Tigers Crown 2 Champions At PA Regional Tournament, Qualify 8 For States
Two Lady Tigers were crowned champions and three more earned top-two finishes at the Pennsylvania Regional Tournament at Kiski Area High School on Sunday. Juniors Audrey Morrison (142) and Leyna Rumpler (148) won tournament gold, while freshman Sophia Folks (130), senior Callie Rautenbach (148) and sophomore Maya Scott (155) all reached the title bout in their respective weight classes and earned silver medals. As a team, North Allegheny placed third with 114 team points, behind Canon-McMillan (168.5) and Saegertown (121).
At 142, top-seeded Morrison cruised to the finals with a pair of wins by fall over McKenzie Spano of Bentworth and Paula Sanchez of Valley. In the championship bout, Morrison defeated Grace O’Korn of Peters Township by a 2-0 decision. In similar fashion, Rumpler picked up a win by fall in the semifinals over Katie Seamens of Warren Area before meeting teammate Rautenbach in the championship bout. Rumpler pinned Rautenbach in 1:33 to earn gold, while Rautenbach earned silver.
Along with Rautenbach, Folks made a run to the title bout at 130 with three consecutive wins by fall before a loss to Joelle Scott of Northwestern in the finals. Scott navigated her way to the finals at 155 pounds with a pin fall over Claire Hightower of Mt. Lebanon in the semifinals before falling to Canon-McMillan’s Paige Ward in the title bout.
Additional standout performances were delivered by sophomore Kaylee Dean (235), sophomore Brenna Collery (136) and freshman Amya Sanford (235). After a first round loss to Chesney Boggess of Redbank Valley, Dean rattled off three straight wins in the consolation bracket to take home tournament bronze. In the third-place bout, Dean atoned for her only loss and defeated Boggess in a rematch by a 3-1 decision. Sanford also competed in the 235-pound bracket and took home a fifth-place medal with a win by fall over Chelsea Wilson of Saegertown in the fifth-place bout.
At 136 pounds, Collery reached the semifinal round with a win by fall over Mariely Bermudez of North Hills. After a loss to top-seed Josephine Dollman of Norwin in the semifinal, Collery bounced back with a pin fall of Emma Cunningham of Beaver Area to reach the third-place bout and ultimately came away with a fourth-place medal.
Freshman Ava Frailey also competed at the event and went 1-2 in her three bouts at 142 pounds. For a full look at tournament brackets, click here.
With eight Tigers claiming medals at the Pennsylvania Regional Tournament, North Allegheny will next turn its attention to the Pennsylvania State Championships on Sunday, March 12 at Central Dauphin High School.