Mercersburg Academy is an independent college-preparatory school in south-central Pennsylvania. One of its students is Gasport's own Bobby Burg who has made a name for himself there - and nationally - in wrestling circles. Here's the report from Mercersburg....
101 teams, 64 man brackets, seven of the top 10 ranked teams in the country. There is no hyperbole in the name 'Beast of the East,' because this is the toughest regular-season high-school wrestling tournament in the nation.
And for Mercersburg's Bobby Burg '11, it was an opportunity to prove that he belongs among the nation's best in the 152-pound weight class. Burg battled his way through the challenges of 'The Beast' to become the first Mercersburg wrestler to place in the prestigious tournament, defeating Kyle Dehaut of Bethlehem (Pa.) Catholic, 13-4, to take seventh place. The consolation-round victory culminated two days of wrestling that encompassed seven matches for the uppermiddler from Gasport, New York.
Burg was one of three Mercersburg wreslers who qualified for the event, which involves applying to compete almost a year in advance.
Burg, who moved up two weight classes from the 2009 season, was the No. 9 seed at 152 pounds. He pinned Nick Papa of Penncrest in his first match, before falling 5-2 to eventual third-place finisher Ryan Krecker (Nazareth). Dropping to the consolation bracket, the Storm grappler recorded his second fall of the tournament, pinning Tadeo Gonzales (Henlopen), then downing Tyler Rill (Mount St. Joseph), 2-1, and Issah Meadow (Caesar Rodney), 7-2. A tough 2-0 loss to Kenny Boyles (Smyrna) put Burg in the seventh-place consolation final.
"Bobby's jumped up a couple of weights from last year and I think he's still making some adjustments," Mercersburg head coach Nate Jacklin says. "Placing at this tournament is a significant accomplishment that should give him momentum for the rest of the year."
Source:
http://www.mercersburg.edu/podium/default.aspx?t=204&bl=javascript:history.go(-1);&nid=509805&sdb=1
101 teams, 64 man brackets, seven of the top 10 ranked teams in the country. There is no hyperbole in the name 'Beast of the East,' because this is the toughest regular-season high-school wrestling tournament in the nation.
And for Mercersburg's Bobby Burg '11, it was an opportunity to prove that he belongs among the nation's best in the 152-pound weight class. Burg battled his way through the challenges of 'The Beast' to become the first Mercersburg wrestler to place in the prestigious tournament, defeating Kyle Dehaut of Bethlehem (Pa.) Catholic, 13-4, to take seventh place. The consolation-round victory culminated two days of wrestling that encompassed seven matches for the uppermiddler from Gasport, New York.
Burg was one of three Mercersburg wreslers who qualified for the event, which involves applying to compete almost a year in advance.
Burg, who moved up two weight classes from the 2009 season, was the No. 9 seed at 152 pounds. He pinned Nick Papa of Penncrest in his first match, before falling 5-2 to eventual third-place finisher Ryan Krecker (Nazareth). Dropping to the consolation bracket, the Storm grappler recorded his second fall of the tournament, pinning Tadeo Gonzales (Henlopen), then downing Tyler Rill (Mount St. Joseph), 2-1, and Issah Meadow (Caesar Rodney), 7-2. A tough 2-0 loss to Kenny Boyles (Smyrna) put Burg in the seventh-place consolation final.
"Bobby's jumped up a couple of weights from last year and I think he's still making some adjustments," Mercersburg head coach Nate Jacklin says. "Placing at this tournament is a significant accomplishment that should give him momentum for the rest of the year."
Source:
http://www.mercersburg.edu/podium/default.aspx?t=204&bl=javascript:history.go(-1);&nid=509805&sdb=1
