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ROB WALTKO WINS STATE TITLE

Senior Rob Waltko scored three points in the third period to break a 3-3 tie and win the PIAA Class AAA Championship at 171 pounds.  Waltko was able to take an early lead against A.J. Brentzel but the Penn-Trafford wrestler came back to tie the score.  Rob used an escape and a takedown to win the title by a 6-3 score.  In the semifinals, Rob avenged an earlier loss to Lance Bryson of Albert Gallatin with a 6-2 victory.  The title was the first for Rob Waltko in two tries in the state final.

In consolation action at 103, freshman Nick Rodgers dropped a tough 5-4 decision to Keith Scharrar of General McLane before losing an 11-6 decision to Jordan Rich of Central Mountain in the 7th place final.  At 135, sophomore Dave Cawley was defeated by Ryan Kemmerer of Upper Perkiomen, 5-3, but won seventh place with a 7-3 win over Tony Clark of Kiski Area.

In team scoring, the Tigers finished in a tie for 14th place with Lewistown.  Central Dauphin won the team title with Nazareth second and Easton third.

CONGRATULATIONS TO ROB WALTKO, COACH KYRIAZIS AND THE TIGER TEAM FOR A GREAT SEASON!

Click here to listen to semifinals on WJPA!
Click here to listen to semifinals on WANB!
Click here to listen to consolation finals on WJPA!
Click here to listen to consolation/championship finals on WANB!
Click here to listen to the championship finals on WJPA!

70th ANNUAL PIAA WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS
GIANT CENTER - Hershey, PA
March 8, 9 and 10, 2007

TEAMS SCORES

Championships

103_Shane Young, Penn-Trafford dce. Mark Rappo, Council Rock South, 5-2.
112_Kegan Handlovic, Easton dec. Taylor Brown, Emmaus, 7-4.
119_Jordan Oliver, Easton dec. Nic Bedelyon, Indian Valley, 4-1.
125_Corey Houser, Governor Mifflin dec. Colin Johnston, Canon-McMillan, 13-8.
130_Tyler Nauman, Middletown pinned Marshall Peppelman, Central Dauphin, 5:00.
135_Walter Peppelman, Central Dauphin dec. Mike Greck, Nazareth, 7-2.
140_Zach Kemmerer, Upper Perkiomen dec. Tony Dallago, Central Dauphin, 13-6.
145_Nick Nelson, Shaler dec. Steve Bozak, State College, 7-3.
152_Tim Darling, Nazareth dec. Ryan Goodman, Greater Latrobe, 2-1 2OT.
160_Quentin Wright, Bald Eagle Area dec. Matt Ryan, CanonMcMillan, 6-3.
171_Rob Waltko, North Allegheny dec. A.J. Brentzel, Penn-Trafford, 6-3.
189_Nate Eachus, Hazleton dec. David Crowell, Nazareth, 9-7.
215_Justin Wieller, Northampton dec. Jordan Enck, Manheim Central, 6-4.
285_Steve Santia, Hempfield (Dist. 7) pinned Marcus Zimmerman, Manheim Central, 1:54. 

Third Place Consolations

103_Desmond Moore, Easton dec. Simon Rice, Central Dauphin, 6-4 OT.
112_Matt Snyder, Lewistown dec. Chris Albright, Red Lion, 4-1.
119_Chris Sheetz, Upper Perkiomen dec. Chris Kochinsky, Middletown, 7-1.
125_Jonathan Crawford, Lower Dauphin dec. Matt Scherich, McGuffey, 6-1.
130_Andrew Alton, Central Mountain pinned Grant Lowther, Trinity (Dist. 7), 0:17.
135_Bryan Ortenzio, Cedar Cliff dec. Josh Long, Middletown, 5-1.
140_James Fleming, West Mifflin dec. Andrew Ritchie, Nazareth, 7-0.
145_Mallie Shuster, Big Spring dec. Grant Paswall, Bald Eagle Area, 6-3.
152_Brian Letters, Fox Chapel dec. Brian Tanen, Souderton, 3-1.
160_Travis Uncapher, Hempfield (Dist. 7) dec. Ryan Dill, Red Land, 4-3.
171_Lance Bryson, Albert Gallatin dec. Jesse Dewan, Boyertown, 5-4.
189_Michael Salopek, Norwin dec. Austin Carter, Council Rock South, 6-4.
215_Kevin Struble, Bald Eagle Area dec. Danny Vaughan, Pittsburgh Central Catholic, 1-0.
285_Justin Haines, Connellsville dec. Brad Ladd, Dallastown, 1-0.

Fifth Place Consolations

103_Mitchell Port, Bellefonte dec. Keith Scharrer, General McLane, 1-0.
112_Zach Cecchetti, Kiski Area dec. Ken Trumbetta, Greensburg Salem, 6-3.
119_Gary Atiyeh, Whitehall dec. Nico Cortese, Hempfield (Dist. 7), 3-1.
125_Matt Bonson, Lewistown dec. Zach Oberlander, Dallastown, 1-0.
130_Brandon Bucher, Northern dec. Nick Garber, Waynesburg, 5-3 OT.
135_Ryan Kemmerer, Upper Perkiomen by forfeit over Josh Roosa, Crestwood.
140_Jarred Kane, Lower Dauphin major dec. Jonathan Weibel, Quakertown, 10-0.
145_Donnie Tasser, Belle Vernon dec. Jake Kemerer, Hempfield (Dist. 7), 1-0.
152_Mike Wechsler, Northampton dec. Christian Mory, Central Dauphin, 4-1.
160_Edward Ruth, Susquehanna Township pinned Brad Clark, Methacton, 5:49 OT.
171_Corey Getz, Warwick dec. Marcus Wilson, Northampton, 4-3 3OT.
189_Joe Kennedy, Delaware Valley dec. Jon Moore, Kiski Area, 2-1.
215_Brandon Miller, Middletown dec. Dan Utchel, Chartiers Valley, 6-1.
285_Sean Owen, Clearfield dec. Michael Gesford, Hershey, 6-5 3OT.

