One weight class loaded with PIAA talent
Tri-State Sports & News Service
Twelve of the 14 weight classes in this weekend’s Class 3A WPIAL/Southwest Regional Tournament at Canon-McMillan High School feature a returning finalist, but one stands alone as the strongest.
The 132-pound weight class features four wrestlers who have made at least one appearance in the finals, including one returning champion.
The top seed is Waynesburg junior Caleb Morris (31-4), who won a WPIAL title at 106 in 2015, then placed fourth at 120 last year.
Penn-Trafford junior Job Chishko (33-5), a two-time runner-up at 106, is seeded second.
The third seed is PineRichland senior Hunter Baxter (34-2), who placed second at 120 last year after finishing third the two previous years at 106 and 113.
North Allegheny senior Luke Landefeld (15-5), a runner-up at 113 in 2014, is seeded fourth. Landefeld missed most of his sophomore year with an injury, then placed third at 126 last year.
“It’s unusual to see that many returning WPIAL finalists entered at the same weight,” Penn-Trafford coach Rich Ginther said. “All four are good enough to win the title. It will come down to who is better that day.”
Waynesburg coach Joe Throckmorton agrees.
“All four are capable of beating each other,” said Throckmorton, who won two WPIAL titles when he wrestled at Waynesburg. “They are all within a point or two of each other.”
Each of the four have met two of the others this season with all ending in close decisions. Four of the five matchups came in the Powerade Christmas Tournament.
Morris beat Chishko, 4-3, and Landefeld, 5-2, en route to a second-place finish at Powerade. Chishko beat Baxter, 3-2 in triple overtime, prior to his loss to Morris. Landefeld placed fourth after posting a 4-3 win over Chishko in the consolation semifinals.
Three weeks after the Powerade tournament, Landefeld suffered a concussion that kept him out of action until last Saturday’s Section 3 tournament. Baxter and Landefeld met in the section final and Baxter pulled out a 3-1 victory.
“I expect all four to make it to the semifinals,” North Allegheny assistant coach Dan Heckert said. “At that point, it comes down to who wants [the WPIAL title] the most.”
Ready to defend
Morris is one of eight returning WPIAL champions.
The most noteworthy returnees are Franklin Regional senior Spencer Lee and Penn-Trafford senior Cameron Coy, who have both made three previous appearances in the finals.
Lee (28-0) is a three-time WPIAL and PIAA champion who has a 137-0 career record. He is entered at 126 after previous titles at 113, 120 and 120.
Coy (30-0) won WPIAL and PIAA titles as a 132pound freshman, placed second in both tournaments as a 138-pound sophomore and won both titles at 145 last year.
The other five returning WPIAL champs are:
• Seneca Valley junior Louis Newell (35-3) won at 106 last year and is now at 113.
• Belle Vernon junior Zach Hartman (33-5) is a two-time finalist who won at 132 last year, but has since moved to 160.
• Albert Gallatin junior Tim Wallace (31-2) won at 160 last year and is now at 170.
• Bethel Park senior Nino Bonaccorsi (32-0) has moved to 182 after winning at 170 last year.
• North Allegheny senior Jake Woodley (42-2) won WPIAL and PIAA titles last year at 182, but has since moved to 195.
Newell and Hartman may be returning champions, but both are seeded No. 2 in their weight class.
North Hills freshman Sam Hillegas (35-0) was awarded the top seed at 113 after beating Newell twice, including a pin in last Saturday’s Section 3 finals.
“Hillegas brings a lot to the table,” Seneca Valley coach Kevin Wildrick said. “He’s a good scrambler who defends well and takes advantage of his opponents mistakes. Louis has had trouble finishing his shots against him. He’s got to finish his shots to beat him.”
North Allegheny senior Eric Hong (25-0) is the top seed at 160. Hong has spent the past three years at priviate schools. He was a twotime National Prep Tournament finalist and one-time champion at Georgetown Prep in Maryland. He attended Kiski School last year.
Wrestlers advance
Thirty-four wrestlers from the WPIAL qualified for the PIAA Class 2A tournament by placing among the top six in their weight class at last weekend’s Southwest Regional tournament.
Seven advanced to the regional finals, but only two won titles: Jefferson-Morgan junior (36-0) Gavin Teasdale, at 126, and Beth-Center sophomore Dominic Fundy (36-0), at 182.
The five silver medalists were: Burrell senior Dillan Jeffrey (34-13), at 126; Frazierfreshman Thayne Lawrence (32-5), at 138; Freedom senior Cody Komara (38-7), at 145; and Freedom senior Evan Sweesy (44-6), at 285.