‘Awesome’ Burrell blasts Burgettstown, on to wrestling finals
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IRWIN – Burgettstown High School’s wrestling team found out Friday night what it probably knew all along.
Burrell did not win the last seven WPIAL Class AA Team Tournament titles because the wrestlers looked good in their singlets.
The Bucs have a powerful lineup and unleashed it against the Blue Devils, taking all but one bout in a 66-6 victory at Norwin High School.
The win raised Burrell’s record to 11-3 and sent the Bucs into today’s 4 p.m. finals against the winner of the match between Jefferson-Morgan and South Fayette. The win also qualified the Bucs for the PIAA Team tournament.
“Burrell is awesome,” said Terry Havelka, Burgettstown’s head coach. “I have a tremendous amount of respect for them. To keep a Double-A school on top, even with coaching changes, is impressive. Their engine just doesn’t seem to run out of gas.
Burgettstown fell to 14-2.
“I just told our kids to go out there and give 100 percent,” said Havelka. “We earned our way here. No one pulled our name out of hat to get here.”
Burrell bolted to an 18-0 lead and never looked back. Corey Arabia opened the dual meet by pinning Brandon Hucik in 1:10. Burgettstown then forfeited to Alan Beattie at heavyweight and Dean Edwards at 106.
Austin McDermitt (31-2) got Burgettstown on the board when he pinned Dillon Jeffrey. It would be the only win of the dual meet for the Blue Devils.
“We didn’t really have any many moves to make,” Havelka said. “We knew we were coming in here outgunned.”
Jason Roberts (120), Corey Falleroni (145), Steven Edwards (152), Robert Scherer (220) and Corey Arabia (220) had pins for Burrell.
“What I learned from past coaches is that if it’s not broke, don’t fix it,” said Burrell first-year head coach Josh Shields. “My job is to get their minds right. Our goal was to make this a statement match. How we wrestled (Friday) is how we want them to wrestle (tonight). Jeff-Morgan or South Fayette, our guys are excited to be to wrestle whoever it is.”
Burgettstown will wrestle the loser of the Jefferson-Morgan-South Fayette match for third place and a spot in the PIAA Team Tournament.
“Burrell is well-coached and in great condition,” Havelka said. “They have a classy group of kids. They do their job and come over and shake your hands at the end. I wish them luck.”