Class 2A Wrestlers Descend on Sharon for Northwest Regional

The Northwest Class 2A Championship is scheduled for this Saturday (Feb. 27) at Sharon High School. Each weight class will see its top three placers advance to the NW Super-Region tournament next weekend (Saturday, March 6) at Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s Kovalchick Convention and Athletic Complex. 

                        

Wrestling is slated to get underway Saturday in Sharon at 9:30 a.m., with the finals anticipated to start at 3:30 p.m.

(Note: Records are per PA-Wrestling.com as of Wednesday, Feb. 24, as are the PA Power Wrestling [PAPW] state and regional [District 9 and 10] rankings.)

Placements reflect the top five seeds in each classification. They are not predictions.

                              

106 Pounds (seeds)

1. Weston Pisarchick, Fr. (12-1) – Brockway (District 9-1st)
2. Hunter Robison, Jr. (16-1) – Saegertown (District 10-1st)
3. Caden Walter, Sr. (15-5) – Brookville (District 9-2nd)
4. Louie Gill, Fr. (22-3) – Hickory (District 10-2nd)
5. Daniel Evans, Fr. (9-3) – Redbank Valley (District 9-3rd)

Notes: Pisarchick, ranked fifth in the state and third regionally by PAPW, makes his regional debut this weekend. Robison, a first-time district titlist, advanced to the state tournament in this class as a freshman after winning sections, placing second at districts, and third at regionals. The two-time regional qualifier is ranked second in the state and first in the NW Region. Walter was the 106-pound district and regional champion last season, ultimately ending up on the sixth step of the podium in Hershey. He also qualified for regionals in 2019. PAPW has him ranked sixth in the state and fourth in the region. Gill, who will be stepping on the regional tournament mat for the first time this Saturday, is ranked third in the state and second regionally. Evans, another regional tournament rookie, is ranked eighth in the NW.

113 Pounds

1. Justin O’Neill, Sr. (23-4) – Hickory (District 10-1st)
2. Jake Carfley, Jr. (8-1) – Curwensville (District 9-1st)
3. Chase Bell, Fr. (16-7) – Reynolds (District 10-2nd)
4. Ethan Illerbrun, Fr. (7-1) – Kane (District 9-2nd)
5. Kyle Lantz, So. (12-6) – Conneaut (District 10-3rd)

Notes: O’Neill won his first district title last weekend, earning his second consecutive trip to regionals. PAPW has him at 12th in the state and first in the region. Carfley, ranked fourth regionally, is also a first-time district champion. Bell and Illerbrun will both be making their regional debuts, with the former ranked third in the NW and the latter sixth. Lantz, a two-time regional qualifier, occupies the second spot on the NW poll 

120 Pounds

                          

1. Owen Reinsel, Jr. (20-1) – Brookville (District 9-1st)
2. Gary Steen, Sr. (22-0) – Reynolds (District 10-1st)
3. Chase Weimer, Jr. (10-1) – Port Allegany (District 9-2nd)
4. JoJo Przybycien, Fr. (13-5) – Fort LeBoeuf (District 10-2nd)
5. Ridge Cook, Jr. (12-0) – Redbank Valley (District 9-3rd)

Notes: This is one of five brackets where the top five seeds all carry a state ranking from PAPW; with Reinsel ranked fourth, Steen second, Wiemer 17th, Przybycien 15th, and Cook 22nd. Reinsel won his third consecutive district championship last weekend, having triumphed at 113 pounds in 2020 and 106 pounds in 2019. Each of those years the junior went on to finish second at regionals and qualify for the state tournament, placing fourth in Hershey last season. Steen won his fourth district crown last Saturday and will be aiming to collect his fourth regional title this weekend. He is a three-time state medalist; taking first at 106 pounds as a freshman, third at 106 pounds as a sophomore, and first at 113 pounds as a junior. Weimer is advancing to the regional tournament for the first time in his career. Przybycien will also be making his regional debut. Cook is now a three-time regional qualifier.

126 Pounds

1. Chase McLaughlin, Sr. (16-1) – Greenville (District 10-1st)
2. Braedon Johnson, Sr. (11-0) – Port Allegany (District 9-1st)
3. Jack Martinec, Jr. (19-1) – Cochranton (District 10-2nd)
4. Mark Palmer, Jr. (10-4) – Brockway (District 9-2nd)
5. Connor Saylor, So. (24-5) – Hickory (District 10-3rd)

Notes: Another bracket where the top five seeds have state rankings per PAPW: McLaughlin seventh, Johnson 10th, Martinec 11th, Palmer 18th, and Saylor eighth. McLaughlin, a first-time district titlist, is a three-time regional qualifier and advanced to states as a freshman and last season (at 120 pounds). Johnson has won three consecutive district crowns. As a sophomore, he won districts at 120 pounds and as a junior at 126 pounds. Each of those previous district championship seasons saw Johnson qualify for the state tournament. This will be his fourth appearance at regionals. Martinec is a three-time regional qualifier. Palmer, a state qualifier at 106 pounds as a freshman, has advanced to regionals the past three seasons, doing so at 120 pounds in 2020. Saylor, making his second trip to the regional tournament, qualified for states last year at 113 pounds.

