Burrell edges Derry in WPIAL Class 2A team wrestling championships for 19th title
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Saturday, February 1, 2025 | 4:15 PM
Burrell poses after beating Derry for the WPIAL 2A team championship Saturday at Peters Township High School.
Derry’s Anthony Gucci wins by tech fall against Burrell’s Luca Rosa in the 133 -pound bout during the WPIAL Class 2A wrestling team championships Saturday at Peters Township High School.
Derry’s Matthew Fernell wins by tech fall against Burrell’s Vincent Guerrini in the 114-pound bout during the WPIAL Class 2A wrestling team championships Saturday at Peters Township High School.
Burrell’s Luke Boylan celebrates pinning Derry’s Chase Lukon in the 215-pound bout during the WPIAL Class 2A wrestling team championships Saturday at Peters Township High School.
Burrell’s Julian Bertucci wins by major decision against Derry’s Jeremiah Gess in the 145-pound bout during the WPIAL Class 2A wrestling team championships Saturday at Peters Township High School.
Derry’s Brady Brown beats Burrell’s Isaac Lacinski, 1-0, in the 189-pound bout during the WPIAL Class 2A wrestling team championships Saturday at Peters Township High School.
Derry’s Rocco Decario beats Burrell’s Logan Barrett in the 107-pound bout during the WPIAL Class 2A wrestling team championships Saturday at Peters Township High School.
Derry’s Mason Horwat wins by tech fall against Burrell’s Cadyn Crawford in the 152-pound bout during the WPIAL Class 2A wrestling team championships Saturday at Peters Township High School.
Burrell’s Carter Thomas wins by decision against Derry’s Dylan Bateman in the 121-pound bout during the WPIAL Class 2A wrestling team championships Saturday at Peters Township High School.
Burrell’s Jacob Stewart wins by decision against Derry’s Brett Klim in the 139-pound bout during the WPIAL Class 2A wrestling team championships Saturday at Peters Township High School.
Burrell’s Ayden Kun pins Derry’s Levi Haase in the 285-pound bout during the WPIAL Class 2A wrestling team championships Saturday at Peters Township High School.
Burrell’s Cameron Baker wins via tech fall against Derry’s Giovanni Beatrice in the 127-pound bout during the WPIAL Class 2A wrestling team championships Saturday at Peters Township High School.
Chalk up another WPIAL Class 2A team tournament title for the Burrell wrestling program.
The top-seeded Bucs stopped No. 2 Derry, 33-27, in a battle of Westmoreland County schools.
In was Burrell’s 19th title, 17th in the past 19 years and second consecutive after not winning in 2022 and 2023.
“We just keep on rolling,” Burrell coach Steve Ansani said. “That’s our goal, to keep it rolling. It shows we are back. After losing two in a row, we’ve won two. It shows we’re a premier team in Class 2A.”
Burrell (14-1) started the day with a 55-13 victory against Quaker Valley in the semifinals, and Derry throttled McGuffey, 46-21, at Peters Township High School’s AHN Arena.
In the finals, Burrell got a 4-1 win by Jacob Stewart against Brett Klim at 139 pounds and a 14-3 major decision win by Julian Bertucci against Jeremiah Gess at 145 for a 7-0 lead.
Derry (18-3) rebounded to take an 8-7 lead after a 20-5 technical fall win by Mason Horwat against Cadyn Crawford at 152 and Ewan Olson’s 8-1 win against Calio Zanella at 160.
“The first match of the final was the key bout,” Derry coach Troy Dolan Jr. said. “We knew we had to win that one. Every match was key. He had pretty much mapped out to where nothing could go wrong.
“Burrell is a very tough team. You’re not going to accidentally beat them, so you have to stick to the script and make sure everyone is perfect.”
Burrell picked up a forfeit at 172 pounds because a Derry wrestler is out with an injury.
Derry’s Brady Brown then edged Burrell’s Isaac Lacinski at 189, 1-0. Lacinski bumped up a weight class.
With Burrell leading 13-11, the Bucs got consecutive pins from Luke Boylan (215) and heavyweight Ayden Kun to build a 25-11 lead.
Boylan lost an overtime match in the semifinals and was motivated to bounce back.
“I wanted to get this one after falling short in the semifinals,” Boylan said. “Winning this means a lot. I caught the kid in a front headlock. I was proud how everyone fought to get bonus points and not allow bonus points.”
Derry didn’t go quietly as Rocci DeCario (107) pinned Logan Barrett, and Matthew Fernell (114) won 16-0 by technical fall to trim the score to 25-22.
But a 3-1 win by Burrell’s Carter Thomas at 121 and a 15-0 technical fall win by Cam Baker against Giovanni Beatrice at 127 clinched the win for the Bucs.
Anthony Mucci (133) of Derry won by technical fall to end the match.
“Josh (former coach Shields) had a great strategy set up, and the kids executed,” Ansani said. “We were able to get the bonus points, and that was huge.”
And while it was the Trojans’ fourth loss in the finals, Dolan already was looking forward to the PIAA tournament beginning Tuesday at the District 5 champion Chestnut Ridge and the future of the program.
