Off the Mat rankings, Jan. 14

Here is the latest edition of Off the Mat rankings, which are done by Mark Dugan:

106

1. GAVIN TEASDALE......... 09…Jefferson Morgan............ 7

2. AARON BURKETT......... 11…Chestnut Ridge................ 5

3. ALAN DILTZ.................. 11…Benton............................ 4

4. KEVAN GENTILE........... 10…Jim Thorpe..................... 11

5. JALIN HANKERSON....... 10…Boiling Springs.................. 3

6. GAVIN PARK................ 10…Brookville......................... 9

7. COLLIN KLINGER.......... 10…Line Mountain.................. 4

8. ABE GUARRIELLO......... 11…Fort LeBoeuf.................. 10

9. BAYLEY OBERLANDER... 11…Bermudian Springs........... 3

10. TREVOR GIMBOR......... 10…Brandywine Heights......... 3

11. OAKLEE BRODE............ 10…Tussey Mountain............. 5

12. JARET LANE.................. 09…Southern Columbia.......... 4

13. HUNTER CAMPBELL...... 09…Cambria Heights............... 6

14. TYLER GRIFFITHS........... 09…Southmoreland................ 7

15. LUKE PIPA.................... 09…Bishop McDevitt............... 3

16. CALEB BENTLEY............. 09…Trinity.............................. 3

113

1. JOE LOBECK................. 11…Lancaster Catholic............ 3

2. MAX MURIN................ 10…Central Cambria............... 6

3. RYAN CARLSON............ 11…Brockway......................... 9

4. ANGELO BARBERIO...... 11…Muncy............................. 4

5. GAGE BAYLESS............. 10…Reynolds........................ 10

6. NOLAN LINK................ 12…Penn Cambria.................. 6

7. CASEY VOLLMER.......... 12…Port Allegany................... 9

8. WILLIE GIRARD............. 11…Williams Valley............... 11

9. COLIN PASONE............ 10…Wilkes Barre Meyers........ 2

10. TRENT SNADER............ 09…Trinity.............................. 3

11. GAGE NICOLELLA......... 12…McGuffy.......................... 7

12. SHANE CASEY............... 10…Southern Columbia.......... 4

13. JAKE KEIPER................. 12…Forest Hills....................... 6

14. BODEE TOLBERT........... 09…Susquenita....................... 3

15. MATT MILLBRAND....... 09…Bloomsburg..................... 4

16. JACK HILL..................... 11…Saucon Valley................. 11

120

1. JOHN PIPA................... 10…Bishop McDevitt............... 3

2. AUSTIN MCDERMITT.... 12…Burgettstown................... 7

3. BRIAN COURTNEY........ 10…Athens............................. 4

4. FARRIS MESSAI............ 11…Jamestown.................... 10

5. COLE MATTHEWS......... 09…Reynolds........................ 10

6. CAMERON NEWMAN... 12…Line Mountain.................. 4

7. JUSTIN MCCOY............ 09…Chestnut Ridge................ 5

8. AUSTIN CLAYBAUGH.... 10…Bermudian Springs........... 3

9. SEAN STANISH............. 12…Hamburg.......................... 3

10. JORDAN GESSNER........ 11…Lewisburg........................ 4

11. BRENDAN HOWARD..... 12…Jefferson Morgan............ 7

12. HUNTER NEELY............. 11…Bentworth....................... 7

13. MICHAEL LINEMAN...... 10…Greenville...................... 10

14. COY CAMPBELL............ 12…Upper Dauphin................ 3

15. QUENTIN BERNHARD... 11…Northwestern Lehigh..... 11

16. JOSH HALEY................. 10…Wyalusing........................ 4

126

1. GRANT BOND.............. 12…Boiling Springs.................. 3

2. TAYLOR ORTZ............... 11…Brookville......................... 9

3. SETH HOGUE................ 11…Reynolds........................ 10

4. COLLIN GLORIOSO....... 11…Huntingdon...................... 6

5. JON GABRIEL............... 11…Bedford........................... 5

6. TANNER ALTOBELLI...... 11…Redbank Valley................ 9

7. MIKE STEWART............ 10…Benton............................ 4

8. CALEB BORDNER.......... 12…Tri Valley........................ 11

9. JACOB WASSER............ 11…Palisades........................ 11

10. CHARLES JOHNSON...... 11…Wyoming Area................. 2

11. CURTIS DECKER............ 11…Penns Valley.................... 6

12. ERIC HUNT................... 12…Warrior Run..................... 4

13. CALEB GARLAND.......... 11…Hanover........................... 3

14. CARNELL ANDREWS..... 09…Westmont Hilltop............. 6

15. BRIAN EARLSTON......... 10…Line Mountain.................. 4

16. STONE KEPPLE............. 11…Derry Area....................... 7

132

1. KORBIN MYERS............ 12…Boiling Springs.................. 3

2. GEORGE PHILLIPPI....... 11…Derry Area....................... 7

