Jan 28, 2024 3 min read

Bentworth had five wrestlers reach the podium, including one champion, in earning a fourth-place finish out of 44 teams in the Ultimate Warrior tournament that concluded Saturday evening at West Branch High School.

The Bearcats’ Chris Vargo continued his strong senior campaign with a 13-4 decision over Reynolds’ Logan Stewart in the finals at 127 pounds. Vargo is 25-2 this season with his two losses coming at the Powerade tournament to Ryan DeGeorge of Delbarton, N.J. and Manuel Saldate of SLAM Academy, Nev.

Vargo’s teammate Vitali Daniels came up short in the 189-pound final in an 8-0 major decision setback to Southern Columbia’s Garrett Garcia.

Bentworth’s Owen Ivcic (145) and Alex Rusilko (285) took fourth place. Bearcat freshman Drake McClure was sixth at 121.

Peters Township had four placewinners and one champion as freshman Nicholas McGarrity earned the gold at 107 following a 5-1 decision over Philipsburg-Osceola’s Caleb Hummel.

McGarrity remains undefeated at 31-0.

The Indians’ John Radnor placed fourth at 133. Chris Cibrone was seventh at 152 and Parker Nave finished eighth at 172.

Peters Township was ninth in the team standings.

The Bearcats and Indians will wrestle Wednesday in the WPIAL team tournament in their respective classifications.

Bentworth wrestles Highlands at 6 p.m. in the first round of the Class 2A tournament at Burrell, while Peters Township tangles with Fox Chapel in the first round of the Class 3A tournament at Connellsville. Both dual meets are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. The winners of the first round meet in the quarterfinals, and the four semifinalists in each classification head to Peters Township’s AHN Arena for the semifinals, finals and consolation finals on Feb. 3.

The top three teams in Class 3A qualify for the state team tournament, while Class 2A has four qualifiers.

Ford Bell Tournament:

McGuffey’s Lucas Barr and Trinity’s Blake Reihner won championships in the Ford Bell Tournament on Saturday at Grove City High School.

The Highlanders finished sixth in the team standings and the Hillers were eighth.

Barr earned gold at 127 by pinning Cranberry’s Elijah Brosius in 3:02 during the finals.

Reihner earned a 9-3 decision over Pine-Richland’s Dominic Ferraro for the title at 139.

McGuffey’s Tucker Main was third at 107. Teammates Emmett Wolfe (fifth at 121), Victor Bonus (6th at 145), Lane Ealy (7th at 114) and Dylan Droboj (8th at 215) reached the podium.

Trinity’s Dom Canali was the runner-up at 121. The Hillers’ Zane Garner (127) and Bodie Morgan (172) placed sixth.

The Highlanders return to action Wednesday in the Class 2A team tournament against Freedom in the first round. Trinity will host as the top seed in Class 3A against the winner of a preliminary dual meet between Kiski Area and Moon.

Fort Cherry had three wrestlers place in Anthony Salvini, Braedon Welsh and Louis Ryan.

Salvini was third at 189, while Welsh (172) and Ryan (285) were fourth.

Belle Vernon’s Elijah Brown and Perry Riggle finished third on the podium, as Brown wrestled at 172 and Riggle at 285. The Leopards’ Giovanni Weightman was sixth at 139 and teammate Austin Hoffman placed seventh at 189.

Thomas Automotive Wrestling Classic:

Beth-Center had three individuals finish in the top eighth in what is casually known as the “Bedford tournament.”

The Bulldogs’ Mason Wright placed third at 121. Teammate Jacob Layhue was fourth at 189 and Noah Layhue was fifth at 172.

Chartiers-Houston’s Jorden Williams won his first two matches by fall before having to default out of his semifinals match with Chestnut Ridge’s Easton Mull at 114. Williams had to medically forfeit out of his next two bouts to place sixth.

West Greene’s Colin Whyte finished in seventh place at 215.