Pittsburgh, Pa. – The Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL) held its inaugural WPIAL Girls’ Wrestling Individual Championships presented by Pennsylvania Laborers’ Union this past Saturday at North Allegheny High School. A total of 161 student-athletes competed over the day, with 13 wrestlers ultimately earning the distinction of the WPIAL’s first champions.
Nine different schools produced champions, with Canon-McMillan’s three leading the pack. Norwin and Plum each boasted two gold medalists, while Butler, Hampton, Kiski Area, Laurel, Moon, and North Allegheny all had one winner.
The top five finishers in each of the 13 weight classes (100, 106, 112, 118, 124, 130, 136, 142, 148, 155, 170, 190, 235) have qualified for the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) West Regional Championships, which will be held on Saturday, March 2 at Canon-McMillan High School. If PIAA District VIII cannot fill a weight class with a wrestler, then the WPIAL’s sixth-place finisher in that weight class will qualify for the PIAA West Regional.
100 LB. WEIGHT CLASS RECAP
Canon-McMillan senior Valarie Solorio won the first WPIAL girls’ wrestling gold medal with a 16-1 technical fall of Montour sophomore Kristen Walzer. Solorio opened the tournament with a bye, then advanced to the final with pins in 0:33 and 0:50. Walzer had two pins en route to the final, doing so in 0:26 and 4:32, with a 4-0 quarterfinal decision sandwiched in between.
Knoch junior Miranda Lajevic finished third against Bentworth sophomore Baylee Oreski with a fall in 0:41. The remaining two place winners were: Trinity senior Nila Bland (5th) and Mt. Lebanon freshman Sophia Beanner (6th).
106 LB. WEIGHT CLASS RECAP
Canon-McMillan senior Capri Chambers made it two-for-two for the Big Macs to open the WPIAL Girls’ Wrestling Individual Championships, as she defeated North Hills junior JoAnna Saad via fall in 2:15 to win gold. Chambers pinned two opponents after a first-round bye, winning in 0:38 and 0:47. Saad had three falls to reach the final, doing so in 0:48, 5:35, and 1:17.
Ellwood City sophomore Cheyenne Berglund placed third over Fox Chapel sophomore Atia DiGioia with a fall in 2:08. The remaining two place winners were: Valley freshman Zainaya Jones (5th) and Trinity freshman Jordan Gonzales (6th).
112 LB. WEIGHT CLASS RECAP
Hampton senior Isabella McNutt was victorious at 112, winning via pin in 1:51 over Canon-McMillan freshman Malia Ramos to claim gold. McNutt began the tournament with a bye, then earned falls of 0:44 and 5:33 to reach the championship match. Ramos also pinned her way to the final, collecting them in 1:50 and 4:34.
Butler freshman Brin Zehmisch took third with a 9-5 decision over Burrell freshman Ella Campbell. The remaining two place winners were Norwin sophomore Addison Elyes (5th) and Southmoreland freshman Taylor Chambers (6th).
118 LB. WEIGHT CLASS RECAP
Butler senior Ana Malovich claimed gold at 118, securing the title with a pin in 3:44 of Connellsville sophomore Trinity Moore. Malovich tallied falls of 0:47 and 1:07 following a first-round bye, while Moore pinned her quarterfinal and semifinal opponents in 0:30 and 5:37, respectively.
Canon-McMillan freshman Yunuen Ayala defeated North Allegheny senior Hannah Williams via fall in 2:42 to collect bronze. The remaining two place winners were: Ringgold sophomore Mia Scalise (5th) and Fox Chapel senior Ava McCaffrey (6th).
124 LB. WEIGHT CLASS RECAP
Plum sophomore Saphia Davis earned gold at 124, defeating Mt. Lebanon sophomore Paige Jox by a 5-0 decision in the championship match. Davis started the tournament with a bye before earning pins in 0:19 and 2:49, then advanced to the final with a narrow 5-4 decision in the semifinals. Jox had a similar path to the final, pinning her second round and quarterfinal opponents before taking her semifinal match by a 2-0 decision.
Canon-McMillan junior Bailey Emery topped Laurel senior Alexis Brua for third with a 6-0 decision. The remaining two place winners were: Seneca Valley senior Natalie Tofanelli (5th) and New Castle senior Alexia Fisher (6th).
130 LB. WEIGHT CLASS RECAP
Moon freshman Haley Smarsh brought home gold at 130, earning a pin in 2:31 over Woodland Hills senior Asia Fowler. Smarsh pinned her way to the final, doing so in 0:26, 0:59, and 1:33. Fowler also won via fall in her first three matches, tallying those wins in 1:48, 3:54, and 3:38.
Ringgold freshman Anna Duncan took third over Canon-McMillan senior Leilani Ramos with a fall in 2:15. The remaining two place winners were: Beaver junior Emmaleah Cunningham (5th) and Plum freshman Addison Claassen (6th).
