Cenci Takes Second at Districts

NEWTOWN-Five Phantoms entered the PIAA AAA District 1 North Wrestling Championships Friday at Council Rock High School North. By the time the dust had cleared Saturday night, only one remained.

Ed McCarthy (103 pounds), Brendon Bonner (130 pounds) and Matt Cermanski (145 pounds) each were eliminated in their first two matches while Jordan Valenteen (140 pounds) advanced to the fifth-place match but, with a regional bid on the line and a 14-4 lead, was pinned in the second period by Council Rock North's Anthony Dutrow.

The lone advancing wrestler for the purple and black was senior heavyweight Kenny Cenci, though he had something of a disappointing finish to an otherwise stellar weekend. Cenci was pinned in 21 seconds by Norristown's Gavin Queenan in the 285 pound final.

Next weekend will mark the fourth consecutive season Cenci has competed in the regionals.

After falling short in the regional round each of those seasons, this year the burly senior is hopeful he can get over the hump and into states. He has a new weight class, and a new plan (and hopefully a short memory).

"I was 215 last season," explained Cenci, who won his 100th career match earlier in the year, "but I felt like I'd be stronger at heavyweight."

Cenci, who says he now weighs around 250 pounds, says the switch has allowed him to not only carry extra muscle, but to compete outside of the 215-pound weight class he calls "brutal." Stronger wrestler, weaker competition: not a bad formula for success.

"And I'm working on my conditioning too," he added.

His coach sees improvement already. He foresees even more.

"Two years ago he didn't win anything [at regionals]," said Phoenixville head coach Dave Seville. "Then last year he won a match at regionals, and this year he's been working really hard."

Part of the hard work is the product of ratcheting up his practice competition. Seville has begun having assistant coaches wrestle Cenci during the week rather than teammates.

"He's so big, that the coaches are really the only ones who can push him," explained Seville. "Now he's got a really good chance to make it to the next level."

Which isn't to say his now off-seasoned teammates are slouches. Outside of Cenci, Seville says the Phantoms have an accomplished young group of wrestlers he expects to lift the program to new heights, even if they have to wait a year.

"Jordan [Valenteen]'s really wrestled well the past month. He really listens well and he's just a sophomore. Eddie McCarthy is another sophomore who made it out of sectionals. Brendon Bonner at '30 made it here. He's done a nice job. Hopefully they can keep getting better," Seville said, adding "It's a nice young core."