Burgettstown, Bentworth dominate 2A sectional
By Joe Tuscano
For the Observer-Reporter
newsroom@observer-reporter.com
BURGETTSTOWN – The WPIAL Class 2A South Section Wrestling Tournament is the first step to a possible trip to Hershey for the PIAA Championships. For a while, it seemed Chris Vargo of Bentworth nearly stumbled out of the tournament.
Following his 5-1 victory in the 127-pound finals against Lucas Barr of McGuffey, two Bentworth fans began shouting at the referee of the match. Apparently, Barr had not shaken hands with Vargo after the match and Vargo reacted, leaving some to believe he had been ejected from the tournament.
The official then called for security and the two men were led out of the Burgettstown gymnasium with the help of the WPIAL site manager, Billy Simms, who also is the athletic director at West Greene.
Vargo, a state runner-up last year at the Giant Center in Hershey, walked slowly off the mat with arms extended and palms up as if in a ‘What did I do?’ motion. But Vargo was given the first-place medal during the medal ceremony, something that could not have happened if Vargo had been bounced from the tournament.
“We just saw there was some sort of incident across the way involving a PIAA official and fans in the stands,” said Simms. “At that point in time, it looked like they had them ejected. I went over to assist the security guard. This is all considered one tournament, so if a coach or participant had been ejected, they would have been done.”
Vargo chose not to comment on the incident.
The top six wrestlers in each weight class advanced to the WPIAL Championships next weekend at Chartiers Valley High School.
“He wouldn’t have been able to take the medal stand (if he had been ejected),” said Bentworth head coach Mike Shrader. “These are tough competitors. We are the ones who have to be the ones to hold our composure better. This is one of three tournaments to go in the state. That’s what I talked to him about.”
Vargo and 189-pound senior Vitali Daniels finished their careers going 3-for-3 in this tournament. Daniels routed Jackson Angelo, 13-1, in the 189 finals. Bentworth got a third champion when Drake McClure won the 114-pound title with a 1-0 decision over Jordan Williams of Charters-Houston.
Burgettstown had a strong tournament, advancing 10 wrestlers, three as champions: Parker Sentipal, a 133-pound senior who routed Frazier’s Tyler Clark 9-2 in the finals; Gavin Suica, a 139-pound senior who defeated Lucas Boyer of Elizabeth Forward by injury default; and Rudy Brown, a 152-pound senior who stopped Damon Micheals of Elizabeth Forward, 3-2.
Sentipal notched his third section win and credits his lucky T-shirt that coach Joey Vigliotti gave to him when his father died. It has “Lou” on it and Sentipal wears it for warming up.
“I thought I wrestled all right but there is always room for improvement,” Sentipal said. “I think I do pretty well on top. Bottom is my worst.”
Suica would have rather wrestled than win by injury default but you take the wins as they come.
“I would have rather wrestled the finals but he wasn’t there,” Suica said. “When someone doesn’t wrestle you in the finals, it’s kind of sad. I just wanted another match.”
McGuffey advanced eight wrestlers including 107-pound freshman Tucker Main, who took an 8-5 decision from Darius Simmons of Burgettstown in the finals. It was the second time Main defeated Simmons. The last one came in the 107-pound finals of the Tri-CADA Tournament.
“I get to know his moves a little bit better when we wrestle,” Main said. “I want to make it to WPIALs, then regionals and possibly states.”
“We knew coming in he was going to be a solid wrestler,” said McGuffey head coach Jared Roberts. “His dad wrestled at McGuffey, Luke Main. He’s got the genes. His strength is on his feet. He’s good at takedowns. He’ll have a lot of good kids next week. I think he has the ability to get to states.”