Almanac all-stars to compete in wrestling classic
The 2016-17 scholastic mat season comes to a close with two events this week: the announcement of Almanac All-stars as well as the Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic.
The Classic, which is considered the Rose Bowl of Wrestling, will be held March 25 at the University of Pittsburgh Fitzgerald Field House. It will feature two marquee grapplers that grace The Almanac’s all-star roster.
Based on his state championship, Brendan Furman of Canon-McMillan has garnered Most Valuable Grappler honors. (See related story.)
Santino Bonaccorsi follows, filling in the 182-pound slot on the all-star list. The Bethel Park senior, like Furman, will compete in the showcase event, pitting the best in the United States against the best in Pennsylvania. The match begins at 6 p.m. and is preceded by a select team of WPIAL all-stars battling an elite squad from Georgia at 4 p.m.
Bonaccorsi, like Furman, reached the PIAA finals but his undefeated season ended on a loss, 4-3, to Travis Stefanik of Nazareth. Bonaccorsi finished the year at 38-1.
Bonaccorsi was 147-21 in his career at Bethel Park. He is a two-time PIAA runner-up, a two-time WPIAL champion and a three-time sectional winner. He has won championships at Powerade, FloNationals and Super 32 tournaments.
Bonaccorsi has earned the praises of opposing coaches. Of the Pitt recruit, Mt. Lebanon’s mat boss, Marc Allemang, said, “Santino is an exceptional young man. He is one of the hardest working wrestlers in the state and also one of the most respectful.”
Meanwhile, Canon-McMillan has one of the most respected programs in the region. The Big Macs won a section title and finished runner-up in the WPIAL this winter. In addition to Furman, they advanced three additional grapplers to the state tournament: Logan Macri, Matt Oblock and Gerrit Nijenhuis. All earned Almanac All-Star honors.
Macri posted a 42-8 record this season. A section, district and regional winner, the 120-pound junior finished fifth in the state.
Oblock finished fourth in a weight class dominated by three=time state and four-time undefeated WPIAL champion, Sean Lee from Franklin Regional. The senior posted a 37-18 overall record in the 126-pound weight class.
Just a freshman, Nijenhuis earned a bronze medal at the PIAA championships. A section champion, he garnered runner-up laurels in the district and regional tournaments. The 152-pound grappler posted a 46-7 record.
The Big Macs placed an additional wrestler on the all-star list. Anthony Mastrangelo dominated at the 132-pound level. The senior managed a 22-5 record that included a berth in the WPIAL/Southwestern Regional tournament.
Two of Bonaccorsi’s teammates join him on the Almanac All-Star list. They are Jason Montgomery and Hunter Kernan.
A junior, Montgomery grabbed a seventh-place medal at the PIAA championships. A fourth-place finisher in the district and at the regional level, he finished 37-11 on the year.
Kernan is also a junior. He finished 26-8 this season. The 145-pound grappler was a WPIAL/Southwest Regional qualifier.
Upper St. Clair and Chartiers-Houston placed a pair of wrestlers on The Almanac’s all-star list.
Eli Grape graduates tied for the school record with a career mark of 132-27. The USC senior recorded 72 career pins. A three-time state medalist, the 195-pound grappler captured three section championships and two district runner-up crowns.
Jake Slinger followed Grape, competing in the 220-pound weight class, and capped a sensational sophomore season by pulling off an upset of the top seed in the first round of the PIAA championships. Slinger finished fourth in the district and the regional. He posted a 32-9 record.
At the AA level, Josh Kuslock and R.J. Hall dominated the scene for the Bucs. The C-H seniors both qualified for the PIAA championships after finishing third in the regional tournament. Kuslock completed a 40-8 season at 138 pounds while Hall compiled a 37-7 mark while competing at 170.
Colin Dunn represents South Fayette on the all-star roster. The junior had a “very good year” and placed in all his tournaments. The 113-pound wrestler led the Lions in falls and was one match away from qualifying for the PIAA AA tournament. Dunn posted a 30-13 mark this winter. He sports a 77-48 overall record.
Bryce Wilkes of Peters Township completes the all-star list. The freshman racked up a 21-3 record in the 106-pound weight class.
Finally, Luke Stout garners Rookie of the Year honors. He became the first Lebo freshman to qualify for the PIAA championships and he posted an impressive record of 34-7, competing in the challenging 152-pound weight class. He claimed the top spot on Lebo’s single-season record board for most takedowns with 93 this season.
Named Outstanding Wrestler at the West Mifflin Tournament, he won the Allegheny County title and placed second at the sectional. He was a fourth-place finisher in the WPIAL.