Four Falcon wrestlers crowned section champs
Connellsville had four wrestlers crowned section champions Saturday at the Section 2-AAA championship held at Hempfield.
Connellsville’s Evan Petrovich (113), Chad Ozias (132), Jared Keslar (160), and George Shultz (189) all finished atop the medals podium. Belle Vernon’s Logan Hoffman won the section title at 172 pounds.
Latrobe’s Luke Willochell (106), Vinny Kilkeary (120), and Jack Pletcher (152), Thomas Jefferson’s Maddox Shaw (126) and Brian Finnerty (215), and Hempfield’s Brair Priest (138) and Lucas Kapusta (145) also won section crowns.
The Falcons’ Lonzy Vielma (138), Albert Gallatin’s James Standish (172) and Shawn Loring (285), and Belle Vernon’s Cole Weightman (215) lost in the championship bout.
Jacob Layton (120), Gabriel Ruggieri (126), and Chad Jesko (145) finished third for Connellsville. Belle Vernon’s Kole Doppelheuer won the bronze medal at 138 pounds.
The Colonials’ Landon Conroy (152) and Belle Vernon’s Luke Bryer (189), and Connellsville’s Dennis Nichelson (215) and Tyler Gallis (285) placed fourth.
Belle Vernon’s Austin Hoffman (160) and Albert Gallatin’s Richard Cartwright (189) and Logan Nalepka (126) extended their seasons with a fifth-place finish.
Albert Gallatin’s Bailey Holbert (138) and Phil Dennis (145) and Connellsville’s Nicholas Rohal (172) made the medals stand, but did not advance to the WPIAL championship, in sixth place.
Ringgold had six wrestlers medal in the Section 4-AAA tournament and secure berths into the WPIAL championship.
The Rams’ Dante Compagni won the bronze medal at 285 pounds. Jack Duncan (126), Jake Conroy (189), and Brayden Wilcher (215) placed fourth.
Nico Bove finished fifth at 113 pounds, as did Noah Mimidis at 120 pounds, to secure a berth into the district tournament.