After thrilling win, Burrell bows out at PIAA team wrestling tournament

By: Paul Schofield
Friday, February 10, 2023 | 11:34 AM

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Previous Next

HERSHEY – One win. That is all that stood between Burrell and advancement in the PIAA Class 2A team tournament.

After defeating Canton, 33-27, on Friday morning in a first-round consolation match, the Bucs battled a familiar foe in District 5 champion Chestnut Ridge.

Burrell (12-6) made the final score close, falling 35-27, but just couldn’t find another victory.

Chestnut Ridge (16-3) rallied from a 27-19 deficit by winning the final three bouts, two on pins from Calan Bollman (152) and Samuel Albright (160).

The teams met in the Brookville Ultimate Duals on Jan. 21 with Chestnut Ridge winning, 37-24.

“Every time we face Chestnut Ridge, we know it’s going to be a battle,” Burrell coach Josh Shields said. “We have nothing but respect for that team and their coaches.

“It was a good effort from our team. We put ourselves in position to win. We need to find a way to get one more win. I thought we had some opportunities.”

Pins by Luke Boylan (215), Ian Quinn (285) and Niko Ferra (139), a technical fall by Isaac Lacinski (172) and a major decision by Cooper Hornack (133) had the Burrell faithful hoping.

But Chestnut Ridge showed its mettle down the stretch to pull out the win.

“We came up a bit short,” Shields said. “There were a lot of different matchups. The change actually helped us out a lot. It was nice to see Ian get a win in Hershey. Those are hard to come by. Ian works very hard.”

Because Burrell has a young team, Shields said it was great experience.

“Being in the center of the Giant Center and just wrestling is huge,” Shields said. “The experience is valuable for kids. Hopefully they got over that first-match jitters.

“We came up short of our team goals. Now we’ll see what they want to get out of individuals.”

For WPIAL Class 2A teams, section tournaments begin Feb. 18.

After his team’s first-round loss to Brookville on Thursday, Shields talked about coming back and competing for teammates.

Freshman Jacob Stewart did just that in Friday’s consolation first round against Canton as the Bucs rallied for a 33-27 victory.

Stewart came back from a 2-0 deficit in the third period and used a cradle for three near-fall points and a 3-2 victory at 127 pounds to tie the team score.

His victory came during five consecutive wins that saw the Bucs rally from a 21-6 deficit to take a 27-21 lead on a pin by Hornack at 133 pounds.

“His win was huge for the team and his confidence,” Shields said. “We needed that win because of what happened in the upper weights.”

Shields said he was hoping to get two victories between 152 and heavyweight and only got one.

But the lower weights came through.

“Jacob is probably a 114-pounder that is wrestling at 127 for the team,” Shields said. “He’ll be at 133 for individuals. But it’s his preparation that won him the match.”

With the score tied at 27, Ferra took the mat looking for just a win, but he did better than that by pinning Canton’s Ryland Sakers in the third period after building a 5-0 lead.

“I don’t know if I ever won a match for the team in the final bout,” Ferra said. “I’m up for the challenge. I figure if the match is on the line, I’ll beat anyone in the state. Jacob’s win was a big lift and motivated us to finish it off.”

Lacinski got a pin for the Bucs at 172, and Julian Bertucci (114) and Calio Zanella (121) collected close wins to contribute to the victory.

Class 2A

Consolation first round

Burrell 33, Canton 27

152: Hudson Ward (C) p. Anthony Barbieri, 4:20.

160: Brenen Taylor (C) dec. Nico Zanella, 3-1 (SV).

172: Isaac Lacinski (B) p. Hunter Weseski, 1:31.

189: Riley Parker (C) dec. Cam Martin, 3-2.

215: Michael Davis (C) dec. Luke Boylan, 3-0.

285: Mason Davis (C) p. Ian Quinn, 2:43.

107: Cam Baker (B) won by forfeit.

114: Julian Bertucci (B) dec. Kyle Vermilya, 7-4.

121: Calio Zanella (B) dec. Cohen Landis, 5-1.

127: Jacob Stewart (B) dec. Carson Rockwell, 3-2.

133: Cooper Hornack (B) p. Holden Ward, 2:10.

139: Hayden Ward (C) p. Brady Valovchik, :37.

145: Niko Ferra (B) p. Ryland Sakers, 4:11.

Consolation second round

Chestnut Ridge 35, Burrell 27

172: Isaac Lacinski (B) tech fall Alex Crist, 17-1 (3:14).

189: Nick Presnell (CR) dec. Cam Martin, 3-2.

215: Luke Boylan (B) pinned Kyler Caulley, 1:49.

285: Ian Quinn (B) pinned Jentezen Walls, 2:00.

107: Dominic Deputy (CR) won by forfeit.

114: Easton Mull (CR) dec. Cam Baker, 10-3.

121: Brock Holderbaum (CR) dec. Julian Bertucci, 7-3.

127: Kobi Burkett (CR) major dec. Calio Zanella, 10-2.

133: Cooper Hornack (B) major dec. Mason Weyant, 9-1.

139: Niko Ferra (B) pinned Kalea Day, :17.

145: Aaron Ickes (CR) major dec. Steve Hasson, 13-0.

152: Calan Bollman (CR) pinned Anthony Barbieri, 2:05.

160: Samuel Albright (CR) pinned Nico Zanella, 3:30.

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.

Tags: Burrell