ALTOONA — Clearfield Bison junior Oliver Billotte looked to at least match, if not better, his 8th place finish from last year’s PIAA AAA State Championship with a return trip to Hershey, but a loss in the consolation semifinals at the newly covid-formed AAA Super Regionals to an old rival kept him out of the top-4 and one spot short of the state medal round.
This AAA West Super Regional, the de facto first two rounds of the state championships because wrestlers that made it this far are considered state qualifiers for 2021, matched wrestlers from the North West, South Central, and South West (WPIAL) regions. The top-4 placing here will meet the top-4 wrestlers from the AAA East Super Regional in Hershey next weekend to decide the PIAA state placewinners.
At 285, quarterfinal action saw Billotte, the North West Region runner-up last week, face off with the South Central champion, undefeated Dylan Rodenhaber (20-0) of Red Land. 49 seconds in to the match Rodenhaber scored the opening takedown and ended the first period with a 2-0 lead. Rodenhaber took down to start the second and escaped seven seconds in to take a 3-0 lead. No further scoring occurred and Billotte headed to the third period down 3-0 and in the down position. Billotte was able to escape after just five seconds to make it 3-1. But it was Rodenhaber that earned the final takedown though, sending Billotte to the wrestlebacks with a 5-1 loss.
Dustin Swanson (21-6) from Garden Spot, a PIAA medalist last year, awaited Billotte in the consy one round. The first period ended with no scoring and Billotte took down and escaped just four seconds into the second period to take a 1-0 lead. Again no one could score from their feet and the bout went 1-0 with Billotte leading going in to the final two minutes. Swanson quickly knotted the bout at 1-1, but Billotte finally scored the match’s first takedown with just 52 seconds remaining. Swanson escaped just 16 seconds later and was down just 3-2 with 36 seconds remaining. Billotte kept on the throttle and scored his second takedown of the period with just 21 seconds remaining to secure the 5-2 victory.
Next up for Billotte would be the consolation semifinals, with the winner assuring themselves of a top-4 finish and a trip to Hersey once again. There, Billotte met a familiar foe, William McHesney (23-5), a fellow junior from Greensburg-Salem. Billotte faced McChesney at last year’s PIAA State Championship…twice, in fact. First they met in the round of 16 with McChesney coming away with a 3-1 victory. Billotte then ran off three straight wins in the consies and ended up meeting McChesney in the seventh place bout. That time, McChesney escaped with a 4-3 win and a seventh place finish, leaving Billotte with eighth.
This match exactly mirrored Billotte’s consy one bout against Swanson. After a scoreless first period, McChesney took bottom to start the second and escaped in five seconds to take a 1-0 lead. After a minute and fifty-five seconds of no takedowns, Billotte was down 1-0 and on bottom to start the third and final period. It only took three seconds to even the match at 1-1. With 38 seconds remaining McChesney scored the match’s first takedown, only to have Billotte immediately escape to a 3-2 deficit. The match clincher was scored by McChesney with just eight seconds remaining, as he took Billotte down and moved on with a 5-2 win.
Billotte was to face Rodenhaber in the fifth place match, but Rodenhaber was injured in the other consolation semifinal match and was unable to continue.
Therefore Billotte ended his season with a 22-5 record, and currently is 74-21 for his career.
Billotte and the rest of the Bison will have at least one more opportunity to be on the mat this season, as they will face Williamsport on March 20 in the District 4/9 AAA Team Wrestling Championship at Clearfield High School.
Complete results of the AAA WEst Super Regional can be found by clicking HERE. Results courtesy PA-Wrestling.com.
Finals Matchups/Results:
| Third Place | |
| 106 | Kaedyn Williams, Manheim Township, dec. Cael Nasdeo, Williamsport, 2-1 |
| 113 | Jacob Van Dee, Erie Cathedral Prep, dec. Troy Hohman, Penn Trafford, 10-6 |
| 120 | Mason Leiphart, Dover, pinned Chad Ozias, Connellsville, 1:28 |
| 126 | Ethan Berginc, Hempfield Area, pinned Matt Repos, Central Dauphin, 2:31 |
| 132 | Jude Swisher, Bellefonte, dec. Colton Stoneking, Waynesburg Central, 8-5 |
| 138 | Chandler Ho, DuBois, dec. Dylan Evans, Chartiers Valley, 6-3 |
| 145 | Riley Bower, Williamsport, dec. Ty Linsenbigler, Hempfield Area, 3-2 |
| 152 | Paniro Johnson, Erie Cathedral Prep, pinned Jared Keslar, Connellsville, 2:56 |
| 160 | Ryan Fry, Red Lion, pinned Chase Kranitz, Norwin, 0:59 |
| 172 | Sammy Starr, Kiski Area, maj. dec. Lance Urbas, State College, 12-2 |
| 189 | Justin Hart, Hampton, pinned Colt Barley, Penn Manor, 2:46 |
| 215 | Logan Harmon, Armstrong, won by inj. default over Cole Weightman, Belle Vernon |
| 285 | Dawson Dietz, Hampton, dec. William McChesney, Greensburg Salem, 3-1 |
| Fifth Place | |
| 106 | Andrew Binni, Canon-McMillan, dec. Rocco Fratelli, Northern York, 3-1 |
| 113 | Nic Allison, Mifflin County, pinned Aiden Lewis, Cedar Cliff, 2:42 |
| 120 | Dylan Coy, North Allegheny, dec. Joshua Hillard, Manheim Township, 3-0 |
| 126 | Aliazer Alicea, Manheim Township, dec. Owen Woolcott, State College, 8-4 |
| 132 | Braden Bower, Williamsport, pinned Garrett Gehr, Garden Spot, 2:04 |
| 138 | Josh Miller, Central Dauphin, pinned Dominic Frontino, Shippensburg, 2:19 |
| 145 | Ryan Garvick, Central Dauphin, dec. Michael Trainor, Octorara, 3-0 |
| 152 | Roman Morrone, Williamsport, dec. Gabriel Belga, Cumberland Valley, 3-0 |
| 160 | Sean Smith, Carlisle, dec. Coy Bastian, Selinsgrove, 1-0 |
| 172 | Tate Nichter, Chambersburg, pinned Brian Finnerty, Thomas Jefferson, 0:23 |
| 189 | Brayden Roscosky, Kiski Area, won by forfeit over Carson Manville, State College |
| 215 | Ty Banco, Trinity, dec. Dylan Forbes, New Oxford, 8-3 |
| 285 | Oliver Billotte, Clearfield, won by inj. default over Dylan Rodenhaber, Red Land |