Comeback Kid
JEFFERSON TWP — Vito Pilosi got a late start to the wrestling season, but hopes to make up for it with a lengthy postseason run.
The Slippery Rock 195-pound junior missed the majority of the season while coming back from a left knee injury suffered during the football season.
“We didn't want to just throw him out there. I care about my wrestlers,” said Slippery Rock coach Shamus Carr. “We took a day-to-day approach with him, but now it's full-steam ahead.”
Pilosi returned to the Rockets' lineup several weeks ago and improved his record to 7-2 with a pin of Knoch's Kody Moore Tuesday night.
The effort was part of a dominant showing by Slippery Rock, which evened its record at 10-10 with a 54-15 decision on the road.
Pilosi said his injury, a torn meniscus, is in the rear-view mirror.
“There was some swelling and I couldn't come back until I had a certain degree of motion in my knee,” he said. “There's no pain with it now.”
Carr has high hopes for Pilosi entering the District 10 section tournament at Sharon High School on Friday.
“He is not seeded, only because you have to have at least 10 wins to be seeded,” Carr said. “But Vito has a chance to be very successful.”
“I wrestled at 170 last year and missed getting to states by one match,” said Pilosi, who starred at quarterback for the Rockets last fall. “Getting to states is my goal and hopefully, I can get there.”
Also earning pins for Slippery Rock were Zane Lynch (126), Mason Borlan (138), Kid Scarborough (145) and Elijah Hillard (170).
Knoch is coached by alumnus Grayson Hixon, a 2010 graduate. The Knights are also preparing for sectionals in the WPIAL and much of their hope rests on the shoulders of 152-pounder Guy DeLeonardis.
As a sophomore last year, he reached the WPIAL tournament at 145 pounds.
“He was one of our best wrestlers at the start of the season, but has also improved,” Hixon said. “He works very hard in practice and it shows.”
In Thursday's match, DeLeonardis dispatched Justin Pearce with a 7-2 decision, moving the former's record to 21-5 this season.
“I had no idea about the guy I was wrestling,” DeLeonardis said. “When that's the case, I change my approach a bit. I look to see which foot his weight is on, try to see what type of wrestler he is and go from there.”
DeLeonardis figured Pearce out enough by late in the first period when he managed a takedown and never trailed in the bout.
“I won a pigtail bout at WPIALs last year, then lost the next two,” said DeLeonardis. “I want to get to states. I know everybody says that, but that's been my goal since the summer.”
Knoch's Hunter Oskin earned a win by fall at 132 pounds.
Slippery Rock 54, Knoch 15
(Match started at 106 pounds)
106-Justine Zuchowski (SR) won by forfeit; 113-Nick Ayres (SR) won by forfeit; 120-No bout; 126-Zane Lynch (SR) pinned Ty Misitis, 2:56; 132-Hunter Oskin (K) pinned Jaidon Stone, 3:56; 138-Mason Borlan (SR) pinned Hunter Cascio, 5:20; 145-Kid Scarborough (SR) pinned Adam Stobert, 4:23; 152-Guy DeLeonardis (K) dec. Justin Pearce, 7-2; 160-Brendan Hinchberger (K) won by forfeit; 170-Elijah Hillard (SR) pinned Sam Freyermuth, 5:20; 182-Tony Pilosi (SR) dec. Earnie Zilka, 7-0; 195-Vito Pilosi (SR) pinned Kody Moore, 3:43; 220-Trent Duncan (SR) won by forfeit; Hwt.-Sean Northcott (SR) dec. Eli Reese, 8-2
