Taking over the throne
CANONSBURG — Win No. 100 was pretty big.
Win No. 101 dwarfed it.
Butler senior 182-pound wrestler Christian Sequete secured the latter by a 9-2 decision over Tim Wallace of Albert Gallatin in their WPIAL Class AAA championship match Saturday night at Canon-McMillan High School.
Sequete (33-3) became only the second Golden Tornado wrestler to ever secure a WPIAL title. Cole Baxter won the crown at 145 pounds in 2009.
“That 100 wins doesn't mean that much now,” Sequete admitted. “This championship ... It's just so much more important for so many reasons.
“I can't put into words how I feel right now.”
Sequete began the tournament with 97 career wins. He pinned his way to 100, putting Gateway's Nevin Matthews' shoulders to the mat at 1:32 of their first-round match.
He put away John Bachar of Penn-Trafford at 2:16 of their quarterfinal bout. That set up a rematch with Hampton freshman Justin Hart in the semifinals.
Sequete decisioned Hart 6-3 in the Section 3 title bout the previous weekend. That was Hart's second loss of the season.
Sequete handed Hart — who wound up placing fourth in the WPIAL tourney — his third defeat in sound fashion. He built up a big lead before pinning Hart in 4:25.
“Pinning your way to the finals in this tournament ... That's doing something,” Butler coach Scott Stoner said. “Christian has looked so powerful and dominant, that may have affected the way he (Wallace) wrestled him in the finals.
To read more about Christian Sequete, read Monday's Butler Eagle.
