Skip to main content

Marsteller captures district wrestling gold


HERSHEY -- Three was Chance Marsteller's magic number Saturday evening at Hersheypark Arena.

Three times in the last 13 months, the Kennard-Dale wrestling star has faced a defending PIAA champion and each time he has come out on top.

Saturday evening's victim was Central Dauphin's Garrett Peppelman, the 2012 state champion at 152, via a not-as-close-as-it-looks score of 7-2, in the 160-pound weight class of the District 3 Class AAA Wrestling Championships.

The victory gave Marsteller his third consecutive district gold medal.

That was the lone first-place finish for the YAIAA's big schools as Spring Grove's Mason Bentzel and Dallastown's Cooper Deller each came home with silver medals in the 145-pound and 182-pound weight classes, respectively.

Nine other YAIAA wrestlers finished in the top four during Saturday's action, earning a return trip to Hershey for the state tournament which starts March 7 at Giant Center.

Deller will be joined at the PIAA event by Wildcats teammates Rodney Sunday (126), Wes Hoover (132) and Tanner Druck (152), while Derek Carlisle (113) and Zack Clingan (120) will represent the Rockets along with Bentzel.

The other state qualifiers from the YAIAA include Central York's Dylan Chatterton (106), West York's Kyle Narber (170), Eastern York's Alex Cooley (195) and South Western's Aram Moffitt (220).

The Marsteller-Peppelman match was one everyone wanted to see because it is so rare that defending champions are in the same weight. But it was old news for Marsteller.

In last season's PIAA final, the Rams star took apart defending champ Brian Brill of Central Mountain, 17-7, to win his second state crown. This past December, Marsteller had the closest match of his scholastic career, a 3-2 ultimate-tiebreaker decision over Canon McMillan's Cody Wiercioch, a two-time PIAA gold medalist.

Marsteller certainly doesn't shy away from challenges.

"A lot of preparation went into this match," said Marsteller. "I've been trying to get a match with Garrett since I was young but we always seemed to be one weight class apart."

While he might have wanted it, it's hard to imagine Peppelman, 43-0 coming into the final, wanted it as the Rams junior never took a legitimate shot the entire match. He also didn't wrestle much of a kneeling position, something many fans see as stalling.

"I knew if I stayed on the attack (Peppelman) would have to come up (off his knees)," said the Ram junior.

As usual, Marsteller was on the attack from the start, narrowly missing a couple of scoring opportunities before hitting the first takedown with 44 seconds remaining in the first period for a 2-0 lead.

Two more takedowns extended the lead to 6-2 and an escape five seconds into the third period capped the scoring for Marsteller, who is now 121-0 for his career.

In the 145-pound title bout, Bentzel was up against one of District 3's best, Chris Vassar of Cedar Cliff. The Colt senior, a returning district champion and the 2012 PIAA runner-up at 138, never let the Rocket junior in the match, racking up three takedowns on his way to a 13-1 major decision.

"I tried to take it like any other match but he beat me bad," said the 39-4 Bentzel. "I've got two weeks left in the season. I'm going in (to the state tournament) to try to snag a medal."

Deller was leading Marcus Johnson of Governor Mifflin, 2-0, when the Wildcat senior got reversed to his back for a five-point move which he couldn't overcome, dropping a 10-7 decision in the 182-pound final.

"I held on too long. It's hard to come back from a deficit like that in this kind of match. .. It feels pretty good (making states)," said Deller (32-4).

Disappointed for Deller, Wildcat coach Matt Streibig was not going to let one result ruin an excellent day for his squad.

"I'm thrilled for all the kids. They wrestled hard today," he said. "The effort has always been there. You just need a little luck. You just have to keep plugging away."

Saturday morning's semifinal round was a tough one of the local competitors as the York-Adams leaguers went just 3-for-11. However, six of those eight responded with wins in the consolation semifinal to secure their ticket to states.

Sunday and Cooley had the most dramatic finishes among those six winners.

After giving up a late takedown to send the match to overtime, Sunday recorded the winning takedown 18 seconds into the extra time for a 5-3 decision over Jonathan Ross of Northern. Cooley needed even more time to get by Chambersburg's Dontez King, going to the ultimate tiebreaker.