Seventh Place Consolations

103_Jordan Rich, Central Mountain dec. Nick Rodgers, North Allegheny, 11-6.
112_Nick Wykoff, DuBois dec. Pat May, Downingtown West, 8-2.
119_Steve Armor, Springfield Delco dec. Kenny Stank, Central Dauphin, 2-1.
125_Dylan Alton, Central Mountain pinned Jake O'Hara, Crestwood, 2:01.
130_Dexter Lederer, Neshaminy dec. Rudy Chelednik, Hempfield (Dist. 7), 2-0.
135_Dave Cawley, North Allegheny dec. Tony Clark, Kiski Area , 7-3
140_Jim Sheptock, Northampton dec. Luke Miller, Indiana, 4-3. 
145_James English, Central York dec. Colin Dailey, Easton, 2-1.
152_Ethan Headlee, Waynesburg dec. Robbie Robinson, Pittston Area, 4-2.
160_Thad Frick, Nazareth dec. Zach Lundgren, DuBois, 6-4.
171_Mike Reilly, Crestwood dec. Kevin Gerhart, Lower Dauphin, 7-3.
189_Eric Fulmer, Shaler dec. J.C. Laughlin, South Western, 5-0.
215_Ray Bennett, Abington Heights pinned T.J. Valore, Hempfield (Dist. 7), 4:02.
285_Eric Kush, Chartiers Valley pinned Evan Craig, Abington Heights, 3:46.

FIRST ROUND (NA only)

QUARTERFINALS (NA only)

SEMIFINALS AND FINALS

CONSOLATION ROUNDS (NA only)

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

ROB WALTKO WINS IN QUARTERFINALS

Senior Rob Waltko defeated Dave Morey of Garnet Valley, 3-1, in the quarterfinals of the PIAA Class AAA tournament at the Giant Center in Hershey on Friday.  Rob will meet Lance Bryson of Albert Gallatin this morning in the semifinals of the 171 pound weight class.  It will be a chance for revenge for Rob as he lost by fall to Bryson in the WPIAL semifinals.  Matches are scheduled to get under way at 8:00 am.

Two Tiger wrestlers were defeated in the quarterfinals.  At 119, sophomore Joe Waltko was major decisioned by defending 103 champ, Jordan Oliver of Easton, 12-3.  In the consolations, Joe was pinned by Gary Atiyeh of Whitehall and was eliminated from the competition.  At 135, Walter Pepperman of Central Dauphin shut out sophomore Dave Cawley, 6-0.  Cawley came back in the consolations to edge Bernie Crandley of Hatboro-Horsham, 3-2 and will meet Ryan Kemmerer of Upper Perkiomen in the third round of consolations.

In other consolation matches, at 103 freshman Nick Rodgers decisioned Brendan Kennelley of Pocono Mountain, 4-2, to remain alive.  Rodgers will take on Keith Sharrar of General McLane today in the third round consolations.  At 160, junior Karl DeCiantis was eliminated with an 8-3 loss to Zach Lundgren of Dubois.

Both the semifinals and third round consolations will begin at 8:00 am this morning.  The consolation finals are scheduled to begin at 6:00 pm tonight with the championship finals slated to start at 8:00 pm.  Once again, the MSA Sports Network will make available LIVE on the internet the broadcasts from stations WJPA and WANB.  The Pennsylvania Cable Network (PCN) will televise the finals LIVE tonight on Comcast (Channel 48) and Armstrong (Channel 50).

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

THREE TIGERS WIN FIRST ROUND MATCHES

Three Tigers were victorious in first round matches in the PIAA Class AAA Wrestling Championships at the Giant Center in Hershey on Thursday.  Sophomore Joe Waltko at 119, sophomore Dave Cawley at 135, and senior Rob Waltko at 171 all won their matches to advance to the quarterfinals.

At 119, Joe Waltko edged Ethan Swope of Dubois, 4-3, to advance.  Joe will have a tough opponent in the quarterfinals in Jordan Oliver of Easton (42-1), last year's PIAA champion at 103.  WPIAL Champion Dave Cawley took a 6-4 victory over Jeremy Stierly of Owen J. Roberts to advance.  Cawley will face Walter Pepperman of Central Dauphin (41-2) in the quarterfinals.  Rob Waltko captured a 6-2 victory over Mike Reilly of Crestwook in the first round.  Rob will wrestle Dave Morey of Garnet Valley (36-3) in this afternoon's quarterfinals.

Two NA wrestlers dropped first round matches but won consolation matches to remain alive.  At 103, freshman Nick Rodgers was pinned in the third period by Jordan Rich of Central Mountain.  Rodgers came back to defeat Nick Sanfry of Upper Moreland, 3-2, and will wrestle this afternoon in the second round consolations.  Junior Karl DeCiantis lost a 7-4 decision to Thad Frick of Nazareth before downing Brian Watson of Pennsbury, 9-2.  DeCiantis will also be in action in the second round consolations this afternoon.

Quarterfinal action will start at 1:00 pm this afternoon.  MSA Sports will broadcast all the matches LIVE on  the internet. The Pennsylvania Cable Network will televise the finals LIVE on both Comcast and Armstrong cable systems.  The telecasts will begin at 7:30 pm on Saturday.

Click here to listen to WJPA Broadcast replay!
Click here to listen to WANB Broadcast replay!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

CAWLEY WINS FIRST WPIAL TITLE

Sophomore Dave Cawley won his first WPIAL title with a 6-5 victory over Tony Clark of Kiski Area in the 130 pound final at the WPIAL Class AAA Championships at Norwin High School.  The Tigers finished in second place in team points as freshman Nick Rodgers (103) and sophomore Joe Waltko (119) both captured silver medals.  Senior Rob Waltko (171) and junior Karl DeCiantis (160) were both victorious in their matches for third place.

In the semifinals, Cawley decisioned Adam Steele of Greensburg Salem, 4-2, to advance to the final.  At 103, Rodgers won a tough 4-3 victory over Chris Mongelluzzo of Hempfield to advance.  At 119, Joe Waltko won a 2-0 victory over Joey Walters of Latrobe to move on to the championship.  At 160, top-seeded Matt Ryan of Canon-McMillan edged DeCiantis, 1-0.  At 171, Rob Waltko was pinned by Lance Bryson of Albert Gallatin.

