Plum wrestlers win team title at Allegheny County championships

By: Paul Schofield
Saturday, January 21, 2023 | 8:26 PM

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It’s been quite a season for the Plum wrestling program.

Earlier this week, the Mustangs captured their first section title in more than 30 years.

On Saturday, Plum captured its first Allegheny County wrestling championship team title. Its highest finish in the 21 years of the tournament was second in 2002. It placed third in 2007 and last season.

Plum finished with 230.5 points and had two champions, Owen Campbell (107 pounds) and Rylen Campbell (114), and nine other placewinners.

Pine-Richland, which had three champions and seven total placewinners, was second with 207 thanks to pins by Vaughn Spencer (189) and heavyweight Joe Schneck. North Allegheny was third with 202.5.

Freshman Owen Campbell defeated North Allegheny freshman Gus Stedeford, 4-0, and junior Rylen Campbell edged Moon freshman Cael Yanek, 2-1, in ultimate tiebreaker. The Campbells are not related.

Pine-Richland senior Anthony Ferraro (133), Quaker Valley senior Jack Kazalas (121), Thomas Jefferson sophomore Bode Marlow (152) and Schneck won their second titles.

“It’s been a historic week for us,” Rylen Campbell said. “We won our first section title at Kiski Area, and then we won our first county title. It’s been a great week.”

Rylen Campbell used an escape in overtime to pull out the win against Yanek, who wrestled for the first time this season coming off an injury.

“He was a tough wrestler,” Rylen Campbell said. “I felt I was more aggressive and that he should have been called for stalling. I felt I deserved the victory.”

Rylen Campbell finished second last season.

Owen Campbell used a takedown and reversal to defeat Stedeford.

“I’m pleased because I wasn’t seeded and won,” Owen Campbell said. “This win will boost my confidence.”

Plum coach Mike Supak said winning the county title ended a great week.

“We felt if we wrestled well we could pull it out,” Supak said. “We lost our heavyweight in the Kiski match, but we had wrestlers step up in his absence. The kids worked hard for this title.”

The Mustangs’ other placewinners were Antonio Walker (second at 172), Jack Tongel (third at 172), Sam Snyder (fourth at 121), Carson Yocca (fourth at 127), Dakoda Pisano (fifth at 152), Charlie Campbell (sixth at 145), Frank Macioce (sixth at 215), Trent Reese (eighth at 133) and Andrew Claassen (eighth at 189).

Pine-Richland’s Schneck won the Ron Garrison Award for Sportsmanship. Dominic Ferraro (127) and Mac Miller (152) took second for the Rams.

North Allegheny had two champions: Aiden Buggey (215) and Jason Flener (145).

Quaker Valley finished fourth with 165 points and two champions: Brandon Krul (127) and Kazalas. Logan Richey finished second at 145, falling to Flener, 4-1. Krul received the award for the most pins (five) in the least amount of time (3:58).

Thomas Jefferson had two champions: sophomore Maddox Shaw (139) and Marlow, who also had five pins in the tournament.

“I was hoping to pin everyone,” Marlow said. “I thought the final would be a little tougher.”

Marlow pinned Miller in 2:57.

Chartiers Valley senior Dylan Evans, who by 24-7 in the finals, was named the Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament.

The other champion was Carlynton’s Chase Brandebura, who edged Walker, 4-3, in the 172 final.

Fox Chapel finished seventh as a team with 151.5 points. The Foxes had eight placewinners with Alexander Kaufmann (152) and Trevor Katz (189) placing third and Mike Worsen (114) placing fourth.

Highlands placed 17th with 96 points. It had four placewinners: Aiden Burford (139) was third, Tyler Bender (189) was sixth, Javeon Chambers (107) was seventh and Roman Vivoritto (285) was eighth.

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.