Feb 2, 2017 4 min read

Canon-McMillan will host the first-round matches as well as the quarterfinals in the WPIAL Class AAA team wrestling championships Feb. 1. The Big Macs will battle North Hills at 6 p.m. The victor challenges the winner of the Belle Vernon vs. West Allegheny match in the quarterfinals to be held at 7 p.m.

The semifinals and championships rounds will be held Feb. 4 at Penn Hills. The Final Four matches start at noon with the championships set for 2 p.m.

By virtue of winning their 16th consecutive section title with a 46-24 win against Waynesburg, the Big Macs enter the tournament as the No. 3 seed behind Kiski and North Allegheny. Canon-Mac last won a District 7 team title in 2013.

“We didn’t talk about it a ton,” said C-M head coach Jason Cardillo of the section winning streak. “They know we’ve won 16 in a row but our goal is a WPIAL title.”

The Big Macs used the Section 4 tournament as a “stepping stone” toward their objective. First they won the regular season, capping it with a 51-19 win against the Red Raiders. They defeated Waynesburg again in the Jan. 25 tournament final, 46-24.

In the bout, Logan Macri, Gerrit Nijenhuis, Stefen Richer, Bryan Milligan and Brendan Furman picked up pins for the Big Macs. Jacob Gardner scored a major decision and Tim Hritsko scored a critical win at 123.

Tony Mastrangelo also won with a decision and Ken Hayman won by forfeit.

In opening action of the Section 4 Tournament, the Big Macs crushed Moon, 62-6. CM won three bouts by forfeit. Hayman, Nijenhuis, Blaze Kansco, Zach Rohaley and Furman secured falls. Hritsko, Dimitri Pihiou, Richer and Milligan won with decisions.

In the Section 2-AAA tournament, Upper St. Clair finished third after besting Peters Township, 45-24, in the consolation bout. USC lost to Belle Vernon, 39-28, while the Indians fell to Connellsville, 38-28, in opening-round action. The Falcons beat the Leopards, 39-34, for the section title.

By virtue of their section showings, the Panthers and the Indians advanced to the WPIAL team tournament.

During preliminary action Jan. 30, USC battled North Hills while PT challenged Armstrong. Despite being the host club, USC succumbed to North Hills, 45-24.

With the match tied, 6-6, the Indians reeled off three straight falls before Eli Grape ended the run, picking up a pin for the Panthers at 220. However, the Indians recorded three more falls and a forfeit to stretch their advantage, 45-12. USC closed with pins from Tyler Curtis at 126 and Grant Walnoha at 132.

Thomas Kyle posted a thrilling come-from-behind win, 5-4, at 152 and Sean Martin scored a decision, 4-0, at 160 to complete the Panthers’ scoring.

Meanwhile, Peters Township pinned its way into the first round of the tournament. The Indians rattled off 10 consecutive wins after falling behind early and defeated Armstrong, 57-17.

Pins by Ogden Atwood and Mike Cornman at 220 and heavyweight gave Armstrong an early 12-3 lead. However, Peters Township (10-5) bounced back. Bryce Wilkes, Will Kail, Jordan Marosz, Colton Jezioro, Brandon Matthews, Luke Mary and Jake Hurley all recorded pins, enabling the Indians to push past Armstrong and into the round of 16 in the WPIAL tournament.

The Indians travel to North Allegheny to take on the No. 2-seeded Tigers at 6 p.m. Feb. 1. The winner will face the victor between Penn-Trafford and Connellsville in the quarterfinals.

Class AA

South Fayette hosts the opening and quarterfinal rounds in the WPIAL Class AA team wrestling championships Feb. 1. The Lions will entertain Summit Academy at 6 p.m. while Chartiers-Houston tackles Beth-Center. The winners will square off in the quarterfinals.

The semifinals and the title tilts will be held Feb. 4 at noon and 2 p.m. respectively at Chartiers-Houston High School.

Burrell earned the top seed in the Class AA tournament by beating South Fayette (16-2) in the Section 3 tournament, 41-25. The Buccaneers whipped Keystone Oaks, 70-12, to reach the finals against the Lions, who had edged Valley, 37-31.

KO finished fourth in the tournament, falling to Valley, 60-24.

Burrell has won a record 10 straight WPIAL Class AA team titles. The Bucs are the top seed but South Fayette is No. 2 ahead of Freedom and McGuffey. The Lions almost put an end to Burrell’s run three seasons ago but they lost the final two bouts and dropped the dual meet, 34-28.

In the Section 1-AA tournament, Chartiers-Houston finished third, winning the consolation match, 51-30 against Ellwood City. The Buccaneers succumbed to Freedom, 53-12, in the tournament opener. Freedom won the section title with a 45-27 win against Burgettstown.

KO will battle Burgettstown at 6 p.m. Feb. 1 at Burrell in the opening round of action in the WPIAL Class AA team championships.