3. JOSH GIORGIO............. 12…Schuylkill Valley................ 3

4. MIKE BARTOLO............ 12…Reynolds........................ 10

5. SAM HEPLER................ 10…Tri Valley........................ 11

6. LEWIS WILLIAMS.......... 12…Central Columbia.............. 4

7. ADAM GEORGE............ 12…Richland........................... 6

8. TRISTON LAW............... 12…Forest Hills....................... 6

9. MASON LINDENMUTH. 11…Brockway......................... 9

10. JOE SWANK................. 11…Berlin Brothersvalley........ 5

11. JARRETT CARTER.......... 11…Fort LeBoeuf.................. 10

12. KODY KOMARA............ 10…Freedom.......................... 7

13. JAKE BOOZLE............... 11…Mount Union................... 6

14. SHANE GING……………….11…South Fayette.................. 7

15. COLE AARON............... 11…Brookville......................... 9

16. CHASE DRAWBAUGH... 11…Trinity.............................. 3

138

1. KYLE SHOOP.................. 12…Boiling Springs.................. 3

2. TYLER VATH.................. 12…Saegertown................... 10

3. SHAE BLOOM................ 11…Curwensville.................... 9

4. MIKE CARR.................. 11…South Fayette.................. 7

5. SAM MILLER................ 12…Bloomsburg..................... 4

6. ZACH LEBARRON……….. 11…Warrior Run..................... 4

7. KEITH BATKOWSKI....... 11…Montoursville.................. 4

8. DERRICK CLAAR……………12…Chestnut Ridge................ 5

9. TOM OPDENHOFF……… 11…Central Cambria............... 6

10. NATE JONES…………………12…South Williamsport........... 4

11. LUKE WALTER………………12…Grove City...................... 10

12. CHRIS HIBBLER…………….11…Seneca........................... 10

13. NICK HOENSTINE…………12…Central............................. 6

14. EVAN MYERS……………….11…Southmoreland................ 7

15. TYLER MARSH………………10…Palisades........................ 11

16. LOGAN WITWICKI……….10…Carlynton......................... 7

145

1. KENT LANE................... 12…Southern Columbia.......... 4

2. NICK MONICO............. 11…Saegertown................... 10

3. CHASE SCHAEFFER....... 11…Tri Valley........................ 11

4. CODY KLINGER............. 12…Bloomsburg..................... 4

5. ADAM FISH………………….11…Seneca........................... 10

6. ALEX GALLAHER…………..12…Camp Hill......................... 3

7. JON FABIAN………………..12…Somerset......................... 5

8. MIKE ECKENRODE........ 12…Penn Cambria.................. 6

9. COLLIN EDSELL............. 11…Wyalusing........................ 4

10. ZACH BENNETT............ 12…Milton.............................. 4

11. ROBBY PATRICK............ 09…Ligoner Valley.................. 6

12. GIO VONNE SANDERS... 10…Jeannette........................ 7

13. DYLAN RYNKIEWICZ...... 12…Tamaqua........................ 11

14. DUSTIN TOMCHO......... 12…Union City...................... 10

15. DYLAN YONNEY............ 11…Saucon Valley................. 11

16. A J KOSTYAK................ 11…Boiling Springs.................. 3

152

1. BILLY BARNES............... 12…Southern Columbia.......... 4

2. JACOB OLIVER.............. 10…Huntingdon...................... 6

3. JAKE WETZEL................ 11…South Park....................... 7

4. DOM VITALE................ 12…Benton............................ 4

5. DAKOTA NIXON........... 12…Muncy............................. 4

6. ANTHONY SNYDER....... 12…Tri Valley........................ 11

7. JEFFREY INMAN........... 12…Annville Cleona................ 3

8. ZACK FRY..................... 11…Hughesville...................... 4

9. AUSTIN MEARS............ 12…Mount Pleasant............... 7

10. GAVIN WILKERSON...... 10…Greenville...................... 10

11. NATE NEWBERRY......... 11…Biglerville......................... 3

12. ISSAC STEWART........... 12…Marion Center................. 6

13. DAMON GREENWALD.. 11…Burrell.............................. 7

14. TYLER KAUFFMAN........ 12…Boiling Springs.................. 3

15. COLBY STROUP............ 11…Newport.......................... 3

16. JAMES DUFFY.............. 11…Smethport....................... 9

160

1. COLE WALTER.............. 12…Mifflinburg....................... 4

2. ANDREW DOAK............ 12…Blairsville.......................... 6

3. BRYCE FOCHTMAN....... 12…Berlin Brothersvalley........ 5

4. JIMMY MILLER............. 12…Brookville......................... 9               

5. MICHAEL COMUNALE.. 12…Pius X............................. 11

6. TRENT CROUSE............ 12…Chestnut Ridge................ 5

