Pine-Richland notebook: Vaughn Spencer captures 2nd WPIAL wrestling title

By: Jerin Steele
Sunday, March 10, 2024 | 11:01 AM

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Vaughn Spencer became a two-time WPIAL wrestling champion in style March 2, at Canon-McMillan.

Spencer breezed his way through the Class 3A 172-pound bracket, earning a pin in the second period over Latrobe’s Hunter Snyder in the final.

He had three pins in his four bouts.

Spencer won by fall over Canon-McMillan’s Brayden Collins in the first round and Kiski Area’s Mark Gray in the quarterfinals.

He nearly completed the day with four pins, but had to settle for a 13-0 major decision over Central Catholic’s Nezumiiro Green in the semifinals.

Pine-Richland’s Dominic Ferraro also made it to the finals but succumbed to a pin against Thomas Jefferson’s Maddox Shaw in the 139-pound championship.

Ferraro had a pin over Gateway’s Luke Pawlowski in the first round, a 14-5 major decision over Fox Chapel’s Joshua Alexander and a third-period pin over Trinity’s Blake Reihner in his run to the final.

Spencer and Ferraro advanced to the Class 3A state tournament March 7-9, which was past the deadline for this edition.

Pine-Richland’s Maclane Miller also medaled at WPIALs, placing fifth at 160, but didn’t advance to states.

On the girls’ side, Tiffany Gathers and Brynn Bosack fell short of qualifying for states, ending a historic first season for the Pine-Richland program.

Gathers won a consolation match with a 3-2 decision over Sharpsville’s Riley Tighe, but was pinned by Warren’s Katrina Semens in the consolation semifinals.

Bosack went 0-2 on the day.

Gathers and Bosack won a medal at the inaugural WPIAL girls wrestling championship.

Shaffer reaches podium twice

Pine-Richland’s Sarah Anne Shaffer fell short of defending her WPIAL Class 3A 100-yard breaststroke title, but the junior still had a strong performance at Pitt’s Trees Pool on Feb. 29 and March 1.

Shaffer placed third in two events, the 100 breaststroke and the 200 IM.

She qualified for states in both events.

Shaffer made the final heat in the 100 breaststroke last year at the PIAA meet and placed eighth.

This year’s PIAA meet is March 13-16, at Bucknell.

Freshman Allison Schomaker also qualified for states in the 100 breaststroke. She finished seventh at WPIALs.

Pine-Richland qualified a pair of relay teams for states as well.

The 400 freestyle relay team of Riley Shafer, Anna Schomaker, Allison Schomaker and Shaffer placed eighth at WPIALs.

The 200 freestyle relay team also ended up eighth at the WPIAL meet. Shafer, Bree Arthur, Allison Schomaker and Shaffer are the members of the 200 freestyle relay team.

Pine-Richland finished sixth in the girls team standings at the WPIAL meet.

Jerin Steele is a freelance writer

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