Burrell girls wrestling team rides pins to win vs. Plum

By: Michael Love
Wednesday, December 11, 2024 | 9:57 PM

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The Burrell and Plum girls wrestling teams opened the dual-match portion of their schedules Wednesday evening at Plum, and on the strength of three pins and three forfeit victories, the Bucs came away with a 36-24 victory.

Burrell entered Wednesday’s match a few days removed from competition at the season-opening Hickory Tournament in Hermitage.

The Bucs earned four medals at the tournament, including runner-up finishes from sophomores Ella Campbell and Cayla Brothers. Senior Bella Stewart placed third, and sophomore Katie Koehler took fourth.

“Compared to last year, where we went straight into our first dual (with Kiski Area), we were prepared this time,” Burrell coach Chris Harkins said.

“The girls knew what to expect. Hickory was a good tournament for us to get us going because we had some newer girls. We had eight girls get at least two matches there.”

Stewart, who went 3-1 at Hickory and recorded three pinfall victories there, continued her early-season surge with a pin of Plum sophomore Addison Claassen in 2 minutes, 50 seconds.

The victory wrapped up the match and clinched the victory for the Bucs.

“We all wrestled for one another, and it was a great way to start the season for team matches,” Stewart said. “We can continue to grow from here, and I am excited to see where this season goes.”

Stewart led 5-0 in the second period before she put Claassen on her back for the pin.

Junior Carmen Bires, 0-2 at Hickory, wrestled right before Stewart, and her pin of Plum sophomore Amora Sorzano-Lee in 1:06 of their 124-pound bout was the eventual match winner as it broke a 24-24 tie.

Plum had preseason scrimmages at Saegertown and Fox Chapel, but Wednesday was the first match that counted.

It also was the first live wrestling match at any level for freshman Lily McLean.

McLean, who also cheers for the football team and is a member of Plum’s competitive cheer team, engaged in an energy-filled, back-and-forth 148-pound bout with Brothers.

Brothers used a takedown and nearfall points to build a 7-0 lead in the first period before McLean used a reversal and four nearfall points to close to gap to 7-6.

Brothers then reversed McLean and grabbed two nearfall points for an 11-6 advantage at the end of the first period.

Neither wrestler let up in the second period.

On the strength of a reversal and three nearfall points, Brothers took a 16-12 lead and looked to close out the match. But McLean rallied for a reversal and took the lead with nearfall points before scoring the pin in a total time of 3:52.

The win moved Plum ahead in the match 12-6.

“I was very nervous before my match,” McLean said. “When I got out on the mat, it got quiet in my head, and the nerves went away. It just took a lot of focus and listening to my teammates and coaches give me advice and encourage me. I felt so much adrenaline when I got that pin. It was my first match. I was super happy.”

Said Plum coach Dave Miller: “All I told Lily was to go have fun and do the best she could and trust her abilities. She kept wrestling and battling. I am so proud of her.”

Plum junior Saphia Davis, last year’s WPIAL champion at 124 pounds, started the match by making quick work of Burrell sophomore Cierra Molnar at 136. Davis jumped out to a 6-1 lead with a pair of takedowns before pinning Molnar in 48 seconds.

“I was hoping that she could’ve wrestled Bella,” Miller said. “But it just didn’t work out that way. They’ve never wrestled each other before. Hopefully, they can sometime down the line.”

Burrell got six points back in quick fashion at 142 as Koehler built a 6-3 lead over Plum sophomore Haley Leindecker after the first period and picked up a pin in 2:27.

There was no match at 155 and 170 before junior Alaina Claassen, last year’s WPIAL champion at 235, and sophomore Caroline Perez picked up forfeit wins for Plum at 190 and 235, respectively.

Burrell then scored three forfeit wins in a row: freshman Emily Marino at 106, sophomore Ava Zanella at 112 and Campbell at 118.

Both teams return to action next week. Plum visits Norwin on Wednesday, and Burrell takes on rival Kiski Area the same evening.

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.

Tags: Burrell, Plum