Raiders advance 3 wrestlers to PIAA Tournament
Waynesburg Central advanced three wrestlers, while Jefferson-Morgan and West Greene qualified one each into the PIAA Individual Wrestling Championships.
The Raiders鈥� Roan Tustin, Ky Szewczyk, and Brock Evans all had top-four finishes at the WPIAL Class AAA Championship.
Jefferson-Morgan鈥檚 Chase Frameli placed third and West Greene鈥檚 Colin Whyte finished fourth at the PIAA Southwest Class AA Regional to earn a berth into the state tournament.
Tustin opened the 285-pound bracket with a pin and then followed with two decisions to advance to his first WPIAL title bout against Thomas Jefferson鈥檚 Shepherd Turk.
After a scoreless first period, Turk scored an escape for a 1-0 lead. Turk added a takedown in the third period for a 3-0 victory.
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 choose bottom. He鈥檚 real big. I planned on taking him down late in the second, but it didn鈥檛 work out. It was just two big guys just scrapping around and it went to his side,鈥� said Tustin. 鈥淲henever I鈥檓 wrestling these guys who are 50 or 60 pounds heavier than me, it鈥檚 hard to stand up.
鈥淚 think I wrestled decently. Everyone can always wrestle better.鈥�
As for the state tournament, Tustin added, 鈥淚 have nothing to lose.鈥�
Szewczyk was edged by Latrobe鈥檚 Jake Braun in the 127-pound semifinals. He stayed alive in the tournament with a 5-3 win over Plum鈥檚 Rylen Campbell in the fourth round of consolations.
Szewczyk faced Baldwin鈥檚 Owen Klodowski in the third-place consolation. The first period was scoreless and then Klodowski grabbed a 2-0 lead with an escape and technical violation.
Klodowski scored a takedown for the 4-0 victory.
鈥淚 expected to make (states), for sure. I鈥檓 confident in myself,鈥� said Szewczyk. 鈥淚 had to win one of the two matches and I won the last one. That鈥檚 all that matters.
鈥淚 want another medal. I鈥檓 not going there just to be there. I鈥檓 going there to place. I鈥檝e wrestled in the Giant Center before. I鈥檓 not going to let the bright lights affect how I wrestle.鈥�
Evans lost to Thomas Jefferson鈥檚 Bode Marlow, the eventual champion, by fall in the 160-pound quarterfinals.
Evans, who was not seeded, stayed alive with a pin against Moon鈥檚 Michael Olszewski, a 12-2 major decision over Ringgold鈥檚 Jack Duncan, and a 7-2 decision over Baldwin鈥檚 Keith Mincin.
However, the run through the consolation took its toll on Evans with injuries to both knees, causing him to cede a medical forfeit to Bethel Park鈥檚 Cordan McDonnell in the third-place consolation.
鈥淚 lost to Brody Marlow and then ended up forfeiting in the 3-4 match because my knee鈥檚 messed up,鈥� explained Evans. 鈥淭he match before one round a kid tweaked my knee and in my blood round match, I busted my other knee up. So, it鈥檚 been a rough day.鈥�
Evans felt he would鈥檝e had a good shot at the bronze medal if he was healthy.
鈥淚 think it would鈥檝e been a good match, but I think I would鈥檝e been third. I really do,鈥� said Evans.
Evans had a short turnaround to get his knees healthy, but feels he could do so.
鈥淚 have to get healthy for the state tournament and see if I can make my run there. I think I can get healthy with the right treatment and I take it easy,鈥� said Evans. 鈥淚t鈥檚 my first trip to states. First year as a starter. I was behind Nate Jones last year.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be a tough bracket. It鈥檚 a hard bracket.鈥�
The Raiders鈥� Jake Stephenson finished sixth after he was pinned in 1:46 by Penn-Trafford鈥檚 Tasso Whipple.
Frameli opened with an 11-3 major decision, but dropped to the consolation round after he was pinned by Bishop McCort鈥檚 Devon Magro.
Frameli advanced to the third-place bout with a pin, 10-3 decision, and 15-2 major decision.
Frameli was awarded a medical forfeit from Frazier鈥檚 Ryan Celaschi for the bronze medal.
Whyte advanced to the third-place consolation bout at 215 pounds, suffering a 7-0 loss to Somerset鈥檚 Rowan Holmes.
After opening with a pin, Whyte was pinned in the quarterfinals by River Valley鈥檚 Chase Stuschal.
Whyte fought his way back through the consolations with back-to-back decisions before losing in the third-place bout.