In the finals, Joe Waltko took a 1-0 lead into the third period against Nico Cortese of Hempfield before giving up an escape to tie the match.  Cortese was able to get a takedown with 30 seconds remaining to take a 3-1 victory.  Rodgers was defeated by Shane Young of Penn-Trafford, 8-0.

In the consolation round at 140, sophomore Brett Landefeld won four straight matches to advance to the consolation final where he was defeated by Jacob Weslager of Belle Vernon, 5-1.  At 112, senior Steve Sabreen won two matches before bowing to Jake Quinton of Plum, 5-0.  At 145, senior Bill Landefeld won twice before losing to Donnie Taser of Belle Vernon, 10-3.  At 125, freshman Andy Candiello was eliminated by Joseph Hawley of Norwin, 3-2.

At 160, DeCiantis came back to decision Dan Matthews of Penn-Trafford, 7-3, before defeating Cameron Zitellil of Latrobe, 9-2, to win the bronze.  At 171, Rob Waltko major decisioned Corey O'Keefe of Chartiers Valley, 9-0, before winning a 5-3 decision over Joe Fox of Franklin Regional in the third place match.

It was a good showing for the Tiger wrestlers who will send five wrestlers to the PIAA tournament at Hershey next week.

Click here to listen to the semifinals and consolations
Click here to listen to the consolation finals
Click here to listen to the championship finals

2007 WPIAL CLASS AAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
Norwin High School
March 1-2-3, 2007

FINAL TEAM POINTS

Championship Finals:

103 Shane Young, Penn-Trafford maj. dec. Nick Rodgers, North Allegheny, 8-0
112 Ken Trumbetta, Greensburg-Salem dec. Zach Cecchetti, Kiski Area, 1-0
119 Nico Cortese, Hempfield dec. Joe Waltko, North Allegheny, 3-1
125 Colin Johnston, Canon-McMillan dec. Matt Scherich, McGuffey, 7-1
130 Grant Lowther, Trinity dec. Rudy Chelednik, Hempfield, 9-3
135 Dave Cawley, North Allegheny dec. Tony Clark, Kiski Area, 4-2
140 James Fleming, West Mifflin maj. dec. Luke Miller, Indiana, 10-0
145 Nick Nelson, Shaler dec. Jake Kemerer, Hempfield, 3-2
152 Ryan Goodman, Latrobe dec. Ethan Headlee, Waynesburg, 3-2 RO
160 Matt Ryan, Canon-McMillan dec. Travis Uncapher, Hempfield, 7-4
171 A.J. Brentzel, Penn-Trafford dec. Lance Bryson, Albert Gallatin, 10-7
189 Jon Moore, Kiski Area fall Eric Fullmer, Shaler, 3:15
215 Dan Utchel, Chartiers Valley dec. Danny Vaughan, Pgh. Cent. Catholic, 4-1
285 Justin Haines, Connellsville dec. Steve Santia, Hempfield, 3-0

Third Place Consolations:

103 Chris Mongelluzzo, Hempfield dec. Alex Dunaway, McGuffey, 4-1
112 Nathan Pennesi, Latrobe dec. Jesse Reilly, Hempfield, 1-0
119 Zach Zummo, Plum dec. Joe Walters, Latrobe, 3-0
125 Sam Sherlock, West Mifflin dec. Mike Grant, Greens. Salem, 4-0
130 Nick Garber, Waynesburg dec. Jared Jones, Penn-Trafford, 8-0
135 Adam Steele, Greens. Salem dec. Nick Standish, Trinity, 5-1
140 Jacob Weslager, Belle Vernon dec. Brett Landefeld, North Allegheny, 5-1
145 Donnie Tasser, Belle Vernon dec. Andrew Snyder, Connellsville, 7-1
152 Brian Letters, Fox Chapel dec. Kalvin Schultz, Trinity, 1-0
160 Karl DeCiantis, North Allegheny dec. Kameron Zitelli, Latrobe, 9-2
171 Rob Waltko, North Allegheny dec. Joe Fox, Franklin Regional, 5-3
189 Michael Salopek, Norwin dec. Zach Benzio, Connellsville, 6-2
215 T.J. Valore, Hempfield dec. Garrett Gibson, Penn-Trafford, 3-0
285 Eric Kush, Chartiers Valley dec. Jim Muraco, West Allegheny, 3-1

FIRST ROUND (NA only)

QUARTERFINALS (NA only)

SEMIFINALS AND FINALS (NA only)

CONSOLATION (NA only)

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

FIVE TIGERS ADVANCE TO SEMIFINALS

Five Tiger wrestlers won quarterfinals matches in the WPIAL Class AAA Championships on Friday at Norwin High to move on to the semifinals today.  Freshman Nick Rodgers took a 5-0 win over Alex Dunaway of McGuffey at 103 to start things off for NA.  Rodgers will face #3 seed Chris Mongelluzzo of Hempfield in the semifinals.  At 119, junior Joe Waltko won by injury default over Corey James of West Allegheny at the 2:34 mark.  Joe will wrestle #3 Joey Walters of Latrobe in the semis.

At 125, freshman Andy Candiello was pinned in the second period by the top seed, Colin Johnston of Canon-McMillan.  Candiello will wrestle in the consolation round today.  Sophomore Dave Cawley decisioned Devan Jones of Penn-Trafford, 5-0, to advance for a match with #2 seed Adam Steele of Greensburg Salem.  At 160, junior Karl DeCiantis needed overtime to defeat defending champion Eric Williams of Trinity, 5-1.  The first round win on Thursday by DeCiantis was inaccurately reported as a loss on the official WPIAL results.  We have made the correction.  DeCiantis will face top seed Matt Ryan of Canon-McMillan in today's semis.  Senior Rob Waltko won by a 10-6 decision over Shawn Short of Latrobe to advance.  Rob will meet #3 seed Lance Bryson of Albert Gallatin in the semifinals.