7. HUNTER HARNER......... 12…Tri Valley........................ 11

8. JOHN VAUGHN............ 12…Boiling Springs.................. 3

9. LOUIE HEAD................. 11…Eisenhower.................... 10

10. CODY MULLIGAN......... 09…Saegertown................... 10

11. TRAVIS WICKARD......... 11…Boiling Springs.................. 3

12. KESHON TRUITT........... 12…Redbank Valley................ 9

13. ETHAN CHARLESWORTH…12…Mount Pleasant............ 7

14. BRETT BELTZ................. 12…South Fayette.................. 7

15. DAYTON WICKWIRE....... 11…Towanda.......................... 4

16. ZACK CHRISTMAN......... 12…Palmerton...................... 11

170

1. JARED WALKER............ 12…South Fayette.................. 7

2. BRITON SHELTON......... 12…Bermudian Springs........... 3

3. GREG BULSAK.............. 11…South Park....................... 7

4. TAYLOR CAHILL............ 12…Berlin Brothersvalley........ 5

5. JASON LYNCH.............. 12…Saucon Valley................. 11

6. ANTHONY WELSH......... 11…Beth Center..................... 7

7. MIKE MILLERO............. 12…Reynolds........................ 10

8. LEVI NIEBAUER............ 12…Cambria Heights............... 6

9. NICK STEPHANI............ 12…Troy................................. 4

10. LUKE SLIPPEY............... 12…West Branch.................... 6

11. ANTHONEY WALTERS... 09…Westmont Hilltop............. 6

12. BILL BOWLEN............... 11…Jefferson Morgan............ 7

13. GAVIN HOFFMAN........ 09…Montoursville.................. 4

14. JON WAGNER.............. 11…Huntingdon...................... 6

15. ANTHONY BENSON...... 12…Brockway......................... 9

16. CHRIS ENOS................. 12…Sharpsville...................... 10

182

1. DAKOTA GEER.............. 11…Franklin.......................... 10

2. COLTON DULL.............. 12…Bermudian Springs........... 3

3. COREY HAZEL............... 12…Penns Valley.................... 6

4. CONNOR FREY............. 11…Lehighton....................... 11

5. GARRETT HOFFMAN.... 11…Montoursville.................. 4

6. GAGE GLADYSZ............ 11…Greenville...................... 10

7. NICO BROWN.............. 12…Beth Center..................... 7

8. DEREK DRAGON........... 12…Lake Lehman.................... 2

9. BRENDON GLOVER....... 12…West Shamokin................ 7

10. BRANDON STOKES....... 11…Milton.............................. 4

11. PATRICK GIORDANO.... 11…Lower Moreland.............. 1

12. LOGAN FISHER............. 11…Huntingdon...................... 6

13. COLBY GEISINGER........ 12…Schuylkill Valley................ 3

14. EVAN DAUB................. 12…Northern Lebanon........... 3

15. ZACH STIGLITZ............. 12…Keystone......................... 9

16. ERIC LUCICH................. 12…West Middlesex............. 10

195

1. DYLAN REYNOLDS........ 12…Saegertown................... 10

2. SCOTT THOMPSON...... 12…Blairsville.......................... 6

3. LOGAN WOMELSDORF…12…Benton........................... 4

4. ALEK HUMMEL............. 12…North Schuylkill.............. 11

5. CONNER BUTTRY.......... 11…Chestnut Ridge................ 5

6. GARRETT REINWALD.... 12…Fort LeBoeuf.................. 10

7. MARQUIS SPENCE........ 12…Lakeview........................ 10

8. ZAC FAUST................... 12…Wilkes-Barre GAR............. 2

9. TOBY CAHILL................ 10…Berlin Brothersvalley........ 5

10. JOHN TINDALL............. 12…Schuylkill Valley................ 3

11. ROBERT SCHERER......... 10…Burrell.............................. 7

12. DAKOATAH MANNING. 12…Towanda.......................... 4

13. GAGE HELLER............... 11…Milton.............................. 4

14. MATT GUILDAY............. 11…Littlestown....................... 3

15. NATE GOUHIN............... 12…Boiling Springs.................. 3

16. CHRIS MUELLER............. 11…Sharpsville...................... 10

220

1. REYNOLD MAINES........ 12…West Branch.................... 6

2. JAKE ROBB................... 11…Kittanning........................ 7

3. DYLAN OTIS................. 12…Wyalusing........................ 4

4. SAM MCCOLLUM......... 12…Bermudian Springs........... 3

5. COLE RICKERT.............. 10…Reynolds........................ 10

6. TYLER OLIVER............... 12…United............................. 6

7. SETH HITCHINS............. 12…South Allegheny............... 7

8. BRYCE TOWN............... 11…Brookville......................... 9

9. ZACH STAFFORD.......... 11…Cambridge Springs.......... 10

10. TOM SEVER.................. 12…Yough.............................. 7

