Latrobe’s Willochell back in the PIAA 3A wrestling finals after 2-year hiatus
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Friday, March 7, 2025 | 9:29 PM
Latrobe’s Luke Willochell wrestles Canon-McMillan’s Collier Hartman during the PIAA Class 3A wrestling tournament Friday at Giant Center in Hershey.
Latrobe’s Luke Willochell wrestles West Perry’s Jackson Rush at the PIAA Class 3A tournament Friday at Giant Center in Hershey.
Latrobe’s Leo Joseph reacts after his win over Dowingtown West’s Brayden Sigle in a 121-pound bout at the PIAA Class 3A tournament Friday at Giant Center in Hershey.
Belle Vernon’s Elijah Brown wrestles St. Joseph Prep’s John Boggs in the 215-pound bracket at the PIAA Class 3A wrestling tournament Friday at Giant Center in Hershey.
Penn-Trafford’s Dylan Barrett wrestles Central Dauphin’s Thunder Beard in the 114-pound bracket at the PIAA Class 3A tournament Friday at Giant Center in Hershey.
Kiski Area’s Mario Hutcherson wrestles Abington Heights’ Brian Heard at the PIAA Class 3A tournament Friday at Giant Center in Hershey.
Northampton’s Brayden Wenrich wrestles Peters Township’s Nicholas McGarrity during the PIAA Class 3A wrestling tournament Friday at Giant Center in Hershey.
Belle Vernon’s Elijah Brown wrestles Ringgold’s Jake Conroy during the PIAA Class 3A wrestling tournament Friday at Giant Center in Hershey.
Connellsville’s Evan Petrovich wrestles State College’s James Whitbred during the PIAA Class 3A wrestling tournament Friday at Giant Center in Hershey.
Thomas Jefferson’s Shepherd Turk wrestles St Joseph Prep’s Maxwell Roy during the PIAA Class 3A wrestling tournament Friday at Giant Center in Hershey.
Latrobe’s Leo Joseph wrestles Easton’s Nicholas Salamone during the PIAA Class 3A wrestling tournament Friday at Giant Center in Hershey.
Kiski Area’s Cooper Roscosky wrestles Central Catholic’s Roman Thompson during the PIAA Class 3A wrestling tournament Friday at Giant Center in Hershey.
HERSHEY — Latrobe senior Luke Willochell does not have to worry about wrestling Indiana senior Nico Fanella in the finals for a third consecutive week in the postseason.
Willochell will be there, but Fanella will not.
Willochell defeated Canon-McMillan junior Collier Hartman for the third time in the past two seasons. Willochell used three takedowns for a 10-4 victory Friday at Giant Center in Hershey and a spot in the Class 3A 133-pound final.
He will face Council Rock South senior Anthony Mutarelli, who defeated Fanella, 7-3. Mutarelli used a first-period takedown and a three-point nearfall in the third period to handle the WPIAL and West Regional champion.
Willochell, a four-time medalist, will wrestle in the finals for the first time since his freshman season in 2022, when he lost to Bethlehem Catholic’s Nathan Desmond in the 106-pound final.
He is hoping for a different outcome.
“Making the state finals appearance would be a happy ending for me,” Willochell said. “Obviously, I want gold, but it just feels so good to hear ‘state finals’ and my name after a two-year drought. This is what I wanted, and I’m super happy about it.”
Now Willochell (44-4) faces someone different.
Mutarelli (37-3) missed the 2024 tournament after transferring from Malvern Prep.
“We met once in seventh grade, and he beat me 2-1,” Willochell said of his next opponent. “I noticed he injured his shoulder, and I hope he’s OK. I am looking to get revenge off that loss in grade school.
“I am going to let it fly in the finals. I watched a podcast, and one guy said, I’m ‘wrestling with house money.’ He’s strong, and I know he turned Nico.”
Connellsville senior Evan Petrovich reversed a loss to State College sophomore James Whitbred at the West Regional, winning 4-2. Petrovich got an escape and takedown in the second period to build a 4-0 lead.
He will face WPIAL and West Regional champion Maddox Shaw of Thomas Jefferson in the finals. Shaw defeated Perkiomen Valley’s Luke Knox, 8-0. The returning PIAA champion has won both matchups this season.
Shaw’s teammate, senior Bode Marlow, reached the finals at 172 with a 10-4 win against Abington Heights’ Brian Heard. He will face State College senior Asher Cunningham, whom he lost to last week at the West Regional.
It will be an all-Westmoreland County final at 215 pounds as Belle Vernon junior Elijah Brown and Kiski Area junior Cooper Roscosky collide for the fifth time. Brown has won the previous four matches.
Brown defeated Ringgold senior Jake Conroy, 7-3, for the third consecutive time. Roscosky defeated Central Catholic sophomore Roman Thompson, 11-4.
“I just have to keep fighting,” Roscosky said. “Everyone is beat up this time of the year. You just must continue to battle. I know I can beat anyone here.”
WPIAL champion Nicholas McGarrity of Peters Township dropped a 4-2 decision to Northampton freshman Brayden Wenrich at 107. Wenrich took neutral in the third period and recorded a takedown with 1 minute, 12 seconds left. McGarrity was able to get a reversal with 43 seconds left, but Wenrich held on for the win.
Latrobe senior Leo Joseph dropped a 7-2 decision to Easton’s Nicholas Salamone at 121.
“Leo has had an excellent tournament,” Latrobe coach Mark Mears said. “Now he must come back and not slide backwards. If he’s awarded a takedown cradle in the first period, it might have been a different outcome.”
Connellsville sophomore and WPIAL and West Regional champion Kai Vielma lost to Nazareth’s Tahir Parkins, 19-4, at 139. Parkins is the returning PIAA champion.
Thomas Jefferson senior heavyweight Shepherd Turk dropped an 8-3 decision to St. Joseph Prep’s Maxwell Roy, 8-3.
The finals are slated to begin at 4 p.m. The consolation finals are at 11:30 a.m.
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.
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