Canon-McMillan’s Solorio is 1 of 5 WPIAL finalists

For the first time in PIAA history, fans got to watch the semifinals of three tournaments at the same time.

With the PIAA girls tournament making its debut, the PIAA decided to hold the semifinals of all three tournaments — boys 3A, boys 2A and girls — at the same time on six mats, Friday night at Giant Center in

Hershey.

The girls semifinals featured eight entries from the WPIAL, including three from Canon-McMillan. Five earned a spot in the finals.

Canon-McMillan senior Valarie Solorio became the WPIAL’s first finalist after posting first-period pins of Ella Hesener and Payton

Hinkle in quarterfinal and semifinal victories at 100 pounds.

Solorio will be joined in the finals by Big Macs teammate Natalie Rush, who earned a berth in the 190pound final with a 1-0 victory against Reading’s Esmerelda Tellez. Rush, a junior who is seeded No. 3, also pinned Bald Eagle Area’s Grace Crestani in the quarterfinals.

North Allegheny senior

Leyna Rumpler had the longest match of the semifinals. Rumpler, the top seed at 155, rode out Northern Bedford’s Raegan Snider twice in overtime to record a 2-1 ultimate tiebreaker victory. Rumpler also pinned Northampton’s Mylea Lambert in the quarterfinals.

Butler senior Ana Malovich and Moon freshman Haley Smarsh also earned a trip to the finals.

Malovich, the No. 2 seed at 118, pinned Pottstown’s Savannah Richards and Honesdale’s Saige Oliver to earn a berth in the 118-pound final.

Smarsh advanced to the 130-pound final with 9-4 win against Hamburg’s Shannon Govern in the semifinals. She also pinned Downingtown West’s Sarah Pearson in the quarterfinals.

Three other WPIAL entries fell short of a title berth after losing in the semifinals. Canon-McMillan sophomore Audrey Calgaro, the No. 4 seed at 170, was pinned by Punxsutawney’s Jael Miller.

Montour sophomore Kristen Walzer lost 8-3 to Neshaminy’s Grace Nesbitt in the 110-pound semifinals.

Kiski Area sophomore Ava Golding, the No. 4 seed at 136, was pinned by Kennett’s Haylie Jaffe in the semifinals at 1:05.