Falcons stay alive in state team tournament with win Friday morning

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Connellsville’s Lonzy Vielma uses a cross face against Cathedral Prep’s Robert Martucci during their bout in the 160-pound weight class Friday morning in the first round of the consolations in the PIAA Class 2A team dual meet championships at the Giant Center in Hershey. Vielma earned a 9-1 major decision and the Falcons advanced to the second round of consolations in a 43-14 victory.

Jonathan Guth

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Connellsville’s Lonzy Vielma shoots in for a takedown on Cathedral Prep’s Robert Martucci during their bout in the 160-pound weight class Friday morning in the first round of consolations in the PIAA Class 2A team dual meet championships at the Giant Center in Hershey. Vielma earned a 9-1 major decision and the Falcons advanced to the second round of consolations in a 43-14 victory.

Jonathan Guth

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HERSHEY – Connellsville had a good morning in rolling to a 43-14 victory over Cathedral Prep on Friday in the first round of consolations in the PIAA Class AAA team dual meet wrestling championships at the Giant Center.

The Falcons wrestled Council Rock South in the second round of consolations Friday evening. Connellsville had to win the dual meet to advance to Saturday’s action. The result of the match was not available at press time.

The Falcons (14-3) won five of the first six bouts and never looked back in keeping themselves for at least one more round.

“I thought we matched up pretty well with Cathedral Prep,” Connellsville coach Bill Swink. “We got bonus points early in the match. There are automatic pairings in this tournament, so some of the matches we will wrestle in may be tougher in the earlier rounds, but it is not supposed to be easy at this time of the year. Hopefully, the momentum we gained in this match can carry over to the next one.”

Tommy Gretz got Connellsville rolling out of the gate with an 11-2 major decision at 114 pounds and Zachary Franks’ 15-5 major decision pushed the Falcons’ lead to 8-0.

The Ramblers’ Keegan Oler won by decision, 6-0, but one team point was deducted after unsportsmanlike conduct was called on a member of the Cathedral Prep coaching staff.

Kai Vielma (133) and Julian Ruggieri (139) record back-to-back falls for a 20-2 advantage. Evan Petrovich (145) earned an 11-3 major decision, as Connellsville had a 24-2 lead with seven bouts remaining.

Brandon Byrd won by fall in 3:56 for Cathedral Prep (13-5) at 152, but Lonzy Vielma got the Falcons four points back with a 9-1 major decision at 160.

Teammate Nicholas Rohal’s 5-4 decision at 172 extended Connellsville’s advantage to 31-8 with four bouts left.

Cooper Lembo’s 4-2 decision at 189 clinched the dual meet for the Falcons.

The Ramblers’ Max Spaulding won by fall at 2:15.

Tyler Gallis’ fall at 285 and Nolan Rice’s 3-1 decision at 107 closed out the match.