Nine defending champions, including Port Allegany’s Braedon Johnson and Sheffield’s Ethan Finch, will lead the field into this weekend’s District 9 Class AA Wrestling Championships at Clearfield High School.
The top four placewinners in each weight class will advance to the Northwest Regional at Sharon, with a shot at making it to the PIAA state tournament. Preliminaries, quarterfinals and the first two consolation rounds are slated to begin at 4:30 this afternoon, with semifinals followed by more consolations at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, and the Parade of Champions, Hall of Fame ceremony, and medal rounds scheduled for approximately 4:20 in the afternoon.
Johnson (20-4), the Smethport junior wrestling for the Gators, and Finch (25-6), the Wolverines junior who stunned the top two seeds in the 170-pound bracket to claim last year’s Most Outstanding Wrestler award, each capped the 2018-19 season with a trip to Hershey. They’re two of 10 returning state qualifiers in the 135-man field, a list which also includes defending PIAA 285-pound champion Colby Whitehill (Brookville) and three-time district winner Anthony Glasl (Brockway).
Whitehill (30-0), a Pitt commit who hasn’t lost to a D9 foe since the 2018 regional final, is one of four unbeaten seniors in the field, with Curwensville’s Zach Holland (27-0), Redbank Valley’s Ethan Wiant (30-0), and Kane’s Cameron Whisner (26-0) also boasting unblemished records.
Glasl (28-1), the No. 1 seed at 132 pounds after winning previous titles at 106, 120 and 126, is the lone wrestler with a chance to be a four-time D-9 Class AA champ.
Brockway senior Eric Johnson (27-1), the top seed at 195, and Whitehill are both aiming for their third title, with Holland, Wiant, Brookville sophomore Owen Reinsel, Redbank Valley junior Trenten Rupp, and Gator senior Bryent Johnson, Braedon’s older brother and a 2018 106-pound champ for the Hubbers, each hoping to strike gold for a second time.
Brockway dethroned five-time defending champ Brookville for last year’s team title, but with just 11 competitors entered this year, the Rovers will find it difficult to repeat.
Port A garnered a tournament-best 10 top-four seeds out of 14 weight classes. Reigning 120-pound champion Braedon Johnson is on the top line at 126, with Chase Weimer (106, 17-4), Bryent Johnson (113, 20-2), Scott Fuller (120, 18-5), Isaiah Caden (132, 24-6), and Eli Petruzzi (138, 23-2) earning No. 2 seeds, Taro Tanaka (160, 16-11) and Justin Young (220, 16-4) notching third seeds, and Montgomery Tanner (145, 22-8) and Derek Kallenborn (195, 17-9) slotted in at fourth.
“The goal is to get 10 kids moving on (to regionals). I think that’s the number to get to if we want to win districts,” Gator coach B.J. Greenman said. “We have the talent to do so; we just have to compete to our capabilities.”
Asked if he’d expected his team’s level of performance going into the season, the reigning Big 30 Coach of the Year answered, “Yes and no. I knew the talent we had coming into the year, but quite a few of them have outperformed my expectations.”
Last year’s runner-up, Kane, and a dangerous Johnsonburg squad should also be serious contenders for the team title, along with traditional power Brookville.
The Kane quartet of 2019 district champs (Noah Blankenship, Aiden Hulings, Ty Stahli, and PIAA silver medalist Alec English) have graduated, but returning state qualifiers Whisner and Teddy Race lead a strong pack of Wolves into the tournament. Race (26-2), a Kane senior, is the top seed at 170 pounds, with Whisner, an East forest senior wrestling for the Wolves, drawing the No. 2 seed at 182. Lane Hilliard (145, 12-4) is also seeded second for KHS, with the trio of Alex Bechakas (106, 21-6), Harley Morris (126, 19-7), and Shawn Nystrom (285, 20-8) fourth.
Although shut out of the No. 1 seeds, Johnsonburg boasts nine top-four rankings out of its 10 wrestlers, with Cole Casilio (31-3) the second seed at 152, Wyatt Shaffer (106, 25-7), Nolan Shaffer (132, 29-4), Dalton Stahli (138, 23-8), Kaden Dennis (145, 25-7), Aiden Zimmerman (160, 26-5), Isaac Zimmerman (170, 25-9) and Tyler Watts (182, 28-3) each coming in at No. 3 and Collin Porter (120, 16-12) fourth for the Rams.
Coudersport has two top-four seeds, Cale Ayers (23-1, second at 220) and Thomas Wilson (17-4, fourth at 152) while Oswayo Valley’s Colton Gietler (17-5) is the No. 2 seed at 152.
