Top seeds struggle in Tri-CADA finals
Joe Tuscano / Observer-Reporter
Chas Frameli (top) of Jefferson-Morgan tries to turn Landon Conroy of Albert Gallatin during their 160-pound match at the Tri-CADA Wrestling Tournament at Canon-McMillan High School Saturday. Frameli won by fall.
Tyler Debnar (bottom) of Beth-Center tries to work out from under Eric Kovach of Burgettstown during their 145-pound match at the Tri-CADA Wrestling Tournament at Canon-McMillan High School Saturday. Debnar won by fall.
Joe Tuscano / Observer-Reporter
Blake Reihner of Trinity works on the leg of Joey Sentipal (bottom) of Burgettstown during their 139-pound match at the Tri-CADA Wrestling Tournament at Canon-McMillan High School Saturday. Reihner won by decision.
Joe Tuscano / Observer-Reporter
Canon-McMillan’s Andrew Binni will wrestle for the United States Naval Acadeny after high school.
CANONSBURG – In the 17-year history of the Tri-CADA Wrestling tournament, there have been only two wrestlers who have won four titles: AC Headlee of Waynesburg (2012-15) and Tim Wallace of Albert Gallatin (2015-18).
So just winning one title in this surprisingly tough tournament is quite an accomplishment.
No tournament took place in the COVID year of 2021, so this group of athletes could not reach the milestone that Headlee and Wallace did.
But that doesn’t lessen the sense of achievement by winning the weight class in Saturday’s finals.
Just ask Andrew Binni of Canon-McMillan, who knocked off Chris Vargo of Bentworth, who finished fifth in the PIAA Class 2A Tournament last year, in the 127-poud finals.
Or Darius McMillon of Peters Township, who did just enough to knock off top-seeded Gavin Suica of Burgettstown, 4-2, in the 133-pound finals.
Or Blake Reihner of Trinity, who was one-point better than top-seeded Joey Sentipal of Burgettstown in the 139-pound finals.
Or Rocco Welsh of Waynesburg. The returning state champion probably would have been a four-time champion if not for the COVID season that did not have this tournament.
“I know it and it stinks,” said Welsh of his inability to win four titles. “It would have been nice though.”
Welsh was named the Outstanding Wrestler of this tournament after stopping Bodie Morgan of Trinity by a 15-5 major decision in the 172-pound finals, his third straight.
Burgettstown won its first team title since competing in this event. The Blue Devils scored 203 points, 10.5 more than Canon-McMillan and 26.5 more than Waynesburg.
Still, it was a frustrating day for Burgettstown, which lost five of six finals bouts.
Binni started the breath-holding finals with a 2-0 win over Vargo, who as wrestling with an injured knee.
“I don’t know if it’s the biggest win I ever had but it’s one of the biggest,” said Binni. “Chris Vargo is an unbelievable opponent. This win gives me more confidence for the postseason, which is coming up.”
Reihner made an escape with 1:35 left in the bout stand for a 3-2 victory over Joey Sentipal. Reihner got a bit of revenge over Sentipal, who beat the Trinity junior in last year’s final.
“I learned I needed to get to my offense sooner and I wish I could have kept going forward,” Reihner said. “It worked early on.”
Tyler Debnar of Beth-Center used the opposite form than Reihner in a 3-0 shutout of Burgettstown top-seeded Eric Kovach in the 145-pound finals.
“We’ve wrestled since seventh grade till now,” said Debnar. “He’s changed a lot, definitely got a lot stronger. He’s really, really, really good so I’m just happy it came out in my favor.”
Tyler Berish of Beth-Center broke the string of top-seeded wrestlers being defeated when he won a 9-3 decision over Rudy Brown.
“He’s real strong and wrestles kind of funky to everything,” Berish said. “A win like this keeps the momentum going. This season, I’ve been doing pretty good and I want to keep the momentum going.”
Chas Frameli kept the string going when the top-seeded 160-pounder won by technical falll over Landon Conroy of Albert Gallatin.
Matthew Furman of Canon-McMillan left this tournament with 100-plus wins and a gold medal for winning the 189-pound weight class. The top-seeded senior won by injury default over Brody Evans of Waynesburg.
Eli Makel of Waynesburg mad a takedown with :44 left in the second period stand for a 6-4 win over C-M’s Geno Calgaro in the 215-pound weight class.
Ty Banco of Trinity shut out Burgettstown’s Joe Baronick 3-0 to win the heavyweight title.
Tanner Mizenko of Canon-McMillan started the finals off with a pin of Alex Medlen of Beth-Center to win at 107 pounds.
Parker Sentipal gave Burgettstown its only win in the finals when he pinned Brandon Dami of Canon-McMillan.
And Jonny Baiano gave South Fayette its only win in the finals when he scored in the final moments for a 9-8 win over Seth Burns of West Greene at 121 pounds.
“We went out of bounds and I saw there were 22 seconds left,” said Baiano. “So I threw everything I had out there.”