Blair crowned Beast of the East team champions for 20th-straight year, Chittum earns Outstanding Wrestler

Newark, Delaware - For the 20th-straight year, Blair Academy has been crowned the Beast of the East team tournament champions. In the tournament’s 27-year history, Blair has taken home the team title 24 times. This year, the Buccaneer’s had one champion, four runner-ups, one third place finisher, one fourth place finisher and one eighth-place finisher.

This performance came despite the fact that Blair was missing three starters, including the highly-ranked Mastrogiovanni brothers, Travis and Trevor, and the No. 1 wrestler in the country at 132 pounds Shayne Van Ness.

Blair head coach Brian Antonelli was happy with his team’s performance a week after a disappointing runner-up finish at the Walsh Jesuit Ironman tournament.

“It means a lot for the kids. Every year they come, and they’re striving for success. It just means a lot. This one was important to them too because it was a big improvement from last weekend… Last weekend, we weren’t close to our potential; this weekend we’re getting closer,” Antonelli said.

Blair’s lone champion was freshman Cody (Lucas) Chittum at 138 pounds. Chittum was a surprise finalist, entering the tournament as the No. 16 seed. In the semifinals, Chittum defeated nationally ranked Wyatt Henson by major decision, 13-3, to punch his ticket to the finals, where he would meet the No. 3 seed Kenny Herrmann of Bethlehem Catholic.

Trailing late in the third period, 8-6, Chittum secured a takedown and two near fall points with a nearside cradle to take a 10-8 lead, which is how the match ended. For his efforts, Chittum was awarded the tournament’s outstanding wrestler award.

The only wrestler with a lower seed than Chittum to take home a title was Brandon Cannon of Wyoming Seminary at 106 pounds. Coming in as the No. 23 seed, Cannon defeated the No. 4 and No. 8 ranked wrestlers in the country, who were seeded No. 2 and 3, to make the finals. There, he would face the No. 4 seed Tyler Vazquez of Delbarton. Vazquez defeated the No. 1 wrestler in the country, Marc-Anthony McGowan, 1-0, in the semifinals.

Cannon would claim the victory in sudden victory, scoring a reversal and three near fall points to crack open a 2-2 match, 7-2.

Wyoming Seminary did not send their starters to this tournament. Cannon missed the beginning of the season due to injury and has not wrestled off for a starting spot in the lineup yet.

Two 2019 Cadet World Team members won titles as well, both wrestling dominantly. In the 113 pound final, Stevo Poulin of Shenendehowa earned a fall over Brett Ungar over Notre Dame in 1:02. Poulin is currently ranked No. 2 in the country while Ungar is No. 11.

The other World Team member was heavyweight Hunter Catka of Sun Valley. The Virginia Tech commit earned bonus points in every match he wrestled including an, 11-3, major decision in the finals over Max Millin of Massillon Perry. Catka is ranked No. 1 in the country at 285 pounds while Millin is No. 10.

Beast of the East
at Newark, DE

Final Results

106
1st Place Match

Brandon Cannon (Wyoming Seminary) 16-2, Fr. over Tyler Vazquez (Delbarton) 5-1, Fr. (SV-1 7-2)

3rd Place Match

Marc-Anthony McGowan (Blair Academy) 6-1, Fr. over Gabe Giampietro (Smyrna) 16-3, So. (MD 8-0)

5th Place Match

Mac Church (Waynesburg) 13-3, Fr. over Pito Castro (Brecksville) 27-13, So. (TB-1 2-1)

7th Place Match

Charlie Bunting (Nazareth) 11-3, Fr. over Tommy Link (Malvern Prep) 17-6, Fr. (Dec 6-2)

113
1st Place Match

Stevo Poulin (Shenendehowa) 6-0, Jr. over Brett Ungar (Notre Dame) 10-2, Jr. (Fall 1:06)

3rd Place Match

Kelly Dunnigan (Don Bosco Prep) 6-1, Jr. over Joe Cangro (Bergen Catholic) 5-2, Fr. (Dec 6-2)

5th Place Match

Erik Roggie (St Christophers) 6-2, Jr. over Jake Craig (The HIll School) 14-3, So. (Dec 4-3)

7th Place Match

Luke Poore (Caravel Academy) 37-7, Fr. over Evan Rawls (Nansemond River) 21-3, Jr. (MD 11-0)

120
1st Place Match

Dean Peterson (St John Vianney) 41-0, Jr. over Ryan Miller (Blair Academy) 5-1, Sr. (Dec 8-2)

3rd Place Match

Cooper Flynn (McDonogh) 57-8, Jr. over Brandan Chletsos (Notre Dame) 15-4, So. (Dec 3-1)

5th Place Match

Nick Kayal (Bergen Catholic) 5-2, Sr. over Alex Almeyda (St. Joes Regional) 4-3, So. (M. For.)