11. DANNY SCHEIB............. 09…Tri Valley........................ 11

12. ETHAN BUDD............... 11…Port Allegany................... 9

13. BEN CERNEY................. 11…Montoursville.................. 4

14. MATT VINES................ 11…Northern Lebanon........... 3

15. ROGER HORTON.......... 11…Athens............................. 4

16. TREVOR MCINTYRE...... 11…Fort Cherry...................... 7

285  

1. ALLEN BEATTIE............. 12…Burrell.............................. 7

2. JAKE BEISTEL................ 11…Southmoreland................ 7

3. NATHAN GADINSKI...... 12…North Schuylkill.............. 11

4. WES BANKUS............... 12…Eastern Lancaster County. 3

5. GENE RINGER.............. 11…Reynolds........................ 10

6. SAUL WILKINS.............. 12…Wilkes-Barre G.A.R........... 2

7. DYLAN BRENNAN......... 12…Troy................................. 4

8. IAN WOLFE.................. 12…Jefferson Morgan............ 7

9. JOHN SHERIDAN.......... 11…Hanover Area................... 2

10 JORDAN TROUPE......... 12…Bloomsburg..................... 4

11. JOSH LIND.................... 11…Mount Pleasant............... 7

12. GARRETT KIEFFER......... 10…Line Mountain.................. 4

13. JACK KARSTEN............. 12…Cameron County.............. 9

14. BRADY LINEBAUGH...... 11…Bermudian Springs........... 3

15. ANTHONY COLLINS...... 11…Berlin Brothersvalley........ 5

16. ADAM FOREMAN......... 11…Ellwood City..................... 7

TOP 25 TEAMS

1. REYNOLDS.......................................................... 10

2. BOILING SPRINGS................................................ 3

3. CHESTNUT RIDGE................................................. 5

4. SAEGERTOWN.................................................... 10

5. BERMUDIAN SPRINGS.......................................... 3

6. BROOKVILLE......................................................... 9

7. WYALUSING......................................................... 4

8. MONTOURSVILLE................................................. 4

9. NORTH SCHUYLKILL............................................ 11

10. TRI VALLEY......................................................... 11

11. SOUTH FAYETTE................................................... 7

12. GREENVILLE....................................................... 10

13. HUNTINGDON..................................................... 6

14. WEST BRANCH..................................................... 6

15. MUNCY................................................................ 4

16. BERLIN BROTHERSVALLEY..................................... 5

17. SAUCON VALLEY................................................. 11

18. JEFFERSON MORGAN........................................... 7

19. FORT LEBOEUF................................................... 10

20. BURRELL.............................................................. 7

21. CENTRAL.............................................................. 6

22. SOUTHERN COLUMBIA......................................... 4

23. BENTON............................................................... 4

24. MCGUFFY............................................................ 7

25. LINE MOUNTAIN.................................................. 4

Local wrestling community loses one of its biggest supporters

The local wrestling community lost one of its biggest supporters on Tuesday.

Emil Branas of Portage passed away at age 77.

While his name might not be familiar to some, rest assured, he had a huge impact on the sport over the past 40 or more years. He worked behind the scenes, doing the types of jobs that aren't glamorous and don't get much notice but that are vital to the sport we love. He served as a volunteer scorekeeper and timekeeper at tournaments around the state, whether at the elementary, high school or college level. He was even honored as Pennsylvania Junior Wrestling's man of the year in 2002 for his service.

Mr. Branas was a former coal miner and Marine who served in the Korea and Vietnam eras in the Asian Pacific Theater. And, as the saying goes, once a Marine, always a Marine. He wasn't one for political correctness or to mince words. Whether it was referring to himself as “that old cripple from Portage” – a mining accident confined him to wheelchair for years, though he later was able walk with crutches and leg braces – or letting local media members know what he thought of their sometimes sparse wrestling coverage, he always spoke his mind.

