Pine-Richland notebook: Rams wrestlers gear up for postseason tournaments

By: Jerin Steele
Sunday, February 5, 2023 | 11:01 AM

The Pine-Richland wrestling team was eliminated in the first round of the WPIAL Class 3A tournament, falling 44-19 to West Allegheny on Wednesday night.

Now the Rams will turn their attention to the individual postseason and have several wrestlers in good form.

Prior to the WPIAL team playoffs, the Rams traveled to Grove City for the Fred Bell Tournament and placed second overall in the team standings behind Trinity.

Vaughn Spencer and Anthony Ferraro won individual titles and Joey Schneck was a runner up.

Anthony Ferraro, younger brother Dominic Ferraro, Schneck and freshman Mac Miller all have eclipsed 20 wins. Spencer, a sophomore, returned from an 18th layoff due to injury and rattled off 14 consecutive pins to start his varsity career.

The Rams will host the Pine-Richland duals Feb. 11 prior to sectional tournaments.

PR cheers at states

The Pine-Richland competitive spirit team made the final cut at the PIAA championships and finished in eighth place in the Class 3A small squad division.

The state championships were held Jan. 28 in Hershey.

The Rams qualified through the preliminary round with a third-place finish and went directly into the finals. Their eighth-place finish was third out of the four WPIAL teams that made the final.

South Fayette was runner-up to champion Garnet Valley. Thomas Jefferson was fifth and North Hills finished one spot behind Pine-Richland in ninth.

Folmer shines

Pine-Richland senior Josh Folmer scored a pair of goals, including the game-winner, for Team Gold in a 7-6 victory over Team Blue in the PIHL Class 3A All-Star game Jan. 29 at RMU Island Sports Center.

Folmer scored both of his goals in the second period, the second making it 7-4.

Both goals were assisted by Central Catholic’s Dante Scalise.

Folmer has bragging rights on Rams teammates Zach Howard and Sean Peacock, who were on Team Blue.

All three have played a role in Pine-Richland’s resurgence this season. The Rams were winless through their first five games and 2-7-1 through their first eight but won seven straight entering a matchup with Canon-McMillan on Feb. 8.

The Rams have gone from last place to sixth during the run.

Rams boys fall in 3OT

Pine-Richland tried to claw its way back into the WPIAL Class 6A playoff picture against one of its biggest rivals in North Allegheny, but ultimately fell short, 61-54, in a marathon three-overtime game Jan. 31.

With a win, the Rams would’ve been one game behind the Tigers for fourth place and the final playoff spot. Instead, they fell to two games back with three games remaining and North Allegheny holds the tiebreaker having swept the season series.

Emery Moye scored 22 points and Owen Luellen finished with 14.

Jerin Steele is a freelance writer