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2002 CEN-PENN LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIPS LYW WINS - 44 for 231 team points LYW LOSSES - 39 for 183 team points 8 out of 43 LYWrestlers were crowned Champion (19%) |
 8 LYWrestlers were crowned Cen-Penn Champions FRONT ROW (L to R): Ryan Vaughn, Joshua Ruppert, Colby Wagaman(2X) BACK ROW: Tyler Zittle(3X), Philip Macy(4X), Ben Killeen(2X), Cory Beaver(3X) Missing from photo is Charles Walls |
 15 LYWrestlers placed FRONT ROW(L to R):Aaron Bortner(4th), Paul Price(3rd), Mike Battaglini(3rd), Blake Wagaman(4th), Cody Null(4th), & Jacob Grammer(3rd) BACK ROW (all Champions):Ryan Vaughn, Josh Ruppert, Tyler Zittle, Philip Macy, Ben Killeen, Cory Beaver, Colby Wagaman Missing from photo are: Charles Walls(1st), & Garrett Bill(3rd) |
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CHAMPIONS
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| 4X CHAMP, PHILIP MACY QUARTERFINALS - Won by Pin SEMIFINALS - Won by Pin FINALS - Won by Pin For the past four years, Philip has ruled the Cen-Penn League! After using about a total time of around one minute to pin all three of his opponents, Philip left no doubt who the best 70 pound Cen-Penn wrestler was this year either. Winning his fourth title (a LYW record) barely caused a sweat on our HAMMER. It's a scary thought for Cen-Penn competitors to know that Philip will be returning for #5 next year! Congratulations, Philip! I know you're headed to additional tournaments later this year to win bigger Championships, and LYW wishes you the best! If you continue to wrestle like you have been, you'd better get used to climbing to the top of the podium. |
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3X CHAMP, CORY BEAVER FINALS - Won by Pin EXHIBITION - Won by Injury Default Cory had ease rolling up his third consecutive title. He only got to wrestle once because there were only two other competitors in his weight bracket. LYW decided to challenged the 115 pound, 26-0 champion to a exhibition bout, and they agreed. Cory grabbed a 6-1 lead, and was in the proccess of running a half nelson when the other competitor hurt his neck. Although Cory wasn't in the toughest weight class at the tournament, he still deserves congratulations for what he's accomplished. Best wishes to one of LYW's best wrestlers ever as he moves on to the junior high level next year. |
| 3X CHAMP, TYLER ZITTLE QUARTERFINALS - Won by Pin SEMIFINALS - Won 9-0 FINALS - Won by Pin Tyler took charge in this tough weight class, and ended the day as a 3X Cen-Penn Champ. By the looks of the above scores, you can tell just how dominent a wrestler Tyler has become. He closed out his Cen-Penn career in absolute style. Wrestling against a top notch competitor, Tyler powered his way into hearing one last Cen-Penn, slap of the mat. He finishes with a career Cen-Penn record of 48-8. Of those 8 losses, at least 3 of them were exhibition bouts against heavier kids. Quite impressive! That's just what Tyler has become on the mat. |
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2X CHAMP, BEN KILLEEN QUARTERFINALS - Won 13-0 SEMIFINALS - Won 8-1 FINALS - Won 6-0 GRAND-FINALS - Won 9-4 When I think about one of our wrestlers who has risen to a higher level this year, Ben is one of the first to come to mind. The coolest part about that is he already was a Cen-Penn Champ from last year! The fact that Ben has hit high gear in his wrestling was never more evident then it was at this year's championships. Wrestling in one of the tournaments most loaded weight classes, Ben rolled to the championship with relative ease. The most impresive match he wrestled all season was the final bout of the tournament. In front of a crowd four deep the whole way around the mat, Ben took on the other 75 pound champ in a grand-final showdown. In the end Ben left NO doubt who the best 75 pounder was in the whole league. It was a story book finish to one of the best LYWrestlers, ever! |
| 2X CHAMP, COLBY WAGAMAN SEMIFINALS - Won by Pin FINALS - Won 3-0 Colby used his smooth, explosive, style of wrestling to run his way to the top of the podium, earning his second consecutive championship. He has beaten everyone at this weight all season, so it was no surprise to see him shut out the competition at these championships. Colby has an impressive 38-10 Cen-Penn record, so far. I know first hand, several of those losses were exhibition matches against heavier wrestlers. Non the less, Colby has established himself as one of the most successful LYWrestlers, all-time, with yet another year to go. He has a natural ability in this sport that should take him to some lofty accomplishments in the years to come. |
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2002 CHAMP, JOSHUA RUPPERT QUARTERFINALS - Won by Pin SEMIFINALS - Won by Pin FINALS - Won by Pin Josh capped a brilliant season culminating in his first Cen-Penn Championship. He came so close a year ago, getting a runner-up finish, it made it even more rewarding watching him get over the top this year. Josh displayed how dominating of a wrestler he can be at this tournament, pinning all three of his opponents. LYW will be well represented with team leaders next season with the likes of wrestlers like Josh. He is a hard worker in practices, and that hard work shows in the 42 wins he posted in his two years of wrestling. I think LYW can see another 100 match winner in the making, here. |
