2021 Trib HSSN wrestling all-stars

By: Paul Schofield
Saturday, March 27, 2021 | 11:43 AM

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Mac Church

Waynesburg, so., 120 pounds

2020-21 record: 29-2 Career record: 76-8

Church was upset in the WPIAL Class AAA 120-pound final, but undaunted, he came back to win a PIAA title. He defeated Chambersburg junior Karl Shindledecker in overtime. He was the WPIAL champion at 106 in 2020. Church is one of a group of outstanding underclassmen for the Raiders, who were WPIAL team champions.

Carter Dibert

Franklin Regional, sr., 126 pounds

2020-21 record: 35-1 Career record: 150-16

The Arizona State commit finished second in the PIAA at 126 after winning the WPIAL title for the second consecutive season and becoming a three-time section champion. Dibert was the 106-pound champion in 2018. He lost a 3-2 decision to Bethlehem Catholic’s Tyler Kasak in the finals.

Joey Fischer

South Park, sr., 126 pounds

2020-21 record: 24-0 Career record: 142-13

Fischer won his first PIAA Class AA title after placing second in 2020. He defeated Muncy sophomore Scott Johnson in the finals. He was a three-time WPIAL and PIAA Southwest Regional champion and a three-time PIAA placewinner. He joins Greg Bulsak and Jake Wentzel as South Park state champions. He’ll attend Clarion.

Briar Priest

Hempfield, jr., 132 pounds

2020-21 record: 34-5 Career record: 98-20

Priest won the 132-pound PIAA Class AAA title by defeating WPIAL champion Dylan Chappell of Seneca Valley, 6-0. Priest won the Section 2 title and placed second in the WPIAL and PIAA West Super Region. He is the ninth wrestler from the school to win a state title. Vince DeAugustine, Brian Burrows, Jake Kemerer and Sam Krivus were two-time champions, giving the Spartans 13 total titles.

Ian Oswalt

Burrell, sr., 138 pounds

2020-21 record: 25-3 Career record: 165-24

Oswalt was a four-time WPIAL Class AA champion. He also was a four-time Section 3 champion and a two-time PIAA runner-up. Oswalt helped Burrell to four consecutive WPIAL Class AA team titles. He and teammate A.J. Corrado will wrestle for Brown in college.

Finn Solomon

Franklin Regional, jr., 138 pounds

2020-21 record: 34-2 Career record: 102-17

Solomon captured the PIAA Class AAA 138-pound title by defeating Waynesburg junior Cole Homet on consecutive weeks. Homet had beaten Solomon in the WPIAL finals. Solomon placed second in the state at 113 in 2019. He became the eighth Franklin Regional wrestler to win a state title. Franklin Regional now had 13 state championships, including three each by Nico Megaludis and Spencer Lee.

Wyatt Henson

Waynesburg, sr., 145 pounds

2020-21 record: 30-1 Career record: 160-20

Henson claimed his third state title, second in Pennsylvania, when he defeated Norwin senior John Altieri. His first state title was in Missouri. His only loss this season was when he was called for a slam in the PIAA West Super Region. He is committed to Iowa.

Grant MacKay

Laurel. so., 152 pounds

2020-21 record: 40-3 Career record: 79-15

MacKay claimed his first PIAA title by winning the Class AA 152-pound title. He transferred from North Allegheny before the season. He was a PIAA qualifier in Class AAA in 2020. He was a WPIAL Class AA champion this season. He is Laurel’s first state champion.

Rocco Welsh

Waynesburg, so., 152 pounds

2020-21 record: 26-5 Career record: 68-16

Welsh was a WPIAL, West Super Region and PIAA Class AAA runner-up in 2021 at 152 pounds. The only wrestler to beat him was Trib HSSN Wrestler of the Year Alejandro Herrera-Rondon. Welsh is a two-time PIAA runner-up. He lost to Norwin’s Kurtis Phipps in 2020.

A.J. Corrado

Burrell, sr., 160 pounds

2020-21 record: 35-0 Career record: 156-35

Corrado ended his high school individual career atop the podium at Hershey, winning the Class AA 160-pound title. He used a pancake move to pin Midd-West’s Avery Bassett in overtime of the finals. He placed second in 2020 and was a four-time PIAA placewinner. He will attend Brown.

Luca Augustine

Waynesburg, sr., 172 pounds

2020-21 record: 22-1 Career record: 123-24

Augustine claimed his first PIAA by stunning Mifflin County senior Trey Kibe in overtime. A Pitt recruit, he placed sixth in the state in 2020 and was a qualifier in 2019. He was a four-time section champion and a two-time WPIAL champion.

Rune Lawrence

Frazier, fr., 172 pounds

2020-21 record: 30-1 Career record: 30-1

Lawrence surprised many except the people in the WPIAL by winning the PIAA Class AA title. He defeated Penns Valley senior Malachi Duvall three consecutive weeks to claim PIAA Southwest Regional, West Super Region and PIAA titles. Younger brother of two-time PIAA champion Thayne Lawrence.

Dayton Pitzer

Mt. Pleasant, jr., 215 pounds

2020-21 record: 42-2 Career record: 85-3

There wasn’t a better wrestle in the PIAA than Pitzer, who won his second PIAA Class AA title. Pitzer usually weighed in at just over 190 pounds; many times he was giving up more the 20 pounds in a match. The only wrestler to beat him was Malvern Prep senior Nicholas Feldman, an Ohio State recruit. Pitzer finished with a state-high 31 pins.

Paul Schofield is a TribLive reporter covering high school and college sports and local golf. He joined the Trib in 1995 after spending 15 years at the Daily Courier in Connellsville, where he served as sports editor for 14 years. He can be reached at pschofield@triblive.com.