Gabe Ballard and Brayden Wenrich came into last weekend’s District XI individual wrestling tournament rated as the top AAA competitors at their respective weights in the state. They showed why, dominating the on their way to clinching their second district titles.

Ballard, a junior who committed to Lehigh in October, handled the 152-pound field with ease, posting a pin and a pair of tech falls on the way to the final against Nazareth’s Cade Campbell, the top seed.

Campbell slowed the match down, limiting Ballard to a 7-3 decision. However, the K-Kid phenom went through the tournament without surrendering anything other than escapes.

Ballard’s title as a freshman came at the 114-pound class, so he is up 38 pounds from weight. He spoke about the adjustment, “I was happy that I was able to prove it, jumping four weights from last year (he wrestled at 127 as a sophomore). I knew that I was growing at the end of last season and making weight was really difficult towards the end. I just let my body ride until it got to its max. Taking those big steps up caused some losses this summer especially at Fargo, but I feel comfortable now.”

Wenrich was perhaps even more dominant, his closest match being a 14-3 major decision over Elijah Heimbach of Liberty in the semifinals. He posted a 16-1 tech fall in 2:13 against Cael Muller of NDGP to claim his second district crown in as many tries.

“Second time, I mean, it’s not easier, but I’m more comfortable than last year. I felt like last year, I was tensing up going into Hershey. This year, I’m staying loose, having fun out there and scoring a lot of points. My goal was to bonus point everybody and just separate myself from the field going into regionals and Hershey,” explained the Northampton sophomore.

Trey Wagner had a disappointing result, finishing third after dropping a 4-1 decision to Bethlehem Catholic’s Reef Dillard on a last second takedown in the semifinals. He responded by blowing away 2025 state medalist Jackson Max of Emmaus 15-0 in 1:15 in the consolation semis.

The loss may prove beneficial if it unlocks that kind of performance for the rest of the postseason. Head coach Joe Provini explained, “I’ve coached a number of guys who lost at districts and then didn’t lose again. You put it behind you and don’t let it happen again. You don’t leave it close. And I think he knows that.”

Chase Grabfelder also finished third. He dropped a tough 5-3 decision to Notre Dame’s Gavyn Kelton in the semis before rallying to win his two consolation matches, one by tech fall and the third-place match 9-2 over Ethan Krazer of Easton.

Four Konkrete Kids will be making their first regional appearances this weekend at Liberty.

Freshman Ben Schoeneberger rallied from a 3-0 deficit to pin Max Milia of Liberty to take fifth at 107.

Carter Chlebove came back from a quarterfinal loss to win three straight consolation matches to make the consolation final. He finished fourth at 160.

Joell Small finished sixth at 215 but was added to the regional field when Easton’s Alonzo Parker dropped out due to injury.

In the most heartwarming result of the weekend, senior Matthew Sommer, son of assistant coach Mike Sommer, extended his senior season in a do-or-die fifth-place match by topping Jacob Volpe of Notre Dame 4-3. Volpe had beaten Sommer 7-0 at district duals 3 weeks earlier.

Team standings

(top 8)

(1) Notre Dame-Green Pond 219.5, (2) Nazareth 208.0, (3) Northampton 190.5, (4) Easton 165.5, (5) Bethlehem Catholic 162.5, (6) Parkland 142.0, (7) Emmaus 135.5, (8) Whitehall 101.0