When I saw Mr. Branas' obituary and mentioned it in the newsroom, the name immediately resonated, even with those who had not covered wrestling in decades.

Luckily, I was on Mr. Branas' good side from the start. He and my father had become friends years earlier with the shared experience of thousands of hours sitting in stuffy gymnasiums as their sons and grandsons wrestled across the state and country.

It's quite possible that I met Mr. Branas when I was in high school – if I did, I no longer remember it – but I will never forget the first time I heard his voice in The Tribune-Democrat newsroom. I was working on the copy desk, a position where I didn't do any writing, the first winter after having left the Daily American. The late Mike Elswick, who was the TD sports editor at the time, called me over to the answering machine to listen to a message. “This is Emil Branas of Portage,” his recorded voice boomed through the still quiet afternoon newsroom. “I don't understand why you guys don't cover more wrestling. You've got a guy there who can do a great job with it in Eric Knopsnyder, and you don't even have him working in sports!”

I had to ask around to find out who he was and how he knew about me, but I never forgot him after that moment. Through the years, I got the chance to talk with him quite often when I did work in sports and cover wrestle for The Tribune-Democrat. I would see him almost every year at the District 6 tournament in Altoona and I'd chat with his daughter, Susan Lucas, who worked at the newspaper and was raised in wrestling-mad family just like mine. He'd always ask about my family and fill me in on his.

The impact that Mr. Branas and, by extension his family, had on wrestling stretched from Portage to North Carolina. His sons have coached and worked with many young wrestlers over the years to spread their love for and knowledge of the sport.

Wrestling was far from Mr. Branas' only interest – he also worked with a number of veterans organizations and made more than 600 platelet donations – so I'm sure that there are thousands of others who have been touched by his contributions. His death is a loss for their communities as well as ours, but the impact that he had will most certainly carry on for years to come.

Friends will be received from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday and 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Serenko-Claar Funeral Home in Portage with a Funeral Mass at St. Bartholomew Church in Wilmore at 11 a.m. Friday.

UPDATE - Westmont at Bedford preview

Just got an update that I'll be able to do a live chat on the match from Bedford tonight. Assuming that the Internet is working there and I can plug into an outlet, that is. There will be a link on The Tribune-Democrat and I'll start chatting at 6:30.

Well, the big night is almost here: Westmont at Bedford. It's usually the match of the year and, depending on how Somerset does this season, it very well could be again. Last year, Westmont beat Bedford 39-23 on the way to the LHAC title. Repeating will be a tough feat though, especially at Bedford.
Here's last year's box score

Westmont 39, Bedford 23

152-Stephen Popchak, WH, maj. dec. Cody Yingling, 13-5.
160-Josiah Koontz, B, pinned Corbin Nulton, 4:34.
171-Brian Gibbons, B, maj. dec. Sam Patrick, 19-5.
189-Ryan Burnheimer, WH, maj. dec. Mike Brett, 13-0.
215-Jacob Krupa, B, maj. dec. Don Shovestull, 14-2.
285-Josh Duplin, WH, pinned Justin Easter, :43.
103-Ryan Easter, B, pinned Stephen Zipf, :24.
112-Garrett Thomas, B, dec. Logan Blackburn, 3-0.
119-Josh Polacek, WH, maj. dec. Caleb Grimes, 18-5.
125-Travis Kushner, WH, maj. dec. Shayne Rininger, 11-3.
130-Mike Walsh, WH, maj. dec. Chris Wilson, 12-0.
135-Tanner Hough, WH, pinned Andrew Miller, :50.
140-Ian Helsel, WH, maj. dec. Zach Dudek, 16-5.
145-Tanner Patton, WH, dec. Tanner Williams, 4-3.

Westmont won nine of the 14 matches in that one, but three of the wrestlers responsible for those wins (and 14 team points) have graduated. Bedford lost just one winner (and four team points). Take away those team points and it's 25-19. Throw in the fact that the matchups seem to favor Bedford this year, and I'd make them the favorite.
Yes, the Bisons struggled in their opener, beating North Star 34-31, while Westmont rolled over Cambria Heights, but Bedford was without Jacob Krupa and forfeited 220. Rumor is that Krupa, who was injured during football season, has been cleared to wrestle tonight. The question is whether or not he'll have the stamina to repeat his major decision of Don Shovestull.
I think Bedford's lightweights are too strong for Westmont to overcome. The Hilltoppers could win it with an upset or two, but my prediction is 37-26 Bedford.
What are your thoughts? Feel free to make a prediction in the comments section below.

Tooting my own horn

Oh yeah, I forgot, a totally self-serving post, too: Check out my first-ever article for Intermat - a feature on Lehigh's Robert Hamlin - here.