The Golden Knight grappler wasted no time, getting the winning escape eight seconds into the final 30-second period for a 2-1 decision. It's the second trip to the Giant Center for Cooley, who qualified last season in Class AA.

DISTRICT 3 CLASS AAA
WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS
   Results from Saturday's District 3 Class AAA Wrestling Championships held at Hersheypark Arena:
Championship Finals
   (Both wrestlers advance to PIAA Championships)
106 -- Connor Sheehan, Sol, pinned Zach Elvin, CD, 6:26, OT.
113 -- Tanner Shoap, Cham, dec. Austin Camacci, CD, 7-3.
120 -- Zach Ulerick, Mid, won by forfeit over Ronnie Perry, Sol.
126 -- Cortlandt Schuyler, MT, dec. Dustin Rook, BS, 10-5.
132 -- Patrick Duggan, CuV, dec. Bryce Killian, Mid, 11-5.
138 -- Tyson Dippery, CD, major dec. Chad Wickard, BS, 10-1.
145 -- Chris Vasser, CCl, major dec. Mason Bentzel, SG, 13-1.
152 -- T.C. Warner, CuV, dec. Garrett Hammond, Cham, 3-2.
160 -- Chance Marsteller, KD, dec. Garrett Peppelman, CD, 7-2.
170 -- Joey Krulock, Mech, dec. Colton Peppelman, CD, 8-4.
182 -- Marcus Johnson, GM, dec. Cooper Deller, Dt, 10-7.
195 -- Jan Johnson, GM, pinned Tommy Rayhart, BS, 3:45.
220 -- Thomas Haines, Sol, pinned Hasan Alic, Car, 1:57.
285 -- Joey Goodhart, Hemp, dec. Bo Spiller, Sol, 8-5.

Consolation Finals
(Both wrestlers advance to PIAA Championships)
106 -- Dylan Chatterton, CY, dec. Devin Schnupp, War, 3--0. 113 -- Daniel Grant, TV,dec. Derek Carlisle, SG, 3--2. 120 -- Joey Fick, OV, pinned Zack Clingan, SG, 1:46. 126 -- Rodney Sunday, Dt, major dec. Jacob Werner, Wil, 15--2. 132 -- Alex Smith, MT, dec. Nick Cook, GS, 5--2. 138 -- Wes Hoover, Dt, dec. Ben Metzler, MC, 2--0, OT. 145 -- Adam Smith, MT, pinned Greg Warner, BS, 4:10. 152 -- Austin Rose, CD, dec. Tanner Druck, Dt, 3--0. 160 -- Mitchell Ramsey, Mech, pinned Andy Francos, Wil, 3:46. 170 -- Cody Seibert, BS, pinned Kyle Narber, WY, 2:09. 182 -- John Shorter, MT, pinned Josh Colello, CCl, 1:48. 195 -- Jeff Pickel, LS, dec. Alex Cooley, EY, 3--2. 220 -- Hunter Hatlee, Wil, pinned Aram Moffitt, SW, 4:01. 285 -- Tom Devenney, War, dec. Cary Hess, Ship, 1--0.

5th-place Match
106 -- Owen Wherley, SW, major dec. Evan Bogdan, Pal, 10--0. 113 -- Derek Wilson, SW, dec. Austin Laws, Sol, 7--3. 120 -- Nick Shields, Dt, dec. Jonah Fisher, GM, 4--3. 126 -- Noah Watkins, ST, dec. Jonathan Ross, Nor, 9--5. 132 -- Dakota Laughman, SG, won by forfeit over Wyatt Keck, BS. 138 -- Matthew Lepperd, ST, won by forfeit over Max Good, CCl. 145 -- Kyle Hammond, Sol, dec. Ian Shannon, Car, 2--1. 152 -- Clay Kocsis, Get, major dec. Cevon Nguyen, CDE, 10--2. 160 -- Austin Barley, SG, dec. Steven Cain, Mid, 6--4. 170 -- Ben Swarr, GS, tech. fall over Mac Evarts, PM, 3:26 (16--0). 182 -- Adam Gilson, CCr, won by forfeit over Danny Hockensmith, BS. 195 -- Dietrik Ferster, CD, major dec. Dontez King, Cham, 16--2. 220 -- Ben Martin, Pal, dec. Lucas Chestnut, Mech, 5--0. 285 -- Devon Ackerman, SW, pinned Zach Warren, Her, 2:49.

