Local wrestlers dominate WPIAL southern sectional
Bentworth produced three champions, while Mount Pleasant and Frazier both had a pair Saturday at the WPIAL Class AA Individual Wrestling South Sectional tournament held at Burgettstown.
The top six wrestlers from each sectional advance to the WPIAL championship.
The Bearcats’ Drake McClure eked out a 1-0 decision in the 114-pound title bout against Chartiers-Houston’s Jorden Williams. Chris Vargo won the 127-pound crown with a 5-1 decision over McGuffey’s Lucas Barr. Vitali Daniels secured a 13-1 major decision in the 189-pound final against Frazier’s Jackson Angelo.
Mount Pleasant’s Jamison Poklembo edged Bentworth’s Owen Ivcic, 5-4, in the 145-pound final. The Vikings’ Dayton Pitzer won a 4-0 decision over Burgettstown’s Joey Baronick in the 285-pound final.
Frazier’s Ryan Celaschi won a 1-0 decision over Jefferson-Morgan’s Chase Frameli in the 160-pound championship. The Commodores’ Rune Lawrence needed only 25 seconds to pin West Greene’s Colin Whyte for a victory in the 215-pound final.
Belle Vernon’s Elijah Brown was the 172-pound champion with a 3-0 win against Fort Cherry’s Braedon Welsh.
Beth-Center’s Mason Wright (121), Frazier’s Tyler Clark (133), Elizabeth Forward’s Lucas Boyer (139), and Damon Michaels (152) all finished second.
West Greene’s Noah Collins (114) and Seth Burns (133), Belle Vernon’s Giovanni Weightman (139) and Kole Doppelheuer (145), Mount Pleasant’s Greg Shaulis (152), Albert Gallatin’s Landon Conroy (160), Bentworth’s Brayden Taggart (172), Beth-Center’s Jacob Layhue (189), and Jefferson-Morgan’s Adam McAnany (215) won their third-place consolation bouts.
Albert Gallatin’s Julius Poole (107) and James Standish (215), Mount Pleasant’s Tristan Wtorkiewicz (127), Joseph Longhi (139), and Stephen Predajna (160), Southmoreland’s Shawn Hollis (152), and Jefferson-Morgan’s Mason Sisler (285) finished fourth.
Mount Pleasant’s Nick Stabile (107), Beth-Center’s Alex Medlen (114), Noah Layhue (172), and Malachi Peak (215), Jefferson-Morgan’s James Dulaney (121), Grant Hathway (152), and Brock Bayles (189), and Belle Vernon’s Perry Riggle (285) won their fifth-place consolation bouts.
Beth-Center’s Geoffrey Douglas (107), Yough’s Rocco Zugai (121), Frazier’s Chase Celaschi (127), Southmoreland’s Kaleb Kisow (139), Landon Delara (160), Ethan Kenney (172), Kaden Shannon (215), and Jacob Govern (285), West Greene’s Levi Yeater (145), and Belle Vernon’s Austin Hoffman (189) placed sixth.
Girls basketball
Neshannock 63, Brownsville 36 – The Lady Falcons held a 13-10 lead in the first quarter, but the Lady Lancers pulled ahead at halftime for a WPIAL Class AAA first-round playoff game victory.
Neshannock (16-7) led 24-18 at halftime and extended the advantage to 46-27 after three quarters.
Zhariah Reed and Skyler Gates both scored 12 points for Brownsville (12-10).
Neshannock’s Kaitlyn Fries finished with a game-high 17 points. Payton Newman added 13.
South Park 37, Mount Pleasant 21 – The Lady Eagles outscored Mount Pleasant in the second half, 23-8, for a WPIAL Class AAA first-round playoff game victory.
The Lady Vikings (14-8) trailed 14-13 at halftime.
Mount Pleasant’s Morgan Gesinski scored a game-high 11 points.
South Park’s Addy Kerr (8), Ella Clifford (7), Brooke Paylo (7), and Andrea Kuczma (7) combined for 29 points.
Women’s basketball
Waynesburg 91, Thiel 53 – The Yellow Jackets scored 20 or more points in each quarter for a victory in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference finale.
Waynesburg closes with a 5-15 conference record and overall mark of 6-19. The Tomcats slide to 0-20 in the PAC and 0-25 overall.
The Yellow Jackets’ Annika Dansby scored a game-high 22 points. Marley Wolf finished with 15 points.
Maddy Triskett finished with 12 points, and Kelsey Seddon and Lexy Wagner both scored 10.
Penn State DuBois 60, Penn State Fayette 59, OT – Penn State Fayette forced overtime and the home team won the extra period for a PSUAC victory.
Penn State Fayette led 28-26 at halftime, but lost the lead heading into the fourth quarter, 43-42.
Sophia Zalar scored 11 and Heaven Crumm added 10 for Penn State Fayette. Abby Bickerton grabbed 13 rebounds.
Rebecca Martin scored a game-high 17 points. Natalie Bowser had a double-double with 12 points and 15 rebounds. Frances Milliron also scored 12 points and Tara Learner pulled down 14 rebounds.
Men’s basketball
Waynesburg 69, Thiel 58 – The Yellow Jackets pulled away in the second half for a season-ending home victory in Presidents’ Athletic Conference action.
Waynesburg finishes 11-9 in the PAC and 14-11 overall. The Tomcats slip to 7-12 in the conference and 8-17 overall.
Antone Baker paced the Yellow Jackets with a game-high 20 points. Jaylen Davis scored 18 points and Bryson Wilt added 10.
Elijah Harden and Ethan Barnes both scored 16 points for Thiel.
Penn State DuBois 111, Penn State Fayette 76 – Penn State Beaver exploded with 69 points in the second half for a PSUAC home win.
Penn State DuBois led 42-30 at halftime.
Torian Jenkins led the way for Penn State Fayette with a game-high 28 points. Jahmere Richardson (15), Dasilas Jones (11), and William DeShields (12) also scored in double figures.
Jaiquil Johnson paced Penn State DuBois with 23 points. Nate Cornelius (12), Kyron Hardin (18), Ashton Fortson (12), Kaleb Pryor (10), Jordin Summers (11), and Beau Verdill (16) all scored in double digits.