Returning winners will be challenged this weekend
Eleven wrestlers entered the 2022-23 season with at least one WPIAL Class 2A title to their credit. Three of those individuals have won two titles, while three others have made two appearances in the finals.
Unfortunately, one of the returning champs has been sidelined and at least three others will have to settle for something less than a gold medal as three weight classes feature two returning champs.
The WPIAL 2A tournament is Friday and Saturday at Chartiers Valley High School. Laurel senior Colin Bartley is a two-time finalist who won the 113-pound title last year. But he won’t be able to defend his championship, as his final year of competition came to an end in December when he was severely injured in a hunting accident.
The two-time champs are: Bentworth junior Chris Vargo, Laurel senior Grant MacKay and Frazier junior Rune Lawrence. Vargo and MacKay are competing in a weight class with another returning champ.
The top eight finishers in each weight class qualify for the Class 2A Southwest Region tournament, which will be held March 3-4 at Altoona High School. Burrell and Montour will each have 12 participants in the tournament, while Burgettstown has 11.
Below is a quick look at each weight class and the top entries.
107 pounds: A pair of freshmen, Burrell’s Cameron Baker (32-7) and Central Valley’s Antonio Boni (23-3), are the clear favorites. Baker has faced a much tougher schedule. Others to watch are Burgettstown
sophomore Darius Simmons ( 20- 9) and Derry sophomore Anthony Mucci (28-5).
114: Burgettstown junior Parker Sentipal (31-3) is a strong favorite after winning the 106-pound title as a sophomore and placing third as a freshman. Indiana junior Nico Fanella (24-3) was a WPIAL runner-up at 106 in Class 3A last year. Fanella defaulted in the Eastern section title match to Burrell freshman Julian Bertucci (28-12). Derry’s Dylan Kim (24-10) placed fourth in the WPIAL last year at 106.
121: Quaker Valley junior Jack Kazalas (28-2) placed second in the WPIAL as a 106-pound freshman and finished fourth last season at 113. McGuffey freshman Lucas Barr (33-7) pinned Kazalas in a WPIAL playoff match on Feb. 1. West Greene junior Seth Burns (23-11) placed fourth at 106 as a freshman and second as a 113- pound sophomore. Others to watch are Indiana sophomore Carter Putt (27-7) and Mount Pleasant senior Sean Cain (25-9).
127: This weight class features two returning WPIAL champions. Bentworth junior Chris Vargo (32-1) is a two-time WPIAL champion with his previous titles coming at 113 and 120. Burrell junior Cooper Hornack (31-6) was a champ at 106 as a freshman, then lost to Vargo in last year’s final at 120. Others to watch are: Montour junior Anthony Orlandini (33-9) and Burgettstown junior Dylan Slovick (29-12).
133: Mount Pleasant senior Jamison Poklembo (314) won a WPIAL title as a 132pound freshman, then placed third at 138 last year. Elizabeth Forward junior Damon Michaels (33-7) is a two-time WPIAL runner-up at 113 and 138. Montour senior Peter Chacon (31-5) is a two-time bronze medalist at 126 and 132. Burgettstown junior Gaven Suica ( 34- 7) placed third in the WPIAL as a 120-pound freshman, then placed sixth at 126 last year while competing with a broken bone in his foot during the postseason tournaments.
139: This is another weight class that features two returning WPIAL champs. Burgettstown senior Joey Sentipal (35-6) is a two-time finalist who placed second as a 126-pound sophomore and first at 132 last year. Burrell senior Niko Ferra ( 35- 7) won a gold medal as a 120-pound sophomore, but then finished a disappointing fifth at 132 last year. Others to watch are Bentworth freshman Owen Ivcic ( 29- 10) and Mount Pleasant junior Greg Shaulis (30-10).
145: Frazier freshman Jonah Erdely ( 29- 6) has emerged as the favorite after beating Beth-Center senior Tyler Debnar (28-8) 1-0 in the Southern section final. Debnar placed third at 138 as a sophomore and sixth at 145 last year. Quaker Valley senior Logan Richey (27-9) has placed sixth, fourth and fourth the past three seasons.
152: Beth-Center senior Tyler Berish (31-1), a twotime bronze medalist who placed second in this weight class last year, is the favorite. Frazier sophomore Ryan Celaschi (27-5), a bronze medalist at 145 last year, lost 6-5 to Berish in the Southern section final. Hopewell junior Isaiah Pisano (25-6) placed fourth at 152 last year. Burgettstown junior Rudy Brown ( 30- 6) has placed fourth and sixth the last two years.
160: This is the third weight class that features two returning champs. Laurel senior Grant MacKay (35 -1) is the prohibitive favorite after winning WPIAL titles at 152 and 160 the past two years. MacKay is also a twotime PIAA finalist and onetime champ. Carlynton senior Chase Brandebura (304) placed first in the WPIAL as a 106-pound freshman, placed fifth at 126 as a sophomore and finished eighth at 145 last year after suffering an injury. Jefferson-Morgan junior Chase Frameli (28-3) was a runner-up at 145 last year.
172: Nobody in this weight class has finished higher than fifth in previous appearances. Fort Cherry sophomore Braedon Welsh
(32-3), a sixth-place finisher at 160 last year, is the favorite. Burrell sophomore Isaac Lacinski (33-9) placed fifth at 138 last year. Chartiers-Houston senior Jessie Orbin (32-6) has placed sixth, sixth and seventh the past three years.
189: Frazier junior Rune Lawrence (33-3) may be the most dominant Class 2A wrestler in the state. Lawrence has won back-to-back WPIAL and PIAA titles and is heavily favored to three-peat in both tournaments. Others to watch are Highlands senior Tyler Bender (31-7) and Laurel senior Chase Tinstman (30-8).
215: Central Valley junior Brenan Morgan (27-4) and Bentworth junior Vitali Daniels (25-7) could have competed at 189, but both opted to wrestle up at 215 to stay away from Lawrence. Morgan placed fourth at 189 last year. Daniels was a runner-up at 215 last year. Others to watch are Greensburg
Salem senior Christian McChesney (30-4), Mount Pleasant freshman Dylan Pitzer (27-6) and Burrell sophomore Luke Boylan (24-13).
285: Burgettstown junior Joseph Baronick (31-9) is the defending champion but finished fourth in the Southern section after suffering a back injury in the semifinals. Laurel senior Coltin Hill (224) was a bronze medalist last year. Southmoreland senior Mason Neiderhiser (21-11) placed fourth last year, while Keystone Oaks senior Christian Flaherty (28-2) finished fifth.
Class 3A sectionals
The Class 3A section tournaments will be held Saturday at three sites:
• Sections 1 and 2 have been combined to form the Northern sectional, which will be held at North Allegheny. Seneca Valley’s Tyler Chappell is a three-time section champ.
• Sections 3 and 4 will compete together in the Eastern sectional at Norwin.
• Sections 5 and 6 will compete together in the Southern sectional at South Fayette. Waynesburg’s Rocco Welsh is a three-time section champ.
The top six finishers in each weight class will qualify for the WPIAL Class 3A tournament March 3-4 at Canon-McMillan High School. The PIAA tournament in both classes is March 9-11 at Giant Center in Hershey.