Breaking down the PIAA Class 3A wrestling championships

By: Paul Schofield
Wednesday, March 9, 2022 | 1:06 AM

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PIAA Class 3A Championship

When: March 10-12

Where: Giant Center, Hershey

Time schedule

• Thursday: Preliminaries and first round, 4 p.m. First round of consolations, 8:15 p.m.

• Friday: Quarterfinals and second round of consolations, 2:15 p.m.; Third round of consolations, 5 p.m.

• Saturday: Semifinals and fourth round of consolations, 9 a.m; Fifth round of consolations, 11:30 a.m; Parade of Champions, 6:45 p.m; Finals and consolation finals, 7 p.m.

Radio: TribHSSN Live; WJPA-AM 1450 and Greene County Sports Network.

Pairings and live results: FloArena

The skinny: The top eight finishers in each of the 13 weight classes earn medals. Also a team champion will be crowned.

Weight class breakdown

106

Regional champions: SW: Luke Willochell (Latrobe, fr., 40-4); SC: Liam Flanagan (Center Dauphin, so., 30-5); NW: Aiden Beimel (Saint Mary’s, fr., 27-3; NE: Nathan Desmond, Bethlehem Catholic, fr., 35-2); SE: Eren Sement (Council Rock North, fr., 36-5).

WPIAL wrestlers: Willochell, Nino Fanella (Indiana, fr., 31-1), Tyler Kapusta (Franklin Regional, so., 29-7), Tanner Mizenko (Canon-McMillan, so., 32-11).

2021 champion: Kaedyn Williams, Manheim Township.

Watch out for: Desmond is seeded first and is one of the top wrestlers in the country. Flanagan is also highly ranked. Willochell is seeded second. Abington Heights junior Luke Sirianni placed sixth in the state in 2021.

113

Regional champions: SW: Tyler Chappell (Seneca Valley, jr., 33-4); SC: Kaedyn Williams (Manheim Township, so., 24-1); NW: Cael Nasdeo, Williamsport, jr., 33-4); NE: Zachary Jacaruso (Delaware Valley, sr., 27-1); SE: Tony Burke (Council Rock North, sr., 34-5).

WPIAL wrestlers: Chappell, Darius McMillon (Peters Township. Fr., 29-3), Brandon Dami (Canon-McMillan, jr., 27-9), Brady Joling (Chartiers Valley, jr., 32-13).

2021 champion: Jacob Van Dee, Erie Cathedral Prep.

Watch out for: Williams won the 106-pound title in 2021 defeating Nasdeo. Chappell finished third at 106 in 2021. Jacaruso also lost in the 113 finals in 2021. Burke placed seventh at 106. Don’t overlook McMillon.

120

Regional champions: SW: Vinny Kilkeary (Latrobe, jr., 40-2): SC: Mason Leiphart (Dover, sr., 36-0); NW: Asher Cunningham (State College, fr., 32-6); NE: Cael McIntyre (Bethlehem Catholic, jr., 30-8); SE: Carmen Cortese (West Chester Henderson, jr., 31-7).

WPIAL wrestlers: Kilkeary, Troy Hohman (Penn-Trafford, sr., 29-3), Jacob Houpt (Canon-McMillan, sr., 34-5), Mason Kernan (Bethel Park, so., 38-3).

2021 champion: Mac Church, Waynesburg.

Watch out for: Kilkeary was the 2020 champion at 106. He placed third, beating Hohman, in 2021 at 113. He’s also won 28 consecutive matches and is two wins from reaching 100. Leiphart is seeded No. 1. He placed third at 120 in 2021. McIntyre placed sixth at 113. The Hohman battle against Nazareth junior Charlie Bunting will be a tough first-round match. The winner will probably get Leiphart in the quarterfinals. Bunting placed fifth at 113 in 2021.

126

Regional champions: SW: Ethan Lebin (Hempfield Area, jr., 30-6): SC: Karl Shindledecker (Chambersburg, sr., 21-1); NW: Dalton Perry (Central Mountain, fr., 37-2); NE: Braxton Appello-Fries (Nazareth, sr., 31-12); SE: Cannon Hershey (Oxford, sr., 36-0).

WPIAL wrestlers: Lebin, Maddox Shaw (Thomas Jefferson, fr., 37-5), Zander Phatorus (Waynesburg, sr., 33-8), Anthony Ferraro (Pine-Richland, jr., 36-6.

