LEHIGHTON -- Eight members of Germantown Academy's wrestling team traveled to Lehighton High School on Jan. 20 and 21 for the 2024 Coal Cracker Invitational. As a team, the Patriots earned 108.5 points to finish 11th out of 30 teams, while five individuals finished the day as placewinners and six scored. 

After a first-round bye, Justin Farnsworth '27, wrestling at 109 pounds, won two straight matches by fall over Wesley Fruit (Central Columbia) and Ayden Blaut (Wallenpaupack Area HS), respectively. Farnsworth lost by decision to Thunder Beard (Central Dauphin) in the Quarterfinal Round but bounced back with a tech fall win over Carmen Malt (Berwick Area HS) in the 6th Consolation bout. In the 7th Consi, Dominick Mason (Hatboro Horsham) won by sudden victory over Farnsworth, who then defeated Blaut by fall again, this time for the 7th place spot. 

Wrestling at 116, Jack Baron '26 won his first two bouts by fall over Albert Bialasiewicz (Stroudsburg) and Henry Bothwell (Pocono Mountain West), respectively, before taking down Clayton Waltenbaugh (Faith Christian Academy) by major decision, 12-0. Following a tech fall win over Blake Haines (Gettysburg Area HS) in the Quarterfinal Round, Baron defeated Nikos Filipos (Wyoming Seminary) by decision, 14-4 in the Semifinals. 

Also wrestling at 116 was Shai Sabag '27, who received a bye in the first round. Sabag won his second and third round bouts by fall, before taking down Keith Barker (Southern Lehigh) by tech fall, 15-0. Sabag won by fall over Aidan Gruber (Lehighton Area HS) in the Semifinals, setting up a bout against Baron for the title. In that bout, Baron came away victorious, winning by decision, 2-1. 

Robert Leeds '25 wrestled at 135 and finished second in the weight class. After taking his first two bouts over Parker Lords (William Valley) and Karson Sipley (Athens Area HS), respectively, Leeds won in the ultimate tie breaker over Hayden Haber (Wyoming Seminary). The junior followed that up with a win by fall over Liam Farley (Western Wayne), and a win by decision over CJ Ferree (Central Dauphin) to earn a spot in the finals. However, Leeds lost by decision to Jackson Maby (Blue Ridge HS), 7-0. 

Luke Sugalski '25 wrestled at 162 and finished the tournament in fourth place. He won his first three bouts by fall, taking down Cayden Moss (Athens Area HS), Mariusz Bibla (Crestwood HS), and Braylon Hawkins (Berwick Area HS). He won his quarterfinal bout against Mason Avery (Honesdale HS) by decision, 2-0. In the Semifinals, Sugalski lost to Ryan Garvick (Central Dauphin) by decision, 5-1. He won his consolation bout against Nolan Reinert (Gettysburg Area HS) by decision, 5-0, but dropped the 3rd Place Match to Nick Singer (Faith Christian Academy). 

Also competing for the Patriots were Adam Seidman '27, Eric Catenacci '26, and Aidan Lee '27. 

The Patriots will hit the mats again on Jan. 26 when they host The Haverford School for an Inter-Ac League battle.