Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski Tyrone 107 pounder Korry Walls pinned Burgettstown's Darius Simmons in 2:46 in the round of 16.

By Todd Irwin

sports@altoonamirror.com

Tyrone freshman 172-pounder Kyle Scott was admittedly nervous before his quarterfinal bout in the Southwest Regional Class 2A Tournament on Friday night.

Well before both of his bouts, he was pacing up and down the gym floor between the four mats at the Altoona Fieldhouse.

But Scott handled the nerves and his opponents well enough to advance to today’s 12:30 p.m. semifinals and qualify for next week’s PIAA Championships.

After pinning Southmoreland’s Tristan Ice in 5:16 in the first round, Scott earned a 3-2 decision over Fort Cherry’s Braedon Welsh in the quarterfinals. When time expired on his quarterfinal win, Scott yelled “Let’s go” toward Tyrone coach Quentin Wright.

“It feels great. I’m not going to lie,” Scott said. “I was a little nervous before that match, but I got the job done. I was afraid I wasn’t even going to make it (to the semifinals). I had so much doubt in that match. I didn’t think I was going to win.”

Scott wasn’t the only freshman from the Mirror coverage area to reach the semifinals. Glendale freshman Daniel Williams advanced to the 285-pound semifinals with a 7-1 decision over Somerset’s Zane Hagans in the quarterfinals. He had opened with a 7-2 win over Bentworth’s Alex Rusilko.

Tyrone’s Braden Ewing will be the opponent for Williams in the semifinals. Ewing followed up his 4-1 win over Jefferson Morgan’s Landon Heath with a 9-1 win over Keystone Oaks’ Christian Flaherty.

Six area wrestlers advanced to the semifinals and are assured of at least a sixth-place finish, which qualifies them for the state tournament.

Penn Cambria returning regional champion Trent Hoover (145), Glendale returning tournament runner-up Zeke Dubler (160) and Huntingdon/Williamsburg’s Andrew McMonagle (160) also reached the semifinals.

Still alive in the consolations are Tyrone’s Korry Walls (107), Lukas Walk (139) and Andrew Weaver (160), Penn Cambria’s Austin McCloskey (160), Braedan Oravecz (189) and Mason Raymond (215), Glendale’s George Campbell (152) and Britton Spangle (189).

Northern Bedford has Wyatt Clouse (114), Tyler Paris (160), Eion Snider (172) and Brock Beach (285) still going into the consolations. Central’s Ty Biesinger (114), Claysburg-Kimmel’s Brodie Soler (127), Central Cambria’s Karter Quick (215) and Bellwood-Antis’ Ethan Norris (285) are still able to wrestle back.

The tournament resumes at 9 a.m. today with the consolations.

Scott trailed Welsh 1-0 in the second period when he scored a reversal to take the lead. It was 2-2 in the third when Scott escaped. He stayed out of trouble from there and earned his spot in the semifinals, where he’ll face Southern Huntingdon’s District 6 runner-up Tommy Cohenour.

“I’m hyped,” Scott said. “I get a rematch with Tommy Cohenour, who beat me in the district semis (3-1). Hopefully I can come up with a win.”

“I was working on him to wrestle smart,” Wright said. “You only need to win by a point. He took that to heart, and that’s what he did there. He had confidence in himself. I’m excited about him. That’s a heck of an accomplishment. He puts in the extra work, and that’s what happens when you put in the extra work and wrestle tough.”

Williams broke open a tight quarterfinal with a takedown and four nearfall points – all in the final 25 seconds of the third period.

“I thought Danny wrestled great,” Glendale coach Brian Storm said. “We wanted him to get a little more offensive, and he started pushing it. Danny kept the pressure going there. It was a good match.”

Ewing racked up a takedown, five nearfall points and a reversal in beating Flaherty. Ewing gets another shot at Williams, who has earned an ultimate tiebreaker win and a 3-1 overtime win over Ewing in the district semifinals.

“I should have beaten him the last two times,” Ewing said. “But should have is a loss. I’m going to wrestle smarter this time, and hopefully I can be standing on top of the podium.”

Hoover rolled to a 13-4 major decision over Southmoreland’s Gabe Kubasky, but then he needed a third-period reversal of Frazier’s Jonah Erdely and a tough ride the rest of the way to win, 2-1. Hoover shook his head after he won.

“Yeah, we won,” Penn Cambria coach Todd Niebauer said. “I’m happy for him, but we didn’t open up. That kid did a good job of slowing us down, but we didn’t open up. When Trent Hoover opens up, he’s very, very tough to beat. Trent didn’t take very many shots. So, we’ve got to make that adjustment tomorrow.”

Hoover will face Quaker Valley’s Logan Richey in the semifinals.