2021 champion: Tyler Kasak, Bethlehem Catholic.

Watch out for: Shindledecker is seeded No. 1 and Hershey (go figure) is seeded No. 2. A possible quarterfinal between Shindledecker, who placed second at 120 in 2021, and Shaw should be fun to follow. Lebin is seeded No. 3. Phatorus has a chance to knock off a district champion on Day 1. This weight class is wide open.

132

Regional champions: SW: Mac Church (Waynesburg, jr., 34-2); SC: Matt Repos (Central Dauphin, jr., 37-2); NW: Luke Simcox (Central Mountain, so., 35-4); NE: Kollin Rath (Bethlehem Catholic, fr., 20-1); SE: Collin Gaj (Quakertown, fr., 41-5).

WPIAL wrestlers: Church, Chad Ozias (Connellsville, sr., 35-7), Blake Reihner (Trinity, so., 33-9), Eli Carr (Hempfield Area, so., 34-5).

2021 champion: Briar Priest, Hempfield Area.

Watch out for: Church has been a hot wrestler since the Powerade Tournament, winning 25 in a row. He won the 126-pound title in 2021. Repos placed seventh at 126 while Rath has only one loss. Simcox placed fifth at 126 and Interboro senior Nate Shippey placed eighth.

138

Regional champions: SW: Briar Priest (Hempfield Area, sr., 34-2); SC: Aliazer Alicea (Manheim Township, Sr., 30-6); NW: Pierson Manville (State College, so., 34-3); NE: Tyler Kasak (Bethlehem Catholic, jr., 40-0); SE: Dominic Findora (Downingtown West, sr., 43-4).

WPIAL wrestlers: Priest, Colton Stoneking (Waynesburg, sr., 38-10), Lonzy Vielma (Connellsville, fr., 39-8), Nate Stone (Franklin Regional, jr., 32-9).

2021 champion: Finn Solomon, Franklin Regional.

Watch out for: Two returning PIAA champions are in this weight class in Kasak (126) and Priest (132). Other 2021 placewinners include Findora (fourth at 126), Stoneking (fifth at 132) and Perkiomen Valley junior Kelly Kakos (eighth at 132).

145

Regional champions: SW: Finn Solomon (Franklin Regional, sr., 37-2); SC: Mike Trainor (Octorara, sr., 35-4); NW: Jude Swisher (Bellefonte, sr., 37-1); NE: Andrew Harmon (Bethlehem Catholic, jr., (16-1); SE: Chance Babb (Boyertown, sr., 39-6).

WPIAL wrestlers: Solomon, Ty Watters (West Allegheny, jr. 31-3), Lucas Kapusta (Hempfield Area, jr., 33-5), Jrake Burford (Highlands, sr., 36-9).

2021 champion: Wyatt Henson, Waynesburg.

Watch out for: Solomon is ranked second in the state in the Pa Power Rankings, but is seeded No. 1 in the tournament over top-ranked Swisher. Other 2021 placewinners are Harmon (seventh at 138), Williamsport senior Riley Bower (sixth at 145) and Babb (eighth at 138). Keep an eye on Watters.

152

Regional champions: SW Dylan Evans (Chartiers Valley, jr., 29-4); SC: Caden Dobbins (Dallastown, sr., 37-2; NW: Luke Sipes (Altoona, fr., 33-1); NE: Dagen Condomitti (Northampton, sr., 30-1); SE: Bekhruz Sadriddinov (Council Rock South, so., 38-8).

WPIAL wrestlers: Evans, Kelin Laffey (Pine-Richland, sr., 27-2). Nico Taddy (West Allegheny, jr., 36-5), Jack Pletcher (Latrobe, sr., 41-8).

2021 champion: Alejandro Herrera-Rondon, Seneca Valley.

Watch out for: According to the PaPowerRankings, the four WPIAL wrestlers are ranked in the top six in the state. Evans in ranked and seeded No. 1, Laffey is ranked third, Taddy fourth and Pletcher sixth. Evans finished fourth at 138 in 2021. Condomitti, seeded No. 2, finished seventh at 145 in 2021.

160

Regional champions: SW: Jared Keslar (Connellsville, sr., 34-3); SC: Ryan Garvick (Central Dauphin, so., 37-3); NW: Kyler Everly (Mifflin County, sr., 34-3); NE: Ryan Fairchild (Nazareth, Sr., 33-8); SE: Chase Barlow (Strath Haven, sr., 32-2).

