Mar 9, 2025 By Jonathan Guth 6 min read

HERSHEY — The way Elijah Brown walked off the mat, those who did not know the result would have thought he lost.

Despite the melancholy reaction, the Belle Vernon junior not only won his initial state championship, but the first in program history.

“I have never really been someone to showboat,” Brown said when asked why he didn’t have an elaborate celebration. “Even after Fargo (where he won a national title), I think I clapped like four times after the match. I want to stay humble.”

The Pitt recruit edged Kiski’s Cooper Roscosky, 4-3, in the finals at 215 pounds Saturday in the PIAA Class 3A Championships at the Giant Center.

It was the fifth meeting between Brown and Roscosky, and despite Brown not losing in the series, the matches have been close.

Brown finished his season with a record of 48-1. He has a career mark of 127-19. Brown qualified for the state tournament last season in Class 2A, but was sick and didn’t reach the podium.

Brown’s lone loss this year was to Ringgold’s Jake Conroy, who finished fourth. He avenged that loss in the finals of the section tournament, and defeated Conroy two more times, including a 6-3 victory in the state semifinals Friday night.

Although he made school history and wrestled 49 matches, Brown doesn’t plan on taking much time off.

“I plan on being back at practice Monday,” Brown said. “I have freestyle season coming up, so I have to get ready for that.”

Fort Cherry’s Braedon Welsh rebounded from a loss in the semifinals to battle back for third place at 215 in Class 2A.

Welsh, who will wrestle at Brown University next season, finished his high school career with a 7-3 decision over Towanda’s Sawyer Robinson in the consolation final. Welsh defeated Robinson, 16-3, in the quarterfinals.

“He (Robinson) came out a little harder in today’s match,” Welsh said. “He was trying to throw me a little bit, but I was able to get to my shots.”

While Welsh fell short of the goal of winning a state championship, he is pleased with his high school career. Welsh was 48-2 this year and 162-29 during his four-year career, which included four trips to the state tournament. He was fourth place as a sophomore and fifth as a junior.

“I’m happy with my career,” Welsh said. “I transferred to Fort Cherry my freshman year from Trinity. I didn’t know what to expect, but it has worked out for the most part. I left everything I could out on the mat.”

Welsh has battled shoulder issues this season, but he plans on competing in the Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic, if invited, which he believes is a possibility.

Peters Township’s Nicholas McGarrity shook off a 4-2 setback in the semifinals before securing two victories via major decision to finish in third place at 107 in Class 3A.

“Last night didn’t go how I wanted it to, but this is a long season for me,” McGarrity said. “I was wrestling in the offseason, so I am thankful for my parents getting me to practice and make sure I am eating the right foods, and my coaches out here. Those are the ones I talk to every day. I spend more time with my brother than anyone else. We are out there working, and he is like my best friend.”

McGarrity opened up action Saturday morning with an 11-3 victory over Connellsville’s Tommy Gretz. He had a 7-0 lead after two periods before Gretz scored a takedown. McGarrity escaped and added a third takedown in the third.

McGarrity used his superior wrestling on top in a 9-0 win over Red Land’s Sam Culp to earn the bronze medal. McGarrity used two four-point near falls and an escape in the shutout.

“He (Culp) was tough on top, but I was able to get some near-fall points when I was on top,” McGarrity said. “I work out at Qwest Wrestling Club, and Jim Ankerly, Mackenzie McGuire and Connor Schram have been a huge part of my season this year in helping me develop my top wrestling.”

McGarrity, a sophomore, was sixth in the state last season at 107, but plans to move up several weight classes next year.

After two seasons of high school wrestling, McGarrity has a record of 87-9. He was 44-5 this year.

Canon-McMillan’s Collier Hartman placed fourth in Class 3A at 133. He lost to Latrobe’s Luke Willochell in the semifinals before coming back Saturday morning to beat Northampton’s Trey Wagner, 8-6, in the consolation semifinals.

Indiana’s Nico Fanella topped Hartman, 13-3, in the consolation finals. Despite the setback in the bronze-medal match, the junior was pleased to place for the first time at the state tournament.

“I am definitely happy with the way I performed,” Hartman said. “When I wrestle guys who are built similarly to me, I feel like I do really well. Against lankier guys, like Fanella and Willochell, I seem to struggle there. I think, for me, that’s the next level, and I need to learn to overcome that.”

Trinity junior Dom Canali made the most of his first trip to the individual state tournament by finishing fifth at 127.

Canali lost a 2-1 decision in the quarterfinals to Pennridge’s Quinn McBride in a match he was winning, 1-0, after two periods. Canali rebounded with two victories to ensure a spot on the podium, and avenged his quarterfinals loss in a 9-3 decision over McBride in the battle for fifth place.

“I just wanted to keep moving forward and take it one match at a time,” Canali said. “The quarters match didn’t go my way. There were a couple of calls. I had to wrestle my way back.

“Once I got past the blood round and knew that I was going to get on the podium, I felt a little bit more relaxed. I worked with T.J. Allison as practice partner this season, and that really helped me.”

West Greene’s Colin Whyte placed fourth at 285 in Class 2A after a controversial 4-3 loss in the consolation finals to Bishop McCort’s Caleb Rodriguez. The match was tied at 1-1 when Rodriguez was awarded the takedown with 20 seconds remaining in the third period.

The Pioneers’ coaches protested the call, arguing that Rodriguez was out of bounds, but the takedown was scored. Whyte was awarded a penalty point and escaped to cut the deficit to one.

Bentworth’s Drake McClure earned a spot on the podium. The sophomore was eighth at 133 in Class 2A.