| 2002 CHAMP, RYAN VAUGHN QUARTERFINALS - Won by Pin SEMIFINALS - Won by Pin FINALS - Won 6-4 This young hammer has taken it to another level this year. He has gone from 15-12 a year ago, to 25 wins, two tournament championships, and one tournament runner-up finish so far this year. I look for Ryan to continue to make the same kind of huge strides from one year to the next. It would not surprise me in the least to watch this special wrestler rack up 4 Cen-Penn championships before he graduates to the junior high level. |
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2002 CHAMP, CHARLES WALLS QUARTERFINALS - Won by Pin SEMIFINALS - Won by Pin FINALS - Won 8-0 Charles has become accustomed to winning tournament championships. He has won many of them this year alone. The fact that he won the Cen-Penn was just another step for this wrestler who is on the mission to become the best in the state at his weight. I am a believer in him reaching that goal. Good luck, Charles. You have the ability to meet that goal even this year! |
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PLACE WINNERS
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| 3rd PLACE, MICHAEL BATTAGLINI PIGTAILS - Won by Pin QUARTERFINALS - Won 4-2 OT SEMIFINALS - Lost 5-11 CONSOLATION FINALS - Won by Pin I said in an earlier post to not be surprised to see Mike knock off a few higher seats at the Cen-Penn tournament, and that's exactly what he did. Mike performed as well as any of our wrestlers at this tournament, although he fell a bit short of reaching the top of the podium. No problem, Mike is young, and I have no doubts that this excellent wrestler will get there, even more than once, before he moves on to junior high. |
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3rd PLACE, GARRETT BILL QUARTERFINALS - Won 9-0 SEMIFINALS - Lost by Pin CONSOLATION FINALS - Won by Pin Garrett gave 1000% all season, and he laid it all out at this tournament, also. He is only a first year wrestler, and that inexperience was the only reason he was prevented from reaching the top of the podium. The fact that he put together over 20 wins his first year out shows just what kind of potential this future superstar has. |
| 3rd PLACE, JACOB GRAMMER QUARTERFINALS - Won by Pin SEMIFINALS - Lost 1-12 CONSOLATION FINALS - Won by Forfeit EXHIBITION - Won 12-4 Another future superstar also got third in his first year of wrestling. Competing in what I believe was the toughest weight class in the tournament, Jacob proved me correct when I told the other teams disbelieving coaches that he was good enough to place. He wrestled as well as any of our wrestlers, and I was no more proud of anyone as I was of Jacob. Not only did he provide LYW with over 20 wins this season, he also was one of the most enjoyable kids I've ever coached. |
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3rd PLACE, PAUL PRICE QUARTERFINALS - Won by Pin SEMIFINALS - Lost 3-6 CONSOLATION FINALS - Won by Pin Paul lost one of the tournaments most exciting bouts, and had to settle for a third place finish. You can't get much closer to winning a Cen-Penn Championship than Paul did, but the amazing thing is this is only Pauls first year. It's hard to believe with his 21-2 record and all, but it's true. Don't worry, Paul gets three more chances at a Cen-Penn Championship, and I would not in the least be surprised to see him win all three. |
| 4th PLACE, AARON BORTNER QUARTERFINALS - Won by Pin SEMIFINALS - Lost by Pin CONSOLATION FINALS - Lost 6-11 Aaron may have wanted a higher placing in this tournament, but the effort he gave, especially in his final bout, was worth a gold medal in itself. I've told the kids all season, giving your all is a win, and Aaron was a huge winner at this tournament! |
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4th PLACE, CODY NULL PIGTAILS - Won by Pin QUARTERFINALS - Won by Pin SEMIFINALS - Lost by Pin CONSOLATION FINALS - Lost by Pin This first year wrestler was supposed to be one and done with where he was seated, but Cody had none of that! Wrestling as well as any of the LYWrestlers did, Cody pulled off two big upset pins, and came away with the fourth place medal. With three years of Cen-Penn eligibility left, Cody served notice that he will be a major factor in the years to come. Get the feeling we've got another multiple champion on the horizon? I do! |
| 4th PLACE, BLAKE WAGAMAN QUARTERFINALS - Won by Pin SEMIFINALS - Lost 0-17 CONSOLATION FINALS - Lost 1-6 It sure will be nice to see Blake get to the point where he doesn't have to wrestle heavier kids. By then, he will so use to wrestling up in weight, kids his own weight will seem light. He gave an effort equal to the best any LYWrestler gave, and came away with the fourth place medal. Blake is such a hard worker, I expect him to continue to climb the Cen-Penn podium each of his remaining three years. In fact, I would not be surprised at all for Blake to win all three of those championships! |
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