Repeat performance
CANONSBURG — Not the way he drew it up, but he’ll take it.
Seneca Valley junior Tyler Chappell claimed his second consecutive WPIAL wrestling championship Saturday at Canon-McMillan High School, decisioning Peters Township freshman Darius McMillon, 1-0, in the 113-pound title bout.
“I don’t like it,” Chappell said of his methodical victory. “I wanted to come down here this year and score more points, be more offensive. It didn’t work out that way, but I did what I had to do.”
Chappell (33-4) scored an escape against McMillon with 43 seconds left in the second period. He did not allow McMillon to escape from him in the third, thus securing the win. McMillon stood up and nearly freed himself with 20 seconds left in the match, but Chappell drove him back down to the mat and rode out the remaining time.
Chappell and McMillon train together at a wrestling club in the South Hills.
“I’ve practiced with him before, but never competed against him in a match,” Chappell said of McMillon. “I under-estimated him. He was taller and that made it frustrating whenever I’d take a shot at his legs. It was an awkward match-up for me.”
McMillon (29-3) entered the finals match having pinned all three of his previous foes in the tournament. Chappell began his tournament run with a 16-1 technical fall over Alec Formaini of Armstrong, then rolled to a 10-2 decision over 30-win wrestler Leo Joseph of Greater Latrobe in the quarterfinals.
Chappell took down Brady Joling of Chartiers Valley — another 30-win opponent — in the first period of their semifinal match and made it stand up for a 2-0 decision.
“Tyler is a very smart, technical wrestler,” Raiders coach Kevin Wildrick said. “His defense is extraordinary. He knows how to stay out of trouble.
“His opponent in the finals was very good, very dangerous with his ability to pin his opponent. But Tyler was never phased by it.”
Chappell said he has never been pinned in his high school career. He improved his career record to 96-20 at Seneca Valley, putting himself in position to possibly reach the 100-win plateau at the state tournament in Hershey this weekend.
“I was never worried about getting pinned,” Chappell said. “I know how to stay out of those situations. Just find a way to win the match.”
Having won the WPIAL crown at 106 pounds last year, Chappell’s triumph Saturday give him and his older brother, Dylan, five WPIAL championships. Dylan was a three-time champ and now wrestles at Bucknell University.
“That’s not too shabby,” Wildrick said of the brothers’ five championships. “They come from an athletic family and they were raised on wrestling the right way. They did a lot of tournaments growing up, but never got burned out or overloaded with it.”
Chappell’s sister, Lauren, is on a track and field scholarship at Robert Morris. Chappell himself recently agreed to a wrestling scholarship at the University of Pittsburgh.
“I’m excited about that because our father went there. I’m glad one of us is able to continue in that tradition,” Chappell said. “I’ve been going to Pitt football games since I was a little kid.”
Planning to major in the business field at Pitt, Chappell still has business to take care of on the high school wrestling mat. He placed third at the PIAA Tournament last year.
His brother was a state runner-up, but never won a PIAA championship.
“That’s something I definitely want to do,” Chappell said. “I want to get out from under my brother’s shadow and forge my own way.”
