CLEARFIELD — There’s a new team in charge in District 9 Class AA wrestling, with Brockway knocking five-time defending champion Brookville from the top of the podium in this weekend’s individual tournament.
Ten Rover wrestlers earned berths at next weekend’s PIAA Northwest Regional via placing in the top four at Clearfield High School, including three repeat champions. Anthony Glasl won his third D-9 gold, beating Curwensville’s three-time state qualifier Blake Passarelli in an overtime thriller, while teammates Garrett McClintick and Eric Johnson each earned his second. Brookville’s Colby Whitehill also duplicated last year’s title run, pinning his way to the heavyweight title to keep his perfect record intact.
While the Rovers outran the rest of the field, a pack of Wolves was nipping at their heels, as Kane claimed four individual titles and nine regional qualifiers on the way to second place.
Defending district champ/returning state qualifier Alec English and fellow seniors Noah Blankenship, Aiden Hulings and Ty Stalhi each concluded the D-9 portion of their careers with championship gold, helping the Wolves turn in their best finish since 1986, when Kane won the last of three consecutive titles.
Brookville fell to third place, just ahead of Allegheny Mountain League champion Port Allegany. The Gators sent five wrestlers to the finals, coming away with Braedon Johnson’s 126-pound title and runner-up finishes from Bryent Johnson, Reese Vollmer, Issac Smoker and Justin Young. Eli Petruzzi took third for Port, giving it a total of six regional qualifiers. All but Petruzzi advanced last year, with Vollmer, a senior, making his third trip to Sharon.
“The biggest thing we can build from is that we had four other kids lose in the blood round, so we real easily could’ve had 10 kids going,” Port coach B.J. Greenman said. “I think in the finals, I don’t want to say they wrestled flat, but I don’t think we wrestled as aggressive as we needed to. But I think all four losses can be turned around next weekend, and two of them have a good shot at being in the regional finals.
“If that happens, it’ll be great. It means we’re taking kids to states. Our goal from the beginning of the year has been to take more than two kids to states, and I think we have five kids that have a legitimate shot.”
Braedon Johnson’s win came via fall, with the top seed taking down sixth-seeded Kane freshman Harley Morris at the 4:21 mark.
“I usually like to score as many points as I can,” the Smethport sophomore said. “Going into the third period only up 2-0, I was kind of a little frustrated with myself, just wanted to open it up a little bit more. Then when I got him on his back, I knew that I had him.”
Greenman said of Johnson, “He’s ridiculously good. It’s so much fun to have a kid like that where you can just tell him, ‘Go do what you do.’ He has a good feel for the match when he’s out there wrestling; no matter what he does, it seems to work for him because he knows positions and knows where his body needs to be. If he continues to do that, we’ll be good and hopefully we’ll be going to states.”
Coudersport earned three regional berths, with Eli and Cale Ayers each taking third and Dylan Kelly fourth. It’s the third trip to Sharon for Eli, a senior and returning state qualifier, and the first for the other two Falcons.
“We got our 32-pounder (Kelly) in; it’ll be a good experience for him to go down there and see that, and Eli and Cale did well. We had that rough semifinal round, but bounced back,” Falcons coach Tom Storey said. “They’re where they need to be going to regionals next week, so we’re looking forward to it.”
Sheffield sophomore Ethan Finch won the Most Outstanding Wrestler award after knocking off the top two seeds in his bracket to claim the 170-pound title, while Brockway’s Eric Grecco garnered Coach of the Year honors after guiding the Rovers to their first championship since 2003.
In Class AAA, Bradford star Dillon Keane (32-0) continued his stellar senior year, winning via fall in his first two matches, then decisioning top seed Coy Bastian (Selinsgrove) 10-5 in the final to earn his second D-9 title and fourth consecutive regional berth.
