Norristown's Fuentes keeps goals realistic
Zach Fuentes' sophomore season was an unequivocal success. At the old 103-pound weight class, Fuentes compiled a 54-7 record, won a District 1 Section 3 championship and advanced to the bronze medal match at the PIAA state tournament, before he was overwhelmed in a loss, ultimately placing fourth at the event.
Zach Fuentes' sophomore season was an unequivocal success.
At the old 103-pound weight class, Fuentes compiled a 54-7 record, won a District 1 Section 3 championship and advanced to the bronze medal match at the PIAA state tournament, before he was overwhelmed in a loss, ultimately placing fourth at the event.
Things went well, and the Norristown lightweight sure was happy with the results. What was interesting about Fuentes' sophomore slate, though, was a familiar impediment that kept him from potentially achieving even higher, and racking up bigger titles, like a Southeast Regional crown.
Council Rock South's Billy Rappo won a state title at 103 last year, and in the process handed Fuentes three of his seven losses, two coming in postseason tournaments.
As Fuentes moves through this season wrestling at 113 pounds, where he is ranked No. 5 in the state in the PA Power Rankings, it will be interesting to see if Fuentes will again encounter Rappo.
Rappo hadn't wrestled a match at 113 all season before this past weekend at the Escape the Rock tournament (he won the event), predominantly going at 120 pounds, and occasionally at 126. He has a 21-1 record through Sunday, and South head coach Brad Silimperi said at the season's outset that Rappo will likely vie for a second state title at 113. The decision, Silimperi said, will be entirely Rappo's.
Fuentes said he's not focused on Rappo.
"I don't really practice thinking about how I'm going to beat him, but how I'm going to better myself," Fuentes said last week.
Every upper-tier wrestler's goal is a state title. Fuentes, though, keeps an even keel. He hasn't set any strict checkpoints for himself. He just wants to compete and be in the mix.
"My immediate goal is to make it to districts, to make it to regionals and make it to states and then place up there," Fuentes said. "I don't have any goals, like win districts or win regionals. I just make it there and place hopefully high."
He added: "It's pretty exciting coming back from last year, getting fourth at states. But I'm pretty much coming to practice with the same goals as last year - same thing as last year, same mind-set."
One concern for Fuentes is the lack of a solid practice partner on the Norristown roster, which is sprinkled with some of the best in the state, but thin at several weight classes, particular in the lighter divisions.
"Our problem is getting him workout partners . . . because there's nobody to push him," Eagles coach Mark Harner said.
Fuentes began last year 18-0. Through Sunday, he is 17-6, but he has wrestled a harder schedule this season, competing for the first time at the ultra-competitive Beast of the East tournament in Newark, Del., widely considered one of the toughest in the nation. Two of his losses came there, and Fuentes hasn't lost to a District 1 opponent all year.
"Getting more losses, but it's bettering everybody," Fuentes said. "I hope it will pay off."
Stat watch
There are two undefeated wrestlers with at least 20 matches this season in District 1 - Upper Dublin's Devon Dhoble (23-0) and Interboro's Dave Forte (21-0).
Injury report
Abington's Bryan Osei, a Temple football recruit, is out for the season with a torn labrum in his shoulder and a partially torn bicep tendon. He will require surgery. Osei went 51-32 in three years of wrestling. He is projected to play linebacker and defensive end at Temple.