Waynesburg wrestling routs Cathedral Prep in PIAA Class AAA quarterfinals

By: Tribune-Review
Wednesday, March 24, 2021 | 10:14 PM

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After a dominant showing in the PIAA quarterfinals, Waynesburg looks like it’ll be the team to beat as the Raiders seek the school’s first PIAA Class AAA team championship this weekend at Cumberland Valley.

Led by wins from state champions Mac Church at 126, Wyatt Henson at 145 and Luca Augustine at 172, Waynesburg cruised past Cathedral Prep, 54-12, in the state quarterfinals Wednesday night.

Augustine’s win came in the featured bout of the night. Cathedral Prep’s Paniro Johnson, a PIAA third-place finisher at 152 pounds, bumped up to face the Raiders’ 172-pound champ. Augustine used a takedown in the middle of the third period to come away with a 3-1 victory.

Zander Phaturos (120) and Colton Stoneking (132) won by decision and Church, Henson and Cole Homet won by fall as Waynesburg jumped out to a 30-0 lead in a match that was never close.

Eli Makel (189) and Ryan Howard (285) had pins in the first minute and Nate Stephenson (160) won by decision as the Raiders pulled way further in the upper weights.

Clay Mallory (152) and John Campbell won by fall for Cathedral Prep.

Waynesburg will meet Williamsport in the state semifinals at 4 p.m. Saturday at Cumberland Valley. Spring-Ford will take on Central Dauphin in the other semifinal. The winners will meet for a state title at 6 p.m.

In an unprecedented piece of scheduling brought about by the pandemic, the PIAA team tournament was bumped back behind the individual tournaments this season.

Two wrestlers who make the finals at the Giant Center earlier this month, Cathedral Prep 113-pound champ Jacob van Dee and Waynesburg 152-pound runner-up Rocco Welsh, did not weigh in Wednesday night. Cathedral Prep forfeited at 106 and 113 pounds.

Tags: Waynesburg