Keane’s big day on the mat earned him the Most Outstanding Wrestler award for Class AAA, becoming just the fourth Owl to receive it. Keane joins Jeff Bean (1977), Kyle Keane (2004) and Mark Havers (2008-2010) as Bradford wrestlers who have earned the District’s highest honor.
Keane also joins Havers, Guy Distrola and Jason Little as Owl wrestlers with multiple D-9 championships.
“He wrestled at a whole new level yet again,” Bradford wrestling coach Jamey Miller said. “Every time he takes the mat he steps it up whether its at the practice round or competition. It’s paying off for him and for his teammates, as well.”
Colby Keane (160) and Derek Sunafrank (182) also advanced to the championship match at their weights, each taking second to punch his own ticket to Altoona.
“Overall, the kids wrestled well,”Miller added. “Even the less experienced kids, there were positives to be seen.
“We are taking three kids to regionals out of the six we had competing, so I can’t complain about that.”
Clearfield topped DuBois for the team title, with St. Marys finishing sixth and Bradford eighth.
Class AA team scoring:
Brockway 171.5, Kane 162.5, Brookville 135, Port Allegany 127.5, Redbank Valley 126, Johnsonburg 92.5, Curwensville 59, Sheffield 50, Coudersport 39, Clarion 28, Oswayo Valley27.5, Ridgway 26, Cameron County 10.
Championship Finals:
106: Owen Reinsel (Brookville) 8-2 Bryent Johnson (Port Allegany)
113: Trenten Rupp (Redbank Valley) 10-3 Reese Vollmer (Port Allegany)
120: Braedon Johnson (Port Allegany) 4:21 Harley Morris (Kane)
126: Anthony Glasl (Brockway) 3-2 UTB Blake Passarelli (Curwensville)
132: Ethan Wiant (Redbank Valley) 3:42 Nolan Shaffer (Johnsonburg)
138: Noah Blankenship (Kane) injury default Hunter Martz (Redbank Valley)
145: Zach Holland (Curwensville) 2-1 Issac Smoker (Port Allegany)
152: Aiden Hulings (Kane) 8-3 Cole Casilio (Johnsonburg)
160: Alec English (Kane) 7-0 Noah Bash (Brockway)
170: Ethan Finch (Sheffield) Tyler Watts (Johnsonburg)
182: Garrett McClintick (Brockway) 6-0 Braden Macbeth (Brookville)
195: Eric Johnson (Brockway) 9-6 Justin Young (Port Allegany)
220: Ty Stahli (Kane) 4-2 Tanner LaBenne (Brookville)
285: Colby Whitehill (Brookville) 0:46 Hayden Thompson (Brockway)
Third-Place Matches:
106: Mark Palmer (Brockway) 9-1 Ridge Cook (Redbank Valley)
113: Cayden Walter (Brookville) 7-3 Dillon Illerbrun (Kane)
120: Brayden Altobelli (Redbank Valley) 4-2 Dom Inzana (Brockway)
126: Mason Songer (Redbank Valley) TF 18-2 (4:20) Parker Fleming (Brookville)
132: Eli Petruzzi (Port Allegany) 3:14 Dylan Kelly (Coudersport)
138: Tino Inzana (Brockway) 5-2 Dalton Stahli (Johnsonburg)
145: Colton Gietler (Oswayo Valley) TF 23-6 (4:30) Dalton Bish (Redbank Valley)
152: Jacob Wickett (Ridgway) 2-1 TB2 Jacob Cable (Brookville)
160: Isaac Zimmerman (Johnsonburg) 2:47 Cole Bressler (Curwensville)
170: Cameron Whisner (Kane) 4-2 Andrew Hickman (Brockway)
182: Teddy Race (Kane) 4:36 Hudson Martz (Redbank Valley)
195: Elijah Ayers (Coudersport) 6-0 Tyler Vantassel (Clarion)
220: Cale Ayers (Coudersport) 2:07 Justin Smith (Brockway)
285: Nick Knowles (Sheffield) 2:22 Shawn Nystrom (Kane)
