High school roundup for Feb. 15, 2025: Derry crowns WPIAL-best 5 champs at section tournament
By:
Saturday, February 15, 2025 | 6:25 PM
Derry and Burrell led the way at the WPIAL Class 2A Eastern Sectional tournament Saturday at Greensburg Salem.
The Trojans had five champions and 10 WPIAL qualifiers. Giovanni Beatrice (127), Anthony Mucci (133), Mason Horwat (152), Ewan Olson (160) and Brady Brown (189) took titles.
The Bucs had four champions but sent 12 wrestlers to the WPIAL tournament. Burrell’s winners were Carter Thomas (121), Julian Bertucci (139), Isaac Lacinski (172), Luke Boylan (215).
Elizabeth Forward crowned two champs – Preston Bubash (114) and Lucas Boyer (145).
Highlands had nine WPIAL qualifiers, including champ Javeon Chambers (107). Heavyweight champion David Sager was one of eight Southmoreland wrestlers to advance.
Northern Sectional – At Keystone Oaks, Quaker Valley had three champs and sent nine wrestlers through to the WPIAL tournament. Bruce Anderchak (114), Matthew Danna (139) and Marcus Richey (172) took titles.
Central Valley also had three champs in Angelo Boni (107), Antonio Boni (127) and Garen McDonald (133). Gavyn McCray (152) and Zeshawn Williams (189) won championships for Freedom.
Laurel had nine WPIAL qualifiers, including champion Kolton Carlson (215).
Avonworth’s Auston Kosanonic (121), Knoch’s Owen Layhew (145), Ellwood City’s Gabe Lilly (160) and Carlynton’s Henry Barbisch (285) also won section titles.
Southern Sectional – McGuffey led the way at Burgettstown, crowning three champions in Clayton Ealy (114), Lucas Barr (139) and Victor Bonus (145), and sending 11 wrestlers through to the WPIAL tournament.
Four schools had two section champions apiece – Bentworth, Burgettstown, Frazier and West Greene. Drake McClure (133) and Owen Ivcic (160) won for the Bearcats, Darius Simmons (107) and Danny Smith (127) for the Blue Devils, Jonah Erdely (152) and Jackson Angelo (172) for the Commodores and Noah Collins (121) and Colin Whyte (285) for the Pioneers.
Beth-Center’s Malachi Peak (189) and Fort Cherry’s Braedon Welsh (215) also won section titles. Burgettstown sent eight wrestlers through to WPIALs.
Class 3A
Eastern Sectional – Thomas Jefferson led the way with four champions at Norwin – Zach Rehak (107), Maddox Shaw (152), Bode Marlow (172) and Shepherd Turk (285).
Connellsville had three champs – Kai Vielma (139), Julian Ruggieri (145) and Lonzy Vielma (160) – and sent 12 wrestlers through to the WPIAL tournament.
Latrobe also crowned three champs in Leo Joseph (121), Luke Willochell (133) and Hunter Snyder (189).
Franklin Regional also sent 12 wrestlers through to WPIALs, including champion Mikey Ruane (127).
Hempfield’s Nico Kapusta (114) and Belle Vernon’s Elijah Brown (215) also won section championships and Norwin qualified 10 wrestlers for the WPIAL meet.
Northern Sectional – Kiski Area and North Allegheny crowned three champions at Fox Chapel.
Mario Hutcherson (172), Mark Gray (189) and Cooper Roscosky (215) won for the Cavaliers, who sent 10 wrestlers to the WPIAL tournament. Evan Schomburg (121), Griffen Reid (152) and Kellen Buggey (160) took titles for the Tigers, who advanced nine wrestlers.
Butler and Pine-Richland each crowned two section champs – Santino Sloboda (127) and Kase Chopp (145) for the Golden Tornado and Bennett Ferraro (107) and Dominic Ferraro (139) for the Rams.
North Hills’ Brady Rohaly (114), Indiana’s Nico Fanella (133) and Armstrong’s Philup Rearick (285) also won section titles. North Hills and Fox Chapel sent nine wrestlers through to the WPIAL tournament.
Southern Sectional – West Allegheny led the way at South Fayette with three section champions – Lucas Carson (114), Thomas Bencho (121) and Cam Danna (285) – and sent seven wrestlers to the WPIAL tournament.
Canon-McMillan, Peters Township and Trinity each crowned two champs – Collier Hartman (133) and Brayden Collins (215) for the Big Macs, Nicholas McGarrity (107) and Darius McMillon (152) for Peters and Dom Canali (127) and T.J. Allison (139) for the Hillers.
Trinity had nine section qualifiers, Canon-McMillan had seven and Peters Township had five.
Moon also had nine WPIAL qualifiers, including champion Liam Costa (160).
Baldwin’s Ramil Islamov (145), Mt. Lebanon’s Devin McCauley (172) and Waynesburg’s Jake Stephenson(189) also won section titles. Bethel Park had a section-best 10 WPIAL qualifiers.
More High School Sports
• Westmoreland baseball notebook: Ligonier Valley, Jeannette take playoff race right to end• Plum golfer Lorish commits to Marshall, pursues U.S. Open
• With season turned in right direction, Norwin carrying momentum into playoffs
• High school scores, summaries and schedules for May 5, 2025
• Texas Tech recruit Greg Minnick, battalion of live arms have Indiana primed for playoffs