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Erie County wrestlers aim for medal moments at PIAA tournament

mike copper, erie times-news
·4 min read

Erie County and District 10 high school wrestlers will be seeking medals when the three-day PIAA tournament opens Thursday at the Giant Center in Hershey.

Here are some area wrestlers to watch at states:

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Five Fort LeBoeuf wrestlers back at Hershey

Fort LeBoeuf's team performance at the Northwest Region 2A tournament was impressive.

The Bison, coached by Corry graduate and former PIAA finalist Shane McChesney, were 2A team champions. Their 122½ points included those compiled by five PIAA qualifiers.

Conner McChesney (40-7) will have an opportunity to accomplish at Hershey what his father was one win shy of in 1995. The junior was the region's titlist at 172.

Class 2A regional: Female wrestler qualifies for states, LeBoeuf reigns, and more from Northwest 2A regionals

JoJo Przybycien (41-6 at 133) and Danny Church (41-6 at 215) were LeBoeuf's other gold medalists. Teammates Jake Bennett (second at 121) and Ryan Welka (fourth at 189) also advanced.

LeBoeuf's wrestlers and coaches will return to the same arena where the Bison competed in February's PIAA 2A team tournament final. Faith Christian Academy defeated them 54-12.

PIAA 2A team meet: Faith Christian foils Fort LeBoeuf's bid for second PIAA Class 2A team wrestling title

Girard's Buchanan, Keep seek new win streaks

Girard's Story Buchanan was the District 10's lone undefeated wrestler going into regions.

Girard 152-pounder Story Buchanan, top, enters the PIAA Class 2A tournament with a 38-1 record this season.
Girard 152-pounder Story Buchanan, top, enters the PIAA Class 2A tournament with a 38-1 record this season.

The junior's quest for perfection ended in the 152 semifinals, when he lost a 10-8 decision to Sharpsville's Caullin Summers.

However, Buchanan's bigger bid at a state title was assured by reaching the division's third-place match. His 11-3 major decision over Kane's Reece Bechakas left him 38-1 this season.

Girard coach Jason Johnson also will be in Abe Keep's corner this weekend. The YellowJackets' 215-pounder senior, an Edinboro University recruit, lost to LeBoeuf's Church 2-1 in their region final.

Preseason Top 40:Meet the Erie Times-News preseason District 10 wrestlers to watch for 2022-23 season

More county wrestlers to watch

General McLane juniors Chance Kimmy (160) and Magnus Lloyd (189), plus senior heavyweight Wilson Spires, will also compete this weekend. The Lancers' wrestling program reverted to 2A status for the PIAA's current two-year enrollment cycle.

North East sophomore Cyrus Hurd (127) and senior Steffan Lynch (152), both region champions, round out Erie County's small-school participants at Hershey. Each formerly attended and wrestled at Cathedral Prep.

More:Make your pick for Erie County Athlete of the Week in final polls for winter sports season

Erie County sends six to 3A brackets

The always difficult Northwest Region Class 3A meet, held two weekends ago at Altoona, produced four McDowell and two Cathedral Prep qualifiers for the PIAA tournament.

Logan Sallot, McDowell
Logan Sallot, McDowell

Logan Sallot is the most notable of the four Trojans who survived. Although the 114-pound senior is 30-2 this season and 84-23 overall, he never won a postseason tournament before this season and only qualified once for states.

Sallot also is in the midst of the college recruiting process for a second time. He signed a national letter of intent with Division I West Virginia, led by former Edinboro University coach Tim Flynn, but changed his mind in February.

Sallot formally got the agreement rescinded, but only after voluminous NCAA paperwork.

McDowell's Artis Simmons, top, and Cathedral Prep's Bo Martucci compete at 152 pounds during the District 10 Class 3A team wrestling tournament at Prep's Hagerty Family Events Center in Erie on Feb. 2. Simmons is one of four Trojans heading to this week's PIAA 3A tournament.
McDowell's Artis Simmons, top, and Cathedral Prep's Bo Martucci compete at 152 pounds during the District 10 Class 3A team wrestling tournament at Prep's Hagerty Family Events Center in Erie on Feb. 2. Simmons is one of four Trojans heading to this week's PIAA 3A tournament.

Sallot was the region's 114 champ, as was McDowell teammate Caleb Butterfield (160). Artis Simmons (152) and Troy Peterson (215) lost their tournament finals, but still advanced as top-three medalists.

Representing Prep at the Giant Center will be lightweights Keagan Oler (121) and Sam Staab (127).

D-10 3A team meet:Here's how Cathedral Prep edged Hickory, McDowell to win the D-10 3A wrestling team title

Contact Mike Copper at mcopper@timesnews.com. Follow him on Twitter @ETNcopper.

PIAA wrestling tournament

  • Where: Giant Center, Hershey

  • When: Thursday-Saturday

  • Class AA: Preliminaries, first round start 9 a.m. Thursday; Finals, medal rounds start 2 p.m. Saturday

  • Class AAA: Preliminaries, first round start 4 p.m. Thursday; Finals, medal rounds start 7 p.m. Saturday

  • Pairings: See the full pairings for the tournament's preliminary and opening rounds in Class 2A and 3A at bit.ly/PIAAwrestling.

  • Follow GoErie.com throughout the tournament for updates on District 10 wrestlers and complete PIAA round-by-round results.

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Erie County high school wrestlers to watch at the PIAA tournament