Norwin notebook: Altieri shakes off slam to wrestle at states

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Monday, March 15, 2021 | 1:01 PM

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John Altieri was cleared for a trip to Hershey for the PIAA Wrestling Championships, but the Norwin senior’s participation in the state tournament looked like it might be in question after a brutal body slam.

During the PIAA West Super Regional at Altoona, Altieri won a championship at 145 pounds, but it did not come easily. He was slammed by Waynesburg senior Wyatt Henson, who was attempting an aggressive double-leg takedown. Altieri landed on his head and was taken by ambulance to a local hospital.

Altieri tweeted the Sunday after the event: “Always thankful to compete. Super unfortunate it had to happen like that. Thank you for everyone who reached out, I’m all good and will be back next weekend!”

“I felt a burning sensation in my neck, and the medical personnel wouldn’t allow me to continue,” Altieri said. “I wanted to continue, but they wouldn’t let me.

“It’s not the way I would have liked to win, but it happened. I have no hard feelings towards Wyatt. I know it wasn’t intentional. He’s a good kid.”

Henson wasn’t able to talk to Altieri, but he did talk to Norwin coach Kyle Martin and apologized and wished Altieri the best. Martin told him he would pass it along and not to worry.

Knights win again

Norwin’s hockey team moved to 8-6 for the season, third place in the PIHL Class A Southeast Division, after back-to-back wins.

The Knights made it four wins in five games as they toppled Wheeling Central, 15-4, on March 2. Junior Logan Fear had six goals, junior Ty Shigo added three scores amd four assists, and junior Dom Barca added three assists for the Knights.

Recruiting

Norwin senior Brooke Alexander will continue her track career at St. Francis (Pa.).

On campus

Grad student Christina Skrabak, a former Norwin standout, homered and drove in four runs in the Seton Hill softball team’s road sweep of Wheeling, by scores of 5-0 and 12-0. Skrabak is a career .319 hitter and has made 149 starts for the Griffins, with 13 home runs, 90 runs and 86 RBIs.

• Grove City junior and Norwin alum Joe Astrab took fourth in the 100-yard breaststroke (58.79 seconds) at the PAC Swimming Championships. Grove City won its third straight team title.

• Clarion cross country freshman Courtney Kosanovic, a Norwin grad, placed third at the Cal U Winter Meet. Kosanovic, who also swims at Clarion, finished the 5K race in 17:37.5, with a mile-split of 6:27, to help the Golden Eagles to a fourth-place finish.

• Duquesne sophomore cross country runner Matt O’Neil (Norwin) placed 42nd in 25:41.9 at the Atlantic 10 Championship in Mechanicsville, Va.

College reunion

A pair of former Greensburg Central Catholic teammates from North Huntingdon have reunited on the basketball court, closer to home.

Freshmen Gia Scala and Melina Maietta are on the Pitt-Greensburg roster for 2020-21. Scala transferred from Point Park.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Norwin