Wednesday, February 11, 1998
Devils, WG reach semis
BURGETTSTOWN -- Burgettstown won five of the first six bouts and cruised to a 36-25 victory over Burrell in the WPIAL Class AA Wrestling Team Tournament quarterfinals. The victory sends Burgettstown into Thursday's semifinals against Washington, a 51-16 winner over South Side Beaver.After Ryan Ross gave Burrell a 6-0 lead with a fall in the 103-pound bout, Burgettstown strung together five consecutive wins to forge a 27-6 advantage. The first two Burgettstown wins came by forfeit, then Scott Vallina (125) won by decision. Eric Ryan (130) and Mike Krynak (135) had back-to-back first-period falls for the Blue Devils.
Burgettstown sealed the victory when Jess Lemaster (152) won by decision and Rob Bagwell (160) won by fall.
West Greene 41Shady Side Academy 17
ROGERSVILLE -- West Greene won the first 10 bouts and routed Shady Side Academy, 41-17, in a WPIAL Class AA Team Tournament quarterfinal match.
West Greene won two bouts by fall and two more by technical fall and one by major decision. Shady Side Acaedmy didn't win a bout until picking up a forfeit at 171, and two of the Indians' three wins were forfeits.
West Greene will battle Southmoreland, a 56-12 winner over Fort Cherry, in the semifinals Thursday.
B.J. Kennedy (103) and Greg Deter (119) recorded West Greene's falls, and Shawn Whyte (125) and L.J. Kennedy (140) won by technical fall.
Luke Votollo (112) won a major decision for the Pioneers. Andrew Courtwright (130), Dan Rudman (135), Chad Lough (145), Mike Eddy (152) and Mike Miller (160) each earned a decision as West Greene built a 41-0 lead.
Southmoreland 56Fort Cherry 12
SCOTTDALE -- Southmoreland advanced to the semifinals of the WPIAL Class AA Wrestling Team Tournament with a 56-12 victory over Fort Cherry.
Sam Calderone (160) and heavyweight Tim Bennett had pins for Fort Cherry. Mark Ferrell (125), Shawn Depta (152) and Jim McBeth (171) had falls for Southmoreland.
Mt. Pleasant 29Trinity 25
Trinity won seven of the 12 matches wrestled, but it wasn't enough as Mt. Pleasant scored a 29-25 win in the WPIAL Class AAA quarterfinals.
The Vikings clinched the match with Robbie Waller's pin of John Burns at 171.
"They're probably the team to beat in the tournament," said Trinity coach John Abajace.
The Vikings earned key points at 125 and 135, where Ryan Swartz and Erick Eyth each scored late in his respective match for a major decision. John Lloyd also came up big at 145 with a pin of Steve Healy at 2:52.
Josh Ritter recorded Trinity's lone fal, at 189.
"We wrestled well, and did a good job stopping some of their moves," said Abajace. "I'm pretty proud of the team."
Mt. Pleasant will wrestle Connellsville in the semis.
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Copyright ©1998 Observer Publishing Co. Last updated Wednesday, February 11, 1998