SHARON, Pa. – Fort LeBoeuf just keeps dominating the postseason, while Northwestern’s Sierra Chiesa made a big time statement at Saturday’s District 10 Class 2A wrestling championships.
The Bison, the PIAA team runner-up in Class 2A and Section I champions, claimed two individual champions on Saturday in cruising to the team title at Sharon High School on Saturday, while Chiesa became a shining example for girls’ wrestlers, claiming the individual title at 107.
“They’re a special group and they just continue to keep working hard and impress me as a coach,” said Fort LeBoeuf head coach Shane McChesney.
Fort LeBoeuf finished with 178 points, outdistancing second-place Reynolds, which finished with 146.5.
In the 107-pound weight class, Chiesa dominated all the way through to the finals, beating Reynolds’ Angelo Lemonte, 6-0.
Chiesa spoke about how she’s become a role model for girls in wrestling, numbers which continue to increase by the season.
“People think that girls aren’t as good as the guys,” Chiesa said. “Me doing this shows that girls can be just as good as guys.”
See Chiesa’s full interview:
Fort LeBoeuf, meanwhile, claimed individual champions with JoJo Przybyicen at 133, a 3-0 winner over Chase Bell of Reynolds, as well as Jake Bennett, a 3-1 winner over Grove City’s Hudson Hohman at 121.
“Going into the team states, with the way things came out with that at the end and being really positive, it’s just kind of that momentum has kind led right into the practice room and the practices, and the kids have kept that momentum going,” McCheseny added.
The Bison also had a pair of runner-up finishes, with Reynolds’ Jalen Wagner earning a 3-1 decision over Conner McCheseny at 172 and Girard’s Abe Keep nabbing a 6-2 decision over Dan Church at 215.
The 2023 team champion Fort LeBoeuf Bison. Photo by Andy Close.
“I was just wrestling my match and what I know and not playing into their game plan,” Wagner said about his victory over McChesney, as well as his 1-0 win over Titusville’s Brock Covell in the semifinals. “Just doing what I know.”
See Wagner’s full interview here:
LeBoeuf will be sending 11 wrestlers to the Northwest Regional, the most of any District 10 team.
“Competing with some of the best teams in the state and then coming back into the room and getting back to work, I just think that confidence just kept growing,” coach McChesney said.
Przybycien, Conneaut’s Hunter Gould and Grove City’s Hunter Hohman were repeat champions.
Gould had a dominant run through the 127-pound weight class, winning by pin in the quarterfinals, tech fall in the semifinals and a 15-0 tech fall over North East’s Cyrus Hurd in the finals in 3:27.
Hohman, who won at 152 last year, wrestled a strong match in the finals to win the 160-pound final 9-4 over the defending champion in that weight class, Conneaut’s Collin Hearn.
Gould’s match was the only bout in the finals that wasn’t won by decision.
Girard claimed a pair of champions as unbeaten Story Buchanan earned a 8-5 win over North East’s Steffan Lynch at 152, joining Keep as champions for the Jackets.
Saegertown’s Carter Beck was a 6-3 winner over North East’s Rocky Kowle, while Commodore Perry’s Wyatt Lazzar beat Greenville’s Rudy Gentile 4-0 at 139.
Cody Hamilton joined Hohman in giving Grove City a pair of champions, earning a 6-2 win over Reynolds’ Tino Gentile.
At 189, General McLane’s Magnus Lloyd was a 4-2 winner over Corry’s Ethyn Allen, while Sharon’s Mike Mazurek edged GM’s Wilson Spires, 4-2.
The top eight wrestlers all advance to the Northwest Regional next Friday and Saturday.
Championship Finals
107: Sierra Chiesa (Northwestern) dec. Angelo Lomonte (Reynolds), 6-0
114: Carter Beck (Saegertown) dec. Rocky Kowle (North East), 6-3
121: Jake Bennett (Fort LeBoeuf) dec. Hudson Hohman (Grove City)
127: Hunter Gould (Conneaut) tech fall Cyrus Hurd (North East), 15-0, 3:27
133: JoJo Przybycien (Fort LeBoeuf) dec. Chase Bell (Reynolds), 3-0
139: Wyatt Lazzar (Commodore Perry) dec. Rudy Gentile (Greenville), 4-0
145: Cody Hamilton (Grove City) dec. Tino Gentile (Reynolds), 6-2
152: Story Buchanan (Girard) dec. Steffan Lynch (North East), 8-5
160: Hunter Hohman (Grove City) dec. Collin Hearn (Conneaut), 9-4
172: Jalen Wagner (Reynolds) dec. Conner McChesney (Fort LeBoeuf), 3-1
189: Magnus Lloyd (General McLane) dec. Ethyn Allen (Corry), 4-2
215: Abe Keep (Girard) dec. Dan Church (Fort LeBoeuf), 6-2
285: Mike Mazurek (Sharon) dec. Wilson Spires (General McLane), 4-2
Team Results
1. Fort LeBoeuf 178; 2. Reynolds 146.5; 3. General McLane 141; 4. Corry 120.5; 5. Grove City (87.5); 6. Commodore Perry 87; 7. Sharpsville 81.5; 8. North East 77; 9. Saegertown 72; 10. Girard 68; 11. Conneaut 60; 12. Northwestern 58.5; 13. Greenville 55; 14. Titusville 48.5; 15. Sharon 47; 16. Cochranton 41; 17. Eisenhower 36; 18. Cambridge Springs 34.5; 19. Warren 29; 20. Maplewood 22; 21. Youngsville 21; 22. Harbor Creek 20.5; 23. Slippery Rock 19; 24. Seneca 13; 25. Union City 12; 26. Franklin 5; 27. Mercer 3
SALLOT, BUTTERFIELD CLAIMS 3A NW REGION TITLE FOR MCDOWELL
ALTOONA, Pa. – McDowell’s Logan Sallot and Caleb Butterfield claimed Northwest Regional titles on Saturday.
Sallot was dominant, earning a tech fall, 17-1 in 4:53 over Shikellamy’s Alex Reed at 114, while Butterfield was a 7-5 winner in sudden victory over Gino Serafini of Central Mountain.
McDowell also had a pair of runner-up finishes courtesy of Artis Simmons, who fell 3-2 in the finals to Altoona’s Luke Sipes, as well as Troy Petterson, who lost in the finals via fall to Shikellamy’s Mason Rebuck.
Also claiming runner-up finishes were Hickory’s Brody Bishop at 107, Cathedral Prep’s Sam Staab at 127and DuBois’ Brendan Orr at 133.
Also advancing to states via a third-place finish were Meadville’s Ben Fuller at 107, Punxsutawney’s Dysen Gould at 114, Prep’s Keagan Oler at 121, Hickory’s Connor Saylor at 139, Meadville’s Rhoan Woodrow at 215 and DuBois’ Zach Gallagher at 285.
Central Mountain won the team title with 145.5 points, while McDowell was sixth at 101.5, Hickory seventh at 96, Prep ninth at 79.5, and Meadville 10th at 76.5.
