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Malick joins historic list
BY BOB LIPSKY
STAFF WRITER
blipsky@republicanherald.com
01/20/2008
ORWIGSBURG — Mount Carmel’s Josh Malick raised his arms into the air.
Just for a moment.
Nothing outlandish, just a spontaneous combination of joy and relief after the senior 112-pounder became a rare
four-time champion Saturday night at the Schuylkill League Wrestling Tournament. He became the ninth wrestler since
1985 and first since 2005 (Blue Mountain’s Jeremy Cresswell) to join the four-timers club.
Malick’s milestone set the tone for the finals as six wrestlers became multiple-time league champions.
Adding to their collections were Blue Mountain junior 130-pounder Cort Choate, who became a three-time winner;
and teammate Josh Kindig, a sophomore 135-pounder who earned his second Schuylkill gold.
Their efforts helped Blue Mountain cruise to the team title, as the Eagles dethroned two-time defending champion
Mount Carmel. The Eagles finished with 250 points while Mount Carmel (177) placed second and Shamokin (148) took
third.
Blue Mountain placed 12 of its 14 wrestlers in the top six, including four champions. In addition to Kindig and
Cort Choate, brother Brandon Choate (103), a freshman, and junior Corey Seasock (171) also climbed to the top of
the awards platform.
The Eagles’ Tyler Rauenzahn (112) gave up an early takedown and dropped a 5-2 decision to Malick to settle for
silver.
At the same time, Blue Mountain went 6-for-6 in third-place bouts. Clint Rarick (119), Ross Myers (145), Jake Dabashinsky
(160), Brook Gosch (189), Brian Maberry (215) and Keith Graeff (285) took bronze.
“They deserve the team title,’’ Blue Mountain coach Tod Kindig said. “First place shows ability, and third place
shows heart. For them to come back and battle through, I’m very proud of them.’’
Brandon Choate (21-3) got Blue Mountain started with an 18-3 technical fall over Pine Grove’s Chad Reiner, and
Seasock (18-8) capped the Eagles’ run in the finals with a 15-0 technical fall over Shamokin’s Nick Domanski.
In between, Cort Choate (22-5) added a 22-6 technical fall over Panther Valley’s Brandon Heffelfinger. All three
of Choate’s wins came by technical fall by a combined score of 56-10.
“I’m not a great pinner, so I score points,’’ Choate said with a smile.
After a 41-second fall in last year’s league final, Kindig (25-0) cradled Pottsville’s Mike Brennan in 53 seconds
for his second gold. Kindig was also named the tournament’s outstanding wrestler.
“About three weeks ago, we weren’t together as a team,’’ Josh Kindig said. “Now it’s a totally different team.
We’re there for each other.’’
Mount Carmel placed 10 but couldn’t keep pace with the Eagles. In addition to Malick, 215-pounder James Haynes
(25-1) won his third league championship and 189-pounder Jordan Politza (22-5) collected his second gold medal.
Pine Grove senior Chas Aungst (29-3) rounds out the repeat champs. The 152-pounder — down from 160 at the start
of the season — rolled to his second league title by pinning North Schuylkill’s Zach Cress in 1:36 in the finals.
“It’s a more comfortable weight for me,’’ Aungst said. “I’m progressing as the year goes on. I’m happy with my
conditioning.’’
Others earning their first league titles included Pottsville’s Nick Fanelli (20-5) at 145 and Halifax’s Dwight
Hentz (17-2) at 285. Hentz had four falls in 6 minutes, 12 seconds.
Meanwhile, Shamokin and Tri-Valley crowned two champions apiece.
The Indians went back-to-back, freshman Brandon Pesarchick (27-2) winning at 119 and sophomore Derek Shingara (23-2)
getting the job done at 125. Pesarchick rolled up a 20-4 technical fall over Tamaqua’s Kolby Mashack in the finals,
while Shingara pinned Tri-Valley’s Jon Glosek in 1:37.
Shingara had three falls in a combined 3:45 en route to the title.
“We drill with each other,’’ Shingara said of Pesarchick. “We all push in the mat room. “It’s amazing having our
whole team. We’re back.’’
Tri-Valley continues to climb, too, as Dan Koppenhaver (second) and Andrew Oxenrider (fourth) improved from placewinners
last season to champions.
Koppenhaver (23-0) edged Tamaqua’s Mark Focht 4-3 for the 140-pound title, and Oxenrider (21-2) outlasted Mount
Carmel’s Randy Elliott 8-6 in overtime at 160.
Oxenrider appeared to have the match won in regulation before a penalty point for locked hands at the buzzer tied
the bout at 6. Early in overtime, though, Oxenrider created a deep leg shot and finished for the victory.
“I was so angry (about the penalty point) that it gave me the extra oomph to get that takedown,’’ Oxenrider said.
“You’ve just got to keep going. Second isn’t good enough. You’ve got to go for gold.’’
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