Seneca Valley senior roars back
Herrera-Rondon wins third state title in four years
HERSHEY, Pa. — After winning back-to-back state titlesas a freshman and sophomore, Alejandro HerreraRondon’s dream of being a four-time state champion was shattered last season when he finished in fourth place.
It’s safe to say the Seneca Valley senior came back witha vengeance.
Herrera-Rondon capped off an undefeated senior season with a 3-1 win vs. Waynesburg sophomore Rocco Welsh (24-4) — his fourth win against Welsh in four matches this season — to claim his third PIAA title. Herrera-Rondon (39-0) was voted the tournament’s outstanding wrestler and he finisheshis career with a record of175-14.
“There’s no better feeling,” Herrera-Rondon said. “After last year, I felt like I had something to prove, so I looked at it like I have one more year to show something.”
Herrera-Rondon’s quest for his third title was more difficult than most. The 152poundbracket featured three wrestlers ranked in the topsix in the country in Track wrestling’s latest rankings — Herrera-Rondon, Welsh and Cathedral Prep’s Paniro Johnson. Herrera-Rondon had to go through Johnson just to make it to the final, and he controlled him throughoutthe match in a 5-2 semifinalwin.
“Whatever it takes,” Herrera-Rondon said. “If I really want that state title, I’ve got toprove it.”
It was another successful night for the WPIAL overall as six area wrestlers took home state titles, including three from Waynesburg. The Raiders had five finalists on the night and ran away with their first PIAA team title in schoolhistory.
“Even our guys that won had very tough matches,”
said Waynesburg coach Joe Throckmorton. “It’s hard to get to the top of the podium here.”
Waynesburg sophomore MacChurch (28-2) and senior Luca Augustine (21-1) each captured their first PIAA title, while senior Wyatt Henson (32-1) earned his second consecutive PIAA title and third state title overall. Henson placed fifth in the state as a freshman, then won a Missouri state title as a sophomore before moving back to Waynesburg prior to his junioryear.
“It’s awesome being a three-timer,” Henson said. “My dad was a three-timer and also took fifth his freshman year, so it’s pretty awesome.”
Henson nearly got bounced from the tournament in his first match in the quarterfinal round, as he fell behind, 7-2, going into the third period against Northampton’s Dagen Condomitti before mounting a furious comeback and escaping with an11-9 win in overtime.
Alsowinning gold medals from the WPIAL were Hempfield junior Briar Priest (34-5) and Franklin Regional junior Finn Solomon (36-2). Both defeated fellow WPIAL wrestlers to win their titles, as Priest upset Seneca Valley senior Dylan Chappell (37-3) in the 132pound final, 6-0, while Solomon
won his rubber match vs. Waynesburg junior Cole Homet (29-3) in the 138pound final, 7-5.
Solomon finished as a PIAA runner-up as a freshman,then failed to qualify for states as a sophomore after suffering an injury in a loss atthe WPIAL tournament.
“It’s taken a ton of effort to get here,” Solomon said. “I lost last year, and it was just heartbreaking. It kind of took me months to get over, which sounds crazy, but it did. I was just down on myself, didn’t want to do anything. Then it kind of clicked, and I was like, ‘I need to get back to work. I need to go work hard and just go win a state title next year.’
“It’s an indescribable feelingright now.”
The WPIAL had 12 finalists overall, including eight who faced off against each other in all-WPIAL championship matches. The other finalists were Franklin Regional senior Carter Dibert (35-1), who dropped a 3-2 decision to Bethlehem Catholic’s Tyler Kasak in the 126pound final, and Hampton senior Justin Hart (28-6), who lost a 15-5 major decision to Spring-Ford’s Joey Milanoat 189 pounds.