Eight previous winners repeat titles
Frazier junior has chance for fourth next year; McGuffey senior has three
Fourteen wrestlers entered the WPIAL Class 2A tournament at CanonMcMillan with a WPIAL title on their resume. Eight added a gold to the collection, including two who hit the trifecta.
McGuffey senior Christian Clutter and Frazier junior Thayne Lawrence each won a third title. Clutter (372) was able to defend his championship at 170 pounds with an 11-0 shutout of Valley senior Noah Hutcherson (16-5). He first won as a 160pound sophomore.
“I love this tournament. It’s one of the toughest tournaments in the state,” Clutter said.
Lawrence (21-3) won the 160-pound title with a 12-3 major decision win over Quaker Valley freshman Patrick Cutchember (29-3). His other two titles were at 138 and 152. Lawrence could join the WPIAL four-time title club next year.
“I’m the first Frazier wrestler to win a WPIAL title. Now I’m the first to win three titles,” Lawrence said. “I hope to come back next year and win my fourth.”
The 126-pound class featured four former winners. Derry sophomore Tyler Cymmerman (34-5) survived the tough class with three wins, including an 8-3 decision over McGuffey senior Jett Pattison (32-7) for the title.
“It feels great to win such a tough weight class,” said Cymmerman, who won his first title last year at 120. “This title means more to me because it was much tougher than the bracket I was in last year.”
Cymmerman joined Conner Redinger, Trent Schultheis, Ian Oswalt, John Vargo and Dominic DeLuca in winning a second consecutive title.
Redinger (30-5), a Quaker Valley sophomore, made the jump from 106 to 132 pounds and pinned Derry senior Jason Baker (30-8).
Schultheis (29-4), a Freedom sophomore, won again at 152 pounds with a 9-1 major decision of McGuffey sophomore Ethan Barr (33-7).
Oswalt (41-2), a Burrell sophomore, earned a 1-0 win over Beth-Center senior Jimmy Gwyer (36-6) at 120 pounds. Oswalt’s first title came at 113.
“To get two in a row is the second step to my ultimate goal of becoming a four-time champion,” Oswalt said. “I’m halfway there.”
Vargo (23-4), a Bentworth senior, jumped weight classes from 182 to 195 pounds and won with a 17-2 technical fall of Quaker Valley senior Geoff Magin (22-8).
DeLuca (32-1), a Derry senior, made his third appearance in the finals and won at 220 with an 8-0 major decision of Hopewell senior Connor Forrest (28-5).
Hopewell senior Jacob Ealy (34-2) won the Outstanding Wrestler Award, winning the 138-pound class with a 11-0 shutout of Burrell sophomore A.J. Corrado (317). Ealy is the fifth Hopewell wrestler to win a WPIAL title and the first since 2009.
South Park sophomore Joey Fischer (31-0) remains the only unbeaten wrestler in Class 2A. He claimed the 106-pound title with a 7-0 win against Mt. Pleasant freshman Luke Geibig (28-10).
The top seven in each class qualify for the Southwest Regional Tournament, scheduled for Feb. 22-23 at In-