Canon-McMillan falls in quarterfinals, can still finish third
Joe Tuscano/Observer-Reporter
Kenny Hayman of Canon-McMillan has Andrew Stark of Erie Cathedral Prep in pain during their 132-pound bout in the quarterfinals of the PIAA Class AAA Team Tournament Friday at the Giant Center in Hershey. Hayman won a 5-4 decision.
Jimmy Baxter of Canon-McMillan controls Jacob Brunell during their 106-pound bout in the quarterfinals of the PIAA Class AAA Team Tournament Friday at the Giant Center in Hershey. Baxter won a 16-7 major decision.
Joe Tuscano/Observer-Reporter
Zach Rohaley of Canon-McMillan turns Zeke Torres of Cedar Cliff before pinning him in 31 seconds into their 220-pound bout in the consolation round of the PIAA Class AAA Team Tournament Friday in Hershey. C-M won the match, 59-9.
HERSHEY – For the sake of Canon-McMillan’s wrestling team, someone should have recorded Jeff Havelka’s locker room speech after Friday afternoon’s devastating loss to Erie Cathedral Prep in the Giant Center.
It must have impacted the Big Macs.
That 40-18 loss to Cathedral Prep ended any hope Canon-McMillan had of winning a PIAA Class AAA Team Title.
But in a tournament with consolation rounds, third place is still in play for the Big Macs after they went on a pinning spree that produced an impressive 59-9 rout of Cedar Cliff in the second round of consolations.
The Big Macs advanced to the third round of consolations this morning against Central Dauphin at 9 a.m. Nazareth wrestles Council Rock South in the other consolation match.
Consolation semifinals are at 11 a.m. and consolation finals for third place take place at 1 p.m.
“I just told them forget about the past and concentrate on what’s in front of you,” said Havelka, C-M’s first-year coach. “I just think they did what we asked them to do: shake it off and get ready for the next match. In tough tournaments like this, that’s what you have to do.”
Canon-McMillan erupted for nine straight wins against Cedar Cliff, including four consecutive falls in under two minutes for a 47-0 lead.
Tim Hritsko began the run at 138 pounds, where he pinned Jeremie Prograis in 1:43. Tanner Rohaley (145) followed with a pin of Marques Vassar in 1:15. Dimitri Pihiou (152) stuck Alex Hatok in 1:37 and Gerrit Nijenhuis capped the run of pins when he put Isaiah Aumon on his back in 1:58 in the 160-pound bout.
Michael Binni began the match for the Big Macs with a pin in 43 seconds at 113 pounds. Zach Rohaley had the final pin of the dual meet when he earned a fall in 31 seconds.
Canon-McMillan heavyweight Gio Ramos was on the mat for a longer period of time than all the pins combined. Ramos needed eight minutes of regulation and overtime to win a 2-1 decision over Anthony Shires.
“They were messing with me a little bit for being out there so long,” Ramos said of his teammates’ playful kidding. “We have to just keep on fighting if we want to get third.”
The end to the Cathedral Prep match was quick and painful for the Big Macs.
The Ramblers, the District 10 champion, wiped out an 18-7 C-M lead by winning the final seven bouts, the final three by fall, and scoring the last 33 points.
“They are a solid team, top to bottom, so give credit to them,” said Havelka. “All we could do is respond.”
Luigi Yates pinned Patrick Reidenbaugh in 1:04 at 182, Dorian Crosby pinned Alec Hendal in 5:06 and Kareem Crosby stuck Zach Rohaley in 5:28 to make it 34-18.
In the most intruiging bout of the dual meet, Carter Starocci, a two-time placewinner and one-time runner-up in the state tournament, won a 3-1 decision from Gerrit Nijenhuis, a third-place finisher in Hershey last year.
Starocci made a second-period takedown stand for the winning margin.
Canon-McMillan, the District 7 runner-up, built the 18-7 early lead with some clutch performances.
Jimmy Baxter won a 16-7 major decision to start the match at 106; Logan Macri won a 17-6 major decision at 126 and Tim Hritsko gave C-M a third major decision after an 11-1 win over Marques McClorn. Tanner Rohaley’s 10-4 victory over Kishawn Higgins at 145 made it 18-7.