Waynesburg rules roost in Subsection 4A
By Joe Tuscano/Staff writer/jtuscano@observer-reporter.com
Joe Simon of Waynesburg works for backpoints on James Anderson of South Fayette in their 113-pound bout Wednnesday.
Joe Tuscano/Observer-Reporter
Blake Reihner, left, is coming off a 35-win season.
Joe Tuscano/Observer-Reporter
Ky Szewczyk of Waynesburg (front) tries to control Andrew Binni of Canon-McMillan during their 106-pound match.
CANONSBURG – It’s a long way from New Orleans to Waynesburg, but Joe Simon was more than willing to make the trip if it meant he got to wrestle with his friend, Wyatt Henson.
The freshman from Waynesburg, who did mostly club matches in Louisiana, followed Henson on the web during the then-junior’s quest for a PIAA gold medal.
He attended wrestling camps in Texas that were worked Henson’s father, who previously was the head wrestling coach at West Virginia.
With Simon and Henson in the lineup, Waynesburg is almost untouchable in the team tournament. They aren’t too bad in the individual postseason.
Simon and Henson led a strong showing by the Raiders in Subsection 4A Tournament held at Canon-McMillan High School Wednesday night.
Simon won both bouts scheduled in the weight class, 9-0 over James Anderson of South Fayette and a 15-0 technical fall over Brady Joling of Chartiers Valley.
“I wrestled pretty good,” said Simon, who ran his record to 17-3. “I’m pretty happy.”
Simon said he chose Waynesburg because Henson was there.
“Louisiana wasn’t enough for me so I had to get out of there,” said Simon. “We’re good friends with the Hensons. Started training with Sammie (Wyatt’s dad) and he recommended I come up here and wrestle with Wyatt. That’s how it happened.
“I like Waynesburg and I like the team. They are all good people.”
Waynesburg head coach Joe Throckmorton said Simon is a good wrestler to have in the room.
“He’s a good workout partner for Ky and Mac and Zander,” said Throckmorton. “He’s a really good kid, smart. I have a lot of smart kids on the team. As good as they are wrestling, they’re just as good in academics. Their SAT scores are high.”
The bout that brought the most eyes to the mat came at 126 pounds, where Trinity’s Blake Reihner stopped Zander Phatorus of Waynesburg in the final overtime, 3-1.
Regulation ended 1-1 and so did the first three overtimes. Reihner ended it when he reversed Phaturos with less than five seconds to go. That broought the season series to Reihner’s favor, 2-1.
“Defintely, it wasn’t easy. I had to keep going all the time,” said Reihner, only a freshman. “I’ll see him again for sure. I knew he was going to come hard at my head, snap me and try to move me. I was able to defend it. I just have to keep going.”
Waynesburg had nine champions and advanced 12. Including Simon, the other champions were Mac Church (120), Colten Stoneking (132), Henson (145), Rocco Welsh (152), Nate Stephenson (160), Luca Augustine (172), Eli Makel (189) and Ryan Howard (Hvy).
Canon-McMillan’s Andrew Binni (106) and Tyler Rohaley (215) took first place in their respective weight class and Dylan Evans of Chartiers Valley, who won a thrilling 9-4 decision over Cole Homet of Waynesburg at 138; and Reihner rounded out the list.
The top two wrestlers in each weight class advance to the WPIAL Class AAA Individual Championships at Canon-McMillan.
The tournament used a round robin format to determine the top two place finishers in each weight class.
The number of rounds was determined by the number of wrestlers weighed into that weight class.
For example, if only two wrestlers weigh in at a weight class, then only one round is needed to determine the qualifiers. if all six wrestlers enter the weight, then more rounds are needed.
6 advance for PT
Six wrestlers advanced for Peters Township out of the Subsection B of Section 4.
Four of them – Jackson Spiteri (12), Chris Cibone (126), Eliot SChratz (132) and Phillip Nave (189) – did so as champions.
Ringgold advanced two. Brayden Wilcher was first at 215 and Jack Duncan was second at 120.