2023-24 Wrestling Season Recap

The Conwell-Egan Catholic wrestling team once again enjoyed great success on the mat, compiling a 10-0 dual meet record, while winning both the Philadelphia Catholic League Regular Season Championship as well as the PCL Championship Tournament. It was the fourth straight PCL Championship for the Eagles.

CEC also qualified a best-ever seven wrestlers for the Pennsylvania State Championships, including sophomore 106 Julia Horger, who made history by not only becoming CEC’s first State Champion wrestler, but also becoming the first-ever female 106 State Champion in Pennsylvania. Horger was undefeated this season (22-0).

“Up until three years ago we never had a State qualifier,” said seventh-year head coach Chuckie Connor, the 2023-24 PCL Coach of the Year. “This year we qualified a best-ever seven and we had a best-ever four place, including a State Champ.”

Senior 133 Charlie Robson was named the PCL Tournament Most Outstanding Wrestler and will continue his wrestling career at Delaware Valley University.  Robson completed his scholastic career by placing third at the PA State Championships. “Before this year we never had anyone place higher than fourth,” Connor said.

Senior 139 Steven Harris received the Academic and Athletic Excellence award from the PCL.

Catholic League individual champions included freshman 107 Tommy Boyce, who went on to place third at the PA State Championships, senior 114 Kevin Bagnell, junior 121 Jeffery Spofford, freshman 127 Colin Walther, junior 152 Brian Shimp along with Robson and Harris.

Also earning All-Catholic honors were sophomore 133 Lukas Grodski and senior 215 Aiden Habas.

Senior 215 Dante Burns, a three-time PCL Champion, was injured for this year’s PCL Tournament but came back to place fifth at the PA State Championships.

“We had a great year with a veteran team,” Connor said.

PIAA States Day 3.  Horger State Champ

Final day of the PIAA Stare Championship did not disappoint. For the first time in Conwell-Egan history, we have a State Champion.

Julia Horger made history for Conwell-Egan and women’s wrestling by becoming the first 106 champion. Julia had an undefeated record this season.

For the first time ever we also had four wrestlers place and the team took sixth overall.

Tommy Boyce and Charlie Robson each placed third and Dante Burns placed fifth.

Consolation Semifinals

107 - Thomas Boyce dec. Tanner Guenot (Bald Eagle Area), 4-2

133 - Charlie Robson dec. Jack Kazalas (Quaker Valley), 7-0

215 - Jason Singer (Faith Christian Academy) dec. Dante Burns, 3-1 SV

Fifth Place

215 - Dante Burns won by forfeit over Gavin Hannah (Brookville)

Third Place

107 - Thomas Boyce dec. Sam Wolford (Northern Lebanon), 1-0

133 - Charlie Robson dec. Mason Gibson (Bishop McCort), 4-2

Congratulations Dante Burns on earning his 100th career victory at the PIAA State Championship.

Dante along with Julia Horger, Tommy Boyce and Charlie Robson advanced to Saturday.

They have all earned a place on the podium.

Championship Semifinals

106 - Julia Horger pinned Alysiana Price-Ierley (York Suburban), 1:42

107 - Dominic Deputy (Chestnut Ridge) dec. Thomas Boyce, 6-1

Consolation Round 4

133 - Charlie Robson dec. Hunter Gould (Conneaut Area), 5-2

215 - Dante Burns dec. Chad Beller (Catasauqua), 11-5

Day 1 results

Preliminaries

114 - Kevin Bagnell dec. Drake McClure (Bentworth), 7-2

121 - Antonio Boni (Central Valley) won by tech. fall over Jeffrey Spofford, 21-6 5:47

215 - Dante Burns dec. Rece Dibert (Northern Bedford), 4-2

Championship Round 1

107 - Thomas Boyce pinned Bryce Pequignot (North Penn-Liberty), 0:39

114 - Dalton Wenner (Cranberry) dec. Kevin Bagnell, 1-0

127 - Anthony Barra (Bloomsburg) dec. Colin Walther, 5-3 SV

133 - Charlie Robson pinned Cyrus Hurd (North East), 1:49

215 - Austin Johnson (Muncy) maj. dec. Dante Burns, 9-1

Consolation Round 1

121 - Landon Bainey (West Branch) pinned Jeffrey Spofford, 0:34

127 - Colin Walther dec. Kruz McCusker (Sullivan County), 7-0

Championship Round 1

106 - Julia Horger pinned Julia Ritter (Hughesville), 1:41

Julia Horger ‘26 won the PIAA Southeast Regional tournament for girls, marking her the first female wrestler in school history to advance to States in Hershey March 7-9.

The boys took second place at the District 1/12 AA tournament at Faith Christian Academy!

Champions - Kevin Bagnell*, Colin Walther, & Charlie Robson

*Kevin Bagnell ‘24 also recorded his 100th career victory!

2nd place - Thomas Boyce, Jeffrey Spofford, Steven Harris, Jaiden Goffman, Jordan Bentley, Jake McGuigan, Dante Burns

3rd place - Aiden Habas

All 11 boys above advance to regionals next week! Congrats, Eagles!