HERSHEY, Pa. – A pair of returningPIAA champions from District 9 started defense of their titles in grand fashion Thursday on the opening day of the PIAA wrestling championships at the Giant Center in Hershey, Pa.
(Photo of Brookville’s Colby Whitehill, who started defense of his 285-pounds Class 2A title with a pin in just 41 seconds Thursday. Photo by Kenn Staub)
In Class 2A, Colby Whitehill of Brookville began defense of his 285-pound title by pinning Evan Pellegrine of Bellwood Antis in just 41 seconds.
While in Class 3A, Ed Scott of DuBois, who won at 138 pounds a season ago, started his run through the 152-pound bracket with a pin of Grant Mackay of North Allegheny in just 57 seconds.
Nine wrestlers, including seven in Class 2A and two in Class 3A, joined Whitehill and Scott in the quarterfinals, which will take place Friday.
CLASS 2A QUARTERFINALISTS
106 pounds: Cayden Walters of Brookville won his opening bout, 3-1 in sudden victory, over Robert Gardner of South Williamsport.
113 pounds: Owen Reinsel of Brookville won his opening bout, 7-3, over Parker Davidson of Hamburg.
132 pounds: Anthony Glasl of Brockway won his opening bout, 13-3 major decision, over Amonn Ohl of St. Joseph’s Academy.
138 pounds: Zach Holland of Curwensville won his opening bout, 3-2, over Luke Gorg of Hughesville.
152 pounds: Aiden Zimmerman of Johnsonburg won his opening bout, 2-1, over Bryde Ender of Halifax
170 pounds: Teddy Race of Kane won his opening bout by fall at 7:12 over Brant Mason of Hamburg
220 pounds: Nathan Taylor of Brookville won his opening bout by fall at 2:20 of Robbie West of Fort Cherry
285 pounds: Colby Whitehill of Brookville won his opening bout by fall at 41 seconds over Evan Pellegrine of Bellwood Antis.
CLASS 3A QUARTERFINALISTS
132 pounds: Trenton Donahue of DuBois won his opening bout, 5-2, over Timothy Uhler of New Oxford.
138 pounds: Chandler Ho of DuBois won his opening bout, 3-1 in sudden victory, over Liam Strouse of Northern York.
152 pounds: Ed Scott of DuBois won his opening bout by fall at 57 seconds over Grant Mackay of North Allegheny.
STILL ALIVE IN WRESTLEBACKS
Eight Class 2A wrestlers are still alive in the consolation bracket. They are broken down by weight class.
113 pounds: Bryent Johnson of Port Allegany (from Smethport wrestling in a co-op) lost his opening bout, 6-3 in sudden victory, to Connor Brown of Littletown but rallied to beat AJ Slayton of Faith Christian by fall at 2:36 in the first round of the consolation bracket.
120 pounds: Brayden Kunselman of Brookville lost his opening bout, 14-1 major decision, to Gabe Strickland of Benton but rallied to beat Travis Riefenstahl of Saucon Valley in the first round of the consolation bracket.
126 pounds: Braedon Johnson of Port Allegany (from Smethport wrestling in a co-op) lost his opening bout by fall at 5:03 to Tyler Cymmerman of Derry but rallied to beat Damian George of Mount Pleasant, 5-0, in the first round of the consolation bracket.
145 pounds: Ethan Wiant of Redbank Valley lost his opening bout, 7-6, to Noah Korenoski of Westmont Hilltop. Wiant had a bye into the Round of 16, so his consolation-bracket run won’t start until Friday.
160 pounds: Noah Bash of Brockway won his opening bout by fall at 5:06 over Ty Csencsits of Saucon Valley but lost in the Round of 16 to Thayne Lawrence of Fraizer by fall at 1:37. Bash will start his consolation-bracket run Friday; Cole Casilio of Johnsonburg lost his opening bout, 7-1, to Hunter Weitoish of Philipsburg-Osceola but rallied to beat Csencsits by fall at 54 seconds in the first round of the consolation bracket.
182 pounds: Ethan Finch of Sheffield lost his opening bout to Patrick Cutchember of Quaker Valley by fall at 1:21 but rallied to beat Travis Colson of Hamburg, 7-0, in the first round of the consolation bracket.
195 pounds: Eric Johnson of Brockway lost his opening bout to Danny Lawrence of Mahanoy, 12-2, before rallying to beat Ethan Cain of Elizabeth-Forward by fall at 4:01 in the first round of the consolation bracket.
Two District 9 wrestlers are still alive in the consolation round of the Class 3A bracket.
152 pounds: Mark McGonigal of Clearfield won his opening bout, 10-4, over Colt Barley of Penn Manor before losing in the Round of 16, 18-4 major decision, to Cameron Robinson of Council Rock North. McGonigal will start his journey in the consolation bracket Friday.
285 pounds: Oliver Billotte of Clearfield lost his opening bout, 3-1, to William McChesney of Greensburg Salem but rallied to beat John Klewin of Bensalem by fall at 2:40 in the opening round of the consolation bracket.
ELIMINATED
Three District 9 Class 2A wrestlers were eliminated from the competition with a pair of losses Thursday. They are broken down by weight class.
138 pounds: Dalton Stahli of Johnsonburg lost his opening bout, 6-0, to Holden Garcia of Notre Dame-Green Pond and then lost to Luke Gorg of Hughesville, 7-0, in the opening round of the consolation bracket.
182 pounds: Cameron Whisner of Kane (an East Forest student wrestling as part of a co-op) lost his opening bout, 4-3, to Richard Feroce of Burrell and then lost to Nate Wickersham of Tamaqua, 6-5, in the opening round of the consolation bracket.
285 pounds: Kobe Bonanno of Redbank Valley lost his opening bout, 4-3, to Matthews Watkins of Tussey Mountain then lost to Jordan Schell of Girard, 7-1, in the opening round of the consolation bracket.
One District 9 Class 3A wrestler was eliminated with a pair of losses Thursday. It is broken down by weight class.
182 pounds: Garrett Starr of DuBois lost his opening bout, 3-2, to North Allegheny’s Nick Marcenelle and then lost in the first round of the consolation bracket by fall at 4:28 to Max Gourley of Gettysburg.
To view the championship brackets for Class 2A and Class 3A click on the classification.
