Macri, Nijenhuis lead charge to AAA semifinals
Joe Tuscano/Observer-Reporter
Logan Macri of Canon-McMillan tries to break the grip of Rafael Portilla of Carlisle on a restart in the 120-pound quarterfinals of the PIAA Class AAA Championships in Hershey Friday.
By Joe Tuscano/Staff writer/jtuscano@observer-reporter.com
Wyatt Henson of Waynesburg tries to hold down Doug Zapff of Downingtown west in the 126-pound quarterfinals of the PIAA Class AAA Championships in Hershey Friday. Zapf won 3-1 in overtime.
HERSHEY – Logan Macri gets a chance at revenge and Gerrit Nijenhuis barely broke a sweat on the wrestling mat Friday.
The Canon-McMillan teammates each made their way into today’s 9 a.m., semifinals of the PIAA Class AAA Wrestling Championships at the Giant Center in Hershey.
They will be joined there by the dynamic duo from Belle Vernon – Zach Hartman (160) and Scott Joll (170).
These four are each one win away from earning a spot in the finals, which get underway at 7 p.m. today.
The top eight wrestlers in each weight class earn a medal.
Macri, a 126-pound senior, was a takedown machine against Rafael Portilla of Carlisle. Macri gets Sean Pierson of Nazareth in the semifinals with the chance to avenge a 2-1 loss suffered to Pierson at the season-opening Cumberland Valley Tournament.
Macri registered 10 takedowns, a two-point nearfall and an escape to produce a 23-8 technical fall over Portilla.
“I’m wrestling the best I’ve wrestled all year,” said Macri. “I took out some of the bad stuff with my wrestling. I stick to what got me here. I focused on my fundamentals, trying to get those right.”
Pierson entered the tournament as the Northeast champion and has a 45-6 record.
Nijenhuis made quick work of Ethan Baney of South Western, pinning him in 1:16 in the 160 quarterfinals to move his record to 42-5.
“I wanted to get done with today and focus on my next opponent,” said Nijenhuis. “I just went out and wrestled the way I wrestle. If I do that, there’s not too many people who can beat me.”
Nijenhuis will take on undefeated Carter Starocci of Erie Cathedral Prep, a Northwest champion with a 44-0 record.
Hartman, who defeated Nijenhuis in last week’s WPIAL Championships, shut out Caden Wright of Emmaus, 6-0, scoring two points in each of the three periods.
Hartman wrestles Luke Stout of Mt. Lebanon in the semifinals. The two did not wrestle each other last week.
Joll’s suffocating defense produced a 5-1 decision over Max Hale of Downingtown West in the 170 quarters. The only point Hale scored was an escape with seven seconds remaining.
“We had a couple opponents and I did better against them,” said Joll. “I just went in knowing if I wrestled my match, and don’t make many mistakes, I’m going to win.”
Joll will have a difficult final as defending state champion Trent Hidlay of Mifflin County waits. The senior Northwest champion has a 41-0 record.
Wyatt Henson of Waynesburg threw a scare into Doug Zapf, a state champion at 106 last year for Downingtown West. Henson and Zapf were tied 1-1 at the end of regulation in the 120-pound quarters and Henson had a good takedown opportunity early in the first OT.
But Zapf fought it off and got a takedown for a 3-1 decision. Henson rallied in the wrestlebacks and can medal as high as third place.
“I was pretty close but he grabbed my ankle,” said Henson. “I just didn’t get it.”
So can Caleb Morris of Waynesburg, who lost his 126-pound quarterfinal bout when he allowed a takedown with two seconds to go against Chris Wright of Central Dauphin.
Morris won his consolation bout, 4-0, over David Krokowski of Wyoming Valley West and can finish anywhere from eighth to third.
Another Waynesburg wrestler, Kyle Homet, lost a 3-1 decision to Luke Nichter if Chambersburg in a 170 quarterfinal bout, then was eliminated in the wrestlebacks.
Canon-McMillan’s Tim Hritsko was eliminated from the 138-pound wrestlebacks.