Brookville picked up top seeds from Whitehill, Reinsel (113, 30-4), Cayden Walter (106, 25-5), Brayden Kunselman (120, 27-5), and Nathan Taylor (220, 30-5), in its attempt to reclaim the championship.
District 9 Class AA Championships
106: 1 Cayden Walter (Brookville, jr, 25-5) vs. 8 Jake Rhinehart (Oswayo Valley, jr, 7-12); 2 Chase Weimer (Port Allegany, so, 17-4) vs. 7 Collin Brown (Sheffield, fr, 17-10); 3 Wyatt Shaffer (Johnsonburg, fr, 25-7) vs. 6 Cole Bish (Redbank Valley, fr, 27-4); 4 Alex Bechakas (Kane, so, 21-6) vs. 5 Jake Carfley (Curwensville, so, 23-8).
113: 1 Owen Reinsel (Brookville, so, 30-4) bye; 2 Bryent Johnson (Port Allegany, sr, 20-2) bye; 3 Ridge Cook (Redbank Valley, so, 23-8) vs. 6 Wyatt Daisley (Coudersport, fr, 7-16); 4 A.J. Barnes (Sheffield, fr, 17-13) vs. 5 Isaak Johnson (Kane, fr, 17-10).
120: 1 Brayden Kunselman (Brookville, fr, 27-5) vs. Chris Gossert (Sheffield, fr, 4-12); 2 Scott Fuller (Port Allegany, jr, 17-5) vs. Zack Keihl (Clarion, jr, 3-4); 3 Mark Palmer (Brockway, so, 12-5) bye; 4 Collin Porter (Johnsonburg, so, 16-12) vs. 5 Alex Carlson (Redbank Valley, sr, 11-12); 6 Dillon Illerbrun (Kane, jr, 13-8) vs. Nash Delp (Coudersport, fr, 9-17); 7 Zane Malogrino (Oswayo Valley, jr, 6-14) bye; 8 Caleb Stiles (Curwensville, sr, 8-12) bye.
126: 1 Braedon Johnson (Port Allegany, jr, 20-4) vs. 8 James Culvey (Coudersport, fr, 7-16); 2 Josh Popson (Brookville, so, 13-17) vs. 7 Adam Stine (Brockway, jr, 7-15); 3 Trenten Rupp (Redbank Valley, jr, 17-9) vs. 6 Cole Norlin (Johnsonburg, jr, 14-13); 4 Harley Morris (Kane, so, 19-7) vs. Nik Fegert (Curwensville, fr, 13-11).
132: 1 Anthony Glasl (Brockway, sr, 28-1) vs. Dalton Miller (Coudersport, fr, 8-18); 2 Isaiah Caden (Port Allegany, jr, 24-6) vs. 7 Parker Fleming (Brookville, sr, 8-10); 3 Nolan Shaffer (Johnsonburg, jr, 29-4) bye; 4 Dalton Bish (Redbank Valley, jr, 22-8) vs 5 Tyler Merritt (Ridgway, so, 13-10); 6 Mason Milliron (Kane, so, 11-9) vs. Mitchell Sutika (Curwensville, so, 8-13); 8 Caden Smead (Sheffield, sr, 9-9) bye.
138: 1 Zach Holland (Curwensville, sr, 27-0) vs. 8 Garret Park (Brockway, so, 8-10); 2 Elijah Petruzzi (Port Allegany, sr, 23-2) vs. Chris Davis (Coudersport, sr, 4-15); 3 Dalton Stahli (Johnsonburg, jr, 23-8) vs. 6 Gary Emerick (Ridgway, sr, 23-6); 4 Gage Snyder (Redbank Valley, jr, 12-11) vs. Gage Aldrich (Oswayo Valley, sr, 5-11); 5 Luke Ely (Kane, fr, 16-8) bye; 7 Taylar Altman (Clarion, jr, 5-8) bye.
145: 1 Ethan Wiant (Redbank Valley, sr, 30-0) vs. Armandt Rosario (Ridgway, jr, 7-16); 2 Lane Hillard (Kane, sr, 12-4) vs. Zach Shaffer (Curwensville, so, 9-15); 3 Kaden Dennis (Johnsonburg, fr, 25-7) vs. 6 Dylan Kelly (Coudersport, so, 10-16); 4 Montgomery Tanner (Port Allegany, sr, 22-8) bye; 5 Tanner Morelli (Brockway, jr, 14-11) vs. Caleb Edmonds (Clarion, so, 3-8); 7 Coyha Brown (Brookville, fr, 5-16) vs. Eyan Smith (Cameron County, fr, 6-16); 8 Kevin Marfink (Sheffield, sr, 11-13) bye.
