Hoover is all business
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Winning a Southwest Regional Class 2A Tournament title is a pretty big accomplishment for most wrestlers because of the depth of the tournament.
Penn Cambria junior Trent Hoover won his second regional title on Saturday night before a large crowd at the Altoona Fieldhouse. Hoover earned a hard-fought 3-2 decision over Chestnut Ridge's returning two-time regional champ Calan Bollman in the 145-pound finals.
As soon as he stepped down off of the medals stand, Hoover, though, had already turned his attention to the PIAA Championships. The state tournament, where he went 1-2 last season, begins Thursday morning at Hershey's Giant Center.
"It feels real good. I came here to win it, and I just had to wrestle," Hoover said. "It's a been there done that kind of a deal, so I'm ready for next week. That's where my goals are. I've got some business to handle."
Hoover was the only wrestler from the Mirror coverage area to claim a regional title. Tyrone's Kyle Scott (172) and Braden Ewing (285) and Glendale's Zeke Dubler (160) had to settle for second place.
Dubler gave it all he could, but lost to Laurel's Grant MacKay, 1-0, for the second year in a row. Scott, a freshman, dropped a 5-0 decision to Bald Eagle Area's District 6 champ Caleb Close. Ewing suffered a 6-1 loss to Huntingdon's returning regional champ Gunner Singleton.
Seven area wrestlers were able to place in the top six at their weights to qualify for Hershey. Glendale's Daniel Williams placed third at 285, and teammate Britton Spangle took fifth at 189. Williamsburg junior and Huntingdon 160-pounder Andrew McMonagle also finished third.
Northern Bedford's Eion Snider (172) and Central Cambria's Karter Quick (215) placed seventh, but they didn't qualify for Hershey.
There is a chance Snider could wrestle in Hershey. Southern Huntingdon's Tommy Cohenour injury defaulted against Scott in the semifinals, and he medically forfeited his remaining bouts. If Cohenour can't wrestle, Snider will get the call to replace him.
Tyrone's Korry Walls (107), Lukas Walk (139) and Andrew Weaver (160) went 1-2, as did Penn Cambria's Austin McCloskey (160), Braedan Oravecz (189) and Mason Raymond (215). Central's Ty Biesinger (114), Glendale's George Campbell (152) and Bellwood-Antis' Ethan Norris (285) also went 1-2
Northern Bedford's Wyatt Clouse (114), Austin Bartholow (145), Tyler Paris (160) and Brock Beach (285) went 0-2, as did Claysburg-Kimmel's Brodie Soler (127).
Hoover (38-2) went 4-0 in the tournament, including a 4-0 win over Quaker Valley's Logan Richey in the semifinals.
Hoover and Bollman wrestled for the sixth time in their careers in the finals. Bollman was leading, 1-0, in the second period when Hoover took him down on a re-shot. Bollman (32-9) escaped to tie the score.
In the third period, Bollman rode tough, causing many to think the bout was headed to overtime. But Hoover escaped with 7 seconds remaining to win.
"I knew he was going to throw the legs in," Hoover said. "He was real clingy with them. I just had to free my legs and get out. There wasn't much time for him to get a takedown. I would have liked to have gotten out sooner and scored more points, but it is what it is. I got the job done."
Dubler rolled into the finals with his third pin of the tournament - his 29th, breaking his own school record he set last year. MacKay reached the finals with an 8-4 win over McMonagle.
After a scoreless first period against MacKay, Dubler (39-4) nearly scored a reversal in the second period, but MacKay (43-1) held on and rode him the rest of the period.
The top-ranked MacKay quickly escaped to begin the third, and the third-ranked Dubler wasn't able to get a takedown. MacKay beat Dubler, 1-0, in last year's final.
"I think I had a solid performance," Dubler said. "I just have to clean some things up. I almost had a reversal, which could have been a game changer in the match. He just did a real good job scrambling to cause a stalemate. I just need to capitalize on those opportunities.
"You have to be good at every aspect of the game to be a state champ. He's obviously really tough on top, tough on his feet and gets out quick on bottom."
Ewing avenged two losses to Williams with a 1-0 win in the semifinals, and he was very close to knocking off Singleton. Ewing took a 1-0 lead into the third period, but Singleton received a stalling point 15 seconds into the period before escaping 17 seconds later.
Ewing (32-8) was close to getting a takedown at the edge of the mat with 26 seconds left, but the official ruled no takedown. Singleton (42-3) took an injury timeout for what appeared to be a leg issue. But the 285-pounder, who earned his 100thcareer win on Friday, returned and took Ewing down to his back for four points late in the bout.
