Strong showing for local wrestlers at 3A championships
PITTSBURGH – Fifteen wrestlers from Washington and Greene County high schools entered the WPIAL Class 3A Tournament that began Friday at Canon-McMillan High School, seeded among the top four in their weight class.
Canon-McMillan has five top-four seeds, but only four advanced to Saturday morning’s semifinals by posting two victories in Friday’s opening rounds.
Kevin Mizenko, the No. 2 seed at 107, earned a return trip to the semifinals by pinning Kiski’s Clayton Cramer in the first round, and posting a 10-2 victory over Mt. Lebanon’s Ejiro Montoya in the quarterfinals.
“I was a little disappointed with the seedings,” said Mizenko, referring to the fact that Butler’s Santino Sloboda is the top seed. “I proved during the regular season that I was the best. I have to continue that here at this tournament. I want a chance to prove that tomorrow.”
Andrew Binni, the No. 3 seed at 127, earned his second semifinal berth in three years by pinning Franklin Regional’s Dom Colaizzi in the first round, then won a narrow 4-3 decision against Penn-Trafford’s Hayden Coy.
Matthew Furman, the No. 2 seed at 172, advanced to the semifinals for the third consecutive year with a a pair of pins against Fox Chapel’s Joseph Geller and Penn-Trafford’s Tasso Whipple.
Gabriel Stafford, the No. 2 seed at 189, pinned Upper St. Clair’s Tyler Shields in the opening round, then posted a 5-2 win against Kiski Area’s Cooper Roscosky in the quarterfinals.
Geno Calgaro, the No. 3 seed at 215, was the only Big Mac to lose in the quarterfinals. He opened with a pin of Connellsville’s Christopher Cook, but was pinned by Hempfield’s Elijah Binakonsky.
Waynesburg also has five top-four seeds and all five made it to the semifinals.
Mac Church, the top seed at 145, earned his fourth trip to the semifinals by pinning Franklin Regional’s Luke Ankney in the first round, then registered a 21-6 technical fall against West Mifflin’s Cooper Dietz in the quarterfinals.
Nate Jones, the No. 4 seed at 152, recorded a 18-4 major decision victory against Franklin Regional’s Roman Colangelo in the opening round, then recorded a takedown with 13 seconds left to post a 6-4 win over Pine-Richland’s Mac Miller in the quarterfinals.
Rocco Welsh, the top seed and defending champ at 172, earned his fourth trip to the semifinals with pins of North Hills’ Sebastian Lopez and Central Catholic’s Nezurmiro Green.
Brody Evans, the No. 3 seed at 189, pinned Gateway’s Jacob Pawlowski in the opening round, then posted a 9-1 major decision victory against Butler’s Mickey Kreinbucher in the quarterfinals.
Eli Makel, the top seed at 215, registered a pair of first-period pins against Ringgold’s Brayden Wilcher and Butler’s Landon Christie.
Trinity has three top-four seeds and all three advanced to the semifinals with a pair of victories.
Blake Reihner, the No. 3 seed at 139, recorded a 13-3 win over Central Catholic’s Peter Leventis in the first round, then posted an 8-4 win over Franklin Regional’s Nate Stone in the quarterfinals.
Bodie Morgan, the No. 3 seed at 172, pinned Connellsville’s Nicholas Rohal in the first round and registered a 16-0 technical fall in the quarterfinals against Matt Zinkhann.
Ty Banco, the top seed at heavyweight, registered pins in his matches against Canon-McMillan’s Mason Williams and Fox Chapel’s D’Angelo Hamilton.
The other two area wrestlers who entered the tournament as a top-four seed are Peters Township’s Chris Cibrone and Ringgold’s Jake Conroy.
Cibrone, the No. 4 seed at 145, was an 11-7 winner over Thomas Jefferson’s Gabe Galioto in the first round, then beat North Allegheny’s Jayson Flener, 7-2, in the quarterfinals.
Conroy, the No. 4 seed at 189, pinned Fox Chapel’s Trevor Katz in the opening round, then dropped a 2-1 decision to Franklin Regional’s Juliano Marion in the quarterfinals.