Sights set once again on four PIAA titles
Tri-State Sports & News Service
After watching Jefferson-Morgan senior Gavin Teasdale become the 13th wrestler in PIAA history to win four titles, Sam Hillegas and Alejandro Herrera-Rondon are hoping to follow in his footsteps.
Hillegas (33-1), a North Hills sophomore, took the second step toward reaching that goal when he claimed the Class 3A 126pound title Saturday at Hershey. His first title came last year as a 113pound freshman.
“Winning a second title shows me that it’s achievable,” said Hillegas, who has a two-year record of 761. That’s my goal, to win four titles. I just have to take it one step at a time. I have to win the third before I can think about a fourth.”
Hillegas recorded three first-period pins en route to the title match, where he met Central Dauphin senior Chris Wright. A pair of reversals gave Hillegas all the points he needed in a 4-2 victory. One of the reversals came via a slick hip toss.
“He’s a real great competitor, a real good wrestler,” said Hillegas of Wright. “He came in nationally ranked. You can’t underestimate a kid with his ability.”
Herrera-Rondon, a Seneca Valley freshman, claimed the Class 3A 106pound title with a 1-0 upset of top-seeded and undefeated Kurtis Phipps of Norwin in the finals. It was the third time the two faced off this season and Herrera-Rondon pulled out the narrow victory on the biggest stage, the Giant Center.
Neither wrestler scored in regulation, the sudden victory period, and all three tiebreaker periods. Herrera-Rondon was awarded the victory after riding Phipps for the final 30 seconds.
“I had more fun this time,” Herrera-Rondon said. “The last two times I wrestled him, I was a little nervous. This time I went out with no regrets and wrestled my best. I didn’t care what the score was. All I cared about was winning. It was an exciting match. It was a flip of the coin and it ended in my favor. I knew I had to capitalize in that position.”
After winning as a freshman, the obvious question is whether he can be a four-time champion.
“I came in here as a small 106-pounder,” Herrera-Rondon said. “I weighed in at 106.2 and was able to eat anything all night.
“Hopefully next year I can come back, maybe at 113, and do the same. I’m just trying to take it one year at a time. If I could get four titles, that would be crazy.”
Herrera-Rondon was quick to thank teammate Louis Newell, who finished a disappointing seventh at 120 pounds.
“I’ve been wrestling with Louis for a year now,” Herrera-Rondon said. “I’ve learned so much from him. He taught me how to get my hand-eye coordination faster, how to improve my stance, and a few other things. Drilling with him really helped.”
Newell, a WPIAL runner-up as a sophomore and junior, finished his career as a four-year PIAA placewinner. Teasdale was the only other WPIAL wrestler to achieve that feat this year.
“I didn’t realize how few WPIAL wrestlers have been a four-time placer,” said Newell, who is only the 38th WPIAL wrestler in PIAA history to place all four years. “I’m very proud of that.”
A second chance
Winning the PIAA Class 3A title at 285 pounds had special meaning for Kiski Area senior Isaac Reid, and it wasn’t for the obvious reason.
“On Dec. 5, I thought I was having a heart attack,” said Reid, who missed the first six weeks of the season with a blood clot in his lungs. “I thought it was going to be my last day on Earth. God really blessed me. He gave me another chance.”
Reid (23-0) made his second consecutive appearance in the finals and claimed his first title with a 3-1 win against Cathedral Prep’s Kawaun Deboe. When the final buzzer sounded, Reid pointed to his heart, then to heaven.
“I did that to let everybody know that my heart belongs to God. I’m eternally grateful to God, my doctors, my parents and my coaches. I can’t describe how awesome it feels.”
Experience pays off
Canon-McMillan senior Logan Macri and Shaler junior Ryan Sullivan also won Class 3A titles.
Macri (39-2) claimed the 120-pound crown with a 3-2 win against Doug Zapf, a returning state champion from Downingtown West. It was the second time the two met, and the same score. The first time was in the semifinals of the Powerade Christmas Tournament.
“It feels good. It’s a huge weight off my shoulders,” Macri said. “I’ve wanted to do this since my freshman year.
“I’ve been up here every year, but never really got the job done. Being predicted to do well and then to have some troubles in the past, it was mainly nerves. I got a handle on that this year and was able to go out there and do what I do best.”
Sullivan (42-1) made a return trip to the finals and came away with his first gold medal. He posted a 4-3 win in the 113-pound final against West Chester Henderson’s Killian Delaney.
“The experience I gained in last year’s finals really helped,” Sullivan said. “I was used to wrestling on the big mat. It’s an awesome feeling.”
The WPIAL had 33 wrestlers earn placewinner status by placing among the top eight, including nine in the finals.
Phipps was one of four silver medalists. The others were Franklin Regional junior Colton Camacho at 132, Belle Vernon senoir Zach Hartman at 160 and Albert Gallatin senior Tim Wallace at 182.