Weakened Butler falls

By JOHN ENRIETTO Eagle Sports Editor

January 11, 2007 Last Updated: January 11, 2007 02:23 PM High School

Butler's Josh Pascazi, right, tries to get the upper hand on Bill Landefeld of North Allegheny in the 152-pound match Wednesday. Landefeld won a 4-3 decision as the Tigers beat the Golden Tornado 62-6.

Missing 4 starters, Tornado can't handle Tigers

BUTLER TWP— Scott Stoner could see the writing on the wall, but he still hated seeing the numbers on the scoreboard.

With the Golden Tornado missing four starters, the Butler wrestling coach watched his team drop a 62-6 decision to North Allegheny Wednesday night.

"They didn't have a couple of their top guns tonight,"Tigers coach Jamie Kyriazis said. "That makes a difference. The final score looks like a blowout, but some of these individual matches were tight."

Butler (5-6) wrestled without 15-match winners Ian McLaughlin and Rob Runyan, 103-pounder Justin Victor and 135-pounder Derek Hays. McLaughlin is out indefinitely with an injury and the other three were unavailable for competition.

"NAis so strong from top to bottom,"Stoner said. "We just didn't have the lineup to compete with them.

"Still, to have wrestled North Allegheny for 14 years now and to have never beaten them is embarrassing. This is our worst regular season loss in a long, long time."

The Tigers (10-1) received pins from Steve Sabreen at 112 pounds, Andy Candiello at 125, Rob Waltko at 171 and Tyler Minto at 189. Sabreen, Candiello and Waltko secured their pins within the first minute.

"We had Ryan Bock, a first-year wrestler, facing Waltko, a returning state runner-up. ... What are you gonna do?"Stoner said.

"They're probably weakest at 189, 215 and heavyweight. Our only experienced kid at those weight classes won his match."

That was 215-pound sophomore Marino Quercio (12-7), who notched his ninth pin of the season — second on Butler's squad to McLaughlin's 11 falls — when he put Kameron Palagi's shoulders to the mat in 1:23.

"Marino won or lost by pin in every match last year, but he only had seven or eight wins,"Stoner said. "He's matured into his body more this year."

Jordan Emrick, another sophomore, put NA's Tyler Minto on his back in the first period of their 189-pound match. He scored three back points, but failed to get the pin.

Minto rallied to tie the match in the second period before pinning Emrick in 3:58.

"Tyler had a nice comeback there,"Kyriazis said. "We preach to our kids all the time, if you give up points early, find a way to stay in the match. You don't know what can happen."

"Jordan is a little inexperienced, but sometimes you just have to be physically tough on the mat and get the pin,"Stoner said.

Butler had other close calls Wednesday. Aaron Pascazi (13-4) surrendered an escape and takedown in the third period of a 4-3 loss at 152. Aaron Raible (9-9) gave up a takedown with 15 seconds left in a 3-1 loss at 130. Ken Rosenbauer allowed a go-ahead takedown with six seconds left in the second period of a 6-2 loss at 140.

"We have to master the basics on the mat,"Stoner said. "Until you do that, it's hard to develop as a wrestler."

The Tornado wrestle at Hampton Friday night.

North Allegheny 62, Butler 6103 — Nick Rodgers (NA)by forfeit;

112 — Steva Sabreen (NA)pinned Dave Jaillet in :37;

119 — Joe Waltko (NA)by forfeit;

125 — Andy Candiello (NA)pinned Todd Weist in 1:00;

130 — Ryan Troiano (NA)dec. Aaron Raible 3-1;

135 — Dave Cawley (NA)by forfeit;

140 — Ryan McCollough (NA)dec. Ken Rosenbauer 6-2;

145 — Brett Landefeld (NA)dec. Alex Evanoff 9-1;

152 — Bill Landefeld (NA)dec. Josh Pascazi 4-3;

160 — Karl DeCiantis (NA)dec. Lee Will 19-6;