In WPIAL Class 2A wrestling, Derry’s bright future starts now

By: Paul Schofield
Tuesday, November 25, 2025 | 11:01 AM

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How good can the Derry wrestling team be this season?

The Trojans would have a legitimate chance to contend for a PIAA team title if they wrestled up in Class 3A.

But Class 2A in Pennsylvania is a different story entirely.

A preseason Class 2A poll has Derry ranked sixth in PIAA, the top public school in the state.

But because they are in Class 2A, the Trojans are ranked behind Faith Christian Academy, Bishop McCort, Bishop McDevitt, Erie Prep and Berks Catholic.

“Our goal is to finish in the top four,” Derry coach Troy Dolan Jr. said. “I feel we are going to be really good. We have been building towards this.”

The Trojans finished second to perennial WPIAL power Burrell and then fell to District 5 champion Chestnut Ridge in the PIAA playoffs last year.

Dolan said that was a learning experience for his team. The Trojans gave Burrell a good match in the WPIAL finals and learned what it takes to compete in the state tournament.

Derry graduated three starters from last year’s squad: Anthony Mucci, Brett Kim and Giovanni Beatrice.

But Dolan is not worried. He predicts six freshmen are in line to win starting jobs.

“We have depth and kids competing for starting jobs,” Dolan said. “I like our chances. The kids have been working hard.”

The Trojans have four PIAA qualifiers returning, including junior place winners Mason Horwat (fourth at 152) and Brady Brown (fifth at 189). Horwat has a career record of 84-13, and Brown is 87-14. Derry took a school-record six wrestlers to the state tournament last year.

Sophomore Dylan Bateman (121) and senior Ewan Olson (160) were also in Hershey. The Trojans also advanced nine to the PIAA Southwest Regional.

Dolan said freshmen Mason Keesecker (107), Patrick Bulgar (114), Cam Olson or Brock Bateman (138), Mikey McNeal (145), Will McNeal (152) and Ty Blasco (171/189) could be starters.

“All the guys are established wrestlers,” Dolan said. “It is going to be a fun couple of years.”

One wrestler Dolan hopes comes out for the team is senior heavyweight Dylan Pitzer. He was 79-16 in two seasons at Mt. Pleasant and finished fourth in the state in 2023. He was forced to miss the 2025 season because of a transfer to Derry that the WPIAL deemed had athletic intent.

“It is up to him,” Dolan said. “He wants to concentrate on a football future.”

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