Dubler breezed to the semifinals with a pin in 46 seconds and a pin of Frazier’s Jackson Angelo in 2:59. He’ll face Carlynton’s Chase Brandebura in the semifinals.

McMonagle had pins in 3:18 and 5:37 to get to the semis, where he’ll face Laurel’s two-time state champion Grant MacKay.

“I wrestled pretty tough,” Dubler said. “I got two pins, so it can’t get much better. You just have to go out there and worry about who you wrestling at that moment. Whenever you get into these types of tournaments, you can’t really look too far ahead.”

NOTES: Chestnut Ridge leads the team race by 18.5 points, 68-49.5, over Burrell. Bald Eagle Area (43.5) is third. …. The championship finals, third-place, fifth-place and seventh-place bouts are scheduled for 5:15 p.m.

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 68; 2. Burrell 49.5; 3. Bald Eagle Area 43.5; 4. Frazier 40; 5. Penns Valley 37; 6. Bentworth 30; 7. Mount Pleasant 29; 8. Burgettstown 28; 9. Tyrone 27; 10. Huntingdon and United 26; 12. Glendale 25; 13. Mount Union, Central Valley and Quaker Valley 24; 16. Somerset 23; 17. Marion Center 22.5; 18. Montour 22; 19. Berlin Brothersvalley 21; 20. Beth Center 20.

QUARTERFINALS

107–Beatty, MU, dec. Mucci, D, 10-4; Baker, BURR, tech. fall Santamaria, TM, 17-1, 3:23; Boni, CV, dec. Walls, T, 4-1; Deputy, CR, pinned Anderchak, QV, 3:44; 114–Bainey, WB, dec. Pa. Sentipal, BURG, 3-0; Williams, CHART, pinned Kosanovic, A, 1:06; Garshnick, U, pinned Mull, CRR, 3:44; Fanella, I, pinned Darlington, PV, 1:08; 121–Fye, BEA, maj. dec. Lisowski, PV, 8-0; Barr, MCG, maj. dec. Holderbaum, CR, 14-6; Bracken, U, pinned Durst, BB, :44; Kazalas, QV, dec. Cain, MP, 8-1; 127–Bainey, BEA, pinned Clark, FRA, :25; Vargo, BENT, pinnedd Miller, NS, 1:47; Burkett, CR, dec. Orlandini, MON, 8-2; Hornack, BURR, pinned Kerr, HAM, 5:07; 133–Chacon, MON, pinned Fleck, PO, 2:17; Shunk, PV, dec. Weyant, CR, 5-1; Poklembo, MP, maj. dec. Forcellini, FH, 12-4; Cassidy, B, dec. Michaels, EF, 11-7; 139–J. Sentipal, BURG, maj. dec. Burford, HIGH, 16-4; Smith, J, maj. dec. Sherwood, E, 10-2; Ferra, BURR, pinned Weightman, BV, 2:36; Cornetto, MC, dec. Ivcic, BENT, 7-4; 145–Hoover, PC, dec. Erdely, FRA, 2-1; Richey, QV, dec. Flinn, FH, 5-0; Heilbrun, MC, maj. dec. Debnarr, BC, 11-2; Bollman, CR, dec. G. Long, BELL, 6-3

152–Watson, PV, dec. Pifer, BEA, 7-1; Berish, BC, pinned Thomas, CT, 1:30; Albright, CR, dec. Gable, PO, 9-7 OT; Celaschi, FRA, pinned Barnhart, RV, 2:41; 160–MacKay, L, pinned Zanella, BURR, :30; McMonagle, H, pinned Frameli, JM, 5:37; Brandebura, CAR, pinned Masood, TM, 3:17; Dubler, G, pinned Angelo, FRA, 2:59; 172–Close, BEA, pinned Conroy, AG, 1:56; Lacinski, BURR, maj. dec. Hensley, MON, 11-3; Cohenour, SH, pinned Snider, NB, :47; Scott, T, dec. Welsh, FC, 3-2; 189–Lawrence, FRA, pinned Bender, HIGH, 1:42; Prensell, CR, dec. Salvini, FC, 3-2 UTB; Ryan, MU, dec. Layhue, BC, 4-2; Holmes, S, pinned McAnany, JM, 2:38; 215–Morgan, CV, pinned Brungart, PV, 1:34; Pitzer, MP, pinned Raymond, PC, 1:47; Daniels, BENT, maj. dec. Hart, SH, 13-0; Mathias, BB, pinned McChesney, GS, 4:17; 285–Singleton, H, pinned Miller, RV, 2:27; Baronick, BURG, pinned Leslie, HIGH, 1:26; Williams, G, dec. Hagans, S, 7-1; Ewing, T, maj. dec. Flaherty, KO, 9-1.