Home is where the Raiders hang their hat; Reynolds captures 24th region title
Feb. 28—SHARON — Reynolds High's wrestling Raiders travel well. When you're winning championships every weekend, home is where you hang your hat.
For the 2nd straight week the Raiders made Sharon High's Tiger Gymnasium their personal playground. Reynolds put 5 in the Northwest Region Class 2A championship finals, with Gary Steen and Kaeden Berger being crowned.
"How they represent not only carries about who they are, the current team, but the past teams, (and) the community. So I'm very impressed with how they've handled the postseason as a whole," summarized Reynolds Head Coach Casey Taylor.
The Raiders' representation reigned on Saturday, amassing 102.5 points to outdistance Hickory (75) and Fort LeBoeuf (70) for the 2nd week in-a-row.
It marked the 24th region title in Reynolds' wrestling annals and 9th consecutive crown. Steen stood atop the victory podium for the 4th straight season.
In addition to Steen (120) and Berger (145), Chase Bell (113), Kane Kettering (132) and Jalen Wagner (160) advanced to the Finals, ending as runners-up, while Guy Rocco John-Daniello (285) placed 3rd.
Seemingly devoid of emotion while on the mat, regarding Raiders' wrestlers, Taylor admitted, "With these guys, sometimes I've gotta ask them, 'You good? You good?' I can't tell; they keep it pretty coy. They do a good job of managing their emotions, the highs and lows. Even during the match I'm impressed with how they compose themselves. ... Up three points, down three points, you wouldn't know it."
Mercer County's collective contingent was well represented. Hickory's Justin O'Neill (113), Greenville's Chase McLaughlin (126) and Commodore Perry's Gage Musser (172) garnered gold, while Hickory's Gill brothers, Louie (106) and Carter (145), were runners-up, as were Mercer's Carson Filer (138) and Greenville's Cole Karpinski (189).
The Northwest Region's top 3 place-winners advance to next weekend's Super Regions at Indiana University of Pa. So Commodore Perry's Zane Grinnell (132), Ashten Armagost (138) and Clayton Smith (160) and Hickory's Connor Saylor (126) — like John-Daniello — advance to the next round.
"Very good. I'm pleased with them," summarized 4th-year Commodore Perry Head Coach Ed Varner regarding his Panthers' performance. Musser improved to 24-1.
"Gage Musser's wrestling real well. A lot of guys are basically stalling on him, tryin' to keep the match close; they won't open up and be aggressive. So he just needs to keep after 'em and not make any mistakes, 'cause that's what they' lookin' for. ... Zane Grinnell's wrestling really well. He ran into Connor Pierce from Harbor Creek, and that kid's ranked second in the state, I believe. He is tough. That's two weekends in-a-row we ran into him. ... Ashten Armagost avenged a loss he had last week (to Grove City's Hunter Hohman) ... Ashten's wrestling real well, too, right now. So hopefully we can keep this goin.'
"Right now, in a normal year, I'd have four kids goin' to Hershey," Varner said regarding the reconfigured coronavirus-coerced schedule.
Steen is seeking a 3rd commonwealth crown. He remains undefeated (25-0) after pitching a 9-0 major decision shutout of Brookville's Owen Reinsel, of whom Steen said "is a stud," according to Taylor.
"Gary winning his fourth title is so impressive. I think that's the fifth (4-time region champion), overall, that we've had at Reynolds," Taylor related. "Truly a remarkable athlete and wrestler."
Taylor summarized, "So takin' six to the Super Regional — or 'pre-states — I'd like to say they made it to states. Any kid that made it on from here, in my eyes, is a state qualifier. Basically, to me, they're takin' the state tournament and makin' it two weekends. So next weekend is whether you can place or not in the state tournament, 'cause if you leave there you're automatically top eight.
"It is a little bit of a throwback, 'cause way back when it was takin' one or two guys each weekend to the next level," Taylor continued. "So it's kind've reminiscent of how tough it was, back in the day, to make it through. It wasn't too long ago we took three to states; now we've got four, at least the previous couple years.
"It just adds another dimension, another week of preparation, another week of healin' up," Taylor continued. " ... Some weight (classes) are gonna be 'west' heavy; some east. But, overall, it's gonna balance itself out. I'm just hopin' to go down there with the six guys that we've got and get 'em all through. If I could be guaranteed six state medals, it'd be pretty awesome.
"But it's gonna be a tough task. I know that our team and all the local teams are gonna work hard to get that job done," Taylor concluded.
Notes: Cole Toy's scholastic career concluded in heartbreaking fashion. With 1:15 remaining in the 2nd period of a scoreless consy contest with Brockway's Seth Stewart Reynolds senior Toy sustained an injury to his right knee and was forced to default. Struggling to stand, he buried his face in Taylor's shoulder. "I couldn't be more proud of Cole. He showed 'warrior mentality; his whole career," Taylor praised. "When it came down to it, we made the best decision to stop (the bout). The 'warrior mentality' is to be admired as a coach, a teammate, the younger Raiders — all young wrestlers. I'm very proud of Cole. I know he understands this is part of the 'beast.' It's something we always try to avoid, but when it happens ... We talk all the time — and I'm sure other teams do — about being a family. And when wrestling is done, it's just wrestling. It's a sport that we love and we want to compete. When you're out there it's the most important thing in the world; but when you're done (wrestling), it's 'What're you gonna do with the rest of your time?' I just need Cole Toy to know that we care about him, we love him, and his teammates, fans and other coaches love him, too. So, that's a tough loss." ... Karpinski, the Trojans' junior, suffered his initial setback of the season (24-1). ... All results are posted on FloArena Wrestling.
