Reality bites: Connellsville holds off Peters Twp., wins section
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Peters Township’s Jeff Markert steadies himself as he wrestles Belle Vernon’s Mason Nicholson during a 195-pound bout at the Section 2 Team Tournament at Peters Township High School Wednesday night. Markert’s 10-6 decision helped Peters Township dispatch Belle Vernon, 41-32, in a semifinal match.
Eleanor Bailey
Donovan McMillon picks up back points on his way to a technical fall against Ian Maloney. The 15-0 win at the 3:44 mark in the 132-pound bout helped Peters Township defeat Belle Vernon, 41-32, Wednesday night.
Jeff Markert points to the marks on his arm to his coach Jeff Carpetta and the official after he was bitten by Jared Ozias in 182-pound action in the section championship match. Despite having three points deductive from its score for a flagrant team foul, Connellsville won the last bout by fall and defeated off Peters Township, 39-31, to win the section title.
Phil Mary ices Hayden Lundy to give Peters Township a 41-32 victory against Belle Vernon.
McMURRAY – Entering the final two bouts of the night, the opening for Peters Township High School’s wrestling team to make a late comeback and defeat fifth-ranked Connellsville was slim to none.
As Peters Township’s Jeff Markert walked onto the mat that all changed.
Makert took matters into his own hands as he raced out to an early advantage to take control of his bout against Connellsville’s Jared Ozias.
Unlike Markert, Ozias decided to use another body part to inflict damage.
With Markert holding a 15-1 lead in the third period and Ozias in a crossface, the Connellsville wrestler decided to go to a last resort with a bite to the right forearm of Markert.
“That’s a first,” Markert said. “I don’t know what he was doing because when I did the move on him he opened his mouth and just chomped right down. I don’t know if it was a panic or if he was doing it on purpose. It was a war.”
The flagrant – a nine-point swing in the favor of Peters Township with Markert being awarded a six-point win and Connellsville being docked three team points – cut the deficit to 33-31 entering the final bout.
Though Peters Township suddenly had a chance, Connellsville’s Nate Ansell earned a pin at the 1:50 mark to give the Falcons a 39-31 win the Class 3A Section 2 championship.
“Both matches the kids fought as a team,” PT coach Jason Carpetta said. “There was a lot of excitement in this gym and we haven’t had that for a while at Peters Township. The kids battled to the end. We needed (a bout) to go our way and needed an upset. If we were able to pull that off an upset off it could have been a different outcome.”
Upper St. Clair defeated Belle Vernon in the consolation match to finish in third place, while the Leopards finished fourth despite impressive performances from the limited wrestlers who were available because of injuries.
The Indians started strong against Connellsville with an opening pin at 220 from Shane O’Connell, a forfeit in the heavyweight match and another pin from Bryce Wilkes only 38 seconds into his bout to give them an 18-6 lead.
That’s when PT hit what Connellsville coach Jesse Swink calls “murderer’s row” in the Falcons’ lineup.
Dylan Keefer (120), Mason Franks (126) and Colin Franks (145) each earned pins, Dylan Ross (132) won by major decision, 18-10, and Josh Maruniak (138) was decisively victorious with a technical fall, 21-5, as Connellsville won six straight bouts to take a 36-18 lead.
“Those guys have been consistent all year,” Swink said. “They are the guys we can count on for points in every match.”
The late rally by Peters Township was ignited by 8-4 decision at 160 by Brandon Matthews and a 9-0 major decision from 170-pounder Luke Mary.
“You always want to win in your home gym,” said Carpetta. “We gave Connellsville a run. Last I checked, I thought Connellsville and Belle Vernon were two of the top six teams (in Class 3A). We beat one and gave the other a run for their money.”
The Indians advanced to the championship match after winning three of nine wrestled bouts to defeat Belle Vernon, 41-32. The Leopards forfeited five bouts because of injuries. No. 2-ranked Brock Godzin was among those who did not wrestle.
“It’s a tough night,” said Belle Vernon coach Mike Doppelheuer. “It’s deflating when you know you are giving up 30 points before the match even starts. It’s hard to overcome.”
Belle Vernon lost a close contest to Upper St. Clair, 34-33, in the third-place match.
In the Leopards’ two matches, they lost only six wrestled bouts.
“The guys that went out there put it on the line, and for the most part did well,” Doppelheuer said. “It’s tough to overcome when nine guys are wrestling and the other teams are weighing in 30 guys. They get the matches they want. We didn’t put really put any importance on this because we know we are going to have to beat one of the top-three teams anyway.”
Connellsville defeated Upper St. Clair 49-24 to advance to the championship.