CANONSBURG — This wasn't about revenge.

It was more about survival and realizing a goal never achieved before in the program's history.

Knoch senior Guy DeLeonardis achieved all three when he scored an 11-2 major decision over Fox Chapel's Alex Wecht in their 160-pound consolation semifinal match during the WPIAL Class AAA Wrestling Championships Saturday at Canon-McMillan High School.

That win sends DeLeonardis (23-3) to the PIAA Tournament. That event begins Thursday at the Giant Center in Hershey.

And no one in the 14-year history of Knoch's wrestling program has gone there before him.

“I'm so happy for Guy, excited for him,” Knoch coach Grayson Hixon said. “Nobody has worked harder than him.

“Since last summer, getting to the state tournament was his ultimate goal. Everything he's been doing in preparation has been for this.”

DeLeonardis settled for fourth in his weight class — dropping a 5-1 decision to Brendan Finnerty of Thomas Jefferson in the consolation final — but that hardly seemed to matter.

“Guy wrestled a great tournament down here,” Hixon said prior to the consolation finals. “This last match ... He's going to leave it all out there, but this is about fun, enjoying the moment.”

DeLeonardis opened the WPIAL tourney by pinning Trinity's Drew Cain in 5:28. He then decisioned Finnerty 4-0 to reach the semifinals, where he lost a 3-0 decision to Waynesburg's Lucas Augustine.

“That kid is a nationally-ranked wrestler and Guy hung right with him,” Hixon said. “That shows how far he's come.”

To reach the state tourney, DeLeonardis had to get past Wecht, who scored a controversial 3-2 decision over him in the Section 3-AAA title match. It was DeLeonardis' first loss of the season.

He leaned against the wall in the Fox Chapel gym after that match, elbows on his knees, head in his hands.

DeLeonardis was not credited with a takedown late in the third period, the referee ruling the move took place out of bounds.

“He kept fleeing the mat,” DeLeonardis said afterward. “You're not allowed to do that.”

He was in a far better mood Saturday in Canonsburg, dominating Wecht in their rematch.

“This feels fantastic,” DeLeonardis said of qualifying for the state meet. “I put a lot of blood and sweat into this. I wanted to do it for our wrestling program as much as for myself.”

Defeating Wecht was not as important as what the win meant, in DeLeonardis' view.

“You look at the whole thing ... This is a hard tournament,” he said. “I feel confident moving forward. Now it's about going to Hershey and trying to get something done out there.”

DeLeonardis will wrestle Roman Moser (27-8) of Methacton in his first PIAA match. Should he win, he faces No. 1 seed Clayton Ulrey (34-2) of Lower Dauphin.

DeLeonardis has 75 career wins. He credits much of his success to club wrestling. He's been with the OMP Club out of Evans City and other clubs in the Pittsburgh area.

“You learn so much there,” he said. “Just the extra work, the extra practice ... It makes a difference.”

Hixon said work ethic sets DeLeonardis apart.

“He stayed busy in the offseason, wrestled in big tournaments over the summer,” the coach said. “Guy is not a kid who says a whole lot. He led our wrestling room by example.

“I've held him up as a role model for our other kids. I'm ecstatic he got to states ... our first wrestler to get there and it deserves to be him.”

The tournament runs through Saturday.

In other PIAA tourney notes:

Seneca Valley's Dylan Chappell (45-4) at 120 pounds and Alejandro Herrera-Rondon (39-3) at 132 are No. 1 seeds in their respective weight classes and drew byes.

Slippery Rock 182-pounder Vito Pilosi (33-8) is the county's lone PIAA Class AA wrestler. He wrestles Nate Wickersham (34-6) of Tamaqua with the winner to face No. 1 seed Austin Walley (41-1) of Ellwood City.

Seneca Valley's Chanz Shearer (35-9) faces Bryce Buckman (37-7) of Central Dauphin in his first match at 138 pounds.

The Raiders' Antonio Amelio (34-15) faces Jason Rezac (38-6) of Liberty at 145 pounds. The winner gets No. 2 seed Paniro Johnson (36-2) of Cathedral Prep.