A-K Valley Class 2A wrestling preview: ‘Nothing has really changed’ for defending champ Burrell

By: Jerin Steele
Wednesday, November 27, 2024 | 11:01 AM

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After a two-year hiatus, Burrell wrestling returned to the top of the WPIAL Class 2A mountain by winning its 18th district championship last season.

In the offseason, there was a shuffling of the coaching staff with longtime assistant Steve Ansani becoming the head coach and Josh Shields stepping down to an assistant role, but the goals are the same.

With nine WPIAL individual placewinners returning, the Bucs are well-stocked to defend their title.

“We want to win our section, win the WPIAL and place top four in the state,” Ansani said. “Nothing has changed there.”

Three-time WPIAL champ and one-time state champ Cooper Hornack graduated and is now at Columbia, but the Bucs return a loaded lineup.

Cam Baker, the 107-pound WPIAL champion and state semifinalist last year as a sophomore, leads the way.

Luke Boylan (third at 215), Luca Rosa (fourth at 121), Carter Thomas (fifth at 114), Julian Bertucci (fifth at 127), Ben Catullo (fifth at 152), Isaac Lacinski (sixth at 172) and Jake Stewart (seventh at 133) also return.

Ansani said the preseason sessions in the wrestling room have gone extremely well.

“I’m really proud of them,” Ansani said. “They’re really buying in. Nothing has really changed at Burrell. We’ve kept the same system going and the same techniques, but we’ve added a little more physicality to our training. We’ve been working out with the sandbags a little bit.”

One of Burrell’s main challengers for a section title will be Highlands, which also won a section title last year.

The schools were in different sections the last two years but have come together in Section 9-2A along with Riverview, Valley and The Neighborhood Academy.

Highlands returns a dozen starters, including Aiden Burford and Javeon Chambers, who finished third at WPIALs, and Kyren Veasley, who placed fourth.

Burford has over 100 victories in his career. Chambers and Veasley should reach 100 wins this year.

Highlands coach Grant Walters said he’s happy with the turnout for the team with 29 wrestlers on the roster.

“Expectations are the same. We are looking to win a section title as well as make a run in the WPIAL tournament and that final ride to Hershey,” Walters said. “With the change in the section, we will have Burrell as our final section match, which should be a good one. We are looking forward to it.”

Alex Wylly had a strong freshman campaign for Riverview, finishing sixth in at the WPIAL 2A tournament at 152 pounds.

Valley graduated Charles Perkins, the WPIAL third-place finisher at 172 pounds, and will have a young team with 13 freshmen listed on the roster. The lone senior returning is Xavier Ross.

Knoch is the lone Alle-Kiski Valley team in Class 2A that is not in Section 9.

The Knights were placed in Section 4 with Ellwood City, Laurel, North Catholic and Summit Academy.

Knoch did not have a placewinner at the WPIAL individual tournament but returns two wrestlers who recorded 20-plus victories last season. Junior Owen Layhew was 25-9 and senior Wyatt Foster finished 24-5.

Girls champs return

Three local competitors won gold medals in the inaugural WPIAL girls wrestling season.

Plum’s Saphia Davis (124) and Alaina Claassen (235) and Kiski Area’s Ava Golding (136) became the first girls to win WPIAL championships in their respective weight classes for girls wrestling.

All three return this season to defend their titles.

Other WPIAL girls placewinners returning are Plum’s Addison Claassen and Caroline Perez, Knoch’s Amanda LaJevic, Burrell’s Ella Campbell, Valley’s Zainaya Jones and Fox Chapel’s Atia DiGioia.

Jerin Steele is a freelance writer

Tags: Burrell, Highlands, Knoch, Riverview, Valley