Greater Latrobe wins second straight WCCA wrestling title

Kilkeary wins third championship while Willochell, Carr, Lebin and Marion capture second titles

Sat Jan 07, 2023 - 10:32PM

Dan Flickinger Dan Flickinger
Greater Latrobe's Wyatt Held defeated Penn-Trafford's Joe Enick in ultimate tiebreaker at heavyweight in the marquee match of the night. (Photo by www.westernpasports.com)Greater Latrobe's Wyatt Held defeated Penn-Trafford's Joe Enick in ultimate tiebreaker at heavyweight in the marquee match of the night. (Photo by www.westernpasports.com)

Last Updated: Mon Jan 09, 2023 - 2:34PM

Greater Latrobe captured its second straight team championship and senior Vinny Kilkeary won his third individual title in the 70th annual Westmoreland County Coaches Association Wrestling Tournament on Saturday at Greensburg Salem.

The Wildcats had six wrestlers compete in the finals with four taking home gold medals including Luke Willochell (114), Kilkeary (127), Corey Boerio (215) and Wyatt Held (285). Kilkeary was named the tournament's Outstanding Wrestler after a third period fall over Penn-Trafford's Hayden Coy in the 127 pound championship. Kilkeary secured first period pins in all four matches leading up to the finals.

Four Hempfield Area wrestlers were crowned champions including Ethan Lebin (133), Eli Carr (139), Lucas Kapusta (145) and Charlie Mesich (152). Lebin and Carr each won their second county title.

Franklin Regional's Juliano Marion also claimed his second county championship as he earned a 5-0 decision over Kiski Area's Cooper Roscosky in the 189 pound final.

The marquee matchup of the night was at heavyweight as Held defeated Penn-Trafford's Joe Enick 3-2 in ultimate tiebreaker. The two wrestlers were on their feet for much of the match, tumbling hard out of bounds on several occasions which brought the crowd to life. Tied 2-2 after three overtime periods, Held narrowly got an escape near the edge of the mat with 16 seconds remaining for the victory.

In another exciting match at 172 pounds, Penn-Trafford’s Tasso Whipple got a takedown of Burrell's Isaac Lacinski midway through the third period to break a 6-6 tie and held on for an 8-7 decision. It was the sophomores first title.

Elsewhere Saturday night, Burrell's Cam Baker (107), Kiski School's Sulayman Bah (121) and Franklin Regional's Gavyn Beck (160) each captured their first ever WCCA gold medals.

Greater Latrobe collected 219 points to claim the team title. Franklin Regional finished with 197 points to take second place followed closely by Hempfield Area which tallied 195.5 points. Penn-Trafford earned 173 points to place fourth and Burrell came in fifth with 170 points.

Championship Results

107: Cam Baker (Burrell) Dec. Dylan Barrett (Penn Trafford), 9-2

114: Luke Willochell (Greater Latrobe) Dec. Tyler Kapusta (Franklin Regional), 3-0

121: Sulayman Bah (Kiski School) Maj. Dec. Leo Joseph (Greater Latrobe), 10-1

127: Vinny Kilkeary (Greater Latrobe) Fall Hayden Coy (Penn Trafford), 4:51

133: Ethan Lebin (Hempfield Area) Dec. Cooper Hornack (Burrell), 3-0

139: Eli Carr (Hempfield Area) Dec. Nathan Stone (Franklin Regional), 4-0

145: Lucas Kapusta (Hempfield Area) Dec. Jamison Poklembo (Mount Pleasant), 5-1

152: Charlie Mesich (Hempfield Area) Dec. Logan Bechtold (Kiski Area), 7-3

160: Gavyn Beck (Franklin Regional) Dec. Wyatt Schmucker (Greater Latrobe), 7-1

172: Tasso Whipple (Penn Trafford) Dec. Isaac Lacinksi (Burrell), 8-7

189: Juliano Marion (Franklin Regional) Dec. Cooper Roscosky (Kiski Area), 5-0

215: Corey Boerio (Greater Latrobe) Dec. Owen Ott (Penn Trafford), 4-2

285: Wyatt Held (Greater Latrobe) Dec. Joe Enick (Penn Trafford), 3-2 UTB