All three NA wrestlers in the consolation round picked up victories on Friday to stay alive.  At 112, senior Steve Sabreen pinned Zach Gmitter of Chartiers Valley in the second round.  Sabreen will wrestle Ron Schram of Canon-McMillan today.  At 140, sophomore Brett Landefeld won by forfeit and will face Alexander Martinez of North Hills in today's match.  At 145, senior Bill Landefeld pinned Steve Jones of Greensburg Salem at the 3:53 mark.  Bill will take on Adam Heydorn of Latrobe today.

Matches are scheduled to get under way at 10:00 am this morning in the semifinals and second round consolations.  The consolation finals are set for 6:00 pm with the championship matches scheduled for 7:30 pm.  You can listen to the WJPA broadcasts on the internet on the MSA Sports Network.  Use the links below to listen.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

SIX TIGERS ADVANCE TO QUARTERFINALS

Six Tiger wrestlers won matches in the WPIAL Class AAA Championships on Thursday at Norwin High School to advance to the quarterfinals today.  At 103, freshman Nick Rodgers pinned Brett Arbes at 1:03 to advance.  Rodgers will meet Alex Dunaway of McGuffey in the quarters.  At 119, sophomore Joe Waltko earned a tech fall with a 16-1 win over Dean Mathies of Ringgold.  Joe will face Corey James of West Allegheny in the quarterfinals.

In the 125 pound weight class, freshman Andy Candiello advanced with a 4-1 decision over Chris Bair of Penn-Trafford.  Candiello will meet the top seed, Colin Johnston of Canon-McMillan, in the quarters.  Sophomore Dave Cawley pinned Justin Freidhof of Norwin at the 3:05 mark to move on to the quarters.  Cawley will take on Devan Jones of Penn-Trafford tonight.  At 171, senior Rob Waltko major decisioned Mike Barbato of Greensburg Salem, 17-5.  Rob will wrestle Shawn Short of Latrobe in the quarters.

Three NA wrestlers are still alive in the consolation bracket.  At 112, Steve Sabreen lost a 4-0 decision to Nick Whipkey of McGuffey.  At 140, sophomore Brett Landefeld decisioned Jesse Hovan of Thomas Jefferson, 5-3, before being pinned by Jared Roberts of Trinity.  At 145, senior Bill Landefeld dropped a tough 3-1 decision to Troy Reaghard of West Allegheny.  At 160, junior Karl DeCiantis defeated Jake Maddigan of Central Catholic, 17-5 to advance.  DeCiantis is scheduled to meet Eric Williams of Trinity. At 189, sophomore Karmeron Palagi lost an 8-6 decision to Zach Shoff of Hempfield in the preliminary round and was eliminated from the tournament.

Quarterfinals will get under way at 5:30 pm.  The MSA Sports Network will present both the WJPA and WANB broadcasts of the tournament LIVE on the internet. 

Click here to listen to WANB replay! (begins at 5:30 pm)
Click here to listen to WJPA replay! (begins at 5:30 pm)

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

SEVEN TIGERS CAPTURE SECTION TITLES

Seven Tigers wrestlers won section titles at Fox Chapel on Saturday at the WPIAL Class AAA Section 3 Championships.  Freshman Nick Rodgers (103), senior Steve Sabreen (112), sophomore Joe Waltko (119), freshman Andy Candiello (125), sophomore Dave Cawley (135), junior Karl DeCiantis (160), and senior Rob Waltko (171) all won in their respective weight classes.

Rob Waltko won for the fourth consecutive year winning at 145, 160, and 171 before repeating this year at 171.  DeCiantis and Sabreen became three-time winners while Joe Waltko and Cawley won for the second time.

Tiger wrestlers dominated the first four weight classes.  At 103, Rodgers started the NA run with a 17-0 tech fall over Carson Brooks of Fox Chapel.  Sabreen followed at 112 with a third-period pin of Gran Evans of Seneca Valley.  At 119, Joe Waltko picked a 15-0 tech fall over Conrad Branchen of Avonworth before Candiello won at 125 by a 13-1 major decision over Nate Cully of Seneca Valley.  At 135, Cawley also won by a 15-0 tech fall over Matt Beddingfield of Pine-Richland.  At 160, DeCiantis outpointed Adam Harold of North Hills, 10-5, before Rob Waltko won his fourth title in style with a first-period pin of Aaron Barker of Fox Chapel.

In addition, three NA wrestlers won the consolation matches for third place.  At 140, sophomore Brett Landefeld, and 145, senior Bill Landefeld, and at 189 sophomore Kameron Palagi all picked up bronze medals. Brett Landefeld defeated Justin Mahon of Fox Chapel, 8-6, before brother Bill took care of Alex Evanoff of Butler, 8-1.  Palagi outpointed Thomas McElwaine of North Hills, 3-1, to earn third place.

 All ten NA wrestlers will advance to the WPIAL/Southwest Qualifier at Norwin High School beginning on Thursday and continuing on Friday and Saturday.

WPIAL SECTION 3-AAA
NA MATCHUPS

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

TIGERS TOP TRINITY BUT LOSE TO #1 HEMPFIELD

Click here to listen to NA-Trinity
Click here to listen to NA-Hempfield

The Tigers defeated Trinity, 46-25, in first round action at Hempfield High School on Tuesday night to advance to the quarterfinals of the WPIAL Team Tournament.  In the match against the top-ranked Spartans, the Tigers dropped a 40-15 decision that ended their regular season.

Senior Bill Landefeld got the Tigers off to a great start against Trinity at 145 by pinning Todd Martinek in the second period.  At 152, Kalvin Schultz pinned senior Jeff Wolf to tie the score at 6-6.  At 160, junior Karl DeCiantis decisioned Eric Williams, 7-2, to give the Tigers the lead for good.  At 171, senior Rob Waltko needed only 19 seconds to pin Zach Coffield to increase the NA lead to 15-6.  After Jake Murin won by fall over Tyler Minto at 189, sophomore Kameron Palagi won by forfeit to make it a 21-12 NA lead.  Jack Jamerson of the Hillers pinned Alejandro Alonso at 285 to cut the margin to 21-18 but that was as close as Trinity would get.