132 Pounds

1. Trenten Rupp, Sr. (11-1) – Redbank Valley (District 9-1st)
2. Connor Pierce, Jr. (16-2) – Harbor Creek (District 10-1st)
3. Ryder Kuklinskie, Fr. (7-1) – Curwensville (District 9-2nd)
4. Kane Kettering, Jr. (20-2) – Reynolds (District 10-2nd)
5. Rayce Milliard, So. (9-4) – Johnsonburg (District 9-3rd)

Notes: Rupp is a three-time regional qualifier, doing so at 126 pounds last year (second at districts). Last weekend he won his second district title, repeating a feat he accomplished as a sophomore at 113 pounds. PAPW has Rupp ranked 20th in the state and fifth in the NW Region. Pierce won his second consecutive district championship a week ago. He won regionals last season as a 126-pounder, eventually taking seventh in Hershey (duplicating his state placement from 2019 at 113 pounds). Pierce is ranked fourth in the state and first in the region. Kuklinskie, ranked seventh in the NW, is making his regional debut. Kettering is ranked sixth in the state and second regionally. The two-time regional qualifier advanced to the state tournament last year as a 106-pounder after finishing second at this event. Milliard will be taking to the regional tournament mat for the first time.

138 Pounds

1. Carson Filer, Sr. (25-2) – Mercer (District 10-1st)
2. Nolan Shaffer, Sr. (12-0) – Johnsonburg (District 9-1st)
3. Easton Hedman, Sr. (13-3) – Eisenhower (District 10-2nd)
4. Harley Morris, Jr. (5-1) – Kane (District 9-2nd)
5. Hunter Hohman, Fr. (23-2) – Grove City (District 10-3rd)

Notes: Filer qualified for his third trip to regionals with his first district championship last weekend. PAPW has him ranked 21st in the state and second regionally. Shaffer, a three-time regional qualifier, finally broke through for his first district crown a week ago after finishing as the runner-up at 132 pounds the past two seasons. He’s ranked 13th in the state and first in the region. Hedman ranked 24th in the state and third in the NW, will be making the first regional appearance of his career. Morris, sixth in the region, is a three-time regional qualifier, doing so last year at 126 pounds. Hohman is making his regional tournament debut. PAPW has him at 20th in the state and fourth in the region.

145 Pounds

1. Isaiah Caden, Sr. (10-1) – Port Allegany (District 9-1st)
2. Kaeden Berger, Sr. (21-1) – Reynolds (District 10-1st)
3. Dalton Stahli, Sr. (11-2) – Johnsonburg (District 9-2nd)
4. Carter Gill, Jr. (23-4) – Hickory (District 10-2nd)
5. Logan Augenbaugh, Fr. (6-4) – Curwensville (District 9-3rd)

Notes: Though a three-time regional qualifier (2018, 2020), Caden is a first-time district champ. He is 20th ranked in the state and third in the region by PAPW. Berger won his second consecutive district crown a weekend ago, earning his fourth trip to regionals. He is a three-time state qualifier and two-time placer; seventh in 2019 and fifth at 132 pounds in 2020. PAPW has him ranked 13th in the state and first in the NW. Stahli, now a four-time regional qualifier, advanced to states last year as a 138-pounder. He is 21st on the state and fourth on the regional polls. Gill, who has now qualified for regionals three times, finished sixth in Hershey a year ago as a 132-pounder. He is ranked fourth in the state and second in the NW Region. Augenbaugh, ranked eighth in the NW, is a regional rookie this season.

152 Pounds

                           

1. Jack Rimpa, Sr. (14-2) – Fort LeBoeuf (District 10-1st)
2. Taro Tanaka, Sr. (9-2) – Port Allegany (District 9-1st)
3. Brock Covell, So. (13-5) – Titusville (District 10-2nd)
4. Kaden Dennis, So. (11-1) – Johnsonburg (District 9-2nd)
5. Collin Hearn, So. (14-3) – Conneaut (District 10-3rd)

Notes: Rimpa, a first-time district champ and three-time regional qualifier, advanced to states last year at 152 pounds. PAPW has him at ninth in the state and first in the region. Tanaka also won his first district championship this year. This will be the first time he has advanced to regionals in his career. He is ranked fourth regionally. Covell and Hearn are first-time regional qualifiers, with the former ranked 24th (third in the NW) and the later ranked 21st (second in the NW) in the state. Dennis is a two-time regional qualifier and ranked fifth in the NW.

