Three District 9 Wrestlers Advance to PIAA Semifinals Friday Afternoon

HERSHEY, Pa. – Three District 9 wrestlers advanced to the PIAA semifinals – two in Class 2A and one in Class 3A – during action Friday afternoon at the Giant Center in Hershey, Pa.

(Photo of Kane’s Alec English. Photo by Jared Bakaysa of JB Graphics. See more of Bakaysa’s work here)

In Class 2A, Kane’s Alec English (160 pounds) and Brookville’s Colby Whitehill (285 pounds) secured themselves a place on the podium and will wrestle for spot in the championship bout starting at 7:30 p.m. Friday, while in Class 3A DuBois’ Ed Scott (138 pounds) moved into semifinal action Saturday morning.

English defeated Southern Columbia’s Cade Linn, 9-2, in the quarterfinals and will wrestle Matthew Arciuolo of Saucon Valley in the semifinals Friday night.

Whitehill won a 5-3 decision over Jalen Stephens of Meyersdale and will wrestle Lear Quinton of Southern Columbia in the semifinals Friday night.

Scott won a 5-4 decision from Antonio Petrucelli of Owen J. Robert in the quarterfinals and will face Devon Britton of Northampton in the semifinals, which get underway at 9 a.m. Saturday.

In Class 2A, two additional District 9 wrestlers – both from Brockway – also secured spots on the podium Friday afternoon and are hoping to advance to wrestle for as high as third place when they go back to the mat Friday night.

Anthony Glasl(126 pounds) has secured a medal spot despite dropping his first bout Thursday. He beat Joshua Tuckey of Biglerville, 3-1, then topped Greenville’s Bryce Knauff by fall at 4:22. He will wrestle Tyler Denochick of West Branch and could end up wrestling a second bout Friday night if he wins that one.

At 182 pounds, Garrett McClintick beat Nick James of Hamburg, 10-0, in the wrestlebacks and then secured a state medal by topping Palisades’ Adam Marsh, 5-2. He will wrestle Kaleb Kamerer of Slippery Rock Friday night and could end up wrestling a second bout Friday night if he wins that one.

Eliminated on Friday in Class 2A were Brookville’s Owen Reinsel (106 pounds), Mark Palmer of Brockway (106 pounds), Braedon Johnson of Port Allegany (120 pounds), Noah Blakenville of Kane (138 pounds), Cameron Whisner of Kane (170 pounds), Ethan Finch of Sheffield (170 pounds), Teddy Race of Kane (1882 pounds) an Eli Ayers of Coudersport (195 pounds).

Reinsel fell in the quarterfinals to Joey Fischer of South Park, 5-3, then lost 10-0 major decision to Gary Steen of Reynolds in the consolation round to end his season at 33-6

Palmer fell in his first consolation bout Friday to Suds Dubler of Glendale by fall (1:27) and ended his season at 33-12.

Johnson lost in the quarterfinals by technical fall (15-0, 3:10) to Ryan Crookham of Notre Dame-Green Pond then lost to Baylor Shunk of Penns Valley, 10-1, to end his season at 34-4.

Blankenship dropped his first consolation bout to Thomas Spirk of Saucon Valley, 11-1, to finish his season at 29-9.

Whisner won his first consolation bout Friday by beating Huntingdon’s Myles Banney, 10-2, but then lost to Isaiah DeJesus of Notre Dame-Green Pond by fall (1:58) to end his season at 31-11.

Finch won a 1-0 decision over Ethan Gush of Muncy in the consolation round before losing to Tyler Fisher of Kutztown, 3-2, to finish his season 31-11.

Race beat Mike Kustanbauter of Muncy, 3-2, in the consolation round before losing to Hunter O’Conner of Jersey Shore, 5-3, to finish his season 24-8.

Ayers beat Damon Lemin of Tussey Mountain, 8-1, in the consolation round before losing a heartbreaking, 1-0, decision to Gable Crebs of Montoursville to finish his season 33-7.

In Class 3A, wrestling was still underway in the consolation rounds as of 5 p.m. with DuBois’ Trenten Donahue (126 pounds), St. Marys’ Tyler Dilley (132 pounds), Bradford’s Dillon Keane (170 pounds) and Cranberry’s Brayden Crocker still alive at the time of publication.

Donahue beat Corey Celenza of West Chester East, 5-2, in his first consolation bout of the day and is facing Carlisle’s Rafael Portilla next.

Dilley lost his quarterfinal match to North Hill’s Sam Hillegas and is set to face Nike Twell of Mechanicsburg.

Keane topped West Chester East’s Andrew DiBernardo, 6-0, in his first consolation bout Friday and is facing Caden Wright of Emmaus next.

Crocker lost in the quarterfinals to Damen Moyer of Bethlehem Liberty by fall (4:10) and was set to face Luke Montgomery of Bethel Park in the consolation round.

DuBois’ Dalton Woodrow (145 pounds) was eliminated Friday when he lost to Tanner Rohaley of Cannon-McMillan, 4-2, in the consolation round to finish his season at 33-6.