Championship Semifinals
106 -- Sheehan, Sol, pinned Bogdan, Pal, 1:35; Elvin, CD, dec. Chatterton, CY, 3--1. 113 -- Shoap, Cham, dec. Wilson, SW, 3--0; Camacci, CD, dec. Carlisle, SG, 7--4. 120 -- Perry, Sol, dec. Fisher, GM, 1--0; Ulerick, Mid, dec. Clingan, SG, 7--5, OT. 126 -- Rook, BS, pinned Watkins, ST, 3:09; Schuyler, MT, dec. Sunday, Dt, 12--7. 132 -- Duggan, CuV, dec. Cook, GS, 9--3; Killian, Mid, dec. Smith, MT, 10--6. 138 -- Dippery, CD, tech. fall over Metzler, MC, 4:58 (19--1); Wickard, BS, dec. Good, CCl, 5--3. 145 -- Vasser, CCl, tech. fall over Smith, MT, 5:10 (18--2); Bentzel, SG, dec. Hammond, Sol, 1--0. 152 -- Warner, CuV, pinned Nguyen, CDE, 1:17; Hammond, Cham, dec. Rose, CD, 7--2. 160 -- Marsteller, KD, pinned Francos, Wil, 1:53; Peppelman, CD, major dec. Ramsey, Mech, 8--0. 170 -- Peppelman, CD, tech. fall over Evarts, PM, 2:45 (15--0); Krulock, Mech, dec. Swarr, GS, 7--5. 182 -- Deller, Dt, dec. Shorter, MT, 6--0; Johnson, GM, pinned Hockensmith, BS, 6:20, OT. 195 -- Rayhart, BS, major dec. Cooley, EY, 11--2; Johnson, GM, dec. Pickel, GS, 2--1, TB. 220 -- Haines, Sol, tech. fall over Chestnut, Mech, 4:08 (15--0); Alic, Car, dec. Moffitt, SW, 9--8. 285 -- Goodhart, Hemp, dec. Ackerman, SW, 5--2; Spiller, Sol, dec. Devenney, War, 5--4.

Consolation Semifinals
106 -- Schnupp, War, dec. Bogdan, Pal, 4--3; Chatterton, CY, dec. Wherley, SW, 9--3. 113 -- Grant, TV, dec. Wilson, SW, 3--0; Carlisle, SG, dec. Laws, Sol, 7--3. 120 -- Fick, OV, dec. Fisher, GM, 4--0; Clingan, SG, dec. Shields, Dt, 4--2. 126 -- Werner, Wil, dec. Watkins, ST, 13--6; Sunday, Dt, dec. Ross, Nor, 5--3, OT. 132 -- Cook, GS, dec. Keck, BS, 10--4; Smith, MT, dec. Laughman, SG, 5--0. 138 -- Metzler, MC, dec. Lepperd, ST, 3--1; Hoover, Dt, won by forfeit over Good, CCl. 145 -- Smith, MT, dec. Shannon, Car, 4--3; Warner, BS, dec. Hammond, Sol, 3--2. 152 -- Druck, Dt, dec. Nguyen, CDE, 5--0; Rose, CD, dec. Kocsis, Get, 8--1. 160 -- Francos, Wil, dec. Cain, Mid, 3--0; Ramsey, Mech, dec. Barley, SG, 7--1. 170 -- Narber, WY, pinned Evarts, PM, 3:13; Seibert, BS, pinned Swarr, GS, 2:41. 182 -- Shorter, MT, dec. Gilson, CCr, 1--0; Colello, CCl, dec. Hockensmith, BS, 8--2. 195 -- Cooley, EY, dec. King, Cham, 2--1 UTB; Pickel, LS, dec. Ferster, CD, 11--5. 220 -- Hatlee, Wil, dec. Chestnut, Mech, 5--2; Moffitt, SW, dec. Martin, Pal, 8--2. 285 -- Hess, Ship, dec. Ackerman, SW, 3--2 TB; Devenney, War, dec. Warren, Her, 9--2.

