Kiski Area’s Miller wins showdown for 3rd section title

By: Michael Love
Saturday, February 23, 2019 | 8:20 PM

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When Kiski Area’s Darren Miller and Franklin Regional’s Colton Camacho met in the 126-pound final at Saturday’s Section 1-AAA tournament at Kiski Area, a three-time section champion was guaranteed to be crowned.

Miller and Camacho each captured section titles the previous two seasons. The senior rivals met at the season-opening Eastern Area tournament with Miller coming out on top by one point.

Things stayed the same this time around as Miller (38-1) scored a third-period escape and held on for another 4-3 victory.

“My main goal was to get out,” Miller said. “I felt that if I got out, I would have the match in my grasp. Colton is such a great wrestler, and it made for another great match. I’m sure we’ll see each other again.”

Camacho (33-3) led 2-0 with a takedown with 20 seconds left in the first period and held a 3-1 advantage in the second period before Miller recorded a takedown of his own to tie the score.

Miller, in the down position to start the third, worked his way to the escape with 1 minutes, 17 seconds on the clock.

Camacho tried to score a takedown several times in the final minute, but Miller was able to hold on.

The top five finishers in each weight class at the Section 1 tournament, along with the top five from the other three sections, advance to the WPIAL/Southwest Regional Championships next Friday and Saturday at Canon-McMillan.

Kiski Area, the WPIAL team champion, led the way with 12 alive in the placement matches, and all 12 advanced to WPIALs. Six made it to the finals, and all six won.

In addition to Miller, Cavaliers winning section titles were Cam Connor (152), Jack Blumer (160), Nick Delp (170), Hunter Dilts (182) and Brayden Roscosky (195).

“I thought our guys finished the tournament really well and competed hard,” Kiski Area coach Chris Heater said. “Even guys that lost early really impressed with how they wrestled back. Just when you think they can’t surprise you, they really step up.”

Norwin junior Kurtis Phipps (30-2), a defending WPIAL/Southwest Regional champion, captured the section title at 120 with no issue as he pinned Hempfield’s Ethan Berginc in 40 seconds.

“I went on the offense early and wanted to score a few quick takedowns,” said Phipps, who won a section title last year at 106. “On my second one, I just landed in a good position. I took advantage of it and locked in a cradle.”

Phipps scored a technical fall over Kiski Area’s Dom Giordano in the semifinals.

“We had a good week of training, and I felt really fresh,” Phipps said. “I had a good couple of matches today, and I feel really good going into WPIALs.”

Franklin Regional freshman Finn Solomon (32-6) won the section title at 113 and didn’t have to wrestle in the finals as top seed Kyle Burkholder, a senior from Hempfield, withdrew from the finals with a medical forfeit.

Solomon earned a pin and a decision in his first two bouts to secure his spot in the finals.

Burkholder came in as a two-time section champion.

“We’re going to hold him out for a couple of days and see how he feels next week,” Hempfield coach Tom Dolde said. “Hopefully, some rest will make him better.”

The Spartans, also with six in the finals, finished with four runners-up, but they crowned two champions as Dillon Ferretti and Isaiah Vance recorded pins at 220 and 285, respectively.

Vance added the section title to the Westmoreland County championship he won last month.

“That was two big wins for us in the finals by pin,” Dolde said. “It was a nice way to end the day. We lost a couple of tough ones, but we’re going to take what we have, work hard and hope for good things next week.”

Franklin Regional sophomore Carter Dibert (34-1) claimed his first section title with a 15-5 major decision over Plum freshman Vince Citrano. Dibert, the No. 1 seed, was runner-up to Phipps at 106 last year.

Also bringing home section championships were Latrobe junior Gabe Willochell (132), Penn-Trafford senior Nick Coy (138) and Greensburg Salem junior Ian Ewing (145). All three defended their No. 1 seeds.

Norwin, Hempfield and Greensburg Salem each will take 10 to WPIALs, and Franklin Regional and Latrobe advanced seven apiece.

Six Penn-Trafford wrestlers will compete at WPIALs, with two going from Plum, Gateway, Pittsburgh Central Catholic and Penn Hills.

Tags: Kiski School, Plum