Highlands wrestling routs section rival Knoch

By: Michael Love
Wednesday, January 10, 2024 | 9:57 PM

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Highlands maintained its unblemished record in Section 5-2A Wednesday with victories in nine of the 13 contested bouts with rival Knoch at a packed Highlands Middle School gym.

It all added up to a 45-24 triumph for the Golden Knights, which lifted them to 11-4 overall and 4-0 in the section and kept them on course for their second straight section crown.

“It was a good win,” Highlands coach Grant Walters said. “We have to strive to get better every day. We’re not done yet, by any means. We have a lot to still work on, but everyone is happy with the win. We want another section title, and we want everyone to know that.”

Highlands returned to competition for the first time since beating North Catholic in a section match Dec. 20.

“Guys got a chance to heal up some bumps and bruises, and they also got to work on some technique,” Walters said.

“We also were able to work on our grades. They are students before athletes. We were able to do some good things that prepared us for this second run.”

Knoch fell to 2-4 overall and 1-3 in the section. The Knights were coming in off a sixth-place finish at the Bo Wood tournament over the weekend.

“This is a huge match for us,” Knoch coach Josh Orris said.

“I am from Highlands, and everyone knows it. Highlands is the defending section champs. They are a hell of a team, and they’re going to win it again. I asked my kids to come out and give me the effort tonight, and they gave me that effort. I am extremely proud of them.”

In what many considered the bout of the night, Highlands’ Darius Cherry outlasted Lucas Rouleau, 12-10, in a battle of first-year juniors at 189.

Cherry used a takedown early in the second period to extend his lead to 8-3, but Rouleau fought back with an escape, a takedown and two nearfall points to tie it heading to the third.

Cherry scored a reversal to lead 10-8, but Rouleau reversed Cherry to tie it 10-10 with 57 seconds left. Cherry then got the deciding points with a reversal with 31 seconds on the clock before holding on for the decision.

“I was pretty gassed in the third,” Cherry said. “I just had to find everything I had left in me. It’s been a lot of practices, and everyone has been helping me a lot. My first year coming onto a wrestling mat, I really didn’t know what to expect. This is a win that can really help with my confidence.”

The victory put the Golden Rams ahead 30-12 with five bouts to go.

“Lucas is a first-year kid, and he’s one of the hardest workers in the room,” Orris said.

“He comes in every day with an attitude of wanting to learn, and it is showing more and more on the mat. He’s only a junior, and thankfully, I have another year with him.”

Knoch rallied with a 1:02 pin from Wyatt Foster at 215 and a 2:13 pin from Parker Anderson at heavyweight. The wins closed the deficit to six at 30-24.

But Javeon Chambers scored a quick pin at 107, and DJ Suber earned a 4-1 decision at 114 to seal the win for Highlands.

Chambers, a sophomore who is No. 3 this week at 107 in the Triblive HSSN Class 2A rankings, pinned his ninth opponent and improved to 18-0 on the season.

Salvatore Barbarino got Highlands on the board at 127 to start the match, turning a slim 7-6 lead in the second period into a pin of Paul Kuczynski in 3:41.

Burton Babinsak then took charge for the Golden Rams at 133, opening an 8-0 lead after two periods before finishing off Brayden McGowan, 11-2.

Aiden Burford’s pin of Cameron Elliott at 139 then extended Highlands’ lead to 16-0.

Owen Layhew got six team points back for Knoch at 145 as he improved to 12-3 on the season with a pin in 3:35 over Rowan Crytzer. Layhew had built an 8-3 advantage with nearfall points before the pin.

Highlands’ Kyren Veasley at 152 and Taiyvon Partlow at 160 each recorded quick pins to put the score at 28-6 before Knoch’s Braden Plugh pinned his way to a win at 172.

Highlands was deducted a team point for a penalty at 189.

The Golden Rams return to action Friday and Saturday at the Burgettstown Invitational.

“We want to get back in the room tomorrow and continue to grind it out,” Walters said. “We want to be top three or top four in that tournament. That is our goal for this weekend. We’ve got some studs who hopefully are going to do something.”

Knoch will wrestle Saturday at the Valley Duals.

“It’s a dual-meet tournament, so all the kids will get a lot of matches,” Orris said. “We’re such a young team, and the more mat time we get, the better.”

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.

Tags: Highlands, Knoch