Bethlehem Catholic sent a dozen wrestlers to the PIAA Class AA Southeast Regional Championships, and all 12 performed well enough to advance to this weekend's state championships.

The Golden Hawks crowned three regional champs and had two others finish in the top-three Saturday evening at Wilson High School in Reading.

Freshman Luke Karam (106) and senior teammates Darian Cruz (120) and Ryan Todora (138) all went 3-0 at regionals to earn their titles.

Karam beat Wilson's Jaryd Flank in the title bout, 7-0. He won his opening bout 11-1 over Lancaster Catholic's Joe Lobeck then pinned Upper Dauphin's Coy Campbell in the semifinal to earn his first trip to states.

Part of a wrestling family, Karam has been looking forward to this stage of his career for a long time.

"Ever since I was a little kid," Karam said. "I went up [to states] with my dad, when he coached Freedom. I always dreamed of being out there. It's going to be so cool being out there. It's one of my wrestling dreams."

With a pair of titles and a 29-2 record, Karam has his eyes on a state title.

"I feel like it's a very reachable goal," he said. "Hopefully I can put on a good showing and bring home the gold for District 11."

Cruz, a defending state champ with three district and regional titles on his resume, heads to states with a bull's-eye on his back.

"They all want to beat me or just be the kid to even have a close match with me," he said. "If I was any other kid I would be shooting for the number one."

No one came close at regionals. Cruz won his first bout with a 20-5 technical fall. He majored his second opponent, 22-8. He won the title bout 13-5 over Pen Argyl's Matt Williams, who he also beat for the District 11 title.

"For my weight, this is the toughest kid I wrestle throughout the state," said Cruz, who improved to 41-1. "Matt is pretty tough. I think our region is one of the tougher regions."

Todora didn't get to finish his regional title bout. He led Tri Valley's Hunter Harner, 1-0. But after they butted heads hard at the end of the second period, Harner received a medical attention and was not allowed to continue. Much to his chagrin, Todora was handed the title by injury default.

"I really wish we would have wrestled the whole match," said Todora, who also faced Harner a week early in the district title bout. "It's unfortunate. I'm sorry for the kid. I hope he's all right."

Todora, who improved to 43-6, is also a three-time district and regional champ. He finished fifth at states last year and sixth as a sophomore. He knows he has one chance to fulfill a life-long dream.

"I want to win states," he said. "That's been my dream since I was little."

Bethlehem Catholic's Josh Alpha (195) took second place at regionals, dropping his title bout by a 2-1 tiebreaker.

Jose Ortiz (182) and Zeke Moisey (126) earned third place at regionals.

Lee Todora (132) and Andrew Dunn (285) took fourth place, while teammates Nick Cortopassi (170), Connor Hedash (160), Mark Maloney (152) and Stephen Maloney (113) all finished fifth.