160 Pounds

1. Cole Casillio, Sr. (12-0) – Johnsonburg (District 9-1st)
2. Jalen Wagner, So. (18-3) – Reynolds (District 10-1st)
3. Wyatt Griffin, Sr. (14-9) – Brookville (District 9-2nd)
4. Stetson Boozer, Jr. (13-8) – Cochranton (District 10-2nd)
5. Landon Mead, Jr. (15-10) – Sheffield (District 9-3rd)

Notes: Casillio, who won districts for the second year in a row, is a two-time regional qualifier. He advanced to the state tournament at 160 pounds last year after placing second at regionals. Casilio is ranked seventh in the state and first in the NW Region by PAPW. Jalen Wagner, who carries a state ranking of 21st and regional ranking of second, is a first-time district champion and two-time regional qualifier. Griffin has now advanced to regionals for the second consecutive year, making the trip at 160 pounds in 2020. PAPW has him at 22nd in the state and third regionally. Boozer, fourth in the NW, is a two-time regional qualifier. Mead, a regional first-timer, is ranked eighth in the NW.

172 Pounds

1. Gage Musser, Sr. (21-1) – Commodore Perry (District 10-1st)
2. Noah Bash, Sr. (11-2) – Brockway (District 9-1st)
3. Landon Caldwell, Jr. (15-2) – Saegertown (District 10-2nd)
4. Jackson Zimmerman, So. (16-5) – Brookville (District 9-2nd)
5. Timmy Church, Sr. (11-5) – Fort LeBoeuf (District 10-3)

Notes: PAPW has each of the top five seeds ranked in the state poll: Musser fourth, Bash seventh, Caldwell 11th, Zimmerman 22nd, and Church 12th. Two-time state qualifier Gage Musser advances to regionals for the third time. He finished fourth in Hershey a year ago at 160 pounds. Bash captured his first district title last weekend after finishing second the past two seasons. The three-time regional qualifier made it to states last year as a 160-pounder. Caldwell is a three-time regional qualifier, Church a two-time qualifier, and Zimmerman a first-timer.

189 Pounds

1. Ethan Finch, Sr. (24-0) – Sheffield (District 9-1st)
2. Cole Karpinski, Jr. (22-0) – Greenville (District 10-1st)
3. Hudson Martz, Sr. (8-2) – Redbank Valley (District 9-2nd)
4. Danny Church, So. (13-3) – Fort LeBoeuf (District 10-2nd)
5. Seth Stewart, So. (11-4) – Brockway (District 9-3rd)

Notes: Finch placed sixth in Hershey at 182 pounds last year after taking third at regionals. Finch also qualified for states his sophomore season following a second-place finish at regionals as a 170-pounder. PAPW has him at second in the state and first in the region. Karpinski, a state qualifier last year at 170 pounds, has now advanced to regionals for the third time in his career, though this is the first time as a district champion. He is ranked seventh in the state and second in the NW Region. This is the first time Martz, ranked seventh in the NW, has advanced to regionals in his career. Church is a two-time regional qualifier, while Stewart is a first-timer.

215 Pounds

1. Hayden Linkerhof, Jr. (12-1) – Corry (District 10-1st)
2. Bryce Rafferty, Jr. (17-4) – Brookville (District 9-1st)
3. Cael Black, Jr. (21-2) – Eisenhower (District 10-2nd)
4. Aiden Gardner, Sr. (11-1) – Redbank Valley (District-2nd)
5. Trevor Tursky, Sr. (12-6) – Conneaut (District 10-3rd)

Notes: Each of the top five have been ranked in PAPW’s statewide poll; Linkerhof fourth, Rafferty 18th, Black fifth, Gardner 21st, and Tursky 11th. Linkerhof is a first-time district champ and three-time regional qualifier (at 195 pounds in 2020). Rafferty, a first-time district titlist, is making his regional debut. Black has advanced to regionals three times and is a two-time state qualifier, taking sixth at 220 pounds a season ago. Gardner, is a three-time regional qualifier, last season doing so at 195 pounds. Tursky, a state qualifier last season as a 195-pounder, is headed to regionals for the second consecutive year.

285 Pound

1. Nathan Taylor, Sr. (20-1) – Brookville (District 9-1st)
2. Jordan Schell, Sr. (12-0) – Girard (District 10-1st)
3. Justin Young, Sr. (10-1) – Port Allegany (District 9-2nd)
4. Rocco John-Daniello, Sr. (20-2) – Reynolds (District 10-2nd)
5. Kobe Bonanno, Sr. (9-4) – Redbank Valley (District 9-3rd)

Notes: Not only is each of the top five seeds a senior, but all carry a PAPW state ranking into the regional tournament. Taylor enters as second, Schell third, Young 22nd, John-Daniello 10th, and Bonnano 24th. Taylor is a two-time district titlist and will be looking for his second consecutive regional crown. He advanced to the state tournament last year at 220 pounds, finishing fourth. Schell is now a two-time district champ and has qualified for regionals three times (runner-up last year), advancing to the state tournament at this weight in 2020. Young, a three-time regional qualifier, has now finished as the district runner-up three years in a row (at 220 pounds in 2020, 195 pounds in 2019). This is the second consecutive year John-Daniello has qualified for regionals, parlaying his third-place finish last year into a berth at states. Bonanno is a two-time regional qualifier at this weight and will be looking to make his second consecutive trip to Hershey.