Feb 16, 2020 4 min read

SPECIAL TO THE BULLETIN

CANONSBURG — Tyler Zifmmerman is hoping to make a clothing donation at the end of the season.

No, not to the Salvation Army, but to the Derry Area wrestling program.

This donation can only be made under certain circumstances.

He hast to become a PIAA wrestling champion.

Then his singlet can be mounted on a glass picture frame and given its rightful spot among the five others hanging in the Trojans’ wrestling room.

Cymmerman took another step toward that goal Saturday when he won a 5-1 decision over Damian George of Mt. Pleasant in the 126-pound finals of the WPIAL Class AA Championships held a Canon-McMillan High School.

“I would love to add another one,” said Cymmerman. “That’s my goal this year.”

The top seven wrestlers in each weight class advanced to the PIAA Southwest Region tournament this weekend at Indiana University.

Derry Area has three qualifiers. Besides Cymmerman, the Trojans advanced Colton McCallen (120) and Brayden Mickinac (195), who each had seventh-place finishes in their respective weight class.

Cymmerman’s win over George was the second in as many nights. He defeated the Vikings senior Friday evening to win the section title. The second win also put Cymmerman in an elite class of wrestlers who have won three WPIAL championships.

Cymmerman can reach an even more elite status next season if he becomes a four-time WPIAL champion.

Frazier’s Thayne Lawrence managed to do that Saturday night after defeating Ethan Barr and McGuffey, 9-0, in the 160-pound final. The last four-time champion in the WPIAL was Gavin Teasdale of Jefferson-Morgan, who accomplish the feat two seasons ago.

“Yeah, I have thought about four,” said Cymmerman. “I want to take it one match at a time. It would be wonderful to do that.”

Cymmerman entered the weight class as the top seed and had very little resistance until the George match, his closest of the tournament.

“I’m more motivated this year. It just clicked in my head,” said Cymmerman. “I can be better than everyone and that’s what I’m trying to do.”

Derry Area head coach Mike Weinell was responsible for coming up with the idea of hanging the five singlets of the school’s state champions in the workout room. He thought it would be a great idea to motivate wrestlers.

“I wanted to decorate the room so I put up pictures of different kids doing different things,” he said. “It’s tradition, history. It’s something to look forward to, something to work for. I want the younger kids to see it, too, and think this is what you wrestle for.”

The five that are hanging in the workout room belong to Mike May, Troy Dolan, Travis Shaffer, Jimmy Gulibon and Micky Phillippi.

Cymmerman opened the tournament with a pin of Aidan Pearce of Laurel and followed it up with a 15-0 technical fall over Evan Henry of Highlands. Against George, Cymmerman built a 5-0 lead after two periods and only allowed an escape in the final two minutes before the final buzzer sounded.

McCallen won his first bout by fall over Austin Orndoff of West Greene then was sent to the consolation bracket after 9-3 loss to Ambrose Boni of Valley. McCallen battled through the bracket and placed seventh with a 2-0 decision of Ryan Mchirella of Avonworth.

“I was really nervous going into the match,” said McCallen. “It was my senior year and I might not be going on to the regionals. This is my first time to regionals.”

Mickinac pinned his first-round opponent, Adam Ware of Hopewell, in 4:52. But he was sent to the consolation round after falling to the eventual champion Garrett Boone of McGuffey. Mickinac did not have to wrestle for seventh place because Jimmy Happ of Freedom was forced to default before the match.

Besides George, Mt. Pleasant advanced Luke Geibig (2nd, 113), Noah Gnibus (4th, 138), Patrick Brewster (6th, 160) and Kyle Jones (7th, 152).