BETHLEHEM - The first night of the District 11 tournament can be a daunting task.

For some, it's the opening act of what could be a final shot at postseason glory.While for others, it's an opportunity to prove themselves among the area's best for the first time.When the final buzzer sounded Friday night at Freedom High School's Joseph J. McIntyre Gymnasium, the prospects for many Times News area wrestlers, veterans and newcomers alike, certainly looked pretty bright.A total of 17 area grapplers advanced to today's semifinals in the Class 2A tournament, while many more are still alive in the consolation bracket.Business as usualThe top seeds - Northern Lehigh's Ryan Farber, Northwestern's Caleb Clymer, Palmerton's Jared Mooney and Tamaqua's Tanner McHugh - all cruised into the semifinals.McHugh, the No. 1 seed at 132 pounds, dispatched Northwestern's Colin Rex by a 4-1 decision in the quarterfinals after receiving a first round bye.Though a senior, McHugh, who placed fourth a year and also medaled at states, acknowledged he wasn't completely at ease before his match with Rex."I was a little nervous," said McHugh. "Especially coming off a bye; not having a good warmup match or something like that. But I knew I just had to go out there and wrestle smart and I'd get the win."It's the fourth time I'm here, but you still get nervous. It's that last three weeks (of the season) and you want to do well these three weeks."Farber and Mooney, who are also seniors, opened their final district tournaments in impressive fashion. Farber pinned Palmerton's Riad Kapur in 1:24 in their 160-pound quarterfinal, while Mooney rolled over Notre Dame Green Pond's EJ Medina with a fall in 2:53 in a 182-pound quarterfinal bout.Clymer, a junior, pinned Tri-Valley's Rayce Newswanger in 33 seconds in their 152-pound quarterfinal match.After dealing with a severe hip injury throughout much of last season, Clymer is fully healthy and firing on all cylinders this time around."He's doing well," said Tigers' head coach Jim Moll.McHugh will face Northern Lehigh senior Ezra Neff in the semifinals. Neff pinned Jim Thorpe's Jason Walck in the first round and followed that with a major decision over Palisades' Adam Marsh in the quarterfinals.Farber will see Lehighton senior Dylan Schock in the 160-pound semis. Schock pinned Saucon Valley's Zachary Petrucelli in the first round and also earned a fall against Wilson's Lamont Singletary in the quarters. Mooney will wrestle Salisbury's Shane Simononis in the semis.In the bottom of the 160-pound bracket, the Panthers' Hunter Kennedy, the No. 2 seed, pinned Tamaqua's Anthony Gogel in the first round and also won by fall against Schuylkill Haven's Kross Houck in the quarters to put three area wrestlers in the semis.It will be an all-local semifinal at 152 pounds, as Clymer will face Panther Valley junior Tanner Kennedy. Kennedy edged Lehighton's Cody Scherer 3-2 (UTB) in the quarterfinals after pinning Catasauqua's Alec Hartranft in the first round.In addition to Clymer, Northwestern also has Jackson Bernhard (145) in the semifinals, while Northern Lehigh's Jason Schaffer (285) and Palmerton's Kyle Kralik (170) and John Iles (195) also made it through to the semis.Ready to shineThree area freshmen and one sophomore advanced to the semifinals.At 106 pounds, two freshmen, Lehighton's Lucas Sangiuliano and Northern Lehigh's Preston Bauer made it through in impressive fashion.Sangiuliano, the sixth seed, pinned Pen Argyl's Brilynd Madeya in the first round and knocked off No. 3 seed Mikey Myers of Williams Valley with a 6-3 decision in the quarters."It was pretty good for me," said Sangiuliano. "I just went out there and wrestled my match, used my moves."I turned him (Meyers) late, got my three back points, and that's how I won it."Bauer, who was seeded fifth, took down Jim Thorpe's Will Schwartz with a pin in the first round and also pinned No. 4 seed Caleb Sell of Tamaqua in the quarters."He settled down and wrestled within himself," said Northern Lehigh head coach Scott Snyder. "He got himself in a little trouble but he was able to fight through it and make it into the semifinals, which is a big thing for him."With the weight class being filled with freshmen and sophomores, I think he has a good opportunity to do very well."Bauer will take on top seed Elijah Bundro of Wilson in the semis, while Sangiuliano will face No. 2 seed Gavin Locke of North Schuylkill.Tamaqua's Bronson Strouse grabbed a 4-2 decision against Jim Thorpe's Steven Counterman in a first round match at 220 pounds and got past Pine Grove's Zach Leffler 3-2 to reach the semis.Strouse will wrestle top seed Devin Fontanez of Saucon Valley in the semifinals.Jim Thorpe sophomore Ethan Mordaunt had a first round bye at 195 pounds before taking down Williams Valley's Devon Rabuck with a 7-6 decision in the quarters.Mordaunt will wrestle top seed Brady Mickatavage of North Schuylkill in the semis.Despite losing the first two meetings against Mickatavage earlier this season, Mordaunt feels he's better prepared heading into the third round."Just to be able to hang with him longer," said Mordaunt. "I need to work my moves and not play defense. It's all mindset."MilestoneNorthwestern senior Baily Wehr perhaps had the most memorable night of all the wrestlers to reach the semifinals.Wehr opened the tournament by pinning Tamaqua's Joey Minehan to record his 100th career victory, and moved into the 120-pound semis with a 40-second fall against Lehighton's Nate Kemmerer in the quarters."I just wanted to get to the semis. I just wanted to get there," said Wehr. "I was trying to take it one match a time and just focus on one match."In the first match I was a little skeptical because I know kids want to place at this tournament, and it's pretty big, and they're gonna throw big things. So I was a little nervous in my first match. But I just tried to wrestle my match. As soon as I got on top, I know how to work my moves and go."Wehr, the third seed, will face No. 2 seed Ryan McGuire of Notre Dame Green Pond in the semis.Still aliveThe following area wrestlers, by school, that are still in contention for a medal in the consolation bracket: Jim Thorpe - William Schwartz (106), John Newhall (113), Jason Walck (132), Cameron Condly (160), Austin Williams (170), Steven Counterman (220); Lehighton - Nate Kemmerer (120), Logan Pagotto (126), Tyler Schock (132), Chris Whiteman (138), Grant Wetzel (145), Cody Scherer (152), Jack Zimmerman (195), Brett Gasker (220), Will Smith (285); Northern Lehigh - Seth Fronheiser (126), Tyler Hargreaves (138), Brandon Belfonti (152), Dominic Bandle (220); Northwestern - Colin Rex (132), Tyler Derr (138), Ben McQuilken (170); Palmerton - Shawn Gardner (106), Devin Rivera (126), Matt Lalik (132), Chase Faulstick (138), Nate Sterner (145), Riad Kapur (160); Panther Valley - Miguel Santiago (106), Louden Breiner (113), Derek Beckham (145), Xander Kern (170), Hunter Kerestes (182), Justin Rodriguez (195), Tyler Baez (220), Aaron Eidem (285); Tamaqua - Caleb Sell (106), Pierce Demetriades (113), Joey Minehan (120), Brandon Mader (126), Anthony Gogel (160).Back againAction will resume today with second round consolations at 9 a.m., which will again be held at Freedom High School. The Consolation finals (third and fifth place) and championship finals will take place at Liberty High School. The championship finals will begin at 5:45 p.m.