"I've got to get to my shots earlier," Ewing said. "I'm a little disappointed because I saw what I was capable of at the end. We were out of bounds on the one takedown. I thought we were in, but it is what it is. I'll get him back at states if I run into him."
After his injury default win over Cohenour, Scott (33-9) just couldn't get his offense going against Close (39-3), who had two takedowns and an escape.
"He wrestled the way we wanted him to wrestle," Tyrone coach Quentin Wright said. "He was attacking. We learned some things that worked. We learned some things that don't work."
"I'm pretty happy with (qualifying for states)," Scott said. "I was trying to get to my points more (in the finals). My coaches were begging me to get to them more. He's so strong."
Chestnut Ridge captured the Southwest Regional team title by 31 points over Bald Eagle Area, 127.5-96.5. It was the third regional team title in the last four years for the Lions, who qualified eight wrestlers to the PIAA Championships.
"There were a lot of doubters," Ridge coach Josh Deputy said. "Even some of our Chestnut Ridge fans doubted us. I believe in these kids. I believe in our process, and the kids believe in it. That's all that matters. My coaching staff believes in it. We did it again. That's three out of four years, which is a hard thing to do in this region."
Deputy's son, Dominic, won the 107-pound title as a freshman with a 12-4 major decision of Burrell's Cam Baker. The Deputy family has been mourning the death of Josh's 63-year-old dad, Richard, who passed away on the Friday before the District 5 Tournament. The funeral was Thursday.
"It's very emotional," Dominic said. "I'm dedicating my postseason to him."
KEY, TEAM STANDINGS
TEAM KEY
AG--Albert Gallatin; A--Avella; AVON--Avonworth; BEA--Bald Eagle Area; BF--Beaver Falls; BED--Bedford; BELL--Bellefonte; BA--Bellwood-Antis; BENT--Bentworth; BB--Berlin Brothersvalley; BC--Beth-Center; BURG--Burgettstown; BURR--Burrell; CH--Cambria Heights; CAR--Carlynton; C--Central; CC-Central Cambria; CV--Central Valley; CHART--Chartiers Houston; CR--Chestnut Ridge; CK--Claysburg-Kimmel; CT--Conemaugh Township; DA--Derry Area; EF--Elizabeth Forward; E--Everett; EC--Elwood City; FC--Fort Cherry; FH--Forest Hills; FRA--Frazier; FA--Freedom Area; G--Glendale; GS--Greensburg Salem; HAM--Hampton; HIGH--Highlands; HOPE--Hopewell; H--Huntingdon; I--Indiana; JM--Jefferson Morgan; J--Juniata; KO--Keystone Oaks; L--Laurel; LV--Ligonier Valley; MC--Marion Center; MCG--McGuffey; M--Meyersdale; MON--Montour; MV--Moshannon Valley; MP--Mount Pleasant; MU--Mount Union; NB--Northern Bedford; NS--North Star; PC--Penn Cambria; PO--Philipsburg-Osceola; PV--Penns Valley; QV--Quaker Valley; RV--River Valley; S--Somerset; SOA--South Allegheny; SOUTH--Southmoreland; SP--South Park; SSB--South Side Beaver; SA--Summit Academy; TM--Tussey Mountain; T--Tyrone; U--United; V--Valley; W--Washington; WB--West Branch; WH--Westmont Hilltop; Y--Yough
TOP 20 TEAM STANDINGS
1. Chestnut Ridge 127.5; 2. Bald Eagle Area 96.5; 3. Burrell 90.5; 4. Frazier 84.5; 5. Burgettstown 77; 6. Penns Valley 69; 7. Huntingdon 61; 8. Bentworth 60.5; 9. Glendale 59; 10. Tyrone 57; 11. United 56.5; 12. Mount Pleasant 56; 13. Montour 50.5; 14. Marion Center 49.5; 15. Beth Center and Central Valley 47; 17. Berlin Brothersvalley 42; 18. Somerset 40; 19. Quaker Valley 38; 20. Penn Cambria and Laurel 37.
