Faith Christian demonstrated once again why it’s one of the best small school programs in the country as well as one of the better overall teams.
The Lions took second place from a field of 59 teams from across the country in the prestigious Escape the Rock tournament at Council Rock South High School. Their team finished in second place behind Malvern Prep, and the Lions had six wrestlers place among the top five places in their weight classes.
Faith Christian junior Gauge Botero took the top spot in the 121-pound bracket with an 11-4 victory over Bethlehem Catholic’s Keanu Dillard. Teammates Cael Weidemoyer (160) and Adam Waters (172), both sophomores, gained silver medals for their second-place finishes at their respective weights. Junior Max Stein notched a bronze medal at 152.
Botero received the tournament’s Outstanding Wrestler award. He recently returned to the Lions’ lineup following knee surgery and has a 10-0 slate.
Sophomores Jason Singer (215) and Mark Effendian (285) both recorded fifth-place finishes.
Council Rock South was ninth in the field, and Anthony Mutarelli captured top honors at 127, defeating Quakertown senior Mason Ziegler, 4-0, in the final. Other Golden Hawks among the top eight finishers were Gavin Cole (seventh, 160) and Connor Lenahan (114) and Pat Woloshyn (133), who were both eighth in their brackets.
Quakertown senior Calvin Lachman was third at 285. Teammate Collin Gaj, a junior, took sixth in the 145-pound bout and the pair, along with Ziegler, helped the Panthers to a 14th-place finish.
Pennridge finished 13th overall, and 107-pounder Colby Martinelli was forced to forfeit in the title bout in his weight class. Cole Coffin was eighth at 121.
Council Rock North was 21st with Eren Sement fourth at 127 and Alexander Diaz sixth at 107. Central Bucks West followed with a 39th-place finish. Patrick Kelly was sixth at 139 for the Bucks.
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