Trio looking to join elite list at WCCA wrestling tournament

By: Paul Schofield
Tuesday, January 2, 2024 | 4:44 PM

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Three wrestlers have the opportunity to become part of an elite group with victories this weekend at the 71st annual Westmoreland County Coaches’ Association tournament.

Latrobe junior Luke Willochell, Hempfield senior Eli Carr and Franklin Regional senior Juliano Marion could join the list of 45 others as three-time county champions.

The tournament is Friday and Saturday at Greensburg Salem.

If Willochell wins, he’ll have a chance his senior season to become a four-time champion, achieved by only 13 others. The most recent four-time champion was Franklin Regional’s Colton Camacho in 2019. Coincidentally, the first four-time champion was Latrobe’s Tom Bell (1961-64), the only other Wildcat to win four times.

Latrobe has nine other three-time winners, the most recent being Vinny Kilkeary last season.

Willochell (14-1 this season, 95-10 all-time) won the 106-pound title in 2022 and the 114 title in 2023. He is scheduled to wrestle at 121 this year. He recently placed second at the Bethlehem Liberty Holiday Tournament, falling to Northern Lebanon’s Adam Seidel, 8-4, in the finals.

Willochell said he’s looking to improve his offense.

“I’ve worked on my offense and getting aggressive,” he said. “I have to work on my technique. I’m good on top. That’s where I like to pin my opponents from. I still must improve my offense, and the county tournament is a place that I can work on my skills.”

Willochell won’t be facing Norwin freshman Landon Sidun, the only wrestler from the WPIAL to win a title at the Powerade Tournament.

Norwin has elected not to compete in the county tournament this year and will compete in other tournaments.

Carr (8-2, 85-17) won the 132-pound class in 2022 and the 139 in 2023. Hempfield has eight three-time champions and one four-time winner. Carr competed in the Powerade Tournament at 145 pounds, going 2-2.

Marion (14-4, 103-30) was the 189-pound county champion in 2022 and 2023. He is wrestling at 215 this season. He could become the fifth three-time champion at Franklin Regional. The school also has four four-time winners.

He went 4-3 at Powerade and finished sixth. His last two defeats were by a point each.

Looking for their second county titles are Burrell senior Cooper Hornack, Latrobe junior Leo Joseph, Burrell sophomore Cam Baker and Penn-Trafford junior Tasso Whipple.

Hornack was the 106 winner in 2021, Joseph won the 113 crown in 2022, Baker took the 107 title in 2023 and Whipple the 172 title in 2023. Hornack is a returning PIAA Class 2A champion.

Latrobe has won consecutive team titles and is the all-time leader with 14. Kiski Area has 13 — last winning in 2020 — Greensburg Salem third with 12 and Norwin fourth with nine.

The Wildcats are coming off an eighth-place finish at Liberty. Freshman Hunter Snyder placed third at 172, senior Jacob Braun was fourth at 127, Joseph fifth at 114 and junior Cody Krall sixth at 215.

“We’re looking forward to the tournament because for the first time in three seasons, we’ll have a complete lineup,” Latrobe coach Mark Mears said. “We finally will get Brody (Bronson) in the lineup at 106, and everyone else has bounced down.

“We’re no longer forfeiting our first two weight classes. I’m excited to see how well we’ll compete now that we have a full lineup.”

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.