WPIAL wrestling notebook: Redinger 1 of 7 to win SW Regional titles

By: HSSN Staff
Saturday, February 24, 2018 | 9:48 PM

It was quite a final day for wrestlers from the WPIAL Class AA at the PIAA Southwest Regional.

Seven walked away with titles, and 39 qualified for the PIAA individual championships beginning March 8 in Hershey.

The finals started with Quaker Valley freshman Conner Redinger defeating South Park freshman Joey Fischer, 2-0, in the 106-pound final.

“This means a lot,” Redinger said. “I went out and wrestled hard. There was great competition here.”

Redinger (35-1) used a second-period reversal to pull out the win.

“I'm looking forward to the state tournament,” he added. “The tough competition here should prepare for the state tournament.”

Redinger is ranked second by OffTheMat wrestling.

Jefferson Morgan senior Gavin Teasdale (35-2, 158-2) took the 126 title with an 11-4 win against Derry senior Shawn Broadway. Teasdale became the seventh wrestler to become a four-time champion in the 32 years of the tournament. Ligonier Valley senior Robby Patrick (170) later became the eighth four-time champion.

The others were: Jefferson Morgan's Cary Kolat (1989-1992), Burrell's Joe Makara (2000-2003), Forest Hills' Jake Strayer (2001-2004), Derry's Jim Gulibon (2009-2012), Kittanning's Jason Nolf (2011-2014) and Central Cambria's Max Murin (2014-2017).

Also winning was Mt. Pleasant senior Alex Miscovich (138), South Side Beaver senor Joe Demor (145), Bentworth junior John Vargo (182), Freedom junior Bryson Miller (195) and South Side Beaver senior heavyweight Bishop McCoy.

Miscovich defeated Ellwood City junior Donavin Chambers, 6-3; Demor edged South Fayette senior Mike Cusick, 3-2; Vargo downed West Branch junior Kyle Myers, 5-2; Miller won by injury default over North Star junior Hunter Tremain; and McCoy nipped returning 220 champion Josiah Jones of Bishop McCort, 3-1.

Best served cold

When Huntingdon senior Landon Fisher pinned Derry junior Dom DeLuca at the PIAA Team Tournament, he got up and flexed to the crowd.

On Saturday in the semifinals, DeLuca got his revenge. He defeated Fisher, 3-0, and he flexed when he got up.

A little heated

After Southmoreland senior Tyler Griffiths defeated Berlin-Brothersvalley senior Austin Lee, 6-4, in sudden victory, an upset Lee got up and gave Griffiths a hard shove.

The officials had to separate the wrestlers and accessed both penalties, a one-point team deduction.

The two met for third place, and the match was physical. But at least the two shook hands after the match and walked away. Griffiths wrestled his best match of the tournament in a 6-3 win.

Lee was lucky to still be in the tournament. Saturday morning, he slammed Ligonier Valley senior Alex Caldwell. He was penalized a point, and Caldwell could have taken the win but decided against it and continued to wrestle after being checked by medical staff.

“I didn't want to earn a trip to Hershey that way,” said Caldwell, who sustained an upper-body injury he said ended his season. “I told my coach and parents it was my decision to continue.”

Paul Schofield is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at pschofield@tribweb.com or via Twitter @Schofield_Trib.