The Tigers won the next four matches to clinch the victory.  At 103, freshman Nick Rodgers major decisioned Troy Wilkerson, 10-2, with senior Steve Sabreen following with a 7-4 decision over Mike Standish at 112 as the NA advantage went to 28-18.  At 119, sophomore Joe Waltko pinned Jason Greco at the 2:44 mark, and freshman Andy Candiello followed with a pin over Chance Spiker in the second period to give NA a 40-18 lead.  At 130, Grant Lawther major decisioned senior Ryan Troiano, but at 135, sophomore Dave Cawley pinned Nick Standish in the first period.  In the final match, Jared Roberts decisioned sophomore Brett Landefeld, 6-1, at 140 as the Tigers took a 46-25 victory.

In the quarterfinal match, the Tigers had an early lead, but Hempfield came back to win.  After Bill Landefeld opened with a 6-2 victory over Carmen Testa, the Tigers had a 3-(-1) lead with Hempfield being given a penalty point for unsportsmanlike conduct.  At 160, Travis Uncapher decisioned DeCiantis to cut the lead to 3-2.  Rob Waltko came through with a pin of Erik Croushore at 1:08 to push the margin to 9-2.  At 189, Zach Shoff edged Palagi, 8-6, to cut the lead to 9-5, and at 215, T.J. Valore pinned Minto to put Hempfield ahead for good at 11-9.  After Steve Santia won by forfeit at 285, Rodgers came back to decision Chris Mongelluzzo, 7-4, to cut the margin to 17-12.

Hempfield won the next four matches to put away the victory, but it wasn't easy.  At 112, Jesse Reilly shut out Sabreen, 4-0, to make it 20-12.  At 119, Joe Waltko saw Nico Cortese come up with a reversal with just four seconds remaining to win, 4-3.  At 125, after a scoreless tie in regulation, Jack Bachman scored a takedown in overtime for a 2-0 win to increase the Spartan lead to 26-12.  At 130, Rudy Chelednik won by a technical fall over Troiano, but Cawley came back at 135 to decision Craig Chelednik, 3-0, to cut the margin to 31-15.  The Spartans won the last two matches at 140 and 145 to take a 40-15 victory and advance to the semifinals.  At 140, Matt Butler edged Brett Landefeld, 11-8, and 145, Jake Kemerer pinned senior Ryan McCullough.

It was a strong performance by the Tigers in defeating Trinity and giving the #1 ranked Spartans a battle.  With the win and loss, the Tigers finished the season with a record of 16-3 and the Section 3 Championship with a 9-0 section record.

MATCH SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 46  TRINITY - 25

* - indicates starting weight

MATCH SUMMARY
HEMPFIELD - 40  NORTH ALLEGHENY - 15

* - indicates starting weight

WPIAL CLASS AAA TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

TIGERS TOP NORTH HILLS, 42-19, TO
TAKE SECTION TITLE

To listen to a replay of the match, click here!

The Tigers defeated archrival North Hills, 42-19, on Wednesday night at the Senior High gym to finish the section season undefeated and win the section championship.  Freshman Nick Rodgers at 103, sophomore Joe Waltko at 119 and junior Tyler Minto at 189 all pinned their opponents to pace the NA victory.

Joe Waltko got the Tigers off to a great start by pinning Jake Sikorski in just 12 seconds.  At 125, freshman Andy Candiello followed with an 11-1 major over Ricky Miles as the Tigers took a 10-0 lead in the match.  Senior Ryan Troiano won a 5-1 decision over Kevin Kyes at 130 before North Hills rallied.  Corey Perrotte took an 18-9 major over sophomore Rick Peluso at 135, Alex Martinez edged Brett Landefeld at 140, and Ben Amrhein defeated Ryan McCulough, 5-2, at 145, as the Indians cut the NA lead to 13-10. 

At 152, senior Bill Landefeld won a key match with a three-overtime 2-1 victory over Sean Smith.  At 160, junior Karl DeCiantis won a 9-4 decision over Adam Harold to extend the Tiger lead to 19-10.  Senior Rob Waltko had little trouble at 171 as he took a 22-7 major decision over Zach McCarty to extend the NA margin to 24-10.  Minto's pin of Adam Muehlbaur at 189 made it 30-10.  At 215, T.J. McElwain edged sophomore Kameron Palagi, 7-6, to cut the lead to 30-13.

In the heavyweight match, the Indians Joseph Merlino won by fall over Alejandro Alonso as the Indians closed to 30-19.  At 103, Rodgers pinned Cameron Weber at 3:20 to give the Tigers the victory.  At 119, senior Steve Sabreen won by forfeit as the Tigers completed the 42-19 victory.

With the win, the Tigers finish the section season with a final record of 9-0 and improved their overall mark to 13-1.  NA will face Trinity in the first round of the WPIAL Team Championships on Tuesday night at Hempfield High School.  Match time is scheduled for 6:00 pm.  The winner of the match will meet the winner of the Hempfield-North Hills match at 8:00 pm.

MATCH SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 42  NORTH HILLS - 19

* - indicates starting match

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

TIGERS WIN ALLEGHENY COUNTY TITLE

Photo Gallery

Senior Rob Waltko and junior Karl DeCiantis won individual titles to lead the Tigers to the championship of the Allegheny County Tournament on Saturday at Fox Chapel High School.  NA scored 258 points to second place Chartiers Valley's 210.5 to easily capture their first crown.  The Tigers placed 11 wrestlers in the top five in winning the title.

At 160, DeCiantis defeated Gerald Tyler of Plum to advance to the title match.  In the final, DeCiantis took a 9-6 decision over Adam Harold of North Hills to win the championship.  At 171, Rob Waltko edged Eric Fulmer of Shaler, 3-2, to move on to the final.  In the championship match, Rob defeated Corey O'Keefe of Chartiers Valley, 9-3, to win the title.  At 103, freshman Nick Rodgers major decisioned Sean Lubin of Chartiers Valley in the semifinals but was pinned in the championship match and picked up the silver medal.

