2025 WPIAL wrestling championship preview

By: Paul Schofield
Thursday, February 20, 2025 | 5:23 PM

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WPIAL Boys Individual Wrestling Championship

Class 3A

When: Friday and Saturday

Where: Canon-McMillan High School

Times: First round 5 p.m. Friday. Action resumes at 10 a.m. Saturday with second consolation round. Semifinals are at 11:30 a.m. and the finals at 3:30 p.m.

Returning champions from 2024: Nicholas McGarrity (107) Peters Township, Santino Sloboda (114) Butler, Luke Willochell (121) Latrobe, Maddox Shaw (139) Thomas Jefferson, Evan Petrovich (145) Connellsville, Bode Marlow (160) Thomas Jefferson, Cooper Roscosky (189) Kiski Area, Jake Conroy (215) Ringgold, Shepherd Turk (285) Thomas Jefferson and Elijah Brown (172-2A) Belle Vernon.

Other past champions: Willochell (114, 2023 and 106, 2022), Shaw (133, 2023) and Nico Fanella (114-2A, 2023).

What’s at stake: Top seven in each weight class advance to PIAA Western Regional Tournament on Feb. 28 and March 1 at Canon-McMillan. … Willochell looks to become the 32nd four-time champion, while Shaw looks to become the 84th three-time winner.

Top five seeds

107: 1. Nick McGarrity (32-4), so., Peters Township; 2. Michael Johnson (34-6), fr., West Allegheny; 3. Zach Rehak (32-6), so., Thomas Jefferson; 4. Beau Fennick (32-6), fr., Franklin Regional; 5. Bryce Thomas (29-10), so., Moon.

114: 1. Nico Kapusta (9-0), jr., Hempfield; 2. Dylan Barrett (28-3), jr., Penn-Trafford; 3. Coleton Klipa (25-10), fr., Norwin.; 4. Leif Syrko (27-4), fr. Ringgold; 5. Zachary Landon Franks (26-12), jr., Connellsville.

121: 1. Leo Joseph, sr., (29-4), Latrobe; 2. Nolan Rice (29-10), so., Connellsville; 3. Thomas Bencho (19-2), fr., West Allegheny; 4. Gionno Gardner (27-15), fr., Canon-McMillan; 5. Evan Schomburg (27-11), so., North Allegheny.

127: 1. Santino Sloboda, (37-0), jr., Butler; 2. Dominick Canali (36-4), jr., Trinity; 3. Mikey Ruane (31-8), so., Franklin Regional; 4. Carter Putt (28-6), sr., Indiana; 5. Evan Tolliver (28-2), so., Ringgold.

133: 1. Luke Willochell (35-2), sr., Latrobe; 2. Nico Fanella (31-2), sr., Indiana; 3. Collier Hartman (37-4), jr. Canon-McMIllan; 4. Chase Smith (15-3), so., Franklin Regional; 5. Cael Yanek (26-3), jr., Moon.

139: 1. Dominic Ferraro (37-0), sr., Pine-Richland; 2. Kai Vielma (37-4), so., Connellsville; 3. T.J. Allison (24-1), sr., Trinity; 4. Deydon Soto (36-4), sr., Belle Vernon; 5. Talen Mizenko (29-5), sr., South Fayette.

145: 1. Ramil Islamov (37-0), sr., Baldwin; 2. Ethan Higgins (32-7), sr., Bethel Park; 3. Kase Chopp (37-6), sr., Butler; 4. Julian Ruggieri (24-13), sr., Connellsville; 5. Max Firestine (35-6), fr., Franklin Regional.

152: 1. Maddox Shaw (26-1), sr., Thomas Jefferson; 2. Evan Petrovich (37-6), sr., Connellsville; 3. Darius McMillon (43-4), sr., Peters Township; 4. Griffen Reid (36-7), jr., North Allegheny; 5. Kole Doppelheuer (33-7), sr., Belle Vernon.

160: 1. Lonzy Vielma (33-8), sr., Connellsville; 2. Brayden White (28-6), sr., Thomas Jefferson; 3. Liam Costa (32-7), so., Moon; 4. Kellen Buggey (18-6), sr., North Allegheny; 5. Brock Evans (20-5), sr., Waynesburg.

172: 1. Bode Marlow (40-2), sr., Thomas Jefferson; 2. Mario Hutcherson (33-2), fr., Kiski Area; 3. Carter Morvay (35-6), jr., North Hills; 4. Kaleb Kinzey (31-6), so., Armstrong; 5. Julien Sepelyak (32-7), sr., Plum.

189: 1. Hunter Snyder (32-2), so., Latrobe; 2. Mark Gray, (30-3), sr., Kiski Area; 3. Jake Stephenson (12-0), sr., Waynesburg; 4. Nez Green (21-3), so., Central Catholic; 4. 5. Zach LaBryer (29-8), jr., Thomas Jefferson.

215: 1. Elijah Brown (36-1), sr., Belle Vernon; 2. Jake Conroy (29-1), sr., Ringgold; 3. Cooper Roscosky (32-5), jr., Kiski Area; 4. Roman Thompson (25-1), so., Central Catholic; 5. Brayden Collins (33-10), so., Canon-McMillan.

