SV wrestlers place at PIAA tourney
HERSHEY — Seneca Valley wrestlers Liam Vol-Klos and Tyler Chappell placed in their respective weight classes Saturday during the WPIAL Class AAA Championships at the Giant Center.
Volk-Klos (25-4) placed fifth at 215 pounds while Chappell (36-6) took seventh place at 113. Chappell was the highest WPIAL finisher in his weight class.
“This was a good way for us to end our season,” Raiders wrestling coach Kevin Wildrick said. “Having two state placers is a great accomplishment for our program.”
Volk-Klos, a senior, placed fourth at the WPIAL Tournament, but earned a berth in the state semifinals with three straight victories. He dropped a 2-0 decision to eventual state champion Brian Finnerty of Thomas Jefferson in the semifinal round.
After getting pinned in 1:40 by Carl Digiorgio of Central Bucks West, Volk-Klos came back to decision Corey Boerio of Greater Latrobe, 3-2, to claim fifth place.
“Liam had an excellent tournament, coming in here as a fourth-place qualifier,” Wildrick said. “He only lost 2-0 to the kid who won the weight class. He was right in the mix the whole way through.”
Volk-Klos, a senior, got off to a late start this season after undergoing knee surgery Sept. 26. He plans to wrestle in college, most likely Division 1, but has not selected a school yet.
Chappell, a junior and two-time WPIAL champion, was dropped into the consolation bracket after losing his quarterfinal match Friday. He lost a 2-1 decision to Carson Wagner of Northhampton before coming back to decision Nico Tucci of Warwick, 4-0, to earn seventh place.
“Tyler never really got off offensively in this tournament,” Wildrick said. “He won some tight, low-scoring matches, which he knows how to do, but when you’re involved in tight matches, sometimes you can lose them, too.”
Chappell’s three wins in the PIAA tourney were decisions by scores of 4-2, 2-0 and 4-0.
Butler heavyweight Jake Pomykata was eliminated from the tournament Friday, but went 2-2 in Hershey to end his season at 30-9. Pomykata was knocked out of the tourney by an 8-4 loss to Clearfield’s Oliver Billotte in consolations. Billotte wound up placing fourth.
“That kid was probably six inches taller than Jake,” Butler coach Scott Stoner said. “He was a lanky, athletic heavyweight and was a tough matchup for him. But Jake hung in and fought him hard.
“We didn’t get the draw out here we would have preferred. Jake definitely showed that he belonged. He wrestled a very competitive tournament.
One of Pomykata’s state tourney wins was a 3-1 decision of Kiski Area’s Stone Joseph, who beat him at the WPIAL tourney.
Pomykata carries a 4.4 grade point average, plays football and is a thrower on the Butler track and field team, and played in the high school’s marching band.
“He’s just an incredible person,” Stoner said. “Jake is a role model to everybody, the way he runs his life. I’ve enjoyed coaching him.”
