Pictured above: Robbie Schneider
Robbie Schneider and Beau Ware each posted a pair of first-period pins Wednesday as top-seeded Lackawanna Trail moved within one win of successfully defending its District 2 Class 2A Dual Meet Wrestling championship.
The Lions advanced to face Honesdale, which won twice at Berwick, including a semifinal victory over the second-seeded hosts.
Lackawanna Trail (19-1) and Honesdale (16-4) meet Saturday at Pittston Area at 1:30 p.m. for the district championship.
The final is a rematch of last year’s district title match in which Lackawanna Trail romped, 49-12. The teams also met in a match that decided this season’s Lackawanna League Division 2 title with Lackawanna Trail pulling out a 30-27 win for its fourth straight title.
Berwick, Montrose, Wyoming Area and Valley View all went 1-1 to advance to Saturday’s 9 a.m. consolation semifinals, also at Pittston Area. The winners of those matches will wrestle for third place at noon.
Scranton Prep and Western Wayne each lost twice and were eliminated.
A recap of each of Wednesday’s eight Class 2A matches:
SEMIFINALS
Lackawanna Trail 53, Montrose 18
The semifinal between Lackawanna Division 2 and 3 champions was close until the Lions got five straight first-period pins from Max Bluhm, Deegan Ross, Schneider, Ware and Seth Ross run away with the win.
Schneider’s victory at 172 was the clincher.
Honesdale 45, Berwick 18
Brent Hoey (114) and Charles Moran (147) needed less than a minute to post pins at 114 and 127 pounds as Honesdale had little trouble beating second-seeded Berwick to earn its title shot.
The Hornets registered six pins.
QUARTERFINALS
Lackawanna Trail 66, Scranton Prep 6
Lackawanna Trail won by pin in all 10 bouts that were decided on the mat.
The Lions pinned the Cavaliers in every weight class from 127 to 285.
Montrose 35, Wyoming Area 31
Josiah Gibbore and Jesse Rogers won the last two bouts wrestled to rally third-seeded Montrose past second-seeded Wyoming Area.
Gibbore’s first-period pin at 160 combined with Rogers’ major decision at 172 and a forfeit at 189 to allow Montrose to recover from a 31-19 deficit.
Berwick 46, Valley View 24
First-period pins by Trystan English at 189 and Bruce Hartman at 285 highlighted Berwick outscoring Montrose 25-0 at the five heaviest weight classes.
Honesdale 51, Western Wayne 15
Joel Landry’s 19-second pin at 172 highlighted a stretch in which Honesdale won every bout from 139 through 215.
CONSOLATION QUARTERFINALS
Wyoming Area 48, Scranton Prep 27
Ethan Speece’s win at 285 was the fastest of six pins by the Warriors.
Valley View 39, Western Wayne 30
Apollo Kazmierski’s pin at 285 allowed Valley View to avenge a 36-27 loss during the Lackawanna League Division 2 season.
MORE DUAL MEET WRESTLING COVERAGE
Scores, schedule and pairings for both classes: District 2 Dual Meet Wrestling – NEPA Sports Nation.
Class 3A roundup: DISTRICT 2 CLASS 3A DUALS: Comets, Warriors will meet again – NEPA Sports Nation.
