Roughly nine hours and four matches after arriving at Freedom High School, Jim Moll could finally relax.

The Northwestern head coach watched his team grind, battle and ultimately prevail against Lehighton, 34-30, in the true second-place match at Saturday’s District 11 Class 2A team wrestling championships to advance to the state tournament.

“It shows a lot of heart,” said Moll. “It shows a lot of character. It shows that they really wanted to be out there (at states) and they wrestled well and got it.”

The fourth-seeded Tigers got contributions from throughout their lineup to secure the win – and they needed every one.

Though the two teams won seven matches apiece, Northwestern triumphed largely because it was able to get – and prevent – bonus points in several key bouts.

“Several matches were swing matches and unfortunately those swing matches just didn’t go our in our favor,” said Lehighton head coach Danny Williams. “But it happens that way sometimes.

“I knew it was going to be tight. I though that it was going to go down to the wire, like it did. I saw some areas that were key matches that we had to get, and if we could get those I thought we would be really good. I thought it was going to be a 50-50 thing, and those swing matches made the difference.”

Quentin Bernhard (126), Caleb Clymer (152) and Andrew Sorensen (182) all won by fall, while Jarett White (132) picked up a forfeit to give the Tigers 24 points. Ryan Dengler (138) scored late to push a decision to a major and grab more bonus points for Northwestern.

Jacob Murray (285) and David VanBlargan (160) won by decision for Northwestern, with the latter’s victory coming in overtime.

But even in the matches they didn’t win, the Tigers stayed off their backs.

Logan Pagotto (113), Zach Kemmerer (120), Tegan Durishin (145) and Dylan Schock (170) all won by decision for the third-seeded Indians.

Jackson Bernhard took Durishin to overtime, a performance that was one of many not lost on Moll.

Credit for the win was spread up and down the line up.

“There was no one,” Moll said. “It’s Jacob Murray. It’s Ryan Haas (who lost a 4-2 decision to Pagotto) and Ryan Dengler wrestling tough matches. It’s Quentin Bernhard getting bonus.

“So many guys. Dave VanBlargan. Jackson Bernhard wrestling Durishin to overtime. Durishin is an outstanding wrestler and for VanBlargan to wrestle him to overtime was outstanding. I was very proud of his effort.”

Nate Kemmerer (106) gave Lehighton its first lead at 6-3 with a pin in the second bout following Murray’s decision for Northwestern.

The Tigers earned a spot in the state tournament for the first time since 2009 when they went as district champions.

N’western 34, Lehighton 30

285 – Jacob Murray (NW) dec. Xander Smith, 6-2

106 – Nate Kemmerer (L) pinned Zach Anderson in 1:08

113 – Logan Pagotto (L) dec. Ryan Haas (NW), 4-2

120 – Zach Kemmerer (L) dec. Baily Wehr, 10-7

126 – Quentin Bernhard (NW) pinned Tyler Dunbar in 0:56

132 – Jarett White (NW) won by forfeit

138 – Ryan Dengler (NW) maj. dec. Chris Whiteman, 10-2

145 – Tegan Durishin (L) dec. Jackson Bernhard, 8-6 (SV)

152 – Caleb Clymer (NW) pinned Grant Wetzel in 5:38

160 – David VanBlargan (NW) dec. Cody Scherer, 6-4 (SV)

170 – Dylan Schock (L) dec. Eddie Parrish, 9-3

182 – Andrew Sorensen (NW) pinned Jack Zimmerman in 1:03

195 – Connor Frey (L) pinned Jake Shellhammer in 0:12

220 – Wyatt Clements (L) pinned Quin Moyer in 1:17

Consolation finals

Northwestern-

Pen Argyl

The Tigers earned a measure of revenge in the consolation finals against the second-seeded Green Knights with a 35-30 victory.

Northwestern lost to Pen Argyl 39-24 on Dec. 23 in an early-season league dual meet.

“A lot of the match-ups were different,” said Moll. “A lot of things were different this time. I was confident but nervous. Pen Argyl is tough. They wrestle hard.

“Their kids are pinners. You always have to worry when you wrestle a team like Pen Argyl because they can pin you.”

