Bearcats’ Vargo named OW at TriCADA
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Jonathan Guth | Observer-Reporter
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CANONSBURG – It is safe to say Chris Vargo had a pretty good weekend in the TriCADA wrestling tournament on Friday and Saturday at Canon-McMillan High School.
The Charleroi senior who wrestles for Bentworth as part of a co-op not only avenged last year’s loss to Canon-McMillan’s Andrew Binni in the finals at 127 pounds but was selected as the tournament’s “Outstanding Wrestler” when action concluded early Saturday evening.
Vargo dropped a 2-0 decision to Binni in last year’s TriCADA finals at 127 but edged the Naval Academy recruit, 5-4, in double overtime, to win this year’s individual title at the tournament that encompasses teams from Fayette, Greene and Washington counties.
After a scoreless first period, Binni escaped and scored a takedown towards the end of the second period for a 3-0 lead. Vargo escaped 19 seconds into the third and scored a takedown with 42 seconds left before riding Binni out the rest of the frame.
Neither wrestler scored in sudden victory before Vargo scored a reversal with 17 seconds left in the first 30-second rideout for a 5-3 advantage.
Binni escaped to cut the deficit to one with 21 seconds remaining in the second 30-second rideout but Vargo hung on for the title.
Vargo knew securing the reversal in the first rideout was key in being able to earn the win.
“If I didn’t get that two (on the reversal) we would have been going to the ultimate rideout,” Vargo said. “He (Binni) is a great wrestler and a great kid, who is always respectful to me. It is always a pleasure going out and wrestling against him. We were both state runner-ups in our respective classes and I think our match was definitely the most competitive in the finals.”
Vargo, who will continue his academic and wrestling careers next season at Edinboro, enjoyed the opportunity to watch his future college teammates wrestle on Saturday.
Current teammate Vitali Daniels, who won the championship at 189 with a 15-0 technical fall in 4:46, will travel north, as will Burgettstown’s Parker Sentipal and Gaven Suica, who had strong tournaments with Sentipal winning the title at 133 for his third overall and Suica placing second at 139.
Vargo is also excited for the promise of the Bearcats as a team. Bentworth is 4-0 in section and overall action, and finished third in the team standings at TriCADA.
“We love being a dark horse and we love being able to shock some people,” Vargo said. “It was also great being able to enjoy this tournament with my future teammates. We are excited for the class of 2024 that is going to Edinboro.”
Vargo defeated South Fayette’s Jonny Baiano, 6-0, in the semifinals. Baiano was a returning champion from last season.
The Bearcats’ Owen Ivcic, like Vargo, won a championship in double overtime, as he edged Trinity’s TJ Allison, 2-1, for the title at 145.