152: 1 Jacob Wickett (Ridgway, sr, 26-6) vs. Luiz Patricio (Cameron County, sr, 7-12); 2 Colton Gietler (Oswayo Valley, sr, 16-5) vs. 7 Linkin Nichols (Brockway, sr, 15-8); 3 Aiden Zimmerman (Johnsonburg, fr, 26-6) vs. Peyton Means (Clarion, jr, 2-5); 4 Thomas Wilson (Coudersport, sr, 15-4) bye; 5 Wyatt Kulik (Brookville, sr, 24-8) vs. Ethan DeBockler (Port Allegany, jr, 5-12); 6 Addison Plants (Kane, fr, 15-6) vs. Adam Straw (Curwensville, sr, 12-16); 8 Landon Mead (Sheffield, so, 15-11) bye.
160: 1 Noah Bash (Brockway, jr, 21-7) vs. Dylan Harmic (Curwensville, so, 1-9); 2 Cole Casilio Johnsonburg, jr, 31-3) bye; 3 Taro Tanaka (Port Allegany, jr, 16-11) vs. Michael Hewitt (Oswayo Valley, sr, 2-10); 4 Cutter Boggess (Clarion, jr, 16-8) vs. Jake Davidson (Sheffield, jr, 7-12); 5 Wendell O’Brien (Cameron County, sr, 13-8) vs. Noah Anderson (Redbank Valley, jr, 9-18); 6 Wyatt Griffin (Brookville, jr, 15-8) bye; 7 Nate Asp (Kane, sr, 22-7) vs. Guy Dunn (Coudersport, jr, 5-6); 8 Hunter Wall (Ridgway, so, 10-13) bye.
170: 1 Teddy Race (Kane, sr, 26-2) vs. Dein Snyder (Cameron County, fr, 0-18); 2 Jake McCracken (Curwensville, jr, 22-6) vs. 7 Joe Miller (Ridgway, jr, 11-10); 3 Isaac Zimmerman (Johnsonburg, jr, 25-9) bye; 4 Seth Stewart (Brockway, fr, 19-9) vs. 5 Isaak Baumgarner (Port Allegany, jr, 19-7); 6 Donavan Edmonds (Clarion, sr, 19-9) vs. Todd Peszlen (Sheffield, sr, 1-4); 8 Hayden Kramer (Brookville, jr, 2-10) vs. Colton Bartley (Redbank Valley, jr, 12-15).
182: 1 Ethan Finch (Sheffield, jr, 24-7) vs. Connor Nolan (Cameron County, jr, 5-12); 2 Cameron Whisner (Kane, sr, 26-0) vs. Weston Smith (Brockway, jr, 7-11); 3 Tyler Watts (Johnsonburg, sr, 28-3) vs. 6 Duane Brady (Curwensville, jr, 19-9); 4 Elliot Park (Brookville, jr, 23-12) bye; 5 Hutson Martz (Redbank Valley, jr, 15-9) vs. Bailey Lewis (Ridgway, so, 3-14); 7 Dalton Distrola (Port Allegany, jr, 15-14) vs. Logan Edmonds (Clarion, fr, 4-12); 8 Dylan Hajzus (Coudersport, so, 12-17) bye.
195: 1 Eric Johnson (Brockway, sr, 27-1) bye; 2 Aiden Gardner (Redbank Valley, jr, 20-4) vs. 7 Matthew Fleniken (Coudersport, so, 8-8); 3 Cole LaBenne (Brookville, sr, 4-3) vs. 6 Nick Holbert (Curwensville, sr, 6-9); 4 Derek Kallenborn (Port Allegany, jr, 17-9) vs. Dakota Neal (Kane, so, 10-11).
220: 1 Nathan Taylor (Brookville, jr, 30-5) bye; 2 Cale Ayers (Coudersport, jr, 23-1) bye; 3 Justin Young (Port Allegany, jr, 16-4) vs. 6 Casey Anderson (Sheffield, sr, 10-8); 4 Ray Shreckengost (Redbank Valley, so, 13-8) vs. 5 Brennen Moore (Curwensville, so, 15-10).
285: 1 Colby Whitehill (Brookville, sr, 30-0) vs. 8 Cooper Rossman (Coudersport, fr, 9-15); 2 Kobe Bonanno (Redbank Valley, jr, 24-4) vs. 7 Tim Hasselman (Cameron County, sr, 16-6); 3 Gavin Thompson (Brockway, fr, 20-10) bye; 4 Shawn Nystrom (Kane, so, 20-8) vs. 5 Joshua Rees (Port Allegany, sr, 1-1); 6 Jacob Kunselman (Ridgway, jr, 21-7) vs. Danah Campbell (Sheffield, so, 4-12).
