Seneca Valley’s Herrera-Rondon becomes 3-time PIAA champion; Waynesburg crowns 3
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Saturday, March 13, 2021 | 10:38 PM
Waynesburg’s Luca Augustine reacts after defeating Mifflin County’s Trey Kibe in the 172-pound Class AAA final during the PIAA wrestling championships on Saturday, March 13, 2021 at the Giant Center in Hershey.
Seneca Valley’s Alejandro Herrera-Rondon is congratulated by coaches after winning the class AAA 152-pound final against Waynesburg’s Rocco Welsh during PIAA wrestling championships on Saturday, March 13, 2021 at the Giant Center in Hershey.
Seneca Valley’s Alejandro Herrera-Rondon holds up three fingers signaling his three PIAA championship wins after defeating Rocco Welsh of Waynesburg during the PIAA wrestling championships on Saturday, March 13, 2021 at the Giant Center in Hershey.
Hampton’s Justin Hart rests against a wall outside the arena after losing the Class AAA 189-pound final to Joey Milano of Spring-Ford during PIAA wrestling championships on Saturday, March 13, 2021 at the Giant Center in Hershey.
Waynesburg’s Rocco Welsh wrestles Seneca Valley’s Alejandro Herrera-Rondon in the 152-pound Class AAA final during the PIAA wrestling championships on Saturday, March 13, 2021 at the Giant Center in Hershey.
Waynesburg’s Luca Augustine celebrates victory with the coaching staff after defeating Trey Kibe of Mifflin County in the 172-pound Class AAA final during the PIAA wrestling championships on Saturday, March 13, 2021 at the Giant Center in Hershey.
Hampton’s Justin Hart wrestles Spring-Ford’s Joey Milano in the 189-pound final in Class AAA during the PIAA wrestling championships on Saturday, March 13, 2021 at the Giant Center in Hershey.
Norwin’s John Altieri wrestles Waynesburg’s Wyatt Henson in the 145-pound Class AAA final during the PIAA wrestling championships on Saturday, March 13, 2021 at the Giant Center in Hershey.
Waynesburg’s Luca Augustine wrestles Mifflin County’s Trey Kibe in the 172-pound Class AAA final during the PIAA wrestling championships on Saturday, March 13, 2021 at the Giant Center in Hershey.
Rocco Welsh of Waynesburg howls in pain while wrestling under Seneca Valley’s Alejandro Herrara-Rondon in the 152-pound Class AAA final during the PIAA wrestling championships on Saturday, March 13, 2021 at the Giant Center in Hershey.
Wyatt Henson of Waynesburg defeats John Altieri of Norwin in the 145-pound Class AAA final during the PIAA wrestling championships on Saturday, March 13, 2021 at the Giant Center in Hershey.
Franklin Regional’s Finn Solomon struggles against Waynesburg’s Cole Homet in the 138-pound final during the PIAA wrestling championships on Saturday, March 13, 2021 at the Giant Center in Hershey.
Waynesburg’s Mac Church leaps into the arms of his coaches after defeating Chambersburg’s Karl Shindledecker in the 120-pound final during the PIAA wrestling championships on Saturday, March 13, 2021 at the Giant Center in Hershey.
Waynesburg’s Mac Church reacts after defeating Karl Shindledecker of Chambersburg in the Class AAA 120-pound final during the PIAA wrestling championships on Saturday, March 13, 2021 at the Giant Center in Hershey.
Waynesburg’s head coach Joe Throckmorton shouts as the 138-pound final is underway between his wrestler, Dylan Chappell, and Hempfield’s Briar Priest during the PIAA wrestling championships on Saturday, March 13, 2021 at the Giant Center in Hershey.
Hampton’s Justin Hart celebrates his win over Bellefonte Area’s Ethan Rossman in the 189-pound Class AAA semifinals during the PIAA wrestling championships on Saturday, March 13, 2021 at the Giant Center in Hershey.
Waynesburg’s Mac Church controls opponent Mason Leiphart of Dover in the 120-pound Class AAA semifinal during PIAA wrestling championships on Saturday, March 13, 2021 at the Giant Center in Hershey.
HERSHEY – Waynesburg proved why it is ranked No. 1 in the state at the PIAA Class AAA Wrestling Championships Saturday at the Giant Center.
The Raiders had five finalists and three champions in running away with the team title. It wasn’t, however, the most wrestlers that the Raiders ever had in the finals. The 1943 team had seven finalists and four champions.
Waynesburg will try to add a PIAA Class AAA team title March 27 at Cumberland Valley.
“That was one of our main goals for the season,” Waynesburg coach Joe Throckmorton said. “We wanted to make it a no-brainer because Nazareth won last year.”
The Raiders finished with 100 points. Hempfield was second with 57.
Winning titles for the Raiders were sophomore Mac Church (120 pounds), senior Wyatt Henson (145) and senior Luca Augustine (172). Junior Cole Homet (138) and sophomore Rocco Welsh (152) ended up second.
Henson became a three-time state champion. His first was in Missouri in 2019 and the last two in the PIAA. He edged Norwin senior John Altieri, 5-3.
Seneca Valley senior Alejandro Herrera-Rondon became a three-time PIAA champion. His first two came in 2018 and 2019. He finished fourth in 2020. He was named the tournament’s most outstanding wrestler.
Herrera-Rondon ended his high school career with a 3-0 win against Welsh.
A Welsh stiff arm, which Herrera-Rondon felt was cheap, fired him up.
“I was looking for a penalty point, but I didn’t want to win that way,” Herrera-Rondon said. “I got jabbed pretty hard. I didn’t think about it much, but I was trying to get my head right. It paid off and fired me up.
“I wanted to win with my wrestling, and I think I’m the better wrestler. It’s amazing being a three-time champion. I’m part of a very rare group. I’m happy with my results.”
The other WPIAL wrestlers to win titles were Hempfield junior Briar Priest (132) and Franklin Regional junior Finn Solomon (138).
Priest defeated Seneca Valley’s Dylan Chappell, 6-0, and Solomon edged Homet, 7-5.
Coming up shorting in the finals were Franklin Regional senior Carter Dibert (126) and Hampton senior Justin Hart (189).
Dibert fell 3-2 to Bethlehem Catholic sophomore Tyler Kasak, and Hart dropped a 15-5 decision to Spring-Ford senior Joey Milano.
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.
Tags: Seneca Valley, Waynesburg
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