) tech fall Logan Urrichio (NW), 15-0.

First Round

Faith Christian 75, N’western 0

121 - Nathan Yoder (F) pinned Elijah McCown in 1:13; 127 - Guage Botero (F) pinned Braydon Uricchio in :51; 133 - Joey Bachman (F) pinned Chase Sukanick in 3:14; 139 - Lincoln Botero (F) pinned Noah Griffith in 1:29, 145 - Shane Wagner (F) won by forfeit; 152 - Max Stein (F) tech fall Nolan Koehler, 17-1; 160 - Chase Hontz (F) pinned Nate Geiger in :54; 172 - Nick Singer (F) pinned Vinnie Fugazzotto in :37; 189 - Adam Waters (F) tech fall Luke Fugazzotto, 18-2; 215 - Jason Singer (F) pinned Jackson Bailey in 1:20; 285 - Mark Efferdian (F) pinned Ian Zettlmoyer in :50; 107 - Shane Young (F) pinned Logan Uricchio in 1:49; 114 - Freddy Bachman (F) tech fall Weston Killar, 20-3.