BETHLEHEM – Meaningful mat time is always in high demand for wrestlers looking to polish their skills with the postseason on their horizon.

The District 11 Team Tournament is always a good place to start.

Northwestern secured its spot on the second day of the tournament with a 39-33 first round win over Pen Argyl in the Class 2A bracket on Thursday. The Tigers will be in the consolation bracket when action resumes Saturday at Freedom High School after falling to Saucon Valley 60-24 in the second round.

“It’s big. It’s another chance to compete,” said Tigers head coach Jim Moll. “It’s another chance to sharpen our skills a little bit. We have a lot of winnable matches (out there).

“Meaningful mat time right now is real good.”

Jim Thorpe’s tournament ended with a 42-33 first-round loss to Catasauqua inside Liberty’s Memorial Gymnasium.

Second Round

Northwestern-Saucon Vy.

The Panthers built a 42-6 lead on the strength of five forfeits and two pins through the first eight matches. The Tigers got on the board in the fifth bout with Isaiah Johri’s pin at 220 pounds.

Saucon Valley didn’t get any forfeits the rest of the way, but the top seed did get another three pins.

Moll wasn’t so much concerned that his team took losses. It was how the eighth-seeded Tigers lost them.

“We got pinned too easy,” he said. “We’re in matches with a shot to win, and we get put on our back and can’t get off. Thinking about individual districts, that could end your tournament. You have to get off your back and give yourself a chance to win.”

Moll pointed to a loss at 138 pounds by Mason Brensinger ­ — crowned a champion at the Coal Cracker Tournament over the weekend — ­as an example.

“You have some guys who are going to pin people; that’s their thing,” said Moll. “Jake Jones (138) is going to pin people. But Mason (Brensinger) is a good wrestler, and he has to give himself a chance.”

Brensinger capped a remarkable run to the title as the 18th seed.

Jake Dellicker (120) and Ben Griffith (132) both had pins for the Tigers.

Meanwhile, Moll will turn his attention to Saturday, where he hopes Northwestern can produce a similar run to last season, placing fourth as the 10th seed.

First Round

Northwestern-Pen Argyl

The Tigers needed a spark coming down the stretch — and Eli Dellicker delivered.

Dellicker’s pin at 113 pounds tied it at 24-24 after Pen Argyl was deducted one team point for unsportsmanlike conduct after the match.

Dellicker secured the critical fall with a late turn.

“He’s on bottom with 30 seconds to go, winning the match, which was great, but able to bounce back and find a way to finish,” said Moll. “That was enormous.”

Jake Dellicker delivered a pin at 120 pounds to make it 30-24. Ben Griffith’s decision at 132 pushed the advantage back to 33-27 after Lucas Buskirk came through with a pin for the ninth-seeded Green Knights at 126.

A Northwestern forfeit at 138 tied it at 33-33 going into the final bout.

But Brensinger pinned Dylan Ashenfalder in 1:45 to secure the win.

Harrison Bernhard (160), Tyler Watson (170) and Ryan Haverkamp (195) also had pins for the Tigers, while Ben Griffith (132) posted a decision.

“That was a full team effort,” said Moll. “Everything from not getting pinned, to getting off your back, to winning close matches and getting pins.”

Catasauqua-Jim Thorpe

The Olympians built a 27-15 through the first eight matches.

First-year wrestler Camron Tinajero bumped up to 160 and delivered in a big spot, pinning Dominic Melendez in 1:42. Jared Newhall followed by decking Donovan Gair in 1:02 at 170 pounds to make it 12-6 after three matches.

The No. 10 seed Roughs responded with a fall from Adam Reinhart at 182 pounds to tie it at 12-12. Forfeits for Trent Hunter (195) and Derek Hunter (285) were sandwiched around a decision from Zachary Scheirer (220) and pushed the Olympians’ advantage to 24-15 as the lineup turned over.

Ridge Snyder stepped up for No. 7 Jim Thorpe and produced an 8-2 decision over Jacob Nye at 106 pounds to make it 27-15.

