SV's Newell true jewel

By John Enrietto Eagle Sports Editor

March 03, 2016 Last Updated: March 03, 2016 10:41 AM High School

Seneca Valley sophomore 106-pound wrestler Louis Newell is seeded No. 2 in his weight class at this weekend's WPIAL Championships. Newell hopes tyo return to the state meet for the second consecutive season.

Raider sophomore seeded No. 2 in bid for state tourney

Louis Newell is in exclusive company.

Seneca Valley’s sophomore 106-pounder is one of only four wrestlers from Section 3-AAA seeded among the top two in their respective weight classes for this weekend’s WPIAL Class AAA Championships at Penn Hills High School.

Newell (32-4) joins Gage Curry (35-0) of North Hills at 113 pounds, Jake Hartman (12-1) of Shaler at 145 and Jake Woodley (33-3) of North Allegheny at 182 as the only other Section 3 first or second seeds.

“We’re happy they gave Louis that seed,” Seneca Valley coach Kevin Wildrick said. “He wrestled most of the year at 113 and put together a strong record there. I’m sure that’s what they looked at.

“I thought the overall seeding was fair. Nothing really jumps out at me.”

Sophomore Job Trisko (27-1) of Penn-Trafford is seeded No. 1 at 106.

Newell, who placed eighth in the PIAA meet last year, enters the WPIAL tourney as a section champion. Butler’s three section champs — Caleb Baxter at 152, Christian Sequete at 170 and Saavon Mosby at 220 — are seeded seventh, fifth and eighth, respectively.

Golden Tornado 138-pound section runner-up Scott Dietrich is seeded sixth.

“Their work is cut out for them,” Butler coach Scott Stoner said. “I can’t complain about the seedings. Our section wasn’t as strong this year compared to some of the others.”

Seneca Valley’s two section runner-ups — Ben Lynch at 120 and twin brother Alex at 126 — will face high seeds should they win their first matches. Ben Lynch would get No. 1 seed Spencer Lee (40-0) of Franklin Regional in the quarterfinals while Alex would get No. 2 seed Ethan McCoy (27-2) of Latrobe.

“Win the first one and go from there,” Wildrick said. “Anything can happen at WPIALs. Sometimes a kid can get on a roll in consolations and beat people he might not beat during the regular season.”

Mars has two section runner-ups in 113-pound Alex Hornfeck and 160-pound Noah Wright in the field. Planets coach Jason Wilk is pleased Hornfeck is on the side of the bracket away from Curry.

“The Curry kid stands above the rest,” Wilk said. “But Alex wouldn’t have to face him until the finals. Really, I think he’s capable of beating anyone else in the field. I like his draw.”

Wright will face No. 1 seed Tim Wallace (30-2) of Albert Gallatin in the quarterfinals if he (Wright) survives his first-round opponent.

“Noah only lost to that kid by two points when they wrestled earlier this season,” Wilk said. “He can hold his own in this tournament.”

Seven Butler County wrestlers — including 152-pounder Brandon Yobst (25-7), Knoch’s lone qualifier — will compete in the pig-tail round at 9:30 a.m. Friday. Losers in that round are out of the tournament.

“Six of our seven (WPIAL) qualifiers are back next year,” Stoner said. “Our senior is J.J. (Justin Johnson) and he’s wrestled very well at times this season. We just haven’t seen that consistency.

“But if he wrestles like he can ... I look at that field and he can navigate his way through.”

Johnson’s first-round opponent, Da’Quan Frazier of McKeesport, is 15-6 on the year. A win there puts him against No. 2 seed Colin McCracken of Waynesburg, who has nine losses on the campaign.

“This level of competition has to be experienced,” Stoner said. “Once you’re in the consolation round, make the most out of it. Get what you can.”

The top four placers in each weight class advance to next weekend’s state tournament in Hershey.

The WPIAL quarterfinal round begins at 5:30 p.m. Friday. Semifinals are at noon Saturday with consolation finals at 6 p.m., championship finals at 7:30 p.m.

WPIAL CLASS AAA TOURNAMENT Early Pairings

Pigtail Round

145: Ty Gross (Seneca Valley) 16-17 vs. John Wertz (Upper St. Clair) 18-10

152: Danny Clements (West Allegheny) 15-11 vs. Brandon Yobst (Knoch) 25-7

170: Justin Petrilena (Mars) 8-7 vs. Teegan Hahn (Greensburg Salem) 31-6

182: Dawson Leavines (Trinity) 8-10 vs. Nicholas Schriver (Mars) 14-13)

220: David Ainscough (Canon McMillan) 16-20 vs. Gabe Miller (Seneca Valley) 9-11

285: Seth McCrea (Butler) 17-9 vs. Jay Pollock (Upper St. Clair) 25-11; David Orosz (McKeesport) 22-9 vs. Dante Santelli (Seneca Valley) 17-16

First Round

106: AJ Walker (Hopewell) 18-13 or Mason Jobe (Greensburg Salem) 13-12 vs. Louis Newell (Seneca Valley) 32-4

113: Alex Hornfeck (Mars) 28-3 vs. Logan Seliga (Belle Vernon) 21-17

120: Matt Hunsberger (Moon) 22-14 vs. Ben Lynch (Seneca Valley) 25-11; Dom Devine (Thomas Jefferson) 29-7 vs. Jack Codispot (Butler) 18-13)