High school wrestling notes: Athletes begin individual journeys

By: Paul Schofield
Tuesday, February 13, 2024 | 6:10 PM

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As Burrell wrestling coach Josh Shields was addressing his team in the locker room at the PIAA team championship at Giant Center on Feb. 8 in Hershey, he talked about how one chapter of the season was closing and a new one was beginning.

Almost all coaches like the team portion of the season, but it’s the individual time of the season that excites them most.

“This is the time of the season that we prepare for all season,” Shields said. “It’s time for the wrestlers to take care of their own business.

“Hopefully when we return in a month we have quite a few wrestling. It’s all up to them.”

No more worried about bonus points and preventing them. This is win and advance, and those lucky enough in Class 2A over the next four weeks will be standing March 7 in Giant Center.

For the 2A wrestlers, things start Saturday with the section qualifiers: Sections 1 and 2 will be at Burgettstown, Section 3 and 4 at Keystone Oaks and Sections 5 and 6 at Greensburg Salem.

Action begins 9:30 a.m. with the finals slated a half-hour after the second round of consolations. The top six in each weight class advance to the WPIAL championships Feb. 23 and 24 at Chartiers Valley.

The top eight in each weight class at the WPIAL championships advance to the Southwest Regional on March 1 and 2 at Altoona.

There are eight returning WPIAL champions entered. Frazier’s Rune Lawrence is looking to became a four-time WPIAL and PIAA champion.

Class 3A sections begin Feb. 24. Sections 1 and 2 are at Kiski Area, Sections 3 and 4 at Norwin and Sections 5 and 6 at South Fayette

The WPIAL/PIAA Southwest Class 3A championship is March 1-2 at Canon-McMillan.

The WPIAL girls championship is Saturday at North Allegheny, and the PIAA West Regional is March 2 at Canon-McMillan. The girls start at 9 a.m. Semifinals are slated for 1 p.m. and the finals at 4 p.m. The top six in each weight class advance to the West Regional.

There wasn’t much movement in Class 2A.

Bentworth’s Drake McClure decided to compete at 114 pounds, and Central Valley senior Brenan Morgan, the defending WPIAL 215 champion, decided to compete in the 285 weight class, moving away from Lawrence.

Morgan (28-0) hopes his experience will help in the heavyweight division where he could face Mt. Pleasant sophomore Dylan Pitzer (31-0) or WPIAL 2023 runner-up Burgettstown senior Joe Baronick (28-6). Morgan defeated Baronick, 3-2, in the finals of the Burgettstown Invitational on Jan. 13.

One notable wrestler missing from the tournament is Frazier sophomore Jonah Erdely, who was a PIAA qualifier last season. He hasn’t competed since the Powerade Tournament in December.

The other returning WPIAL champions (last year’s weights) are Central Valley’s Antonio Boni (107), Indiana’s Nico Fanella (114), Quaker Valley’s Jack Kazalas (121), Burrell’s Cooper Hornack (127), Frazier’s Ryan Celaschi (152) and Fort Cherry’s Braedon Welsh (172).

Hornack is a returning PIAA champion. Boni (25-0) is only one of three undefeated wrestlers in Class 2A.

Vielma milestone

When Connellsville junior Lonzy Vielma pinned Trinity’s Cael Nicolella on Saturday, it not only clinched a victory for the Falcons, it was also his 100th career victory.

The team held up a sign honoring Vielma for his feat.

Junior High Championship moved

There is a new home for the WPIAL junior high wrestling championship beginning Friday.

After being held at Norwin for years, the event this season is at Kiski Area.

The tournament usually draws more than 50 junior high programs from around the WPIAL.

Wrestling will begin 4:45 p.m. Friday and resume at 9 a.m. Saturday.

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.