285: 1. Shepherd Turk (35-6), sr., Thomas Jefferson; 2. Philup Rearick (34-6), jr., Armstrong; 3. Bradyn McConneha (30-7), jr., North Allegheny; 4. Cam Danna (38-5), jr., West Allegheny; 5. Ben Lloyd (29-11), sr., Mt. Lebanon.

Class 2A

When: Friday and Saturday

Where: Chartiers Valley High School

Times: First round 5 p.m. Friday. Action resumes at 10 a.m. Saturday with second consolation round. Semifinals are at 11:30 a.m. and the finals at 3:30 p.m.

Returning champions from 2024: Cam Baker (107) Burrell, Anthony Mucci (114) Derry, Antonio Boni (127) Central Valley, Mason Horwat (145) Derry and Brady Brown (189) Derry. Baker is injured and is not competing.

Other past champions: Boni (107, 2023) and Ryan Celaschi (152, 2023) Frazier.

What’s at stake: Top eight in each weight class advance to PIAA Southwest Regional Tournament on Feb. 28 and March 1 at Canon-McMillan. … Boni is looking to become a three-time winner.

Top five seeds

107: 1. Javeon Chambers (39-4), jr., Highlands; 2. Darius Simmons (279-11), sr., Burgettstown; 3. Rocco DeCario (24-), fr., Derry; 4. Angelo Boni (29-10), so., Central Valley; 5. Michael Pierro (30-7), fr., North Catholic.

114: 1. Bruce Anderchak (42-2), jr., Quaker Valley; 2. Preston Bubash (22-2), fr., Elizabeth Forward; 3. Clayton Ealy (33-10), fr., McGuffey; 4. Derek Allen (27-11), sr., Ellwood City; 5. Victor Wagner (30-7), so., North Catholic.

121: 1. Auston Kosanovic (39-4), jr., Avonworth; 2. Carter Thomas (25-7), so., Burrell; 3. Noah Collins (28-10), jr., West Grene; 4. Dylan Bateman (28-13), sr., Derry; 5. Tucker Main (31-11), so., McGuffey.

127: 1. Antonio Boni (37-2), jr., Central Valley; 2. Giovanni Beatrice, (18-7), sr. Derry; 3. Daniel Smith (33-7), jr., Burgettstown; 4. Logan Fox (17-9), so., Elizabeth Forward; 5. James Dulaney (28-10), so., Jefferson Morgan.

133: 1. Anthony Mucci (34-5), sr., Derry; 2. Drake McClure (37-4), so., Bentworth; 3. Emmett Wolfe (37-8), jr., McGuffey; 4. Mason Wright (34-9), jr., Beth-Center; 5. Jacob Stewart (28-9), jr., Burrell.

139: 1. Lucas Barr (40-2), jr., McGuffey; 2. Matthews Danna (43-4), jr., Quaker Valley; 3. Julian Bertucci (33-7), jr., Burrell; 34. Aiden Burford (29-9), sr., Highlands; 5. Brett Klim (26-13), sr., Derry.

145: 1. Luke Boyer (30-3), so., Elizabeth Forward; 2. Owen Layhew (30-5), jr., Knoch; 3. Victor Bonus (27-14), jr., McGuffey; 4. Caleb Patton (35-8), jr., Washington; 5. Brayden Reynolds (36-8), so., Freedom.

152: 1. Mason Horwat, (36-3), so. Derry; 2. Jonah Erdely, jr., Frazier (35-1); 3. Gavyn McCray (38-4), sr., Freedom; 4. Braxton Carr (25-9), jr., Laurel; 5. Calio Zanella (27-10), sr., Burrell.

160: 1. Gabe Lilly (38-3), sr. Ellwood City; 2. Owen Ivcic (39-3), jr., Bentworth; 3. Ewan Olson (36-4), jr., Derry; 4. Alex Palko (14-6), fr., Jefferson Morgan; 5. Ryan Celaschi (32-4), sr., Frazier.

172: 1. Jackson Angelo (37-1), jr., Frazier; 2. Isaac Lacinski (35-9), sr., Burrell; 3. Marcus Richey (40-11), sr., Quaker Valley; 4. Landon Delara (31-7), sr., Southmoreland; 5. Noah Layhue (30-12), jr., Beth-Center.

189: 1. Brady Brown (36-4), so., Derry; 2. Jake Mundorff (27-6), Ligonier Valley; 3. ZeShawn Williams (32-6), jr., Freedom; 4. Malachi Peak (33-8), jr., Beth-Center; 5. Wyatt Markovich (28-5), so., South Park.

215: 1. Braedon Welsh (36-1), sr., Fort Cherry; 2. Kolton Carlson (35-3), jr., Laurel; 3. Brennan Breisinger (33-10), fr., Quaker Valley; 4. Luke Boylan (26-13), sr., Burrell; 5. Kaden Shannon (26-11), jr., Southmoreland.

285: 1. Colin Whyte (38-4), jr., West Greene; 2. Henry Barbisch (28-8) sr., Carlynton; 3. Casey Wilson (34-4), jr., Laurel; 4. David Sager (20-5), so., Southmoreland; 5. Parker Cunningham (21-4), sr., South Park.

Paul Schofield is a TribLive reporter covering high school and college sports and local golf. He joined the Trib in 1995 after spending 15 years at the Daily Courier in Connellsville, where he served as sports editor for 14 years. He can be reached at pschofield@triblive.com.

Tags: Connellsville, Derry Area, Franklin Regional