NORTHWEST REGION CLASS 2A CHAMPIONSHIPS
Championship Finals
106—Hunter Robison (Saegertown) dec. Louie Gill (Hickory), 5-2.
113—Justin O'Neill (Hickory) dec. Chase Bell (Reynolds), 3-1.
120—Gary Steen (Reynolds) major dec. Owen Reinsel (Brookville), 9-0.
126—Chase McLaughlin (Greenville) dec. Braedon Johnson (Port Allegany), 1-0.
132—Connor Pierce (Harbor Creek) dec. Kane Kettering (Reynolds), 7-2.
138—Nolan Shaffer (Johnsonburg) dec. Carson Filer (Mercer), 4-0
145—Caeden Berger (Reynolds) dec. Carter Gill (Hickory), 3-0.
152—Jack Rimpa (Fort LeBoeuf) pinned Luke Ely (Kane), 1:07.
160—Cole Casilio (Johnsonburg) dec. Jalen Wagner (Reynolds), 4-2.
172—Gage Musser (Commodore Perry) dec. Landon Caldwell (Saegertown), 5-3.
189—Ethan Finch (Sheffield) dec. Cole Karpinski (Greenville), 2-0.
215—Hayden Linkerhof (Corry) vs. Cael Black (Eisenhower), 4-2.
285—Nathan Taylor (Brookville) vs. Jordan Schell (Girard), 1-0.
3rd-Place Consolations
106—Hunter Gould (Conneaut Area) dec. Cayden Walter (Brookville), 6-3.
113—Jacob Bennett (Fort LeBoeuf) dec. Cole Bish (Redbank Valley), 6-2.
120—JoJo Przybycien (Fort LeBoeuf) major dec. Ridge Cook (Redbank Valley), 9-1.
126—Connor Saylor (Hickory) pinned Mark Palmer (Brockway), 3:57.
132—Zane Grinnell (Commodore Perry) dec. Cody Miller (Hickory), 2-0.
138—Ashten Armagost (Commodore Perry) dec. Easton Hedman (Eisenhower), 4-2.
145—Jaden Reagle (Saegertown) dec. Connor McChesney (Fort LeBoeuf), 8-2.
152—Collin Hearns (Conneaut Area) dec. Taro Tanaka (Port Allegany), 5-2.
160—Clayton Smith (Commodore Perry) dec. Wyatt Griffin (Brookville), 5-4.
172—Tim Church (Fort LeBoeuf) dec. Noah Bash (Brockway), 3-1.
189—Danny Church (Fort LeBoeuf) dec. Seth Stewart (Brockway), 3-1 (OT).
215—Trevor Tursky (Conneaut Area) dec. Aiden Gardner (Redbank Valley), 5-2.
285—Guy Rocco John-Daniello (Reynolds) dec. Kobe Bonanno (Redbank Valley), 3-2 (4 OT).
Semfinals
103—Louie Gill (Hickory) dec. Weston Pisarchick (Brockway) 4-2; Hunter Robison (Saegertown) dec. Cayden Walter (Brookville), 10-3.
113—Justin O'Neill (Hickory) pinned Kyle Lantz (Conneaut Area), 2:51; Chase Bell (Reynolds) dec. Jacob Bennett (Fort LeBoeuf), 3-0.
120—Owen Reinsel (Brookville) pinned JoJo Przybycien (Fort LeBoeuf), 2:28; Gary Steen (Reynolds) tech. fall Chase Weimer (Port Allegany), 19-2 (4:26).
126—Chase McLaughlin (Greenville) dec. Connor Saylor (Hickory), 1-0; Braedon Johnson (Port Allegany) dec. Jack Martinec (Cochranton), 5-3.
132—Kane Kettering (Reynolds) dec. Cody Miller (Hickory), 3-0; Connor Pierce (Harbor Creek) tech. fall Zane Grinnell (Commodore Perry), 18-3 (5:36).
138—Carson Filer (Mercer) dec. Hunter Hohman (Grove City), 5-3; Nolan Shaffer (Johnsonburg) major dec. Easton Hedman (Eisenhower), 9-0.
145—Carter Gill (Hickory) dec. Isaiah Caden (Port Allegany), 7-1; Caeden Berger (Reynolds) major dec. Dalton Stahli (Johnsonburg), 13-2.
152—Jack Rimpa (Fort LeBoeuf) major dec. Collin Hearn (Conneaut Area), 15-5; Luke Ely (Kane) dec. Brock Covell (Titusville), 8-3.
160—Jalen Wagner (Reynolds) dec. Wyatt Griffin (Brookville), 8-5; Cole Casilio (Johnsonburg) pinned Stetson Boozer (Cochranton), 1:35.
172—Gage Musser (Commodore Perry) dec. Tim Church (Fort LeBoeuf), 3-1; Landon Caldwell (Saegertown) dec. Noah Bash (Brockway), 6-0.
189—Cole Karpinski (Greenville) pinned Cole Toy (Reynolds), 3:24; Ethan Finch (Sheffield) pinned Danny Church (Fort LeBoeuf), 1:42.
215—Hayden Linkerhof (Corry) major dec. Trevor Tursky (Conneaut Area), 12-1; Cael Black (Eisenhower) dec. Bryce Rafferty (Brookville), 12-5.
285—Nathan Taylor (Brookville) pinned Guy Rocco John-Daniello (Reynolds), 4:39; Jordan Schell (Girard) pinned Xavier Reyda (Corry), 1:45.
