Canon-McMillan Dominates WPIAL Class AAA Wrestling Championships

By: HSSN Staff
Sunday, March 3, 2013 | 7:04 AM

Canon-McMillan continued its unforgettable season Saturday evening at Norwin High School as the Big Macs earned the team point championship, captured three individual gold medals, and advanced a total of seven wrestlers to next weekend’s state championship tournament in Hershey. The Big Macs have already shown they’re the top dual meet squad in the state and now appear poised to back it up, as Canon-McMillan will be the prohibitive favorite to be crowned the top team once again at the state individual tournament.

In all, 42 wrestlers punched their tickets to Chocolate Town at the 78^th annual WPIAL Class AAA Individual Wrestling Championships. The tournament also doubles as the PIAA Class AAA Southwest Regional state qualifier.

Canon McMillan’s Cody Weircioch won his third straight WPIAL title, rolling through the 170 pound weight class with two pins, a technical fall, and a 9-1 major decision over Chartiers Valley junior Noah Wilps in the championship bout. Weircioch added to the WPIAL Class AAA title he won last year at 170 pounds and the 160 pound crown he earned as a sophomore while wrestling for Class AA Charleroi. The Big Macs’ senior, a Pitt recruit and ranked #1 in the nation in his weight class, will be the odds-on favorite to defend his state title at the GIANT Center next weekend.

Also leading the Big Macs’ effort was 126 pound senior Connor Schram. The Stanford recruit’s battle against Franklin Regional sophomore Mike Kemerer was the only match that featured two returning champions. In a nail-biter, Schram hung on to a razor thin 3-2 decision as Kemerer nearly scored a match-winning takedown in the bout’s final seconds. Schram joined teammate Weircioch in winning a third straight district crown, adding to the gold medals he captured at 112 pounds as a sophomore and 120 pounds last season. Schram will be on a mission in Hershey to add a second state title to the one he earned as a freshman at 103 pounds.

Perhaps the most impressive thing about the 2012-13 Canon-McMillan wrestling team has been that the Big Macs finished fifth at Walsh Jesuit (OH) Ironman, won the Reno (NV) Invitational, finished third at Powerade, and captured the WPIAL and PIAA team dual meet wrestling crowns without the services of one of the country’s top junior prep wrestlers. Before last Saturday’s Section 4 qualifier, Virginia Tech recruit Solomon Chishko had not wrestled since injuring his right elbow in the 145 pound championship match at the pre-season Super 32 Tournament at the Greensboro Coliseum on October 27^th. Since returning to action, Chishko has won seven straight bouts, including a closely contested 3-2 win over Franklin Regional’s Josh Shields in the 145 pound title match.

Also advancing to the state finals for Canon-McMillan were Alex Campbell (2^nd at 220), Angelo Broglia (2^nd at 285), Brendan Price (3^rd at 106), and Dalton Macri (32d at 120).

Latrobe was the only other team to have multiple champions. Luke Pletcher was the lone freshman to win gold with a 4-1 decision at 106 pounds over North Hills’ freshman Gage Curry. Junior 160-pounder Zack Zavatsky won his second straight championship for the Wildcats with a 7-2 win over Greensburg Salem senior Zach Voytek. Freshman Jake Shaffer will join his Latrobe teammates next weekend with a third place finish at 138 pounds.

Sam Krivus, Hempfield (120 pounds) and Heath Coles, Norwin (152 pounds) also won their second straight WPIAL gold medals.

Ethan Kenney, a Connellsville senior, had to wait three years for his second WPIAL crown. Kenney defeated Schram when the two young grapplers were freshman 103 pounders. As mentioned earlier, it would be Schram, however, who would go on to win a state title that season. Kenney ended the three year drought with a win in the evening’s highest scoring bout, a 14-12 decision over Franklin Regional’s Tyler Smith. Kenney led 7-1 early in the match before Smith came roaring back.

Hampton senior Jake Hart, an Edinboro recruit, was named the tournament’s Outstanding Wrestler following a 3-1 decision at 195 pounds over defending state and WPIAL champion Matt McCutcheon, a Penn State recruit. Hart scored a takedown 13 seconds into the sudden victory period to earn the win.