7th Place Match

Brandon Crowder (Christiansburg) 127-18, Sr. over Danny Nini (Lake Highland Prep) 4-3, So. (SV-1 3-1)

126
1st Place Match

Ryan Crookham (Notre Dame) 11-1, So. over Eddie Ventresca (Pope John XXIII) 5-1, Sr. (Dec 5-4)

3rd Place Match

Dylan Shawver (Elyria) 105-24, Sr. over Kelvin Grffin (The HIll School) 10-4, So. (Dec 6-2)

5th Place Match

Meyer Shapiro (Bullis) 9-2, Fr. over Robert Howard (Bergen Catholic) 4-3, Sr. (M. For.)

7th Place Match

McKenzie Bell (Kingsway Regional) 115-29, Sr. over Trae McDaniel (Cleveland) 4-3, Jr. (Dec 6-3)

132
1st Place Match

Jimmy Carmany (Brecksville) 50-6, Sr. over Joey Olivieri (Hanover Park) 5-1, Jr. (Dec 2-1)

3rd Place Match

Dylan Cedeno (Bergen Catholic) 6-1, Sr. over Clayton Gabrielson (McDonogh) 7-2, Fr. (MD 10-2)

5th Place Match

Garrett Kuchan (Christiansburg) 51-11, Sr. over Evan Gleason (Bethlehem Catholic) 43-21, Jr. (NC)

7th Place Match

Evan Buchanan (Atlee) 16-4, Sr. over Cole Homet (Waynesburg) 10-5, So. (Dec 4-3)

138
1st Place Match

Lucas Chittum (Blair Academy) 6-0, Fr. over Kenny Herrmann (Bethlehem Catholic) 114-37, Sr. (Dec 10-8)

3rd Place Match

Wyatt Henson (Waynesburg) 13-3, Jr. over Mick Burnett (Elyria) 105-28, Sr. (UTB 3-2)

5th Place Match

Chris Rivera (Lake Highland Prep) 7-2, Sr. over Alex Poore (Caravel Academy) 44-5, So. (MD 10-0)

7th Place Match

Dom Baker (New Kent) 15-4, So. over Michael Cetta (St. Joes Regional) 5-3, Jr. (SV-1 7-5)

145
1st Place Match

Manzona Bryant (Western Reserve Academy) 17-2, Sr. over Jagger Condomitti (Northampton) 91-23, Jr. (Fall 2:51)

3rd Place Match

Justin Rivera (Lake Highland Prep) 7-1, Sr. over Bretli Reyna (South Dade) 6-2, Sr. (SV-1 3-1)

5th Place Match

Victor Voinovich (Brecksville) 44-8, Jr. over Jackson Dean (Caesar Rodney) 42-8, Sr. (Dec 6-4)

7th Place Match

Joe Zargo (Bergen Catholic) 5-2, Sr. over Dashawn Farber (Nazareth) 5-3, Sr. (MD 14-6)

152
1st Place Match

Dalton Harkins (Malvern Prep) 105-28, Sr. over Cole Handlovic (Bethlehem Catholic) 91-23, Sr. (TB-1 5-1)

3rd Place Match

Kolby Allred (Great Bridge) 16-2, Sr. over Tye Weathersby (Central Dauphin HS) 43-13, Sr. (Fall 1:53)

5th Place Match

Enrique Munguia (Elyria) 86-26, Jr. over Alex Strashinsky (Bergen Catholic) 5-3, Sr. (M. For.)

