Local grapplers earn gold, Ancheff, Daubert tops

BETHLEHEM — Pine Grove’s Allen Daubert likes cradles.
Most everybody around the Schuylkill League knows that.
Now the rest of District 11 knows it, too.
The long, lean, senior 140-pounder got in a cradle contest with Pen Argyl’s Rex Lutz on Sunday night in the finals of the District 11 Class AA Wrestling Championships at a packed Memorial Gym at Liberty High School.
In 1:19, it was over.
Once Daubert (30-3 season, 113-35 career) locks his hands and gains leverage, few get off their backs. Add Lutz (32-9) to that list.
“I started hitting it a little last year and found different ways to use it,’’ Daubert said. “I made it into my go-to move whenever I can hit it.’’
With the championship, the younger Daubert joins his father, Allen, as a district champion. The elder Daubert also has a state title to his credit.
“I’m really trying to follow in my dad’s footsteps,’’ Daubert said.
Williams Valley junior Ben Ancheff (285) is making some pretty big foot-steps of his own, winning his second straight District 11 championship with a dominating 2-0 victory over Lehighton’s Briar Stern (23-9). Ancheff (20-1 season, 81-18 career) scored the bout’s only points with a third-period reversal.
He spent the rest of the time (3:33 riding) punishing Stern with crossfaces and corkscrew arm rips.
“Awesome. Two-timer. I defended my title,’’ Ancheff said. “This year it’s all business. … He was waiting for me to get hit with stalling, but I was doing all the work.’’
Panther Valley’s Nick O’Donnell (103) and John Scheaffer (215), Pine Grove’s Kody Rittenbaugh (119), Tri-Valley’s Bryn Bowman (160) and Tamaqua’s Garth Lakitsky (189) settled for silver.
O’Donnell (33-7) struggled to generate offense against Pius X’s Anthony Bilotta (30-5) and dropped a 7-2 decision.
Top-seeded Curtis Garner (24-1) of Catasauqua had too much for the sixth-seeded Scheaffer (24-12), winning by fall in 3:40.
Rittenbaugh (33-4) got locked up in a defensive battle against Northern Lehigh’s Zane Heller (28-4), falling 3-1. Heller’s takedown with 2.6 seconds left in the first period made the difference.
Bowman (29-5) also got off to a slow start, trailing by 12 points against Notre Dame-Green Pond’s John Blank (31-5) before rallying in an 18-11 loss.
Gimbar, who lost by technical fall to Lakitsky on Jan. 11, made this match all about takedowns and got the better of the chances on his feet. A third-period takedown gave Gimbar (37-5) a 3-2 decision over Lakitsky (32-2). Gimbar earned his second straight district championship (at 171 in 2009); Lakitsky collected his second straight silver.
The Schuylkill League had a rough time in the third-place bouts, going 1-8. Jim Thorpe’s Dillon Smith was the only winner, edging Tri-Valley’s Sam Scheib 5-3 at 145. Other fourth-place finishers included North Schuylkill’s Garrett VanDeMark (171) and Tyler Dean (285), Tri-Valley’s Ty Schoffstall (125), Tamaqua’s Kolby Mashack (130), Schuylkill Haven’s Jon Nettles (152), Panther Valley’s Mike Weaver (160) and Mahanoy Area’s Nick Forte (215).
The top four place-winners in each weight class advance to the Southeast Regional, set for Friday and Saturday at Wilson High School, West Lawn.   
 

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