In the third place consolation matches, sophomore Joe Waltko decisioned Stan Kochanek of Mt. Lebanon, 9-2, to win the bronze at 119.  At 135, sophomore Dave Cawley took third place with a 6-2 victory over Corey Perrotte of North Hills.  At 140, sophomore Brett Landefeld was the winner over Justin Mahon of Fox Chapel, 11-6, to finish third.  Senior Bill Landefeld followed with a win at 152 over Nick Glesk of Highlands, 4-1, to gain third place.  At 112, senior Steve Sabreen was defeated by Jake Quinten of Plum, 9-3, to finish in fourth place.  at 125, Sam Brehm of Pine-Richland decisioned freshman Andy Candiello, 4-0, for third place.  At 130, senior Ryan Troiano finished fourth after a tough 3-2 loss to Jake Etzel of Elizabeth Forward.  In the fifth place consolations, sophomore Kameron Palagi won a 4-2 decision over Richie Shook of Plum at 215.

It was an outstanding performance by the Tigers in winning their first county championship.  NA will battle North Hills with the section title on the line on Wednesday night at the Senior High gym.  The North Allegheny Sports Network will be there to broadcast the match LIVE on the internet beginning with the pre-match show at 6:50 pm.  Match time is scheduled for 7:00 pm.

ALLEGHENY COUNTY TOURNAMENT
Fox Chapel High School
January 19-20, 2007

FINAL TEAM SCORES

CHAMPIONSHIP MATCHES

THIRD PLACE CONSOLATIONS

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SIX TIGERS ADVANCE TO SEMIFINALS OF
ALLEGHENY COUNTY TOURNAMENT

Six Tigers won quarterfinal matches on Friday to advance to the semifinals of the Allegheny County Tournament at Fox Chapel High School.  Freshman Nick Rodgers at 103, senior Steve Sabreen at 112, sophomore Joe Waltko at 119, sophomore Dave Cawley at 135, junior Karl DeCiantis at 160, and senior Rob Waltko at 171 all were winners on Friday.  At 130, senior Ryan Troiano and at 140 sophomore Brett Landefeld were defeated in the quarterfinals. The Tiger team is currently in second place in the team competition just one-half point behind Chartiers Valley.

At 103, #3 seed Rodgers pinned Curtis Tilves of West Mifflin in the third round before winning an 11-0 major over Carson Brooks in the quarters.  Rodgers will meet #7 seed Sean Lubin of Chartiers Valley in the semifinals.  At 112, #4 seed Sabreen pinned Adam Marks of Elizabeth Forward in the third round, and earned an 8-4 decision over #5 Mike McGuire of Upper St. Clair in the quarters.  Sabreen will face #1 seed Rico Borr of Bethel Park in the semis.  Top seeded Joe Waltko pinned three opponents on his way to the semis.  In the second round, Waltko pinned Eric Pelkey of Gateway, in the third, Lance Flowers of Highlands, and in the quarters, Mark Riley of Bethel Park.  Joe will face #4 Sam Sherlock of West Mifflin in the semis.

At 135, #7 seed Cawley pinned Joe Silvio of Thomas Jefferson in the third round and major decisioned #2 Corey Perotte of North Hills, 13-0, in the quarters. Cawley will face #3 seed Matt Nelson of Shaler in the semis.   Second-seeded DeCiantis pinned Roscoe Bright of Elizabeth Forward in the second round at 160.  In the third round, DeCiantis pinned Jordan Malloy of West Mifflin before earning a 13-3 major decision over #7 Mike Meglen of Chartiers Valley in the quarters.  In the semifinals, DeCiantis will take on #3 seed Gerald Tyler of Plum.  At 171, number two seed Rob Waltko needed only 33 seconds to take care of Brennan Robert of Thomas Jefferson in the second round before pinning Mark Vuono of West Allegheny in the third round.  Rob pinned Dan Diven of Keystone Oaks in the quarters to earn a semifinal match against #6 Eric Fulmer of Shaler.

At 130, Troiano pinned Brad Kocmierczyk of Highlands to advance to the third round where he decisioned #5 Andy Immekis of Thomas Jefferson, 3-1.  Troiano lost a 5-1 decision to #4 Jake Etzel of Elizabeth Forward in the quarters.  Troiano is still alive in the wrestlebacks.  At 140, Brett Landefeld won a 10-2 major over Darren Bollman of West Allegheny in the second round before pinning #7 Jim Igims of Langley in the third.  In the quarters, #2 Alexander Martinez of North Hills took a 4-0 decision from Brett who is also still alive in the wrestlebacks.

A number of additional NA wrestlers won their first round matches.  At 145 senior Ryan McCullough pinned Robert McBride of Moon at 32 seconds before being pinned by #8 Dave Brown of Shady Side Academy in the third round.  McCullough decisioned Justin Lliptak of McKeesport, 2-1, to stay alive in the wrestlebacks.  At 152, senior Bill Landefeld pinned James McNeill of Schenley before dropping a tough 3-1 decision to #1 seed Phil Sorrentino of South Allegheny in the third round.  Bill took a 7-1 decision over Ed Gonzales of West Mifflin to remain alive.  At 189, junior Tyler Minto decisioned Nate Hill of Upper St. Clair, 5-4, in the second round, but was pinned by John Kazalas of Keystone Oaks in the third round.  Minto was eliminated by #4 Jordon Roussos in the fourth round of wrestlebacks.  At 215, sophomore Kameron Palagi took a 7-3 decision of Tom Vasilich of South Allegheny in the third round before dropping a close 7-5 decision to #5 Cody Bertolino of Highlands in the third round.  In the wrestlebacks, Palagi decision Rashad Freeman of Oliver to stay alive.

At 125, freshman Andy Candiello was defeated by #2 seed Cory Bonura of Plum in the second round, but came back to remain alive in the wrestlebacks.  Candiello pinned Shaun McCartney of Keystone Oaks and major decisioned Shakir Wellons of Oliver and will continue in the wrestlebacks on Saturday.  At 285, sophomore Max Fischer was pinned by Derek Walker of Brashear and Erik Miller of Central Catholic and was eliminated from the competition.

