Butler wrestlers close, but lose to NA

By JOHN ENRIETTO Eagle Sports Editor

January 22, 2009 Last Updated: January 22, 2009 01:06 PM High School

FOX CHAPEL — The gap is getting closer.

But North Allegheny maintained its wrestling reign over Butler Wednesday night, defeating the Golden Tornado 36-28 in the first round of the WPIALTeam Section Championships at Fox Chapel.

The Golden Tornado (8-3) have never defeated the Tigers (9-6) in a dual meet and North Allegheny was gunning for its ninth successive section team crown under coach Jamie Kyriazis — but Butler made it interesting.

When senior Derek Hays nipped NA freshman Austin Coniker 4-2 in overtime at 160 pounds, the berth in the team finals was sent to the final bout of the dual.

"I had no choice. I had to win or we had no chance,"Hays said. "I like being in that spot. It motivates me more because it's such a team thing."

Hays (5-2) missed the early part of the season recovering from a neck stinger.

The dual's final bout pitted Butler junior Mike Scialabba (3-7) against NA's Seb Fischer, a talented opponent who entered the night with a 1-1 record.

"He had been injured and out of their lineup,"Butler coach Scott Stoner said. "We weren't quite sure where he stood health-wise."

Fischer appeared plenty healthy, building an 8-0 first-period lead on Scialabba before pinning him 33 seconds into the second frame to seal the team win for the Tigers.

"It's always a tough match when we wrestle Butler,"Kyriazis said. "I didn't know how the first three matches of the night would go and when they jumped on us 16-0 ... It was going to be a fight."

The dual began with the 189-pound match. Butler's Chris White (13-6) scored a pin at 5:03 and Marino Quercio (15-4) won by major decision at 215.

When Alex Truman (11-7) put Alex Panormios' shoulders to the mat 15 seconds into the second period, Butler had its 16-0 lead.

North Allegheny got back in the match through its depth in the lighter and middle weight classes. Ryan Sippel (19-10) won by technical fall at 103, Mike Wanner (19-11) won via pin at 112, Nick Rodgers by major decision at 119.

Kyriazis shuffled his lineup at that point, moving 130-pound senior Joe Waltko to 140 pounds, pitting him against Butler's Mike Crawford (14-3).

Waltko is 27-1 this season, 130-20 in his career.

"Waltko's a stud, but we were hoping Mike could hang in and keep it to a major decision or just a decision,"Stoner said. "Had that happened, we might have been tied at that point."

But Crawford aggravated an ailing shoulder and wound up defaulting to Waltko in the second period. He was trailing 12-4 at the time.

"Mike's hurting pretty bad right now,"Stoner said. "I'm not sure what his situation is going to be. That shoulder's been bothering him.

"People are going to wonder why I didn't wrestle Cole (Baxter) straight up against (Dave) Cawley at 145. We could have gone that way, but I was trying to steal a few more points. It didn't work out."

The unbeaten Baxter (16-0) wound up scoring a decision over Adam Powers at 152 pounds. Cawley pinned Dakoda Collins with 15 seconds left at 145.

"There was a lot of jockeying going on,"Kyriazis said of the lineups. "We had a feeling this might come down to the last match."

"With them having some wrestlers banged up, we thought we might have a shot,"Stoner said.

Hays believes NA's mat dominance of Butler is on borrowed time.

"My freshman through senior year, we've gotten closer to them each time,"Hays said. "I don't think you'll see North Allegheny beating Butler next year."

The Tornado wound up third in the section with a 40-24 win over North Hills in the consolation round. Fox Chapel defeated North Hills, 39-21, in the first round.

First RoundNorth Allegheny 36, Butler 28103 — Ryan Sippel (NA) tech. fall over Brandon Bauer, 4:00 (16-0);

112 — Mike Wanner (NA)pinned Nick Sutton, 1:44;

119 — Nick Rodgers (NA)dec. Zach Reges, 14-3;

125 — Eric Tuck (B)dec. Kevin Monper, 2-1;

130 — Cody Hartman (B)dec. Bobby Sippel, 7-4;

135 — Andy Candiello (NA)dec. Dillon Weston, 10-3;

140 — Joe Waltko (NA)by injury default over Mike Crawford;

145 — Dave Cawley (NA)pinned Dakoda Collins, 5:45 ;

152 — Cole Baxter (B)dec. Adam Powers, 4-0;

160 — Derek Hays (B)dec. Austin Coniker, 4-2 in OT;

171 — Seb Fischer (NA)pinned Mike Scialabba, 2:33;

189 — Chris White (B)pinned Bill Lenhart, 5:03;