Baily Wehr (120), Quentin Bernhard (126) and Anthony DiCataldo (132) won by fall for Northwestern while Jarett White (138) and Andrew Sorensen (182) picked up major decisions and Jacob Murray (285), Ryan Haas (113) and David VanBlargan (160) were victorious by decision.

Northwestern 35. Pen Argyl 30

220 – Hayden Oliver (PA) pinned Quin Moyer in 3:37

285 – Jacob Murray (NW) dec. Blake Fox, 3-0

106 – Austin Buskirk (PA) dec. Zach Anderson, 7-5 (OT)

113 – Ryan Haas (NW) dec. Cody Lucca, 7-4

120 – Baily Wehr (NW) pinned Nick Reto in 3:18

126 – Quentin Bernhard (NW) pinned Tanner Kootsares in 1:23

132 – Anthony DiCataldo (NW) pinned Jordan Sims in 4:53

138 – Jarett White (NW) maj. dec. Phil Zito, 10-2

145 – Chase Anklam (PA) pinned Ryan Dengler in 2:39

152 – James Klinger (PA) dec. Jackson Bernhard, 11-5

160 – David VanBlargan (NW) dec. Stephen Beltz, 5-4 (UTB)

170 – Jacob Holden (PA) pinned Eddie Parrish in 3:49

182 – Andrew Sorensen (NW) maj. dec. Sawyer Beltz, 10-0

195 – Nate Black (PA) pinned Jake Shellhammer in 0:38

Consolation

semifinal

Northwestern-

Palisades

The Tigers bounced back from a semifinal loss by topping the sixth-seeded Pirates, 45-29.

The highlight came in the ninth bout, when Northwestern’s Jarett White picked up a forfeit and his 100th career victory.

“It feels great,” White said. “I think it brings everybody up and creates a really good energy, a positive atmosphere. It’s just great to have everyone there with you.”

In addition to White, Quin Moyer (220), Jacob Murray (285), Zach Anderson (106), Baily Wehr (120) and Andrew Sorensen (182) also won by forfeit. Jackson Bernhard (145) won by fall and Caleb Clymer (160) by decision for the Tigers.

Northwestern 45, Palisades 29

195 – Jack Donnelly (P) pinned Jack Shellhammer in 0:53

220 – Quin Moyer (NW) won by forfeit

285 – Jacob Murray (NW) won by forfeit

106 – Zach Anderson (NW) won by forfeit

113 – Zack Wasser (P) pinned Ryan Haas in 1:50

120 – Baily Wehr (NW) won by forfeit

126 – Nathan Haubert (P) dec. Quentin Bernhard, 1-0

132 – Jacob Wasser (P) tech. fall Tony DiCataldo, 23-8 (4:58)

138 – Jarett White (NW) won by forfeit

145 – Jackson Bernhard (NW) pinned Trey Gretzinger in 1:53

152 – Tyler Marsh (P) dec. David VanBlargan, 8-2

160 – Caleb Clymer (NW) dec. Liam Kelleher, 2-0

170 – Matt Barnhardt (P) pinned Jason Hottinger in 5:46

182 – Andrew Sorensen (NW) won by forfeit

Semifinal

Saucon Valley-

Northwestern

The Panthers left little doubt in a rematch of last week’s Colonial League final, winning the first eight bouts en route to a 59-3 win over the Tigers.

Jarett White was the lone victor for the Tigers, claiming a 6-1 decision at 132 pounds.

“We know they’re tough,” said Northwestern head coach Jim Moll said of Saucon Valley, which prevailed 40-24 in the Colonial League championship match. “Top to bottom, they are one of the most talented teams around.”

