PIAA Class 3A wrestling championships: How WPIAL wrestlers fared on Day 1

By: Paul Schofield
Thursday, March 10, 2022 | 10:45 PM

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HERSHEY — The PIAA Class 3A Wrestling Championships began Thursday at the Giant Center. Here’s a glance at how the WPIAL wrestlers fared on Day 1. The WPIAL advanced 29 of 52 wrestlers to the quarterfinals.

106 pounds

Three WPIAL wrestlers picked up wins in the first round. Latrobe freshman Luke Willochell (41-4) defeated West Scranton sophomore Tyson Cook, 10-2. Indiana freshman Nico Fanella (32-1) edged Altoona senior Luke Hileman, 6-1. Franklin Regional sophomore Tyler Kapusta (30-7) upset Central Dauphin sophomore Liam Flanagan, 2-1. Canon-McMillan sophomore Tanner Mizenko (32-13) lost both of his matches.

113 pounds

Seneca Valley junior Tyler Chappell (34-4) and Peters Township freshman Darius McMillon (30-3) advanced to the quarterfinals with close wins. Chartiers Valley junior Brad Joling (33-14) remains alive in the consolations while Canon-McMillan junior Brandon Dami was eliminated.

120 pounds

Latrobe junior Vinny Kilkeary (43-2), Penn-Trafford senior Troy Hohman (30-3) and Canon-McMillan senior Jacob Houpt (35-5) advanced to the quarterfinals. Hohman, who defeated Nazareth’s Charlie Bunting, faces top seed Mason Leiphart (37-0) of Dover in the quarterfinals. Bethel Park sophomore Mason Kernan (38-5) lost both of his matches.

126 pounds

Hempfield junior Ethan Lebin (31-6), Thomas Jefferson freshman Maddox Shaw (38-5) and Pine-Richland junior Anthony Ferraro (38-6) all advanced. Ferraro won two matches, including a pin of second seed Cannon Hershey of Oxford. Waynesburg senior Zander Phatorus (34-9) split his matches.

132 pounds

Waynesburg junior Mac Church (35-2) was the only WPIAL wrestler to advance to the quarterfinals. Hempfield sophomore Eli Carr (35-6), Connellsville senior Chas Ozias (36-8) and Trinity sophomore Blake Reihner (34-10) each won a match and then lost to drop into the consolations.

138 pounds

Hempfield senior Briar Priest (35-2), Connellsville freshman Lonzy Vielma (40-8) and Waynesburg senior Colton Stoneking (38-10) reached the quarterfinals. Stoneking will face No. 1 seed Tyler Kasak of Bethlehem Catholic. Franklin Regional junior Nate Stone (32-11) lost both of his matches.

145 pounds

Franklin Regional senior Finn Solomon (38-2) and West Allegheny junior Ty Watters (32-3) advanced to the quarterfinals. Highlands senior Jrake Burford (37-10) and Hempfield junior Lucas Kapusta (34-6) each won a match and then dropped into the consolations. Burford had Boyertown senior Chance Babb on the ropes but fell in overtime.

152 pounds

Chartiers Valley junior Dylan Evans (30-4) and Pine-Richland senior Kelin Laffey (28-2) reached the quarterfinals. Evans defeated Latrobe senior Jack Pletcher, 4-2. Pletcher (42-9) won a match before falling to Evans. West Allegheny junior Nico Taddy (36-7) dropped his two matches.

160 pounds

Connellsville senior Jared Keslar (35-3), Kiski Area senior Enzo Morlacci (34-6) and West Allegheny sophomore Shawn Taylor (38-6) advanced to the quarterfinals. Norwin senior Chase Kranitz (34-8) won his first match and then was injured and lost his second match.

172 pounds

Waynesburg junior Rocco Welsh (43-1) and Canon-McMillan junior Matt Furman (31-8) advanced to the quarterfinals. Armstrong junior Connor Jacobs (31-8) and Belle Vernon senior Logan Hoffman (37-7) are still alive in consolations.

189 pounds

Mt. Lebanon senior Mac Stout (39-0) remained undefeated with a 12-4 win. Franklin Regional sophomore Juliano Marion (34-8) lost his first match and then pinned Waynesburg junior Brody Evans (37-14) in the consolations. Canon-McMillan junior Gabriel Stafford (30-10) lost his two matches.

215 pounds

Belle Vernon senior Cole Weightman (11-2), Seneca Valley senior Liam Volk-Klos (23-2) and Thomas Jefferson senior Brian Finnerty (41-1) won their first matches. Latrobe junior Corey Boerio (42-10) opened with a loss but bounced back to win his consolation match.

285 pounds

Greensburg Salem senior Billy McChesney (35-0) was the only WPIAL heavyweight to win. Waynesburg senior Noah Tustin (40-13) and Butler senior Jake Pomykata (29-8) lost and then won a consolation match. Pomykata defeated Kiski Area senior Stone Joseph (21-6), who lost his two matches.

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.