Carr caps high school career with Classic win
Mike Carr of South Fayette is caught up in the hold of Hunter Marko of Amery, Wisc., in the 145-pound bout in the Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic Saturday night at Pitt’s Fitzgerald Field House. Carr won a thrilling 1-0 decision over the four-time state champion to give the Pennsylvania team three bout points.
Joe Tuscano/Observer-Reporter Shaun Wilson of Waynesburg keeps hold of Evan Eldred of Westfield, Ind. during their 138-pound preliminary bout in the Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic Saturday night at Pitt's Fitzgerald Field House. Wilson helped the WPIAL team to a 27-18 win by beating Eldred, 8-4.
PITTSBURGH – It might have been the best two minutes of Mike Carr’s high school wrestling career.
Holding a one-point lead heading into the third period against Hunter Marko, a four-time state champion from Amery, Wisc., the senior from South Fayette High School twisted, turned and basically ground Marko into the wrestling mat in the final period to win the 145-pound bout, 1-0, in the Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic Saturday night at Pitt’s Fitzgerald Field House.
Carr’s win was not enough to save the Pennsylvania Team, which dropped its fifth consecutive match to the United States, 25-20. In the preliminary match, the WPIAL stopped Indiana, 27-18.
Carr capped his second consecutive undefeated season with the win over Marko and brought a roar from the approximately 3,000 fans.
“The last two minutes of my state finals match was all riding too,” said Carr, a two-time state champion with a school-record 160-15 record. “This was unbelievably satisfying for me. To cap my career with this win is sweet.”
Carr gave the Pennsylvania team a chance to win, taking the middle of three wins in a row to make it a 19-17 deficit, but Drew Hughes of Lowell, Ind., decisioned Jake Wentzel of South Park, 6-0, and Mark Hall II, considered by some the best scholastic wrestler in the country, had his hands full before stopping Austin Bell of Belle Vernon, 8-4, in the final bout of the dual match, 170.
Hall came in with a 277-4 record and six state titles and is on his way to Penn State next fall. Bell was 160-24 and finished third at 170 in Class AAA this season. Bell led 4-3 in the second period before surrendering two takedowns.
“I wrestled him as a freshman and I knew he was one of the best wrestlers in the world,” said Bell, a Pitt recruit. “I had nothing to lose so I just went after him.”
Mitchell McKee of St. Michael-Albertville, Minn., got the Turning Point of the Match award when he pinned Derry’s Micky Phillippi, a three-time PIAA champion, in 3:46 at 138 pounds
Six area wrestlers were on hand and three had wins for the WPIAL in a 27-18 victory over Indiana, the first win for the WPIAL in three seasons. The teams wrestled two periods of 2:30.
Mike McAleavey of Peters Township got a takedown early in the match and made it stand in a 2-1 victory over Sam Hipple of Carmel at 220. McAleavey, a PIAA Class AAA runner-up, brought a 93-43 record into the bout against Hipple, who was 99-17.
“I knew the odds were against me wrestling in this,” McAleavey said. “It’s an awesome event. I never heard his name before. I just went out and had fun.”
Shaun Wilson of Waynesburg looked strong in an 8-4 decision over Evan Eldred of Westfield at 138. Wilson, who was 128-33 at Waynesburg, finished fifth at the state Class AAA tournament. Eldred (153-21) was third in the Indiana state tournament.
“I didn’t think I would ever have a chance to compete in this and I was surprised when I was invited,” said Wilson. “When I placed at state, I was hoping I would get to wrestle here.”
Tony Welsh of Beth-Center had his bout with Drew Hughes of Lowell moved up to the second match so Hughes could also compete for the United States Team. Hughes replaced Thomas Bullard of Archer, Ga., who dropped out because of an injury. Hughes pinned Welsh in 1:03, and was named Outstanding Wrestler for that performance. Welsh came in with a 149-31 record and a third-place finish in the PIAA Class AA tournament.
Belle Vernon had three wrestlers competing for the WPIAL but only one – Mitchell Hartman at 160 – came away a winner. Hartman used a takedown in the final seconds to take a 2-1 decision from Cael McCormick of Yorktown.
“I’ve never been here before. This is the first time,” said Hartman (132-52). “I didn’t know (McCormick). I still don’t know his name.”
Belle Vernon’s Derek Verkleeren was not so fortunate. The 152-pound senior was pinned by Steven Lawrence of Portage in 4:29. Verkleeren came into the match with a 138-34 record and a fourth-place finish in the Class AAA state tournament; Lawrence was 122-20 and a state runner-up. Milton Kobaly also had a tough time, dropping a 10-5 decision to Blake Rypel of Indianapolis Cathedral at 182 pounds. Rypel, who was 173-7 and a two-time state champion, led 8-0 after the first period.
Ron Headlee, the head coach at Waynesburg University and former head coach at Jefferson-Morgan High School, was inducted into the Southwestern Pennsylvania Wrestling Hall of Fame during ceremonies between matches.