Fort Cherry’s Welsh earns only gold for WPIAL at Class 2A wrestling regionals

By: Dave Mackall
Saturday, March 1, 2025 | 9:57 PM

ALTOONA — The WPIAL nearly was shut out Saturday in the championship matches of the PIAA Class 2A Southwestern Regional wrestling tournament at Altoona High School.

Fort Cherry’s Braedon Welsh made sure there was a winner.

Down to the final two weight classes — PIAA Districts 5 and 6 dominated the final round against the WPIAL’s contingent — Welsh finally provided District 7 with a gold medal, scoring a 4-2 decision against Huntingdon’s Landon Erdman in the 215-pound final.

“It feels good. I’m happy that I could be the one that could get a gold for the WPIAL, even if I’m the only one,” Welsh said. “I wish I could’ve scored more points in the finals, but I played it safe. I’m giving up 20 pounds, so I just try not to get caught.”

When it comes time in the next week for the PIAA Tournament, Welsh said he will hope to score more points in those matches.

“We’ll see what I can do this year,” he said.

It marks the fourth year that the Fort Cherry senior has qualified for the state tournament. He finished fourth as a sophomore and fifth last season as a junior.

The top seven finishers in each weight class advanced to the PIAA championships from Thursday to Saturday at Giant Center in Hershey.

Six WPIAL wrestlers settled for runner-up honors: Central Valley’s Antonio Boni (127), Elizabeth Forward’s Lucas Boyer (145), Derry’s Mason Horwat (152), Bentworth’s Owen Ivcic (160), Burrell’s Isaac Lacinski (172) and West Greene’s Colin Whyte (285).

Boni dropped an 11-4 decision at 127 to Erik Carlile of Penns Valley; Boyer was dominated at 145 by Bishop McCort Catholic superstar Bo Bassett as the Iowa commit scored a 21-6 technical fall at 1 minute, 25 seconds; and Horwat lost a 4-0 decision to Bishop McCort’s Devon Magro at 152.

Also, Ivcic was pinned by McCort’s Melvin Miller in 1:27 at 160, Lacinski was decisioned by Jayden O’Farrill, also of McCort, and Whyte dropped a 7-0 decision to Rowan Holmes of Somerset at 285.

Powerful McCort produced seven champions, including a pair of highly ranked national contenders in juniors Jax Forrest and Bassett.

Both won by technical falls.

Forrest, who is headed to Oklahoma State, routed Caden Judice of Bald Eagle Area in the 133-pound final, and Bassett, dominated Boyer, the WPIAL champion at 145.

“Coming out of this region second is no joke,” said Boyer, a sophomore. “I went against one of the best wrestlers in our country and he’s No. 1 (nationally at 145). That’s a big deal. It was pretty hard, but I fought my way through it. It wasn’t the result I wanted, but it’s still OK.”

Other McCort winners were Keegan Bassett (107) and Sam Herring (139).

Magro, Miller and O’Farrill defeated three other WPIAL champions in the finals.

Magro scored a 4-0 decision over Mason Horwat of Derry, Miller pinned Ivcic in 1:27 and O’Farrill decisioned Lacinski, 8-6.

“Their work ethic is on another level,” Horwat said. “I definitely get inspiration from them, 100%. To see them legitimately strike fear into other people, you want to do that, too. You want to be the top dog. I hope to be like that one day. I’m going to train like it.”

Rounding out the gold medalists were Max Dinges of Penns Valley, an 8-3 winner over Eli Herring of Bishop McCort at 114; Tanner Guenot of Bald Eagle Area, a 3-2 winner over Dominic Deputy of Chestnut Ridge; and Caleb Close, who decisioned Kyle Scott of Tyrone, 14-9.

A total of 35 others from the WPIAL also qualified for the state tournament. They were:

• Third place: Javeon Chambers of Highlands (107), Anthony Mucci of Derry (133), Jonah Erdely of Frazier (152), Ryan Celaschi of Frazier (160), Jackson Angelo of Frazier (172),

• Fourth place: Preston Bubash of Elizabeth Forward (114), Tucker Main of McGuffey (121), Drake McClure of Bentworth (133), Julian Bertucci of Burrell (139), Calio Zanella of Burrell (152), Ewan Olson of Derry (160), Brady Brown of Derry (189),

• Fifth place: Clayton Ealy, McGuffey (114), Carter Thomas of Burrell (121), Emmett Wolfe of McGuffey (133), Lucas Barr of McGuffey (139), Gavyn McCray of Freedom (152), Gabe Lilly of Ellwood City (160), Landon Delara of Southmoreland (172) and Casey Wilson of Laurel (285).

• Sixth place: Darius Simmons of Burgettstown (107), Austin Kosanovic of Avonworth (121), Mason Wright of Beth-Center (133), Matthew Danna of Quaker Valley (139), Logan Noyes of Burgettstown (152), Zeshawn Williams of Freedom (189) and Braiden Sudor of Carlynton (215).

• Seventh place: Bruce Anderchak of Quaker Valley (114), Dylan Bateman of Derry (121), Giovanni Beatrice of Derry (127), Caleb Patton of Washington (145), Braxton Carr of Laurel (152), Ben Catullo of Burrell (160), Kolton Carlson of Laurel (215) and Henry Barbisch of Carlynton (285).

Tags: Burrell, Derry Area, Frazier