Kernan, Keating advance
Bethel Park's Mason Kernan controls the action against Peters Township's Jackson Spiteri during a recent bout.
Upper St. Clair's Jaden Keating, top, recently clinched a spot in the WPIAL championships held Feb. 27 at Canon-McMillan.
Bethel Park’s Mason Kernan and Upper St. Clair’s Jade Keating qualified for the WPIAL Class AAA wrestling championships.
The pair placed in the top two during the Section 4 tournament held Feb. 20 at Canon-McMillan.
A freshman, Kernan earned his spot at 113. He opened action with a 9-4 decision against James Anderson from South Fayette before falling to Waynesburg’s Joseph Simon in the championship bout.
Simon pinned Peters Township’s Richard Meyers in his first-round match to reach the final.
In the consolation bout, Anderson felled Meyers in 3:39 to place third.
In advancing to the district championships, Kernan improved to 13-2 overall. He was pitted against Pine-Richland’s Anthony Ferraro (14-2) in his first match. His bracket included Latrobe’s Vincent Kilkeary (18-1), Penn-Trafford’s Troy Hohman (20-1), Seneca Valley’s Connor Smith (27-4) and Simon (19-3).
Meanwhile, Keating rebounded from a fall against Eli Makel of Waynesburg to earn his spot at 189.
A senior, Keating wrestled back to beat Addison Miller from Canon-McMillan, 5-1, and PT’s Phillip Nave 4-2 in an ultimate tiebreaker. Nave, who had also beaten Miller but lost to Makel, took third.
Keating was set to face Justin Hart of Hampton (20-4) in first round of the WPIAL championships held Feb. 27 at Canon-McMillan. Hart was seeded No. 1 at 189 ahead of Brayden Solar-Rosckosky of Kiski (29-4).
Among the other area wrestlers to place in the top four during the Section 4 tournament were:
Bethel Park: Aiden Bench, fourth at 106; Bryson Bench, third at 138; and Vincent Riepole, third at 172.
Mt. Lebanon: Sean Coffman, fourth at 132; Nick Busalacchi, fourth at 138; Louis Pietragallo, third at 145; and Alex Tambouratzis, fourth at 215.
Peters Township: Jackson Spiteri, fourth at 120; Chris Citroen, third at 126; Eliot Schratz, third at 132; and Giovanni DeChicchis, fourth at 160.
Upper St. Clair: Ben Cedar, fourth at 145; Dan Martin, fourth at 152; Ty Shields, fourth at 172; and Tim Pollock, fourth at 285