Belle Vernon wrestlers win team title at Gateway
Belle Vernon is expected to be a team to be reckoned with this season and the Leopards showed why Saturday by taking the team title at the Eastern Area Invitational hosted by Gateway High School.
Belle Vernon scored 420½ points to easily take the team title. Jefferson-Morgan finished tied for fifth with 133 points.
Jarod Verkleeren won the lone title for the Leopards at 145 pounds with a 12-5 major decision over Penn-Trafford’s Mike Risnear.
Derek Verkleeren (152), Zachary Hartman (120), and Austin Bell (170) lost in the title bout. Jacob Donlop (106) and Milton Kobaly (182) finished third. Michael Fine (220) lost in the third-place consolation bout. Brook Godzin (132) and Joshua Godzin (160) won their fifth-place consolation bouts.
The Rockets’ Gavin Teasdale secured a 25-8 technical fall over Penn-Trafford’s Joe Chisko to win the 106-pound title. Teammate Brendan Howard defeated Belle Vernon’s Hartman, 8-5, to win the 120-pound crown. Trevor Jamison won by injury default to finish third at 145 pounds. Heavyweight Ian Wolfe pinned Belle Vernon’s Billy Korber in 1:45 to finish fifth. Anthony Patterson (195) also won his fifth-place consolation bout.
Several Beth-Center wrestlers fared well in the Chartiers-Houston Invitational. Anthony Welsh defeated Upper St. Clair’s Brooks Wilding, 5-4, to win the 170-pound title.
Jason Stay (160) and Nico Brown (182) finished in third place. Colton Dillon pinned Albert Gallatin’s Zack Friend in 3:36 in the fifth-place consolation bout. Dylan Swarrow (113) also finished in fifth place.