7th Place Match

Tate Nichter (Chambersburg) 43-9, Jr. over Grant Mackay (North Allegheny) 13-3, Fr. (Dec 6-3)

160
1st Place Match

Andrew Cerniglia (Notre Dame) 13-1, Sr. over Clayton Ulrey (Lower Dauphin High School) 117-13, Sr. (Dec 11-6)

3rd Place Match

Mathew Arciuolo (Saucon Valley) 69-9, Sr. over Luke Nichter (Chambersburg) 51-7, Sr. (Dec 8-7)

5th Place Match

Luca Augustine (Waynesburg) 15-4, Jr. over Alex Whitworth (McCallie School) 13-3, Jr. (SV-1 3-1)

7th Place Match

Dylan Fishback (Aurora) 12-2, So. over Andy Clark (Collingswood) 49-7, Sr. (Dec 7-0)

170
1st Place Match

Connor O`Neill (DePaul Catholic) 6-0, Sr. over Domonic Mata (Blair Academy) 5-1, Sr. (Dec 4-2)

3rd Place Match

Dylan Reinert (Gettysburg) 53-6, Sr. over Angel garcia (Mariana Bracetti Academy) 104-28, Sr. (Dec 7-3)

5th Place Match

Jaden Bullock (Oscar Smith) 15-3, Sr. over Dante Stefanelli (Delbarton) 6-3, Sr. (Dec 3-1)

7th Place Match

Connor Herceg (Nazareth) 10-2, Sr. over Caden Rogers (Malvern Prep) 80-35, Jr. (Dec 7-3)

182
1st Place Match

John Poznanski (Colonia) 105-12, Sr. over Rylan Rogers (Blair Academy) 5-1, So. (Dec 5-2)

3rd Place Match

Jake Evans (Elyria) 91-22, Jr. over Drew Clearie (Nazareth) 10-3, Jr. (Dec 7-0)

5th Place Match

Sam Fisher (Fauquier) 13-5, Sr. over JT Davis (Smyrna) 14-6, Sr. (M. For.)

7th Place Match

Dominic Solis (McDonogh) 44-12, Sr. over Brock Delsignore (Shenendehowa) 4-3, Jr. (Dec 9-3)

195
1st Place Match

Nicholas Feldman (Malvern Prep) 56-8, So. over Peyton Craft (Blair Academy) 5-1, Jr. (Dec 7-3)

3rd Place Match

Ben Vanadia (Brecksville) 50-10, Jr. over Luke Chakonis (Delbarton) 7-2, Sr. (Dec 2-1)

5th Place Match

Jack Wimmer (McDonogh) 45-11, Sr. over Maximus Hale (Downingtown West) 104-29, Sr. (Dec 3-2)

7th Place Match

Mike Misita (St Augustine) 73-19, Jr. over Nick Marcenelle (North Allegheny) 12-4, Sr. (Fall 1:40)

220
1st Place Match

Kyonte Hamilton (Georgetown Prep) 96-10, Jr. over Ethan Hatcher (Brecksville) 54-6, Sr. (Dec 5-1)

3rd Place Match

Kyle Jacob (Paramus) 87-28, Sr. over Noah Pettigrew (Blair Academy) 4-2, So. (Fall 1:14)

5th Place Match

Matt Kaplan (Lake Highland Prep) 6-2, Sr. over Steven Schott (Nazareth) 9-5, . (Fall 1:54)

7th Place Match

Hugo Harp (Smyrna) 16-6, Sr. over Marques Holton (Central Dauphin HS) 39-9, Sr. (Dec 10-6)

285
1st Place Match

Hunter Catka (Sun Valley) 105-9, Sr. over Max Millin (Perry (Massillon)) 12-2, Sr. (MD 11-3)

3rd Place Match

Coltin Deery (Malvern Prep) 76-16, Jr. over James Howard (McCallie School) 10-2, So. (Dec 5-2)

5th Place Match

Jim Mullen (St. Joes Regional) 7-2, Fr. over Kevin Hudson (Caesar Rodney) 33-10, Jr. (Dec 3-1)

7th Place Match

Ben Grafton (North Allegheny) 9-3, Sr. over Eijah Anthony (Blair Academy) 4-3, Sr. (Dec 9-6)

Final Team Scores
1 Blair Academy 239.5
2 Brecksville 175.0
3 Malvern Prep 164.5
4 Bergen Catholic 162.5
5 Notre Dame 141.0
6 Lake Highland Prep 128.0
7 Elyria 127.5
8 Nazareth 119.0
9 Delbarton 118.0
10 McDonogh 108.0