Shaler notebook: Sullivan wins WPIAL wrestling title

By: HSSN Staff
Sunday, March 4, 2018 | 11:25 PM

Ryan Sullivan waited almost a year after a close loss in the finals for a second shot at a WPIAL Class AAA championship.

The Shaler junior didn't waste his second opportunity.

Sullivan, who was seeded first at 113 pounds, advanced to the finals Saturday at Canon-McMillan with three dominant wins before squeaking out a 2-1 decision over Moon's Frankie Bonura in the championship.

It was part of a big weekend for the Titans, who placed 14th with 40 points and will send two wrestlers to the PIAA Class AAA championships for the second consecutive year.

Garrett Reinsfelder reached the semifinals at 132 pounds before losing to Penn-Trafford's Nick Coy, 8-0.

Reinsfelder beat Seneca Valley's Antonio Amelia to reach the third-place match before picking up another victory to seal his bid.

The WPIAL honored former Shaler coach Bob Siar at the tournament. Siar died last week. He was 85.

“As a young coach who knew very little about wrestling, Bob and Gus (DeAugustino) took me under their wing even though we were opponents,” Fox Chapel coach Ron Frank said. “They showed me a lot. His teams were always ready to wrestle. Shaler won't be the same without Bob Siar.”

Siar led Shaler to the WPIAL Class AAA team championship and finished with a record of 315-108-7 in 29 years of coaching at Brookville, Shaler and Hampton.

Shaler hockey reaches playoffs

The Titans scored four first-period goals and hung on to reach the PIHL Class AA playoffs by beating Penn-Trafford, 5-4, in a play-in game.

Shaler, which played perennial power Quaker Valley in the opening round Monday in a game that ended too late for this edition, built a 4-1 lead thanks to two goals from Nathan Boch and tallies from Mitchell Werry and Mitchel Fuchs.

Cameron Wycich scored the winning goal in the second period that gave Shaler a 5-3 advantage.

Football team to host camp

The 2018 Shaler Area Communities Youth Football Camp will be June 11-14 from 8:30 to 11:45 a.m.

Shaler area youth athletes in grades 1-8 are welcome. The camp will be held at Titan Stadium.

Josh Rizzo is a freelance writer.