Derry duo looks to join 3-time champs club at WPIAL Class 2A wrestling tournament

By: Paul Schofield
Thursday, February 19, 2026 | 9:38 PM

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If things go as expected this weekend, the Derry wrestling program will add to its growing history.

Juniors Mason Horwat (172 pounds) and Brady Brown (189) look to become the fifth and sixth Trojans wrestlers to win three WPIAL titles at the Class 2A championships at Chartiers Valley.

If they succeed, they will join four-time champions Troy Dolan Jr. (2004-07), the team’s coach, James Gullibon (2009-12) and Micky Phillippi (2013-16) and three-time champion Ty Cymmerman (2018-20).

There are 32 four-time winners and 89 three-time winners in WPIAL history.

Both WPIAL boys tournaments begin at 5 p.m. Friday. Class 3A will be held at Canon-McMillan.

The girls championships are set for 9 a.m. Saturday at Mt. Lebanon.

“We are looking forward to this tournament and the opportunity to become three-time champions,” Brown said. “This is what the team has worked for all season. It would be neat to join those guys.

“They come into the room and work with us. They help us mentally and with our skills. They are very encouraging.”

Both wrestlers are seeded No. 1.

“I am not nervous about being the favorite,” Horwat said. “I know what to expect and who will be tough. Everyone is tough this time of the season.”

Horwat (44-3) is seeded ahead of Laurel junior Domenic Wills (19-6), McGuffey senior Aaron Supler (26-10) and Burrell junior Ben Catullo (28-11).

He defeated Supler, 22-2, by tech fall in the WPIAL Class 2A team semifinals.

Brown (21-4) missed part of the season with an injury. He is seeded ahead of Quaker Valley junior Trey Dunlap (33-11), Beth-Center senior Malachi Peak (34-3) and Ligonier Valley junior Jake Mundorff (23-6).

“I am expecting tough matches,” Brown said. “But I am ready.”

Derry had eight section champions, including five freshmen: Mason Keesecker (107), Patrick Bulger (114), Camden Olson (133), Michael McNeal (139) and Ty Blasko (215). In addition to Horwat and Brown, the other section champ was senior Ewan Olson (160).

Also qualifying for WPIALs were freshman William McNeal (145) with a second-place finish, senior Jeremiah Gess (152) with a sixth and senior Justin Papuga (285) with a fifth.

Looking for their second titles are Highlands senior Javeon Chambers, Elizabeth Forward sophomore Preston Bubash, Avonworth senior Austin Kosanovic, McGuffey senior Lucas Barr, Elizabeth Forward junior Lucas Boyer, Bentworth senior Owen Ivcic, West Greene senior Colin Whyte and Burrell senior Cam Baker (2024).

In Class 3A, three wrestlers — Belle Vernon senior Elijah Brown, Butler senior Santino Sloboda and Peters Township junior Nicholas McGarity — look to become three-time champions.

After a slow start to the season while recovering from offseason surgery, Brown has been dominant.

He won tournament titles at My House, the Westmoreland County Coaches’ Association meet and Escape the Rock.

His top competitor over the past two seasons has been Kiski Area senior Cooper Roscosky, a WPIAL champion in 2024.

Other returning champions are Hempfield senior Nico Kapusta and Connellsville junior Kai Vielma.

For the girls, there are five wrestlers bidding for their third titles. For one of those girls, though, winning a third will be impossible as Kiski Area senior Ava Golding and Norwin senior Josephine Dollman are battling for the 142-pound title.

The other two-time winners are Moon junior Haley Smarsh, Norwin senior Octavia Walker and Plum senior Alaina Claassen.

Other returning and previous champions are Montour senior Kristen Walzer, Fort Cherry senior Ella Trahan, Canon-McMillan junior Marlee Solomon, Knoch senior Braylee Ireland, South Park junior Anna Duncan, Avella junior Abigail Dolanch, Southmoreland senior Zoey Murphy, Plum senior Saphia Davis (2024) and Norwin junior Karsyn Champion (2024).

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: Derry Area