SEMIFINALS
107--Baker, BURR, pinned Beatty, MU, 1:45; Deputy, CR, dec. Boni, CV, 4-2; 114--Bainey, WB, dec. Williams. CHART, 1-0; Fanella, I, dec. Garshnick, U, 4-0; 121--Fye, BEA, maj. dec. Barr, MCG, 10-0; Bracken, U, dec. Kazalas, QV, 5-2; 127--Vargo, BENT, dec. Bainey, BEA, 8-1; Hornack, BURR, dec. Burkett, CR, 9-6; 133--Chacon, MON, tech. fall Shunk, PV, 18-1, 4:59; Poklembo, MP, dec. Cassidy, BED, 3-2; 139--J. Sentipal, BURG, dec. Smith, J, 7-0; Cornetto, MC, dec. Ferra, BURR, 3-2; 145--Hoover, PC, dec. Richey, QV, 4-0; Bollman, CR, dec. Heilbrun, MC, 6-4 OT
152--Watson, PV, dec. Berish, BC, 4-2; Celaschi, FRA, pinned Albright, CR, 5:26; 160--MacKay, L, dec. McMonagle, H, 8-4; Dubler, G, pinned Brandebura, CAR, 3:44; 172--Close, BEA, dec. Lacinski, BURR, 3-0; Scott, T, won by injury default over Cohenour, SH, 1:01; 189--Lawrence, FRA, pinned Presnell, CR, 1:31; Holmes, S, pinned Ryan, MU, 3:05; 215--Morgan, CV, maj. dec. Pitzer, MP, 12-2; Mathias, BB, dec. Daniels, BENT, 3-1; Singleton, H, dec. Baronick, BURG, 6-0; Ewing, T, dec. Williams, G, 1-0.
CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS
107--Deeputy, CR, maj. dec. Baker, BURR, 12-4; 114--Bainey, WB, dec. Fanella, I, 4-2 OT; 121--Fye, BEA, dec. Bracken, U, 4-3; 127--Vargo, BENT, dec. Hornack, BURR, 1-0; 133--Chaacon, MON, dec. Poklembo, MP, 1-0l 139--J. Sentipal, BURG, dec. Cornetto, MC, 6-4 OT; 145--Hoover, PC, dec. Bollman, CR, 3-2
152--Watson, PV, dec. Celaschi, FRA, 6-0; 160--MacKay, L, dec. Dubler, G, 1-0; 172--Close, BEA, dec. Scott, T, 5-0; 189--Lawrence, FRA, pinned Holmes, S, 1:21; 215--Morgan, CV, dec. Mathias, BB, 3-1; 285--Singleton, H, dec. Ewing, T, 6-1.
THIRD PLACE
107--Boni, CV, dec. Beatty, MU, 5-0; 114--Garshnick, U, dec. Williams, CHART, 3-0; 121--Kazalas, QV, won by injury default over Barr, MCG, 1:18; 127--Bainey, BEA, dec. Burkett, CR, 2-0; 133--Cassidy, B, dec. Suica, BURG, 6-2; 139--Smith, J, dec. Ferra, BURR, 12-8 TB; 145--Heilbrun, MAC, dec. Richey, QV, 12-5
152--Pisano, HOPE, dec. Berish, BC, 3-1; 160--McMonagle, H, dec. Brandebura, CAR, 11-6; 172--Welch, FC, deec. Orbin, CHART, 3-0; 189--Ryan, MU, deec. Layhuee, BC, 4-3; 215--Daniels, BENT, dec. Pitzer, MP, 6-2; 285--Williams, G, dec. Flaherty, KO, 4-0.
FIFTH PLACE
107--Sombronski, U, dec. Hummel, PO, 1-0 UTB; 114--P. Sentipal, BURG, pinned Mull, CR, 4:44; 121--Holderbaum, CRR, dec. Cain, MP, 7-2; 127--Orlandini, MON, pinned Miller, NS, 1:50; 133--Shunk, PV, dec. Weyant, CR, 7-6; 139--Ulderich, BB dec. Ivcic, BENT, 10-3; 145--G. Long, BELL, pinned Erdely, FRA, 4:35
152--Barnhart, RV, dec. Albright, CR, 1-0; 160--Masood, TM, won by medical forfeit over Frameli, JM; 172--Lacinski, BURR, won by medical forfeit over Cohenour, SH; 189--Spangle, G, dec. Presnell, CR, 4-1; 215--McChesney, GS, dec. Brungart, PV, 4-3; 285--Baronick, BURG, dec. Miller, RV, 5-2.
SEVENTH PLACE
107-- Tinsman, MC, won by medical forfeit over Mucci, D; 114--Darlington, PV, dec. Wright, BC, 9-6; 121--Lisowski, PV, won by medical forfeit over Putt, I; 127--Clark, FRA, pinned Slovick, BURG, 4:42; 133--Forcellini, FH, dec. Fleck, PO, 8-3; 139--Weightman, BV, pinned Sherwood, E, 1:17; 145--Debnar, BC, dec. Flinn, FH, 7-3
152--Pifer, BEA, dec. Gable, PO, 8-1; 160--Perkins, V, pinned Zanella, BURR, 2:04; 172--Snider, NB, dec. Hensley, MON, 7-0; 189--Salvini, FC, dec. Dubbs, BEA, 2-1 UTB; 215--Quick, CC, pinned Hart, SH, 6:16 TB; 285--Williams, MV, dec. Hill, L, 5-1.