The winter sports season is already off and running with athletes competing across several sports in the county. Girls and boys across the county are competing in basketball, swimming and, yes, wrestling.
Here’s a look at some of the Lebanon County athletes that fans should keep an eye on this season:
Aaron Seidel, Northern Lebanon, sophomore, wrestling
What needs to be said about the Vikings phenom wrestler that hasn’t been said already? He’s a returning PIAA champ in a season where he went 49-1 and thoroughly dominated much of the competition throughout the season. In addition to the PIAA title, he also captured championship titles at King of the Mountain, the Bethlehem Holiday Wrestling Classic, Lancaster-Lebanon League Championships, and added postseason championships at the Sectional, District 3, and South East Regional Championships.
Kailah Correa, Lebanon, sophomore, basketball
She scored 499 points her freshman year, averaging 20.8 points per game as she led the Cedars to their best season in recent memory as they were co-champions in L-L Section 2. She already has Division I scholarship offers from Illinois and Delaware among others.
Eli Becker, Palmyra, senior, basketball
Becker averaged 12 points per game last season for the Cougars and will be relied upon this season for that and much more. The 6-foot-4 post player is a menace on the defensive end as he continually contests and blocks shots.
Griffin Gonzalez, Lebanon, senior, wrestlingÂ
The senior has already become arguably the most decorated wrestler in Cedars history and will look to add to it his senior season. He is a three-time L-L champion having won the 120-pound title in 2020, 138 in 2021 and 152 in 2022. He won a District 3 title in 2021 and finished seventh in the PIAA tournament last season. He is committed to wrestle collegiately at Lehigh University. He enters the season with a career record of 105-14.
Fernando Marquez, Cedar Crest, junior, basketball
The Falcons junior averaged 10.3 points per game a season ago and was an L-L Section 1 second-team all-star. Expect those numbers to rise with another year of experience.
Ava Hoover, Annville-Cleona, sophomore, basketball
Hoover led the Little Dutchmen in scoring as a freshman as was an L-L Section 5 second team all-star last season. Hoover and the rest of the A-C hoopsters will be a team to watch this season.
Carlos Hidalgo, Lebanon, senior, swimming
Despite not having a swimming team, Hidalgo represented the Cedars in the pool last winter. He picked up a gold medal in the 50 free at the L-L swimming championships in 21.38. He was also the runner-up at the District 3 Class 3A meet in both the 50 free and 100 free.
Olivia Shutter, Northern Lebanon, sophomore, basketballÂ
Shutter was integral for the Vikings a season ago when she averaged 11.3 points per game as a freshman. She will be relied upon for that and more as Northern Lebanon moves into a new season with a new crop of faces in the lineup.
Aiden Schomp, Cedar Crest, junior, basketball
The Cedar Crest big-man averaged nearly 10 points per game last year and in doing so was named an L-L Section 1 second-team all-star. The 6-6 forward will look to be an even more imposing force in the post in his junior season.
Morgan Lantz, Palmyra, junior, swimming
The Cougars junior qualified for a pair of individual events and a relay event at the District 3 championships last season. She competed in the 200-yard medley relay, as well as the 100 and 200 free. She also added top eight finishes in the 100 and 200 free at the Mid-Penn Championships.Â
