WPIAL team wrestling tournament commences
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Jeff Markert steadies himself as he is about to turn the tables on Mason Nicholson during Section 2 team tournament action. Markert’s 10-6 decision helped Peters Township dispatched Belle Vernon, 41-32, in the semifinal match.
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Donovan McMillon picks up back points on his way to a tech fall against Ian Maloney. The 15-0 win at the 3:44 mark in the 132-pound bout helped Peters Township defeat Belle Vernon, 41-32.
After taking the first step and qualifying for the WPIAL team tournament, Peters Township, Upper St. Clair and South Fayette begin their quest of wrestling championships this week.
Opening round action commenced Jan. 31 and concludes Feb. 3. The Class AAA semifinals and finals will be held at noon and 2 p.m. Feb. 3 at Trinity while the Class AA bouts will be held at Chartiers-Houston.
Peters Township qualified for the Class AAA tournament by finishing runner-up in Section 2. The Indians defeated Belle Vernon, 41-32, in the semifinals but succumbed to Connellsville, 39-31, in the bout for the section banner.
Against the Leopards, Peters took advantage of five forfeits to advance to the finals. The Indians won three matches with Jeff Markert at 195 by decision, 10-6, Luke Mary at 182 by decision, 5-0, and Donovan McMillon at 132 by tech fall.
In the championship bout against the Falcons, Shane O’Connell and Bryce Wilkes registered pins for Peters. Brandon Mathews won 8-4 at 160 and Mary added a major decision at 170. During Markert’s match, with him winning by a tech fall margin, Connellsville had three points deducted from its score because of a flagrant team foul. Though the score dropped to 33-31 heading into the final match, the Falcons secured a fall at 195 to seal the victory and the section banner.
“We gave Connellsville a run,” said PT mat boss Jason Carpetta. “Last I checked, Connellsville and Belle Vernon were two of the top six teams (in Class AAA) and we beat one of them and gave the other a run for their money.”
Now the Indians hope to give Carpetta’s alma mater a good run. The Indians have a chance to face top-seeded Canon-McMillan if they advance past Hampton. PT squares off against the Talbots at 6 p.m. Jan. 31 in the first round of the WPIAL team tournament at Canon-McMillan. The winner advances to the quarterfinals set for 7:15 p.m. that same night and at the same site to likely face the undefeated Big Macs.
Upper St. Clair lost to Connellsville in the first round of the section tournament, 49-24. The Panthers rebounded to edge Belle Vernon, 34-33, for third place in the section. The Leopards again forfeited five matches. Grant Walnoha (major), Tom Kyle and Jake Singer won by decisions.
The Panthers, however, edged Shaler, 35-34, in a preliminary match on Jan. 29 to determine one of the final four slots remaining in the team tournament.
Aidan Nichols secured a pin in the last bout to tie the match, 34-34, with the Titans. USC won the tiebreaker on the eighth criteria total first points scored to get the victory.
USC takes on top-seeded Canon-McMillan in the first round of playoff action at 6 p.m. Jan. 31 on the Big Macs’ home mats.
In Class AA, South Fayette was pitted against Fort Cherry in first-round action scheduled for 6 p.m. at McGuffey. The winner advances to face the victor between South Side Beaver and McGuffey at 7:15 p.m.
Should the Lions survive they could face a rematch with top-seeded Burrell in the semifinals. South Fayette met the Bucs, who have won 11 straight district championships, for the Section 3 title. In the finals, the Bucs defeated South Fayette, 43-22. Both teams advanced to the championship bout with huge semifinal victories. Burrell toppled Quaker Valley, 75-3, while South Fayette dispatched Valley, 64-9.
The Lions tuned up for the WPIAL team tournament by competing Jan. 27 in the Beford Tournament. The Lions placed ninth out of 28 teams.
Mike Cusick won the 145-pound weight class. Other top place winners included: fifth, Eli Brinsky and Jake Walker; sixth, Colin Dunn; seventh, Joe Bastaroli; eighth, Michael DeDi, Mark Kurchena and Quentin Franklin.