Plum wrestling in the mix for a section playoff spot

By: HSSN Staff
Tuesday, January 9, 2018 | 6:51 PM

The top three teams from each wrestling subsection in WPIAL Class AAA qualify for the postseason, and Plum is right in the mix at 1-2 with matches remaining against Gateway and Woodland Hills.

The Gators are 1-1, and the teams' match at Gateway next Tuesday will go a long way in determining which squad advances.

Plum will take on Woodland Hills in section action Wednesday evening at Plum High School.

Right now, Kiski Area, No. 2 in the Tribune-Review Class AAA rankings, and Armstrong both are undefeated at 3-0 and are locks to capture two of those three spots from Section 1A.

The third-place teams from each Section 1 subsection will go head to head as part of the section tournament, with the winning team entering the WPIAL team tournament as the No. 5 seed from the section.

The Mustangs are gunning for a trip to the WPIAL team tournament for the first time since the 2013-14 season where they lost a preliminary-round match to Ringgold.

In addition to focus on section matches, the Plum wrestlers are gearing up for the Allegheny County tournament, set for Jan. 19-20 at Fox Chapel High School.

The county tournament always serves to whet the appetite for wrestling fans, coaches and the wrestlers themselves in advance of postseason tournament season.

Plum always fares well at the Allegheny County tournament. Last year, the Mustangs brought home four medals — a second, a fourth, a seventh and an eighth.

Sophomore Gavin James was unseeded last year at 113 pounds, but after a first-round loss to the No. 2 seed, he went 4-1 in the consolation bracket and placed seventh.

Fellow sophomore Cole Yocca was seeded seventh last year at 106, but he fell just short of his goal of a top-eight medal.

Plum placed 17th overall at the annual West Mifflin tournament Dec. 27-28. Seven Mustangs competed, and five won multiple matches and a sixth also earned a victory.

Yocca led the way with a 2-1 record and a runner-up finish at 106.

James and junior Tallon Auth both went 3-2 and placed fourth and sixth, respectively.

Senior Mike Delpino (145) and sophomore Evan Stinson (152) also won three matches at the tournament.

Michael Love is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at mlove@tribweb.com or via Twitter @Mlove_Trib.

Tags: Plum