Mat title hopes stay alive

By SAM TALLARICO Eagle Staff Writer

February 27, 2009 Last Updated: February 27, 2009 09:53 AM High School

Baxter, Weston Cully winners in wrestling

CANONSBURG — It wasn't as good as it could have been, but Butler coach Scott Stoner would prefer to chalk it up to experience.

In Thursday's WPIALClass AAA WrestlingChampionships at Canon-McMillan High School, the Tornado had two wrestlers reach the quarterfinal round while five of their teammates will have to work themselves through the consolation brackets.

Butler's Dillon Weston (135) and Cole Baxter (145) along with Seneca Valley's Nate Cully each picked up a first-round win to advance to Friday's quarterfinals, which will begin at 6 p.m. along with the first-round consolation rounds.

"I wanted to get the kids through pigtails and win a match," said Stoner, who had just two of seven wrestlers — Mike Crawford (140) and Derek Hays (152) — win a preliminary match, but lost in the first round.

"We had some that were out-experienced and some that gave up. So many coaches look at who's the up-and-coming teams and they tap you on the shoulder and tell you your program is coming along.

"From here, we're getting 10 (out of 12) guys back next year. The only one with more than that is Mt. Lebanon," Stoner added.

That includes sophomores Baxter (38-0), who pinned Waynesburg's Alex Teagarden (22-14) in 42 seconds, and Weston, who knocked off Penn-Trafford senior Stewart Owens 4-2.

"When I saw the bracket, I wanted to see where we were strong and see how he was going to wrestle," said Stoner. "(Baxter) went from one thing to another. That's what he has to do the next couple of matches."

At the WPIALteam playoffs on Jan. 29, Owens (27-14) scored an 11-0 major decision over Weston (21-9) in the Warriors' 51-15 triumph.

"That was a big win," said Stoner. "Stewart's an explosive kind of kid ... That was Dillon's best match mentally all year. He has the skill you need, he just needs to believe in himself. His challenge is getting control of the mental aspect."

Cully (26-4), a junior for the Raiders, recorded a 15-0 technical fall over Franklin Regional's Chris Little (18-21) in 4:51 to also move onto the quarterfinals.

"(Cully's) got a tough quarterfinal match (against Penn-Trafford's Jake Mathews)," said Raiders coach Tom Tomeo. "I don't know a lot of these guys, but it should be a great, great match. Nate's really focused right now.

"The goal is to get into the semis, but Cully's obviously a favorite to get there,"Tomeo added.

Three other area wrestlers captured their respective pigtail matches, but then followed up with losses in the first-round. Only those who lose a pigtail match are eliminated. Starting with the first round, it is a double-elimination format.

Seneca Valley's Colton Schiever (112) decisioned Mt. Lebanon's Michael Kostas, then was pinned by Waynesburg's Derrick Nelson in 57 seconds.

"Colton wrestled a fantastic match early, then lost to the kid who beat him earlier in the year," said Tomeo. "His mindset was that it was a new day ... but he was just overmatched."

Butler's Mike Crawford (140) pinned Mt. Lebanon's Christopher Kostas in 1:25, then injury defaulted to No. 1 seed Jack Bachman of Hempfield (40-1) at 1:53.

The hope is to give Crawford a little time to rest his injured shoulder and not inflict any more damage to it.

The Tornado's Derek Hays (152) edged Mt. Lebanon's Austin VanHorn 4-3, but lost a tough 5-0 decision to No. 2 seed Dan Karpency of Albert Gallatin (33-2).

"He wrestled (Karpency) really well," said Stoner. "He's a mental wrestler. We'll see how he reacts."

In some competitive first-round matches, Butler freshman Zach Reges (112) lost a 2-1 decision to Connellsville's Jerry Cramer, Eric Tuck (119) 6-0 to Canon-McMillan's Ron Schram and Seneca Valley's Grant Evans (119) fell to Elizabeth-Forward's Jake Diana 7-5 in overtime.

Evans used a takedown with 35 seconds left and an escape to tie Diana and force the extra time.

"Grant lost a heartbreaker," said Tomeo. "It was just little things here and there. He almost pulled an upset. He's a hard-nosed kid and he's always in the match."

Knoch's lone qualifier, Grayson Hixon (119) held an 8-1 lead over Albert Gallatin''s Dante DeCario before DeCario reeled off 11 unanswered points for a 12-8 lead. Hixon battled back late but fell 12-11. DeCario then upset No. 2 seed John Pezze in the first round.

Pigtail Matches103: Schuyler Mencheck (Albert Gallatin) major dec. over

Nick Sutton (Butler), 13-1

112:

Colton Schiever (Seneca Valley) dec. Michael Kostas (Mt. Lebanon), 5-2

119:Dante DeCario (Derry) dec.

Grayson Hixon (Knoch), 12-11

130: Stetson Keedy (Connellsville) pinned Cody Hartman (Butler), 5:13

140:Mike Crawford (Butler) pinned Christopher Kostas (Mt. Lebanon), 1:25

152:Derek Hays (Butler) dec. Austin VanHorn (Mt. Lebanon), 4-3

160:John Dibuono (Waynesburg) pinned

Dakoda Collins (Butler), 3:15

171: Bobby Haraczy (Central Catholic) dec.