C-H’s Williams wins 100th by a hair

By Joe Tuscano

For the Observer-Reporter

newsroom@observer-reporter.com

HERSHEY – It was a successful and profitable day for Jordan Williams of Chartiers-Houston at the PIAA Class 2A Wrestling Championships at the Giant Center.

The 114-pound senior not only won a $20 bet to color his hair, he won his 100th match of his career in his final match of the year, a 1-0 struggle against Dalton Wenner of Cranberry in the fifth-place bout of the weight class. Williams was one of 16 wrestlers to earn a medal in this tournament and the first C-H placewinner since Garrett Vulcano placed second at 195 pounds in the 2013 event. The last state champion for the Bucs came in 1994, when Corey Walker won the heavyweight division in Class 2A.

“We started out with nine kids and ended up with five,” said Williams. “You knew everyone on a personal level and it was like a family. I worked out with the only other guy from our team that made it to the WPIALs, Austin Mruk. I’m not going to lie. There were a lot of nerves going out there for No. 100. I honestly thought I underperformed.”

Before the match, Williams was bet $20 that he would not color his hair for the tournament. He came out with a crew cut that had various colored spots. And he had $20, too.

Four wrestlers were trying to win gold Saturday afternoon but 13 others were fighting for medals between third and eighth places. Here’s how they fared:

It was a bitter and painful end for Andrew Binni of Canon-McMillan. The 127-pound senior fell behind Eren Semet of Council Rock North, 9-1, in Class 3A then was forced to default out of his match with an injury.

Nicholas McGarrity of Peters Township came into this tournament with just one loss on the season and before it was over had been handed three more loses. Still, the 107-pound freshman finished in sixth place in Class 3A.

Audrey Calgaro of Canon-McMillan finished third at 170 pounds after pinning Sierra Ripka of Greater Nanticoke in the girls tournament.

Gavin Suica of Burgettstown took fifth at 139 pounds with a 3-1 decision over Cooper Hornack of Burrell. Hornack was a defending state champion last year.

A pair of Canon-McMillan wrestlers – Yunuen Ayala and Dynisty Williams — each took sixth place in their respective weight class. Ayala was pinned in 2:52 by Trinity Moore of Connellsville in the fifth-place battle in Class 3A and Williams was shut out, 5-0, by Kylie Monroe of Gettysburg in the 155-pound finals.

Braeden Welsh of Fort Cherry had the easiest time winning the fifth-place medal at Class 2A 172 pounds. Welsh won the weight by default.

Vitali Daniels of Bentworth defeated Cody Wagner of Faith Christian Academy, 12-1, to take the seventh-place medal in Class AA.

Joey Baronick of Burgettstown fell to Carson Neeley of Port Allegany, 10-1, in the battle for fitfh place in Class AA at heavyweight.

Jake Conroy saw a 7-1 lead disappear when he was pinned by Aiden Hight of Chambersburg in 1:27 at 215 pounds in Class 3A.

Abigail Doluch of Fort Cherry took sixth place at 136 pounds after losing 11-1 to Kailey Weidner of Schuylkill Valley in Class 2A.

Grace O’Korn of Peters Township finished sixth at 142 pounds after being pinned in 1:52 by Josephine Dollman of Norwin in Class 3A.