WPIAL wrestlers: Keslar, Shawn Taylor (West Allegheny, so., 37-6), Chase Kranitz (Norwin, sr., 33-7), Enzo Morlacci (Kiski Area, sr., 32-6).

2021 champion: Jagger Condomitti, Northampton.

Watch out for: Keslar placed fourth at 152 in 2021. The Pitt commit is seeded No. 1. He could face Council Rock South senior Matt Colajezzi, formerly ranked No. 1 at PaPower, in the quarterfinals. Colajezzi placed fourth at 160 in 2021. Other returning placewinners include Bethlehem Catholic junior Landon Muth (eighth at 160) and Kranitz (fifth at 160).

172

Regional champions: SW: Rocco Welsh (Waynesburg, jr., 42-1); SC: Tucker Hogan (Daniel Boone, so., 40-1); NW: Waylon Wehler (Saint Mary’s, jr., 32-2); NE: Luke Thomas (Bethlehem Catholic, jr., 29-6; SE: Dom D’Agostino (Interboro, sr., 40-2).

WPIAL wrestlers: Welsh, Matt Furman (Canon-McMillan, jr., 31-8), Logan Hoffman (Belle Vernon, sr., 36-6), Connor Jacobs (Armstrong, jr., 30-7).

2021 champion: Luca Augustine, Waynesburg.

Watch out for: Welsh finished second at 152. The Ohio State commit has been one of the hottest wrestlers in the state since losing at the Powerade Tournament. Interboro senior Dom D’Agostino placed sixth at 152 in 2021.

189

Regional champions: SW: Mac Stout (Mt. Lebanon, sr., 38-0); SC: Johnny Miller (Exeter, sr., 41-2); NW: Trey Shoemaker (Mifflin County, sr., 36-4); NE: Sonny Sasso (Nazareth, sr., 42-0); SE: Quinn Collins (Central Bucks East, sr., 39-1).

WPIAL wrestlers: Stout, Brody Evans (Waynesburg, jr., 37-12), Gabriel Stafford (Canon-McMillan, jr., 30-8), Juliano Marion (Franklin Regional, so., 33-7).

2021 champion: Joey Milano, Spring-Ford.

Watch out for: Stout, a Pitt commit, is seeded third behind Nazareth junior Sonny Sasso and No. 1 seed Quinn. Stout and Sasso are undefeated and should meet in the semifinals. Stout missed the 2021 season with an injury but placed second in the state in 2020. Sasso finished seventh at 172 in 2021 and Quinn placed sixth at 215.

215

Regional champions: SW: Brian Finnerty (Thomas Jefferson, sr., 40-1); SC: Samuel Rodriguez (Gettysburg, sr., 36-2); NW: Nicholas Pavlechko (State College, jr., 28-3); NE: Chase Levey (Nazareth, sr., 39-4); SE: Carl DiGiorgio (Central Bucks West, sr., 32-2).

WPIAL wrestlers: Finnerty, Cole Weightman (Belle Vernon, sr., 10-2), Corey Boerio (Latrobe, jr., 41-9), Liam Volk-Klos (Seneca Valley, sr., 21-2).

2021 champion: Jacob Lucas, Cumberland Valley.

Watch out for: This weight class is loaded. The four WPIAL wrestlers could win the class. DiGiorgio is seeded No. 1 and Finnerty No. 2. Weightman is a two-time placewinner. DiGiorgio placed fifth at 215. Weightman and DiGiorgio could meet in the quarterfinals.

285

Regional champions: SW: Bill McChesney (Greensburg Salem, sr., 34-0); SC: Trevor Gallagher (Gettysburg, sr., 39-5); NW: Charles Crews (Williamsport, sr., 37-6); NE: Sean Kinney (Nazareth, so., 36-2); SE: Julien Laventure (Upper Darby, sr., 36-1).

WPIAL wrestlers: McChesney, Noah Tustin (Waynesburg, sr., 39-12), Stone Joseph (Kiski Area, sr., 20-5), Jake Pomykata (Butler, sr., 28-7).

2021 champion: Nate Schon, Selinsgrove.

Watch out for: McChesney placed fourth in the state in 2021. Kinney placed second as a freshman. Other returning placewinners include Cruise (fifth) and Laventure (sixth). Keep an eye on Tustin and Joseph. Both are capable of making noise.

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.