Consolation Quarterfinals
106 -- Schnupp, War, major dec. Ryan Fretz, OV, 11--2; Wherley, SW, dec. Brett Kulp, Ex, 6--3. 113 -- Grant, TV, pinned Cody Carbaugh, GA, 2:09; Laws, Sol, dec. Josh Charles, War, 6--2. 120 -- Fick, OV, tech. fall over David Good, Hemp, 4:34 (15--0); Shields, Dt, dec. Garrett Kyner, Cham, 7--0. 126 -- Werner, Wil, dec. David Rump, Cham, 2--1, OT; Jonathan Ross, Nor, major dec. Zach Martin, GS, 14--0. 132 -- Wyatt Keck, BS, dec. Gary Hake, YT, 7--2; Laughman, SG, dec. Cody Cavrich, CDE, 6--1. 138 -- Lepperd, ST, dec. Alex Wolfe, CuV, 6--4; Hoover, Dt, dec. Matt Grossman, MT, 1--0. 145 -- Shannon, Car, dec. Felix Belga, CuV, 8--5; Warner, BS, dec. Nick Varndell, CD, 3--1. 152 -- Druck, Dt, dec. Keith Stednitz, GM, 2--0; Kocsis, Get, dec. Arthur Watkins, ST, 7--0. 160 -- Cain, Mid, dec. Jackson Pettis, CCl, 2--0; Barley, SG, dec. Rudy, CuV, 4--2. 170 -- Narber, WY, major dec. Austin Trephan, CDE, 8--0; Seibert, BS, pinned Johnny Gross, SG, 1:26. 182 -- Gilson, CCr, dec. James Moran, Ex, 6--4; Colello, CCl, pinned Terrance Parson, CD, 4:14. 195 -- King, Cham, dec. Dylan Herb, Ship, 4--2; Ferster, CD, major dec. Rey Lasanta, MC, 9--0. 220 -- Hatlee, Wil, pinned Andrew Brown, Har, 2:51; Martin, Pal, dec. David Wuestner, CW, 3--2. 285 -- Hess, Ship, pinned David Newcomer, CCl, :37; Warren, Her, pinned Jaron Burke, Rea, 2:40.

TEAM STANDING
   1. Central Dauphin, 152.5 points; 2. Solanco, 116; 3. Big Spring, 111.5; 4. Spring Grove, 79; 5. Dallastown 77.5.

KEY -- Big Spring (BS), Carlisle (Car), Cedar Cliff (CCl), Cedar Crest (CCr), Central Dauphin (CD), Central Dauphin East (CDE), Central York (CY), Chambersburg (Cham),Conestoga Valley (CoV), Conrad Weiser (CW), Cumberland Valley (CuV), Dallastown (Dt), Daniel Boone (DB), Donegal (Don), Dover (Do), East Pennsboro (EP), Eastern York (EY), Ephrata (Eph), Exeter (Ex), Garden Spot (GS), Gettysburg (Get), Governor Mifflin (GM), Greencastle-Antrim (GA), Harrisburg (Har), Hempfield (Hemp), Hershey (Her), James Buchanan (JB), Kennard- Dale (KD), Lampeter-Strasburg (LS), Lancaster McCaskey (LM), Lower Dauphin (LD), Manheim Central (MC), Manheim Township (MT), Mechanicsburg (Mech), Middletown (Mid), Milton Hershey (MH), New Oxford (NO), Northeastern (Ne), Northern York (Nor), Oley Valley (OV), Palmyra (Pal), Penn Manor (PM), Reading (Rea), Red Land (RLa), Red Lion (RLi), Shippensburg (Ship), Solanco (Sol), South Western (SW), Spring Grove (SG), Susquehanna Township (ST), Twin Valley (TV), Warwick (War), West Perry (WP), West York (WY), Wilson (Wil), York Suburban (YS), York Tech (YT).