Section 2-AAA subsection tough road to manuever
Wrestling in the WPIAL is as difficult as it has always been. It’s tough to become a WPIAL champion, regardless of the weight class.
It’s also tough for teams to qualify for the postseason team tournaments, something that is gaining in importance every year.
It certainly doesn’t help when two teams in your section are Belle Vernon and Connellsville.
Welcome to Section 2-AAA (2A) where Albert Gallatin, Laurel Highlands, Ringgold and Thomas Jefferson get to tangle with BVA and Connellsville. One of those is a powerhouse, the other trying to get back to the power program it once was.
“We had made the playoffs 12 straight years and then we missed the last three,” Albert Gallatin coach Duane Dupont said. “That’s something we need to change.”
If the Colonials are to end that streak this year, they’ll do so with youth.
“We’ll have four or five freshmen in there, guys who have come through the system,” he said. “Obviously, we’ll be young. But, we think we have a good quality 22 kids in the room and, looking down the road, there are 25 kids in the middle school program.”
Four of those freshmen are Adam Simon (120 pounds), Michael Standish (138), Terry Wallace (145) and Corey Dodson (285).
“They’re going to learn quick,” Dupont said. “They’re quality kids and have wrestled some, so we’re looking for them to help us get back to the playoffs.”
A year ago, AG would routinely forfeit four weight classes, but have plugged those holes and will depend on guys like sophomore David Wallace, who was 21-14 at 106 a year ago, and Cody Lavery, who was 15-14 at 120. They will wrestle at 113 and 136, respectively, this year.
“We know Belle Vernon is going to be hard to beat,” Dupont said. “And, Connellsville is always up at the top, as well. But we’re coming to compete. And, I expect we’ll do that every night.”
Over at Laurel Highlands, coach Mike Zavada’s will rely on the experience of junior James Pierce, who finished third in the section last year and had a 21-11 record at 160 pounds.
Ringgold has some returning firepower, led by junior Doug Gudenburr, who was 27-7, second in section and third in WPIAL last year. Senior Jake Gerard was 25-12 and finished second in the section at 138. Junior Bobby Englert was 15-21 at 195 and senior Taylor Bass was an impressive 26-7 at 285.
Teams going against Thomas Jefferson will have to be ready early because the Jaguars have returning firepower at the first five weight classes.
Junior Dom Devine was 20-10 last year at 106; sophomore Tyler German was 11-12 at 113; senior James Barrickman was 20-9 at 120; senior Braden Flinn 27-10 at 126; and senior Nick Burkett was 26-11 at 132.