Wrestling notebook: Burrell, Kiski Area early favorites to repeat as WPIAL team champs

Now that Burrell has won 13 consecutive WPIAL Class AA titles and Kiski Area has won three straight in Class AAA, it’s hard to imagine them not winning again next year.

While both teams lose good wrestlers to graduation, they do return a lot of talent, which makes them early favorites to repeat.

Kiski has holes to fill in the upper weights, but juniors Jack Blumer (160 pounds) and Nick Delp (170) along with freshman Enzo Morlacci (145) and sophomore Brayden Roscosky (195).

“Our goal is to return to Hershey and go after that elusive state title,” Blumer said. “That’s what we’ll be working for.”

Kiski placed third this season and in 2017. The Cavaliers were second in ‘18.

Burrell returns freshman Nick Salerno and sophomores Ian Oswalt and A.J. Corrado.

“We’re getting closer,” Burrell coach Josh Shields said. “We improved from a year ago. We just have to shore things up and prepare the right way.”

Pitzer’s revenge

Mt. Pleasant freshman Dayton Pitzer is making a name for himself. He’s won four tournament titles and finished second in another.

And the freshman sensation exacted revenge from his only loss of the season at the Ultimate Warrior Classic at Penn-Trafford, an 11-team round robin event Feb. 2.

Pitzer, ranked No. 1 in the TribHSSN rankings in Class AA, rallied to defeat Belle Vernon senior and West Virginia recruit Scott Joll to win the 182-pound weight class, 5-3.

Joll pinned Pitzer at the Westmoreland County Coaches’ Association tournament.

Joll is ranked No. 3 in Class AAA at 182. He defeated Pitzer on Jan. 5.

Five Panthers win titles

Franklin Regional didn’t win a team title at the Ultimate Warrior Classic at Penn-Trafford but the Panthers had five champions in Carter Dibert (103 pounds), Finn Solomon (113), Colton Camacho (126), Zach McCann (132) and Mason Spears (138).

The Panthers finished second behind Derry, which had two champions: Dom DeLuca (220); and heavyweight Noah Cymmerman.

The Trojans had three second-place finishers: Ty Cymmerman (126); Jason Baker (132); and Trey Weinell (152).

Host Penn-Trafford had three champions in the 11-team event. They were Nick Coy (145), Tony Zona (160) and John Bachar (170).

Franks returns

A football injury kept Connellsville senior Colin Franks from competing during the regular season and the playoffs.

But Franks has returned and made his debut Feb. 8 in a non-section match against Greensburg Salem.

Franks recorded a pin as he prepares for the postseason.

Franklin Regional’s Spencer Lee missed much of his junior season in 2016 with an injury, but came back in the postseason to win his third WPIAL and PIAA titles.