Feb 2, 2019 3 min read

IRWIN – Canon-McMillan and Kiski met in the WPIAL Class AAA Team Tournament for the third consecutive year.

This time, it was in Saturday’s semifinals at Norwin High School, but the results were the same.

Kiski (15-0), the top seed and two-time defending champion, recorded a 45-26 win over the No. 4-seed Big Macs (10-3) in the semifinals, then posted a 49-17 win over No. 2 seed Seneca Valley (13-3) in the championship match.

The previous two years, Canon-McMillan lost to Kiski in the title match.

“It’s disappointing to lose to Kiski again,” Canon-McMillan coach Jeff Havelka said. “But I’m very proud of how our kids performed.”

Canon-McMillan built a 14-6 lead over Kiski with wins in four of the first five bouts. The match opened at 195 with Gerrit Nijenhuis recording a 12-7 win over Brayden Roskosky. Kiski responded with a pin by Troy Kuhn over Alec Hendal at 220.

Giomar Ramos, Jacob Houpt, and Jimmy Baxter followed with victories. Ramos posted a 5-2 win over Stone Joseph at heavyweight. Houpt recorded a 10-2 major decision over Antonio Giordano at 106. Baxter registered a 12-4 at 113 over Julian Jones.

At that point, the Big Macs suffered a huge loss. Jacob Gardner suffered a severe ankle injury at the end of the second period in his 120-pound bout with Dom Giordano. Gardner, who was leading 2-1 at the time, was forced to default. He was taken to the hospital for x-rays and did not return for the second match.

“Jacob has a broken ankle,” Canon-McMillan coach Jeff Havelka said. “That really hurt because we were expecting to win that weight class. It was a nine-point swing.

“That’s the worst part of wrestling. Injuries happen. There’s nothing you can do about it. We are going to miss him the rest of the season.”

Things didn’t get any better for Canon-McMillan after the injury, as Kiski won six of the next eight bouts, including four via falls, to clinch the victory.

Waynesburg (10-3), the No. 6 seed, also was in the semifinals, but the Raiders didn’t fare much better in their match against Seneca Valley. The final score, 39-36, was deceiving as Seneca Valley built a 39-12 lead then forfeited the last four weight classes. Colton Stoneking recorded Waynesburg’s only pin at 126 pounds.

Canon-McMillan did secure a fourth consecutive PIAA berth with a 41-24 win over No. 6 seed Waynesburg in the consolation for third place.

Jimmy Baxter (113), Kenny Hayman (126), Tanner Rohaley (170), and Gerrit Nijenhuis (182) had pins for the Big Macs.

Three Waynesburg wrestlers recorded a technical fall – Cole Homet (120), Luca Augustine (152), and Colby Morris (160) – all by the same score of 23-8.

Kiski, Seneca Valley, and Canon-McMillan qualified for the PIAA Tournament, which begins Monday. The Big Macs will face City League champion Carrick on Monday in a pigtail match. The Cavaliers and Raiders have a bye until Thursday’s first round at Hershey.

“Once you get to Hershey, anything can happen there,” Havelka said. “I’ve seen teams that finish second or third in their district and find themselves knocking on the door at Hershey. We just have to wrestle hard and hope everything works itself out.”