Derry graduates three starters but will welcome heavyweight Dylan Pitzer, who transferred from Mt. Pleasant before the school year but was ruled ineligible to wrestle by the WPIAL and PIAA, and a group of excellent eighth graders.
McGuffey won the third-place match against Quaker Valley, 44-21.
The Highlanders will face the District 10 runners-up Corry at the District 6 champion Bishop McCort. Quaker Valley will face the District 6 runner-up Penns Valley at Burrell.
WPIAL Team Wrestling Tournament
Class 2A
Championship
Burrell 33, Derry 27
107: Rocco DeCario (DA) p. Logan Barrett, 1:05.
114: Matthew Fernell (DA) t.f. Vincent Guerrini, 16-0 (4:36).
121: Carter Thomas (B) d. Dylan Bateman, 3-1.
127: Cam Baker (B) t.f Giovanni Beatrice, 15-0 (2:43).
133: Anthony Mucci (D) t.f. Luca Rosa, 19-4 (2:20).
*139: Jacob Stewart (B) d. Brett Klim, 4-1.
145: Julian Bertucci (B) m.d. Jeremiah Gess, 14-3.
152: Mason Horwat (DA) t.f. Cadyn Crawford, 20-5 (3:19).
160: Ewan Olson (DA) d. Calio Zanella, 8-1.
172: Ben Catullo (B) won by forfeit.
189: Brady Brown (DA) d. Isaac Lacinski, 1-0.
215: Luke Boylan (B) p. Chase Lukon, 3:00.
285: Ayden Kun (B) p. Levi Haase, 3:27.
(*) devotes starting weight
Records: B 14-1, DA 18-3.
Third place
McGuffey 44, Quaker Valley 21
107: Blake Jamison (McG) won by forfeit.
114: Bruce Anderchak (QV)d. Clayton Ealy, 3-0.
121: Tucker Main (McG) t.f. Damien McClay, 18-2 (2:43).
127: Lane Ealy (McG) p. Eoin Parnell, :28.
133: Emmett Wolfe (McG) Harper Sipes, 2:23.
*139: Lucas Barr (McG) d. Matthew Danna, 4-3.
145: Victor Bonus (McG) p. Tommy Minnock, :36.
152: Jack Diemert (QV) d. Garrett Newman, 7-2.
160: Gage Clayton (McG) p. Trey Dunlap. 2:43.
172: Marcus Richey (QV) d. Reid Teagarden, 8-6.
189: Aaron Supler (McG) p. Tyler Cunnard, 2:26.
215: Brennan Breisinger (QV) p. Damyn Pevarnak, 2:20.
285: Sebastian Juarez-Safran (QV) p. Mason Hewitt, 2:26.
(*) devotes starting weight
Records: McGuffey 16-5, Quaker Valley 12-6.
Semifinals
Burrell 55, Quaker Valley 13
107: Logan Barrett (B) won by forfeit.
114: Bruce Anderchak (QV) p. Vincent Guerrini, :49.
121: Carter Thomas (B) t.f. Eoin Parnell, 16-1 (2:38).
127: Cam Baker (B) p. Damien McClay, :45.
*133: Jacob Stewart (B) d. Harper Sipes, 5-1.
139: Matthew Danna (QV) m.d. Julian Bertucci, 9-0.
145: Cadyn Crawford (B) p. Tommy Minnock, 1:02.
152: Calio Zanella (B) t.f. p. Jack Diemert, 1:44.
160: Ben Catullo (B) t.f. Trey Dunlap, 15-0 (2;10).
172: Isaac Lacinski (B) p. Marcus Richey, 2:56.
189: Logan Shank (B) p. Tyler Cunnard, 3:20.
215: Brennan Breisinger (QV) d. Luke Boylan, 11-8 (SV).
285: Ayden Kun (B) p. Sebastian Juarez-Safran, :51.
Derry 46, McGuffey 21
107: Rocco DeCario (DA) t.f. Blake Jamison, 21-3 (6:00).
114: Clayton Ealy (McG) p. Matt Fernell, :52.
121: Dylan Bateman (DA) m.d. Tucker Main, 8-0.
127: Giovanni Beatrice (DA) t.f. Lane Ealy, 18-0 (2:22).
*133: Anthony Mucci (DA) m.d. Emmett Wolfe, 16-5.
139: Lucas Barr (McG) t.f. Brett Klim 19-4 (5:27).
145: Jeremiah Gess (DA) p. Victor Bonus, 3:11.
152: Mason Horwat (DA) t.f. Garrett Newman, 19-3 (1:53).
160: Ewan Olson (DA) t.f. Gage Clayton, 19-1 (3:04).
172: Reid Targarden (McG) won by forfeit.
189: Brady Brown (DA) p. Damyn Pevarnak, 1:01.
215: Aaron Supler (McG) m.d. Chase Lukon, 13-2.
285: Levi Haase (D) p. Mason Hewitt, :49.
(*) denotes starting weight.
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: Burrell, Derry Area, McGuffey, Quaker Valley
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