FRIDAY'S RESULTS (NA only)

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PINE-RICHLAND FALLS TO TIGERS, 60-6

The Tigers won their eighth straight section match with an easy 60-6 victory at Pine-Richland on Wednesday night.  Four Tigers won by fall --- freshman Nick Rogers at 103, senior Steve Sabreen at 112, sophomore Brett Landefeld at 140, and senior Rob Waltko at 171--- as NA dominated the match.

Sabreen got NA off to a fast start at with a quick pin of Wilm Kranz at 58 seconds of the first period to give the Tigers a 6-0 lead.  After sophomore Joe Waltko won by forfeit at 119, freshman Andy Candiello decisioned Sam Brehm, 4-2, at 125 to increase the NA lead to 15-0.  At 130, senior Ryan Troiano shut out Dustin Fosnight, 2-0.  Sophomore Dave Cawley took a major decision with a 9-1 win over Matt Beddingfield at 135 as the scored went to 22-0.

At 140, Brett Landefeld pinned Derek Schleiden in the first period to continue the NA winning streak.  Senior Ryan McCullough came through with a narrow 4-3 decision over Steve Fawcett at 145 to extend the lead to 31-0.  At 152, senior Bill Landefeld also won a 4-3 decision over Bobby Charland.  Junior Karl DeCiantis picked up a tech fall at 160 with a 21-6 victory as the score went to 39-0. 

Senior Rob Waltko tuned up for the Allegheny County tournament with a pin of Ryan Bateman at the 3:07 mark.  At 189, junior Tyler Minto earned an 8-1 decision over Tom Martinelli to increase the NA margin to 48-0.  After sophomore Kameron Palagi won by forfeit at 215, the Rams avoided the shutout at 285 when Matt Munchnok pinned senior Alejandro Alonso.  Freshman Nick Rodgers finished the match with a pin of Ross Orler at 103 as the Tigers completed a 60-6 victory over the Rams.

The win avenged a loss to Pine-Richland last year.  Last year's loss was the only time the Rams defeated the Tigers and was also the only section loss by NA.  With the win, the overall NA record improved to 12-1.   This weekend, the Tigers will try to win the championship of the Allegheny County Tournament at Fox Chapel.  Action will get under way tomorrow with matches beginning at 10:00 am.

MATCH SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 60  PINE-RICHLAND - 6

* - indicates starting match

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TIGERS STOMP SHALER, 49-19, FOR SEVENTH STRAIGHT SECTION VICTORY

To listen to a replay of the match, click here!

The Tigers built a 49-6 lead on their way to a 49-19 victory over rival Shaler at the Senior High gym on Friday night.  Pins by senior Steve Sabreen at 112, sophomore Joe Waltko at 119, junior Tyler Minto at 189 and sophomore Kameron Palagi at 215 paced NA to the win.

Senior Bill Landefeld gave NA an early lead at 152 with a tough 4-3 decision over Josh Fleming.  Landefeld took a 4-3 lead after two periods and controlled Fleming in the final period to take the victory.  At 160, junior Karl DeCiantis built an 11-4 lead after two periods on his way to a 15-4 major over Dino Passione.  In one of the top matches of the evening, senior Rob Waltko prevailed over Eric Fulmer at 171.  After a scoreless first period, Waltko used two takedowns to built a 4-2 lead after two periods.  An escape and a takedown in the third gave Waltko a 7-2 win as the Tiger lead went to 10-0.  At 189, Minto came out aggressively at the start and finished off Brad Stauber with 43.1 remaining in the first period.  After a scoreless first period at 215, Palagi took control in the second and won by fall over Brad Stauber as the NA advantage went to 22-0.

Senior Kevin Gray finally put Shaler on the board with a second period pin at 285.  At 103, freshman Nick Rodgers won by forfeit.  At 112, Sabreen built a big lead in the first period before pinning Jon Fitzgerald with 17 seconds left.  The Tiger lead went to 34-6 going into the 119 pound weight class.  Joe Waltko was able to pick up a quick takedown and pin with 18.6 left in the first period to build the NA advantage to 40-6.  At 125, freshman Andy Candiello won by forfeit.  At 130, senior Ryan Troiano earned a workmanlike 6-0 victory over Rich Tomer after building a 5-0 lead after one period to extend the Tiger lead at 49-6. 

Shaler won the last three matches.  At 135 in another of the top matches, top-ranked Matt Nelson edged sophomore Dave Cawley, 4-3.  After neither wrestler scored in the first two periods, Cawley escaped for a 1-0 advantage early in the final period.  Nelson came back with a takedown to make it 2-1.  After another Cawley escape, Nelson's second takedown of the period made it 4-2.  Once again, Cawley escaped but could not get the winning takedown as time ran out.  At 140, Andy Sibenac of Shaler won by forfeit.  In the final match of the evening, top-ranked Nick Nelson earned a 15-4 major decision to make the final score, 49-19.

It was another good effort by the Tiger wrestlers as they remained unbeaten in section.  For his efforts against a ranked opponent, the North Allegheny Sports Network named Rob Waltko as the Wrestler of the Match.

With the win, the NA section record improved to 7-0, the overall mark to 11-1.  The Tigers will travel to Pine-Richland on Wednesday night for a 7:00 pm section match.

MATCH SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 49  SHALER - 19

* - indicates starting match

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TIGERS BRUISE BUTLER, 62-6, FOR SIXTH
STRAIGHT SECTION WIN

The Tigers won their sixth section match without a loss with a 62-6 victory at Butler on Wednesday night.  Four Tigers pinned their opponents to pace NA --- senior Steve Sabreen at 112, freshman Andy Candiello at 125, senior Rob Waltko at 171 and junior Tyler Minto at 189.  NA lost only one match as they controlled the Tornado throughout the evening.