Winning their first WPIAL titles were Waynesburg’s A.C. Headlee (113), Franklin Regional’s Josh Maruca (138), North Allegheny’s Alex DeCiantis (182), Pittsburgh Central Catholic’s Zach DeLuca (220), and Kiski Area’s Shane Kuhn (285).

Canon-McMillan easily outdistanced the other 45 teams at the competition with 185 points. Franklin Regional qualified five wrestlers and finished second with 126 points. Luke Fleck (3^rd at 285) was the fifth wrestler to advance for the Panthers. North Allegheny, third with 111 points, advanced four wrestlers. In addition to DeCiantis, Dom Forys (2^nd at 113), Jesse Rodgers (2^nd at 138), and Ben Schweiger (3^rd at 160) also moved on for the Tigers. North Hills also qualified four wrestlers. Joining Curry are Tyler Walker (3^rd at 126), Drew Walker (3^rd at 132), and Alen Turcinhodzic (3^rd at 195).

NOTE: The team scoring at the WPIAL’s individual tournament produced the same results as the team dual meet competition. Kiski Area, with 86 points this weekend, finished in fourth place behind Canon-McMillan, Franklin Regional, and North Allegheny in both competitions.

CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS:
106 – Luke Pletcher, Latrobe dec. Gage Curry, North Hills, 4-1.
113 – Austin Headlee, Waynesburg dec. Dom Forys, North Allegheny, 7-5.
120 – Sam Krivus, Hempfield major dec. Vincenzo Joseph, Central Catholic, 12-0.
126 – Connor Schram, Canon-McMillan dec. Michael Kemerer, Franklin Regional, 3-2.
132 – Ethan Kenney, Connellsville dec. Tyler Smith, Franklin Regional, 14-12.
138 – Josh Maruca, Franklin Regional dec. Jesse Rodgers, North Allegheny, 4-3 TB.
145 – Solomon Chishko, Canon-McMillan dec. Josh Shields, Franklin Regional, 3-2.
152 – Heath Coles, Norwin dec. Tyler Reinhart, Greensburg Salem, 4-3.
160 – Zack Zavatsky, Latrobe dec. Zach Voytek, Greensburg Salem, 7-2.
170 – Cody Wiercioch, Canon-McMillan major dec. Noah Wilps, Chartiers Valley, 9-1.
182 – Alex DeCiantis, North Allegheny dec. Adam Nickelson, Belle Vernon, 7-2.
195 – Jake Hart, Hampton dec. Matt McCutcheon, Kiski Area, 3-1 OT.
220 – Zach DeLuca, Central Catholic dec. Alex Campbell, Canon-McMillan, 10-5.
285 – Shane Kuhn, Kiski Area dec. Angelo Broglia, Canon-McMillan, 3-1.

THIRD-PLACE CONSOLATIONS:
106 – Brendan Price, Canon-McMillan dec. Kevin Miller, Norwin, 4-2.
113 – A.J. Wilkins, Gateway dec. James Harrison, West Mifflin, 5-1.
120 – Dalton Macri, Canon-McMillan dec. Logan Heinl, Shaler, 7-2.
126 – Tyler Walker, North Hills dec. Tyler Buckiso, Peters Township, 5-3 OT.
132 – Drew Walker, North Hills dec. Joel Pezze, Norwin, 7-5 OT.
138 – Jake Shaffer, Latrobe dec. Justin Alexander, Central Catholic, 1-0.
145 – Kevin Synan, Hampton dec. Cole Landowski, Kiski Area, 3-2.
152 – Brendan Burnham, Pine-Richland dec. Kyle Coniker, Central Catholic, 3-1 OT.
160 – Ben Schweiger, North Allegheny dec. Sammy Minor, Canon-McMillan, 4-2.
170 – Kellan Stout, Mt. Lebanon dec. Dom Nania, Hempfield, 9-4.
182 – Andrew Phipps, Norwin dec. Brent Blaharczyk, McGuffey, 5-1.
195 – Alen Turcinhodzic, North Hills dec. Zach Smith, North Allegheny, 4-3.
220 – Cole Macek, Montour dec. Noah Shulman, Hampton, 9-4.
285 – Luke Fleck, Franklin Regional dec. Damon Sims Jr., Hopewell, 2-1.