2016 Herald-Standard All-Area Wrestling Team
Holly Tonini
Belle Vernon’s Austin Bell won his 170-pound quarterfinal bout against Mifflin County’s Noah Stewert in the PIAA Class AAA Individual Wrestling Championships at the Giant Center in Hershey.
Albert Gallatin's Tim Wallace won his 160-pound consolation round bout against Cumberland Valley's Quentin Miliken at the PIAA Class AAA Individual Wrestling Championships Friday at the Giant Center in Hershey.
Class AAA
106: Jacob Dunlap, Belle Vernon
113: Mason Franks, Connellsville
120: Caleb Morris, Waynesburg Central
126: Cole Rush, Waynesburg Central
132: Zach Hartman, Belle Vernon
138: Shaun Wilson, Waynesburg Central
145: Trey Howard, Waynesburg Central
152: Derek Verkleeren, Belle Vernon
160: Tim Wallace, Albert Gallatin
170: Austin Bell, Belle Vernon
182: Milton Kobaly, Belle Vernon
195: Nate Ansell, Laurel Highlands
220: Sterling Miller, Connellsville
285: Billy Korber, Belle Vernon
Coach (Staff) of the Year: Mike Doppleheuer, Belle Vernon
Co-Wrestlers of the Year: Austin Bell/Milton Kobaly, Belle Vernon
Honorable Mention: Albert Gallatin, Corey Dodson, Hunter Milligan, D.J. Wallace; Belle Vernon, Brock Godzin, Mitch Hartman, Logan Seliga. Tyler Seliga, Jarod Verkleeren; Connellsville, Kyle Burkholder. Louis Mauro, Tommy Provance; Laurel Highlands, Jimmy Pierce; Ringgold, Doug Gudenburr, Bo Haines; Waynesburg Central, Kyle Homet, Logan Henderson, Colin McCracken, Colby Morris, Terry Victor.
NOTES: Local Class AAA wrestlers won 15 WPIAL medals, including golds from Zach Hartman, Derek Verkleeren and Tim Wallace and silver medals by Wilson, Mitch Hartman, Kobaly and Bell, and six PIAA medals, including Kobaly’s silver and Bell’s bronze. … Kobaly, Bell, Derek Verkleeren, Zachary Hartman, Wilson and McCracken won WPIAL and PIAA medals. Bell, Wilson, Derek Verkleeren and Kobaly capped their careers by wrestling in the Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic. … Doppelheuer and his staff led the Leopards to the WPIAL Class AAA team title and a third-place finish in the state tournament. … The lineup averaged around 32 victories per wrestler.
Class AA
106: Mason Palmer, Jefferson-Morgan
113: Gavin Teasdale, Jefferson-Morgan
120: Tyler Griffiths, Southmoreland
126: Austin Mihalchik, Mount Pleasant
132: Mike Novak, Mount Pleasant
138: Evan Myers, Southmoreland
145: Hunter Neely, Bentworth
152: Jake Sever, Yough
160: Dominic Fundy, Beth-Center
170: Anthony Welsh, Beth-Center
182: Shawn Hennessey, Mapletown
195: Billy Bowlen, Jefferson-Morgan
220: Tyler Girvin, Frazier
285: Jake Beistel, Southmoreland
Honorable Mention: Bentworth, Manny Dovshek, Ryan Wise; California, James Campbell; Elizabeth-Forward, Fred Howard, Tyler McConahy; Jefferson-Morgan, Trevor Kniha; Mapletown, Harley Gee, Seth Shubert, Tanner Weston; Mount Pleasant, Doug Bittner, Zack Charlesworth, Josh Lind, Alex Miscovich; Southmoreland, Jaden Datz, Jake Virgin; West Greene, Colton Hamilton, Connor Main.
Coach (Staff) of the Year: Chris Shilk, Mapletown
Co-Wrestlers of the Year: Gavin Teasdale, Jefferson-Morgan; Jake Beistel, Southmoreland
NOTES: Local Class AA wrestlers won 27 WPIAL medals, including gold medals by Teasdale, Griffiths, Welsh, Bowlen and Beistel, silvers from Dovshek, Kniha, Myers and Lind, and bronze medals by Miscovich, Mihalchik, Neely, Fundy and Main, eight PIAA Southwestern Regional medals, with a trio of gold medals from Teasdale, Bowlen and Beistel, and five PIAA medals, golds by Teasdale and Beistel. … Teasdale, Beistel, Bowlen, Welsh and Lind won medals in all three championships. … Teasdale and Beistel finished undefeated. … Shilk and his staff led the Maples to the program’s first WPIAL team playoff berth since the reintroduction of the program five years ago, plus producing three WPIAL medalists (Hennessey, Gee, Weston). … Southmoreland coach Ryan Shaw closed his career with the Scotties after Beistel’s state title. … Girvin finished seventh in WPIAL tournament despite the Commodores not having a team. … The starting lineup averaged over 30 wins per wrestler.