Senior Ryan Troiano gave the Tigers the lead for good with a 3-1 decision over Aaron Raible at 130 in the first match.  Sophomore Dave Cawley followed with a win by forfeit at 135.  Senior Ryan McCullough made it 12-0 with a 6-2 decision over Ken Rosenbauer at 140.  The Landefeld brothers continued the NA victory parade.  Sophomore Brett earned a 9-1 major over Alex Evanoff at 145 while senior Bill decisioned Josh Pascazi, 4-3, at 152.  With the wins, the NA lead went to 19-0.

At 160, junior Karl DeCiantis won a major decision over Lee Will by a 19-6 score.  Rob Waltko and Minto followed with falls at 171 and 189 respectively to push the score to 35-0 as the Tigers clinched the victory.  Butler picked up their only victory at 215 with a pin by Marino Quercio.

With the Tigers leading, 35-6, NA won the last four matches.  At 103, freshman Nick Rodgers won by forfeit.  At 112, Sabreen pinned Dave Jaillet in only 37 seconds.  After sophomore Joe Waltko won by forfeit at 119, Candiello finished off the Tornado with a pin of Todd Weist at 1:00 of the first period.

It was a dominating victory for the Tigers as they improved their section record to 6-0 and the overall mark to 10-1.  The Tigers will host Shaler tomorrow night in a section match at the Senior High gym.  The North Allegheny Sports Network will be there to broadcast the match LIVE on the internet beginning with the pre-match show at 6:50 pm.  Match time is scheduled for 7:00 pm.

MATCH SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 62  BUTLER - 6

* - indicates starting match

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TIGERS GRAB THIRD PLACE IN TRINITY DUALS

Photo Gallery

The Tigers defeated Mt. Pleasant, 50-24, to win third place at the Trinity Duals at Trinity High School on Saturday.  NA defeated Erie Prep, Laurel Highlands, and Albert Gallatin in pool matches before dropping a tough 33-31 decision to Class AA #1 Burrell in the final pool match.  Hempfield, the #1 team in Class AAA, defeated Burrell in the championship final.

The Tigers will travel to Butler on Wednesday night for a 7:00 section match before returning home to face rival Shaler on Friday night.  The North Allegheny Sports Network will be there on Friday to broadcast the match LIVE on the internet beginning with the pre-match show at 6:50 pm.  Match time is set for 7:00 pm.

TRINITY DUALS
Saturday, January 6, 2007

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

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TIGERS PIN FOX CHAPEL, 56-12, TO
TAKE FIRST PLACE IN SECTION

In a battle for first place in Section 3, the Tigers dominated Fox Chapel, 56-12, at Fox Chapel on Wednesday night to remain unbeaten in section competition.  Seven Tigers pinned their opponents on their way to the fifth consecutive victory without a loss.

Freshman Andy Candiello got the Tigers off to a good start at 125 with a pin of Carson Brooks in the second period.  At 130, senior Ryan Troiano decisioned Nick Paradise, 6-1, to extend the lead to 9-0.   Sophomore Dave Cawley followed with a pin of Tom Caldwell in the third period.  With the Tigers up 15-0, Fox Chapel came back with victories by Justin Mahon at 140 and Ben McManus at 145 to cut the margin to 15-6.  At 152, senior Bill Landefeld got NA back on track with a pin of Nick Letters in the second period to push the lead to 21-6.  After Brian Letters decisioned junior Karl DeCiantis, 5-2, at 160, senior Rob Waltko wasted little time in putting Aaron Barker away in just 54 seconds.  The Tiger lead went to 27-9.

At 189, junior Tyler Minto dropped a tough 4-2 decision to Jason Schmidt.  The Tigers would not lose another match.  At 215, sophomore Kameron Palagi pinned Dan Stabile in the second period to extend the NA lead in the match to 33-12.  At 285, junior Mark Pegher won by forfeit.  Freshman Nick Rodgers pinned Carson Brooks in the second period at 103 while senior Steve Sabreen followed with another pin at 112.  Sabreen needed only 1:11 to put away Michael Dunn as the NA lead went to 51-12.  In the last match of the evening, sophomore Joe Waltko dominated Joe Johnson, 15-0, to win by technical fall at the 2:42 mark.  The victory gave the Tigers a final margin of 56-12.

With the win, the Tigers improved their section record to 5-0 while dropping Fox Chapel to 4-1.  NA will travel to Trinity tomorrowto participate in the Trinity Duals.  Action is scheduled to get under way at 8:00 am.

MATCH SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 56  FOX CHAPEL - 12

* - indicates starting match

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WPIAL WRESTLING - 2006-07

The Tigers will compete again in Class AAA along with 49 other teams.  Section competition begins on December 6, 2006 and all section matches must be completed by January 24, 2007.  Playoff entry for the 2006-07 WPIAL team championship will include the teams who finish in the top three places in each section.  If two teams tie for the last qualifying spot, the winner of the match played between them will enter the team tournament.  A three-way tie will be broken by comparing the head-to-head competition among the tied teams that may result in one of the teams demonstrating a higher cumulative total of victories.  The tiebreaker applies only to section records.  The WPIAL champion and runner-up will advance to the PIAA Team Championships.

The tiebreaker system used in post-season play will be applied to all regular season matches between WPIAL teams if they end in a tie score.  If ties occur, the 2006-2007 NFHS Rule book criteria will be used to break the tie.

Senior high wrestlers must be certified at only one of the following fourteen weight classifications:

103, 112, 119, 125, 130, 135, 140, 145, 152, 160, 171, 189, 215 and 285 lbs.

A random draw of weight classes will be used in all dual meets and team tournaments.

WPIAL INDIVIDUAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

The WPIAL individual championships will begin with a section tournament.  In class AAA, sectionals will be held in a one-day format.  The top four place winners from each sectional tournament will advance to the WPIAL/Southwest Regional tournament from which three wrestlers will advance to the state tournament.  Wrestle-back competition will be included from the first round of Sectional, WPIAL and Regional Championships.

2006-2007 WRESTLING ALIGNMENT

CLASS AAA - 50 TEAMS

Any questions or comments should be directed to Athletic Director Bob Bozzuto at:  bbozzuto@northallegheny.org