136 LB. WEIGHT CLASS RECAP
Kiski Area sophomore Ava Golding topped the field at 136, winning with an 8-2 decision over Connellsville junior Janayah Nobles. Golding started the tournament with a bye, then advanced to the final with pins in 3:49 and 1:07. Nobles had a bye and a fall in 0:36 in the first two rounds before winning her semifinal with a 2-1 decision.
Fort Cherry freshman Abigail Dolanch came in third with a 7-1 decision against Mt. Lebanon junior Esther Ward. The remaining two place winners were: Canon-McMillan freshman Milly Williams (5th) and Butler junior Kaitlynn Plopi (6th).
142 LB. WEIGHT CLASS RECAP
Norwin sophomore Josephine Dollman captured her school’s first of two gold medals, winning via fall in 1:04 against Peters Township senior Grace O’Korn. Dollman collected pins in 1:38 and 1:56 following a first-round bye, while O’Korn earned falls in 0:52 and 1:53 to reach the final.
Butler freshman Anastasia Manchester claimed third with a fall in 2:53 against Canon-McMillan junior Eva Gray. The remaining two place winners were North Allegheny senior Audrey Morrison (5th) and Upper St. Clair freshman Genevieve Hanson (6th).
148 LB. WEIGHT CLASS RECAP
Laurel freshman Contessa Cotelesse was the second first-year to bring home a WPIAL gold medal, earning the 148 title with a fall in 1:35 against Seneca Valley sophomore Hannah Hornick. Cotelesse won via pin in 1:14 and 1:51 in the first two rounds, and advanced to the final with a 6-3 decision. Hornick took her first three matches with falls in 1:21, 3:59, and 2:47.
Greater Latrobe senior Meryn Zangaro placed third with a 15-2 major decision over Norwin freshman Karsyn Champion. The remaining two place winners were: Pine-Richland junior Tiffany Gathers (5th) and Trinity sophomore Elaina Ashby (6th).
155 LB. WEIGHT CLASS RECAP
North Allegheny senior Leyna Rumpler claimed gold at 155 on her home turf, doing so with a fall in 1:25 against Connellsville junior Imani Cameron-Botti. Rumpler pinned her way to the final, collecting them in 0:23 and 0:41, while Cameron-Botti was a winner by fall in 2:50 and 2:56 in her first two matches.
Canon-McMillan senior Dynisty Williams finished third with a fall in 3:37 against New Castle sophomore Kaylee Flowers. The remaining two place winners were: Laurel sophomore Allyssa Stewart (5th) and Pine-Richland sophomore Brynn Bosack (6th).
170 LB. WEIGHT CLASS RECAP
Norwin freshman Octavia Walker brought home the Knights’ second gold medal, doing so with a fall in 4:33 over Canon-McMillan sophomore Audrey Calgaro at 170. Walker’s pin was her third of the afternoon, as she won in the quarterfinals in 0:26, and in the semifinals in 1:40. Calgaro also pinned her way to the final, collecting them in 0:42 and 0:25.
Seneca Valley freshman Kenley Alexander defeated Greater Latrobe freshman Rowen Lewis via fall in 2:41 to earn bronze. The remaining two place winners were: Connellsville freshman Olivia Shultz (5th) and Mt. Lebanon sophomore Melinda Phillips (6th).
190 LB. WEIGHT CLASS RECAP
Canon-McMillan junior Natalie Rush captured the 190 title with a fall in 2:17 against Peters Township freshman Liliana Giulianelli. Rush previously won with pins in 2:26 and 2:24, while Guilianelli started the tournament with a fall in 1:31 and won her semifinal match via 5-4 decision.
Norwin junior Abigail Hewitt took third with a fall in 3:15 over North Allegheny junior Kaylee Dean. The remaining four place winners were: Greater Latrobe sophomore Elizabeth Kantoris (5th), Seneca Valley sophomore Haley Hunter (6th), Plum freshman Caroline Perez (7th), and Mt. Lebanon junior Madison Byrd (8th).
235 LB. WEIGHT CLASS RECAP
Plum sophomore Alaina Claassen finished a full day of wrestling by claiming the 235 gold medal, winning over Southmoreland sophomore Zoey Murphy with a fall in 1:50. Claassen collected pins in 0:09 and 1:39 to make the championship match, while Murphy claimed falls in 0:54 and 0:51.
Fort Cherry senior Isabella Spotti topped Greater Latrobe freshman Miranda Kantoris for third with a fall in 0:27. The remaining four place winners were: Trinity freshman Daelyn Norris (5th), Fox Chapel junior Vie Filar (6th), North Allegheny freshman Heidi Radford (7th), and Norwin junior Keiarra Leonard (8th).
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