The PIAA Wrestling Championships is Pennsylvania’s most-popular high school championship event, and WJPA Radio has brought home the excitement for over 70 years. When Class 2A started Thursday morning, the brackets included 14 wrestlers from Washington & Greene Counties. A dozen more from the two-county area were in the Class 3A brackets that opened up Thursday afternoon. This eight-session tournament runs through the finals on Saturday with all the action live on WJPA-AM (1450) and online. Mark Uriah is calling the action for the 40th consecutive year. He’s joined by Greg Warnock and Greg Smith in the booth. PIAA Wrestling Homepage
Friday morning was rough for area Class 2A wrestlers with only Chris Vargo, Bentworth and Braedon Welsh, Ft. Cherry advancing to the semifinals. Vitali Daniels (Bentworth) lost in the quarterfinals but won his 3rd Round consolation bout and clinched a PIAA medal. Joey Baronick (Burgettstown) won a pair of consolation bouts to clinch a state medal. The other three Burgettstown wrestlers were eliminated: Joey Sentipal lost in the quarterfinals, and again in 3rd Round consolations. Gaven Suica won his 2nd Round consy bout before losing in the next round, one win shy of earning a medal. Parker Sentipal lost in the 2nd Round consolations and was eliminated, along with Tyler Berish (Beth-Center), Lucas Barr (McGuffey) and Jorden Williams (Chartiers-Houston). Class 2A wrestlers return to the mats Friday evening for semifinals and two more consolation rounds.
Friday evening’s Class 2A session set the pairings for the medal bouts. Christ Vargo will wrest for the 127-pound championship, looking to become Bentworth’s third PIAA champion. Bearcat teammate Vitali Daniels will wrestle for third place in the 215 pound bracket. Fort Cherry’s Braedon Welsh goes for third at 172 pounds while Burgettstown’s Joey Baronick will take the mat, shooting for fifth place at 285 pounds.
Friday afternoon saw six Class 3A wrestlers from the two-county area reach the semifinals: Canon-McMillan’s Andrew Binni & Matthew Furman, Trinity’s Blake Reihner & Ty Banco and Waynesburg’s Mac Church and Rocco Welsh. Two other Waynesburg wrestlers have clinched medals with Brody Evans and Eli Makel reaching 4th Round consolations. Four other area wrestlers are also in the semifinals: Dylan Evans (Chartiers Valley), Maddox Shaw (Thomas Jefferson) and West Allegheny teammates Ty Watters & Shawn Taylor.
PIAA Wrestling Championships WJPA-AM (1450) Listen Here!
Saturday, March 11
8:50 am 3A Semifinals, 4th/5th Consolations
1:50 pm 2A Championship & Consolation Finals (1st-8th place)
6:50 pm 3A Championship & Consolation Finals (1st-8th place)