Four local girls bring home silver from PIAA wrestling regional
CANONSBURG – Connellsville had two girls and Ringgold and Southmorelan one wrestler each advance to the final bout Saturday in the PIAA West Regional at Canon-McMillan, but all four settled for the silver medal.
The Lady Falcons’ Trinity Moore and Jayanah Nobles, Ringgold’s Anna Duncan and the Lady Scots’ Zoey Murphy, along with Connellsville’s Imani Cameron-Botti and Olivia Shultz, all earned a berth into the PIAA Championships.
The top four finishers advance to the state final.
Moore lost by fall at 3:14 in the 118-pound title bout to Butler’s Ana Malovich, a familiar foe.
“I wrestled her twice before,” said Moore, who placed fifth in the state last year. “I was actually kind of nervous. I felt a little better because I had wrestled her. I already knew what I was doing wrong. I knew not what to do, what I did before.
“My match was pretty good. I’m not as upset because I knew I did better.”
Nobles was defeated in the 136-pound final by a 10-2 major decision by Kiski Area’s Ava Golding.
Duncan, a freshman, was pinned by Moon’s Haley Smarsh in 2:47 in the final bout at 130 pounds.
“I wrestled way better than I did at WPIALs. I beat one of the girls I lost to,” explained Duncan. “I think I wrestled pretty good. As a freshman, to be a finalist, I’m proud of myself.
“I think my religion helped me a lot and I think I had a pretty good day.”
Duncan wasn’t the only member of her family to bring home a medal Saturday with her brother Jack placing eighth in Class AAA at 160 pounds.
“I have four brothers. They helped me out a lot. My brother got his 100th win today. I’m very proud of him,” said Duncan.
Looking forward to her first state final, Duncan added, “I want to get another medal, for sure, but I’m going to enjoy my experience. And, I’m very excited.”
Plum’s Alaina Claassen pinned Murphy in 3:21 in the 235-pound championship.
Shultz won the bronze medal at 170 pounds after she pinned Latrobe’s Rowen Lewis at 3:44.
Imani Cameron-Botti was pinned in 3:32 by Canon-McMillan’s Dynisty Williams in the 155-pound third-place consolation final.