Saucon Valley 59, N’western 3

182 – Blayne Hirschbeck (SV) dec. Andrew Sorensen, 4-2 (OT)

195 – Devan VanVliet (SV) pinned Jake Shellhammer in 0:55

220 – Devin Fontanez (SV) pinned Quin Moyer in 1:30

285 – Trey Polak (SV) pinned Jacob Murray in 0:38

106 – Nick Rosengrant (SV) pinned Zach Anderson in 1:12

113 – Paul Miller (SV) dec. Ryan Haas, 11-5

120 – Jack Hill (SV) maj. dec. Baily Wehr, 17-4

126 – Jonah Zyck (SV) dec. Quentin Bernhard, 2-1 (UTB)

132 – Jarett White (NW) dec. Josh Jones, 6-1

138 – Angelo Mahaffey (SV) pinned Ryan Dengler in 5:55

145 – Jason Jones (SV) dec. Jackson Bernhard, 8-4

152 – Nate Harka (SV) dec. David VanBlargan, 5-2

160 – Dylan Yonney (SV) maj. dec. Jason Hottinger, 14-4

170 – Nate Kehs (SV) won by forfeit

Quarterfinals)

Northern Lehigh Northwestern

The Tigers took on Northern Lehigh last Thursday at Pottsville in the first round of team districts.

The two squads had already faced off twice before Thursday night’s meeting in the quarterfinals of the District 11 Class AA team tournament. The Tigers won both matches, 42-24 on Jan. 20 and 41-31 in the semifinals of last week’s Colonial League tournament.

The Bulldogs, who advanced to the quarterfinals with a 51-23 win over Pine Grove in the first round, have continued to close the gap.

Despite several wrestlers out of the lineup, Northwestern prevailed once again, this time topping Northern Lehigh 37-28.

“They’ve cut the deficit every time we’ve wrestled them,” said Moll. “Usually, you want to grow your advantage each time you wrestle a team more than once.

“But they keep doing a good job, and they’re tough.”

Even without state-ranked wrestlers Matt Peters (113) and Caleb Clymer (152), the fourth-seeded Tigers were able to use their depth to outlast the fifth-seeded Bulldogs.

Quentin Bernhard (126), Jarret White (132), Ryan Dengler (145), Jackson Bernhard (152) and Andrew Sorensen (195) gave Northwestern 30 points with pins, while Zach Anderson (106) got six points with a forfeit.

The Tigers also took a key toss up match at 220 pounds, as Jacob Murray picked up a 5-3 decision over Jason Schaffer, a win that put Northwestern ahead 31-17 with only four bouts remaining.

The two have split their matches over the last two weeks, with Schaffer scoring late to win a 9-5 decision at last week’s Colonial League tournament.

Murray wasn’t about to let it happen again.

“I wanted this match tonight like I was under water and needed to come up for air,” Murray said. “I hate losing to Northern Lehigh.”

Matt Schmall (138) won by fall for the Bulldogs while Seth Fronheiser (113), Ryan Farber (160), Brandon Belfonti (170) and Cameron Kates (285) picked up bonus points with major decision victories. CJ Young (182) picked up a 3-1 decision in sudden victory overtime against Eddie Parrish, and Colten Rex (120) earned a hard-fought 5-3 decision over Baily Wehr, whom he defeated by a 12-3 major at last week’s Colonial League tournament.

N’western 37, No, Lehigh 28

126 - Quentin Bernhard (NW) pinned Chase Ohlsen in 3:30

132 – Jarret White (NW) maj. dec. Ezra Neff, 11-3

138 – Matt Schmall (NL) pinned Tyler Derr in 1:22

145 – Ryan Dengler (NW) pinned Tyler Hargreaves in 3:41

152 – Jackson Bernhard (NW) pinned Tyler Smith in 1:19

160 – Ryan Farber (NL) maj. dec. David VanBlargan, 15-4

170 – Brandon Belfonti (NL) maj. dec. Jason Hottinger, 13-1

182 – CJ Young (NL) dec. Eddie Parrish, 3-1 (SV)

195 – Andrew Sorensen (NW) pinned Brandon Smith in 3:20

220 – Jacob Murray (NW) dec. Jason Schaffer, 5-3

285 – Cameron Kates (NL) maj. dec. Quin Moyer, 15-7

106 – Zach Anderson (NW) won by forfeit

113 – Seth Fronheiser (NL) maj. dec. Ryan Haas, 11-3

120 – Colten Rex (NL) dec. Baily Wehr, 5-3