Sullivan county champ

Shaler star wins Allegheny event

Ryan Sullivan learned alittle bit about humility a year ago at the Allegheny County wrestling tournament. Sullivan, now a junior at Shaler High School, was seeded No. 1 at 106 pounds, but finished a disappointing sixth.

“Last year, I came in undefeated and pretty cocky,” Sullivan admitted. “I thought I was going to steamroll everybody, but it didn’t work out that way. It was real disappointing.”

That was a turning point in Sullivan’s season, as he went on to place second in the Class 3A WPIAL and PIAA tournaments.

“Things have been totally different since last year’s county tournament,” Sullivan said. “I look at every match the same way. I don’t overlook anybody.”

Sullivan left no doubt as to who the best 113pounder was at this year’s tournament, which concluded Saturday. He recorded three pins to earn a spot in the final, then dominated Moon’s Frankie Bonura, 11-2, to claim his first county title. Bonura was a returning county champion who placed fifth in the PIAA last year.

North Hills sophomore Sam Hillegas also had a bad experience at the 2017 county tournament. He was the top seed at 113 and recorded pins in three consecutive bouts, but withdrew after the first day of competition because of a knee injury.

“It was disappointing to have to pull out last year,” Hillegas said. “I missed two weeks. It was good to come back this year and be able to finish the tournament.”

Hillegas recorded five consecutive pins to claim the 126-pound weight class and the outstanding wrestler award. He needed only 3:21 to pin North Allegheny’s Jacob Downing in the title match.

Bonura was one of five returning county champions. His teammate Nick Acuna joined Mt. Lebanon’s Luke Stout as the only entries to win a second title in a row.

Acuna moved up a weight class to 145 and posted a 4-0 shutout in his title match with Upper St. Clair’s Grant Walnoha. Stout, last year’s champion at 152, won at 160 with a 3-1 decision of Vincenzo Rauso of Central Catholic.

“It’s definitely cool to win a second county title,” Stout said.

Quaker Valley’s John Rocco Kazalas and Shaler’s Garrett Reinsfelder entered the 132pound final with something in common. Both were silver medalists a year ago in this event. Kazalas caught Reinsfelder with an outside trip midway through the first period and recorded the fastest pin of the finals with a time of 1:13.

“The goal was the same,” Kazalas said. “This time I went out and did it. It’s a great accomplishment to win this tournament.”

Hampton’s Tyler Kocak, Bethel Park’s Jason Montgomery and Chartiers Valley’s Shamil Zaynullaev also were making a second consecutive appearance in the finals. All three claimed their first title.

North Allegheny won the team title for the fifth time in six years. The Tigers accumulated 207.5 points.