Kiski Area’s Roscosky, Plum’s Walker reach WPIAL wrestling semis
By:
Friday, March 1, 2024 | 9:45 PM
Kiski Area junior Mark Gray takes down Thomas Jefferson senior Brady Fitz during a 172-pound first-round match at the WPIAL Class 3A wrestling championship Friday.
Kiski Area sophomore Abrahm Taylor attempts to keep North Allegheny senior Aiden Buggey from escaping duing a 215-pound quarterfinal at the WPIAL Class 3A wrestling championship Friday.
Kiski Area senior Cooper Roscosky achieved something Friday that he missed out last year: advancing to the WPIAL Class 3A semifinals.
Roscosky lost in the quarterfinals in 2023, ended up sixth and did not qualify for the PIAA tournament.
He needs one win Saturday after advancing to the semifinals with a pin of Penn Hills senior Jacen Wright in the first round and an 18-3 technical-fall throttling of North Allegheny junior Mason Hartung in the quarterfinals.
The No. 1-seeded Roscosky (36-2) will face Trinity senior Robbie Allison, who is seeded fourth, at noon at Canon-McMillan High School.
“Although I didn’t get it done last year, I’m still capable of winning,” Roscosky said. “There are kids better than me, so I need to work towards my goals.
“Right now I’m focused on getting to Hershey. Robbie is a tough wrestler, very strong. I came here with high expectations. I just want to get that win and punch my ticket.”
He was the only Cavalier wrestler still alive for a gold medal.
Junior Mark Gray (172), sophomore Abrahm Taylor (215) and junior heavyweight Ryder Ekas lost in the quarterfinals and dropped into the consolation round with John DeLuca (127) and Travis Shearer (152).
Plum senior Antonino Walker advanced to the semifinals with a pin of Baldwin senior Mario Del Rosario and an 8-5 win against Fox Chapel senior Alexander Kaufmann.
Mustangs senior Jack Tongel lost in the quarterfinals at 172 pounds and fell into the consolation round along with Rylen Campbell (127), Carson Yocca (133), Charlie Campbell (160) and heavyweight Frank Grazulis. Owen Campbell was scratched from the tournament.
Fox Chapel had four wrestlers fall in the quarterfinals and have seven wrestlers left in the consolation round. The four who lost in the quarterfinals were Kaufmann, Landon Funk (114), Joshua Alexander (139) and Milo Chiu (160).
Also still alive in consolations are heavyweight D’Angelo Hamilton, Michael Worsen (121) and Youssef Abdelsalam (133).
WPIAL champion Connellsville leads the team scoring with 73 points and four wrestlers in the semifinals. Latrobe is second with 58 points and four in the semifinals, and Trinity is third with 49.5 points and three wrestlers still alive for gold.
Canon-McMillan also has four wrestlers vying for gold.
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: Fox Chapel, Kiski Area, Plum
More High School Sports
• Plum girls planning to think fast, play fast to help replace graduated top scorer• After struggles last season, Plum boys basketball ‘hungry to succeed’
• Through the Years: 40 years ago, Freeport finally got the better of nemesis Jeannette
• Kiski Area football coach Sam Albert hangs up head coach’s whistle after 3 decades
• Monessen girls basketball team sets sail under Schmidt
