NTL WRESTLING: ATHENS' CAMPBELL REACHES QUARTERFINALS AT COAL CRACKER; THREE OTHER WILDCATS ALIVE IN WRESTLEBACKS (2025-01-24)

Valley Sports Report
LEHIGHTON, Pa. — Sophomore Zaine Campbell reached the quarterfinals, and three of his teammates are still alive in the consolation bracket after Day 1 of action here Friday at the rugged Coal Cracker Invitational.

Junior Lucas Persun, sophomore Brendan Cooke, and senior Caleb Nason are still alive in wrestlebacks for the Wildcats, who are in 15th place in the 58-team field.

At 123 pounds, Campbell was 3-0 on the day, opening with a pair of technical fall wins. He beat Dylan Petula of Boiling Springs, 17-2, in 1:44 in the opening round, then beat Tamaqua's Levi Kunkel, 15-0, in 1:33.

In the round-of-16, Campbell topped fifth-seeded Giovanni Lomanaco of Wallenpaupack in a wild 19-10 major decision.

Campbell will take on fourth-seeded Will Yordi of Gettysburg in the quarterfinals.

Persun was 3-1 on the day in the 129-pound bracket. He opened the day with a pin of Hazeleton's Deegan Kapes in 1:46 in the opening round, and followed it up with a pin of Oxford's Logan McMillan in 5:03.

In the round-of-16, Persun lost via first-period fall to eighth-seeded Dom Lucian of Salesiarium (Del.).

Persun bounced back in wrestlebacks with a 19-3 technical fall win over Pleasant Valley's Victor Custodio in 4:28.

At 162 pounds, Cooke was 3-1 on the day. He opened with a 12-second fall of Wyoming Area's Jacob Grabko, and followed it up with an 11-2 major decision of Central Dauphin's Benny Bentz.

In the round-of-16, Cooke lost via third-period technical fall to Germantown Academy's Nadav Nafshi.

Cooke bounced back with a 4-1 sudden-victory win over Abington Heights' Keith Yusinski.

At 287 pounds, Caleb Nason finished 3-1 on the day, winning all three bouts with pins.

Nason opened with a 73-second pin of Scranton's Keith Prayiterio, and followed it up with a pin of Canon-McMillan's Dakota Carmona in 2:22.

In the round-of-16, Nason lost in ultimate-tiebreaker to eighth-seeded Isaiah Taylor of AIM Academy.

Nason bounced back in wrestlebacks with a pin of Catasauqua's Jacob Ramos in 4:24.

Fourth other Wildcats won multiple matches — including freshman Treyton Barrett, who won three matches — before being eliminated.

Barrett finished the tourney 3-2 at 147 pounds. Barrett opened the day with a 17-2 technical fall of Crestwood's Jacob Jeckell in 3:53, but lost via third-period technical to Montgomery's Max Forman III in the round-of-32.

Barrett bounced back in wrestlebacks with a 20-3 technical fall of Central Dauphin's Vince Lupino, and followed it up with a 19-7 major decision win over Blue Mountain's Thomas Herring.

Barrett saw his tournament end with a second-period technical loss to Abington Heights' Luke Evans.

Junior Karson Sipley opened the day with two wins, decking Mid-Valley's Kaden Barmuskas in 53 seconds, and pinning Blue Mountain's Jacob Blankenhorn in 1:59.

In the round-of-16, Sipley lost via third-period tech fall to Central Dauphin's C.J. Ferree, who is 27-1 on the season. He also lost his first wrestleback match in a 6-5 decision to Palmerton's Vincent Taglieri.

Sophomore Connor Davidson was 2-2 on the day at 174 pounds. He opened the day with a 20-second fall of Panther Valley's Levi Weaver, then won by injury default.

In the round-of-32, Palmerton's Dillon Lombardi scored a takedown with 3 seconds remaining in the third period, and scored another with 48 seconds remaining for an 11-8 sudden-victory win.

Davidson was eliminated in a 5-3 decision to Wyoming Seminary's Robert Fahey.

Sophomore Wyatt Clink was 2-2 on the day at 135 pounds. He opened with a pin of Mahanoy Area's Sonny Seritti, then lost in the round-of-32 via first-period fall to Gettysburg's Isaiah Jackson.

Clink bounced back with a pin of Wyoming Area's Shane Emsley in 3:47 in wrestlebacks, but dropped an 11-8 decision to Pleasant Valley's John Hargrave in the next round of wrestlebacks.

Junior Sean Peters was 1-2 at 147 pounds, with his lone win a pin of Tamaqua's Mason MacMillan in first round of the consolation bracket.

Freshman Judah Nason was 1-2 at 191 pounds, with his lone win a pin of Hanover Area's Alex Heichel in 2:44 in the opening round of wrestlebacks.

Junior Connor Garrison was 0-2 at 116 pounds, sophomore Ayden Peterson was 0-2 at 141 pounds, junior Carter Bombacie was 0-2 at 154 pounds, and senior Ethan Elliott was 0-2 at 162 pounds.

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IN PHOTO: Athens sophomore Zaine Campbell. ... VSR STOCK PHOTO.

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