But Catty surged ahead, winning the next four. Jaryn Hartranft’s 8-6 decision over Will Schwartz at 113 and Austin Brett’s pin at 120 cut the deficit to 27-24. The Roughs took a 36-27 lead following back-to-back forfeits at 126 and 132.

Robert Murphy’s pin for the Olympians at 138 brought Jim Thorpe within striking distance at 36-33 heading into the final match.

But Ben Langsford’s pin sealed the win for the Roughs with a first period pin.

“I asked these kids to go out here and represent Jim Thorpe, and they did,” said Albert. “We ended up having to give up two forfeits and were still able to come back and be in it, which is all you can ask for as a coach.

“This is two years in a row now that Jim Thorpe made district duals, and I feel good about where our program is, and that’s a credit to, not just our guys, but our coaching staff as well. They have all really bought into our program, and I’m so proud of that. I’m disappointed that we lost, but not with the way we competed.”

MORE MAT ACTION … Action resumes Saturday at Freedom with first round consolation matches at 9 a.m.

Second Round

Saucon Valley 60, Northwestern 24

160 - Tyler Pfizenmayer (SV) pinned Tyler Watson in 3:47; 170 - Ty Csencsits (SV) won by forfeit; 182 - Matt Arciuolo (SV) pinned Ryan Haverkamp in 1:28; 195 - Dane Csencsits (SV) won by forfeit; 220 - Isaiah Johri (NW) pinned Jack Marouchoc in :49; 285 - Nick Warnke (SV) won by forfeit; 106 - Ermal Duka (SV) won by forfeit; 113 - Connor Nicholas (SV) won by forfeit; 120 - Jake Dellicker (NW) pinned Brent Malick in 5:56; 126 - Cael Markle (SV) pinned Anthony Russo in :16; 132 - Ben Griffith (NW) pinned Kevin Dyer in 1:11; 138 - Jake Jones (SV) pinned Mason Brensinger in 3:08; 145 - Liam Scrivanich (SV) pinned Lucas Miller in 2:38; 152

- Harrison Bernhard (NW) won by forfeit.

First Round

Northwestern 39, Pen Argyl 33

152 - Jack Rissmiller (PA) dec. Lucas Miller, 2-0; 160 - Harrison Bernhard (NW) pinned Gannon Brinker in 3:26; 170 - Tyler Watson (NW) pinned Reid Holden in :56; 182 - Tyler Taylor (PA) won by forfeit; 195 - Ryan Haverkamp (NW) pinned Dakota Graham in :48; 220 - Aiden Compton (PA) won by forfeit; 285 - Sean Rumsey (PA) major dec. Isaiah Johri, 9-0; 106 - Stephen Klimek (PA) won by forfeit; 113 - Eli Dellicker (NW) pinned George Pultz in 5:55; 120 - Jake Dellicker (NW) pinned Hennessey Ruppert in 2:51; 126 - Lucas Buskirk (PA) dec. Anthony Russo, 6-0; 132 - Ben Griffith (NW) dec. Antonio Reto, 7-2; 138 - Lorenzo Reto (PA) won by forfeit; 145

- Mason Brensinger (NW) pinned Dylan Ashenfalder in 1:45.

Catasauqua 42, Jim Thorpe 33

152 - Luis Del Rosario (C) pinned Justin Aue in 1:51; 160 - Camron Tinajero (JT) pinned Dominic Melendez in 1:42; 170 - Jared Newhall (JT) pinned Donovan Gair in 1:02; 182 - Adam Reinhart (C) pinned Angel Cintron in 1:56; 195 - Trent Hunter (JT) won by forfeit; 220 - Zachary Scheirer (C) dec. Gabriel Herschman, 4-2; 285 - Derek Hunter (JT) won by forfeit; 106 - Ridge Snyder (JT) dec. Jacob Nye, 8-2; 113 - Jaryn Hartranft (C) dec. Will Schwartz, 8-6; 120 - Austin Brett (C) pinned Ehlanna Penn in :37; 126 - Gavin Fehr (C) won by forfeit; 132 - Cole Brown (C) won by forfeit; 138 - Robert Murphy (JT) pinned Conlin Gair in 1:06; 145

- Ben Langsdorf (C) pinned Julien Dechert in 1:50.