Lady Falcons send six to PIAA West Regional; Southmoreland’s Murphy is area’s lone individual champ
WEXFORD — No matter if it’s boys or girls, the Connellsville wrestling team will produce.
The evidence of that statement was on display Saturday afternoon at North Allegheny High School in the WPIAL Girls Wrestling Individual Championships.
The Lady Falcons had six medalists, and although team scores weren’t calculated, were most likely second behind Canon-McMillan, who had 10 place winners.
Connellsville didn’t crown any individual champions, as Janayah Nobles had the highest spot on the podium after finishing second at 136 pounds, but assistant coach Jeremiah Bossart was pleased with what the team has accomplished, not only this season but since girls has started to take hold after being sanctioned by the PIAA last year.
“We are usually neck-and-neck with Canon-McMillan,” Bossart said. “They are great competition and we have a great relationship. The boys teams have had a great rivalry over the years, and the girls teams have already started to develop that rivalry, which is great. Also, when we see each other at tournaments outside of the WPIAL, unless we are wrestling them at the time, we will cheer for Canon-Mac.”
Bill Swink is the coach for the boys and girls teams at Connellsville, but when the both squads are competing at the same time, he will defer to Bossart and his other assistants. Bossart was named the assistant coach of the year prior to the finals, which took him by surprise.
“It was definitely unexpected,” said Bossart in regards to winning the assistant coach of the year award. “They were asking what my name was, and I had no idea why. I thought it was about an email. All of sudden I’m cheering for the other people, and then they bring me out for the award, which is very special.”
While the Lady Falcons had the best results as a team, Southmoreland’s Zoey Murphy was the lone local champion following a pin in 42 seconds over Woodland Hills’ Brooklyn Pearson in the final at 235.
Murphy didn’t spend too much time on the mat in her three bouts, as she won all with first-period falls in a total time of 2:07 for her first WPIAL title. She is the first girls district champion in program history.
“I was second last year, so I had to get one step higher on the podium this season,” Murphy said. “It feels really good because I haven’t gotten first in so long. I had been second a lot.”
The coaching staff at Southmoreland has begged Murphy to stay away from headlocks, but she still used one in the finals, however, she understands why she is urged to stay away from the move.
“They want me to stay away from headlocks and work on other techniques,” Murphy said. “Plus, you can get underneath if a headlock doesn’t work. I went for it first and decided at the last second not to attempt it that time, but I still ended up using it.”
Murphy improved to 15-1 this season. Her only loss was to Bedford’s Mylah Steinbuch in the quarterfinals at Powerade. Murphy, a junior, advanced to the state tournament last year.
“I tend to rush things in my matches, so I need to slow it down a little bit and work to get into the second period and beyond,” Murphy said.
Nobles’ quest for a WPIAL gold was denied by Kiski Area’s Ava Golding in double overtime.
Golding has won all 10 bouts between the two during their careers, but Nobles continues to get closer, and hopes she will get over the hump as the two will probably meet at least one more time this season, which will be the final time in her high school career for Nobles, who is a senior.
After wrestling each other nine times before the final, Nobles and Golding had a slow first period where no significant shot attempts were taken, which led to a scoreless two minutes.
Escapes were traded in the second and third periods to send the match into sudden victory tied at 1-1. A scoreless minute of action on their feet sent the match to the two 30-second rideouts.
Golding rode out Nobles for the first 30 seconds before escaping with 12 seconds left in the second. Nobles attempted a desperation shot near the buzzer, which Golding sprawled on and scored for a 5-1 decision.
“It has been tough going against her and coming up short, but maybe I can get to her one of these days,” Nobles said. “I am proud of my teammates and how they did today. We have a great group of girls that have worked extremely hard.”
Bossart understood Nobles’ plight following the setback, but he tried to reassure her, and the rest of the team, that they have done a great deal in a short period of time, plus wearing the Connellsville singlet will get the best from other teams due to the reputation of the boys program.
“This is Janayah’s third year of wrestling, and we are coming up against eight to 10-year plus studs,” Bossart said. “Some of these girls have been wrestling forever, and to have a target on your back and to be able to wrestle the way you do in your third year, nothing but exceptional, and I couldn’t be prouder. At first, she does get down, but I remind her of that fact. I also remind her of the school she wrestles for and the target that comes with it.”
The Lady Falcons’ Trinity Moore won by fall at 112 to finish in third place. Teammates Imani Cameron-Botti (155) and Olivia Shultz (170) were fifth, and Julieth Flores (100) and Emma Petrovich (130) also reached the podium and advanced to the west regional after finishing sixth.
The Lady Scotties’ Rylee Mains advanced to the regional tournament after taking third at 106. Teammate Taylor Chambers was sixth at 112.
Albert Gallatin’s Jenna Chapman earned an 11-4 decision for fifth place at 190.
Brownsville’s Lexi Lewandowsky was 2-2 at 148 but didn’t reach the podium.