Seven area wrestlers qualify for states
McGuffey's Christian Clutter controls Penn Cambria's Derek Brown during their semifinal bout in the 170-pound weight class on Saturday at the PIAA Class AA Southwest Regional Wrestling Tournament at Indiana University of Pennsylvania's Kovalchick Complex inside the Ed Fry Arena. Clutter won the bout, 3-1, to advance to the finals.
Jonathan Guth
Washington’s Gerald Comedy will miss the wrestling season because of injury.
Jonathan Guth/For the Observer-Reporter
McGuffey’s Christian Clutter wrestles Penn Cambria’s Derek Brown during their semifinal 170-pound bout Saturday.
INDIANA – No champions were crowned, but seven area wrestlers qualified for the state tournament after finishing in the top six on Saturday in the PIAA Class AA Southwest Regional Wrestling Championships at Indiana University’s Kovalchick Complex inside the Ed Fry Arena.
Bentworth’s Jon Vargo (195), Beth-Center’s Jimmy Gwyer (120), Burgettstown’s Riley (285) and Shane (145) Kemper, McGuffey’s Nate Yagle (113) and Christian Clutter (170) and Washington’s Gerald Comedy (285) will represent the WPIAL and Southwest Region at the Giant Center in Hershey on March 7-9.
Clutter (41-3, 160-26) dropped an 8-2 decision to Chestnut Ridge’s Jared McGill (36-0, 157-16) in the finals to finish second. Two of Clutter’s three setbacks this season have come against McGill.
“I think the difference between tonight and the first time we wrestled in the Powerade finals was that he was ready to wrestle and I wasn’t,” Clutter said. “I wrestled poorly this weekend, and that’s not taking anything away from Jared. He is a great wrestler and very competitive. I am a little bit upset with myself about how I came out.
“I have two weeks to recover and get ready for states. I still made it to states even though I didn’t wrestle that well this weekend. I need to have the right mindset and I am looking forward to states, and I know I can beat Jared if I wrestle him again at states. I will be working out with some AAA schools to get ready.”
Comedy (27-6) became the first Prexie since Sam Miller in 2008 to qualify for the state tournament after finishing fourth at 285.
“It is really nice to be able to represent my school at the state tournament for the first time since 2008,” Comedy said. “I knew it was going to be a tough one coming in, but I just had to take it one match at a time and try to win every match. I did a lot of running and conditioning for football in the offseason.”
Comedy has been working with Laurel Highlands graduate and California University football player Ian Edenfield. The Mustang graduate and Vulcan freshman placed twice in the state tournament and was in Comedy’s corner.
“It has been great working with Ian,” Comedy said. “He’s helped me improve on my feet. I am going to work on getting in better condition and I’ll be ready to go at Hershey.”
Gwyer (39-8, 108-59) will be making his second trip to states after finishing in fourth place. Gwyer suffered a 3-1 setback to Mount Pleasant’s Noah Teeter (35-11) in the third-place bout. He lost in the semifinals but wrestled back to qualify for the bronze-medal match. The senior advanced to Hershey as a sophomore but missed last year.
“I am pleased with how I have wrestled this weekend and I hope to do well in Hershey,” Gwyer said. “I think I started to focus on becoming a great wrestler after not doing so hot my freshman year. That’s what drove me to get better and bring up the guys around me.”
Gwyer is glad to have the two weeks before steps because he suffered a knee injury in his match with Teeter.
“I’m really not sure what is wrong with it,” Gwyer said. “I hit it off the mat. It’s strange and swelling up pretty bad. I have two weeks to rest up so that’s nice.”
Gwyer wants to win in Hershey and hopes he can finish his wrestling career on the medal stand at the Giant Center.
“I feel good about going to Hershey this time,” Gwyer said. “I’m glad I got the first time out of the way because I think it got to me how big the facility was. It was amazing, but I feel much better this time. I really hope I can medal. That would be great to cap off my career. I only have one more tournament left.”
In a rematch of last week’s WPIAL final, Shane Kemper (34-7) dropped a 4-2 decision to Quaker Valley’s John-Rocco Kazalas (37-3) to place fourth. Kemper, a sophomore, will be making his second trip to Hershey.
“Last week was the first time I wrestled him (Kazalas), and even though it wasn’t the outcome I was looking for, I thought I wrestled well tonight,” Kemper said. “I am looking forward to states. The goal is always to win, but if not, I want to place as high as I can. I am also excited to get the opportunity to go to states with my brother. It should be fun.”
Riley Kemper (35-8) earned a 15-8 decision over Marion Center’s Marvin Beatty to place fifth. Riley, a junior, will be making his first trip to Hershey.
“My brother and I have been to states together in youth wrestling so it just makes it right to be together in high school,” Riley Kemper said. “I lost in the blood round my freshman year here and was two and out last year, so it was more of a relief than a joy to qualify for states. I focused on weightlifting a lot in the offseason. I feel pretty confident heading into the state tournament.”
Vargo (26-6) wasn’t able to defend his regional crown from a year ago, but the senior wrestled back for fifth place after pinning Bellwood-Antis’ Trentin Whaley in 4:44.
“I am going to need to work on some things to get ready for states,” Vargo said.
Vargo, who attends Charleroi High School but wrestles for the Bearcats as part of a co-op, hopes to improve on last year’s fifth-place finish at states.
“I definitely want to improve on my finish this time at states,” Vargo said. “I have to work on getting to my single leg and attacks better. I have to be more offensive minded.”
Yagle (27-8) will be making his second trip to Hershey in as many seasons after placing sixth. Yagle earned an 11-2 major decision in the blood round to earn a berth in the state tournament.
“I dislocated my shoulder last year at this tournament, but was able to wrestle all the way back and qualify for states,” Yagle said. “I think I need to perfect my technique, go faster and harder and protect my defense when I wrestle at states.”