HERSHEY – Derek Brothers became Curwensville Area High School\’s fifth two-time PIAA Class AA wrestling placewinner with a default victory over Jeremy Landowski of Burrell in the 119-pound fifth-place bout Saturday afternoon in the Giant Center.
The Golden Tide junior chose the bottom position after a scoreless first period and, on a reset, hit a power switch for the second time to earn a reversal at the 1:25 mark.
Landowski, who won 2-0 on caution points when the two met in the first round at 112 last year, suffered a severe shoulder injury and was unable to continue.
The District 7 runner-up and Southwest Region fifth-placer junior still was in obvious pain after using up all of his injury time.
\”Derek really put a lot of pressure on the shoulder when he hit that switch hard,\” Curwensville coach Duane Wriglesworth II said. \”The trainers couldn\’t even move (Landowski\’s) arm. He was in a lot of pain.\”
Brothers, whose other medal was for placing eighth at 103 two years ago, ended the season 35-5 for a 99-19 career record that is fifth all-time in wins for the Golden Tide.
\”We\’re definitely proud of where Derek finished here,\” Wriglesworth said. \”It\’s definitely nothing to sneeze at, because 119 and 189 were two of the most loaded weight classes in double-A.\”
After going two-and-out last year, Brothers attained his 2009 goal with a 3-2 effort, the losses coming at the hands of the silver and bronze medalists.
\”I was shooting for sixth or higher,\” the District 9 champ and Northwest Region runner-up said while watching the finals. \”When I made it to the semis, I was kind of hoping for third or fourth.
\”Mentally, I don\’t think I came back from my loss quick enough.\”
He was sharp in the early rounds, though, and made a strong run for an even higher finish with decisive wins over district champs, pinning Southeast Region champ Adam Phillippi of Benton (D-4) at 5:01 and beating Southwest Region fourth-placer Cory Thomas of Bedford (D-5) 7-2.
His bid for gold was blocked by undefeated SW Region king A.J. Schopp of Tyrone.
Brothers registered the initial takedown but gave up a penalty point for illegal head scissors and an escape.
Schopp broke the 2-2 tie with a reversal out of Brothers\’ crab ride early in the second period and then worked a tilt for three back points. The District 6 champ, a junior with three PIAA medals, added a takedown in the third period for a 9-3 victory.
\”Derek\’s biggest problem was (Schopp\’s) grip,\” Wriglesworth said. \”It was very tight and very difficult to break. Derek had a hard time peeling his hands off. Even on his feet, Derek had a hard time getting past his hands.
\”Once he got down, he tried desperation stuff, and it just didn\’t work.
\”Schopp was better than we expected, but Derek fought hard.\”
In the consolation semifinals, David Fogle of Forest Hills escaped in the second period for the only point. The District 6 runner-up and SW Region third-placer rode tough for the final two minutes.
\”Fogle\’s strength was an issue,\” Wriglesworth explained. \”He\’s real strong, and we just couldn\’t get out from underneath.\”
Schopp lost for the first time in 40 bouts in the finals, managing only three escapes against returning champion Anthony Zanetta of Keystone Oaks. Last year\’s 112 champ made a reversal and takedown in the second period stand up for a 4-3 revenge win.
Schopp had snapped District 7 (WPIAL)Zanetta\’s 81-match winning streak with a 3-2, tiebreaker decision in the SW Region finals the previous week.
In the consy finals, Fogle grabbed his fourth PIAA medal with a 4-2 win over Reynolds sophomore Adam Matthews, who had edged Brothers 6-5 in the NW Region finals.
So, four of Brothers\’ losses were to the four 119-pounder who stood higher than him on the winner\’s stand. The fifth was to returning state champ Luke Frey of Montoursville. An undefeated soph, he was one of the favorites at 112 but lost 4-2 in the semis and 4-3 to Reynolds soph Mason Beckman in the bronze-medal bout.
It turned out that Curwensville 145-pounder Jeff Thomas\’ 6-5 first-round loss was to the silver medalist. Junior Tyler Hain of Warrior Run was beaten for the fourth time this season, 9-2, by Eric Hess of Benton in the championship match.
Thomas then fell 1-0 to Northern Lehigh\’s Craemer Hedash, who placed eighth.
Wriglesworth also had high praise for his senior captain.
\”That\’s how close Jeff came to placing,\” he said. \”He had a bad draw, and those were two very close matches.
\”He wrestled Hain tough. He hit Jeff with a trap-arm tilt.
\”Jeff struggled with hand control on top and got tied up with legs in both matches.
\”But Jeff\’s happy with his year overall. His goal was to be a district champ. He did that. He reset his goal after he did that to qualify for states and also secure 30 wins. And he did that.
\”I\’m gonna miss him. We could move him around. He won a lot of matches for us.\”
Coudersport junior Dirk Cowburn was District 9\’s lone hope for a gold medal, and he defended his 152-pound crown by taking down Joe Harper of Susquenita five times for a 10-5 win after posting his 100th career victory in the semifinals.
After losing in the district finals and NW region semis, Cowburn knocked off three region kings to become the sixth D-9 wrestler with two Class AA titles.
Curwensville\’s Dave Irwin (1979, 80) and Nate Sipes (2004, 05) are in that select group.
Ridgway had two placewinners, Joe Chittester fifth at 285 and Garet Pisani eighth at 130. Both are juniors.
The only other placewinner was Redbank Valley\’s Logan Shirey, fourth at 171.
OVERTIME – Shady Side Academy senior 140-pounder Dane Johnson became the 42nd three-time PIAA champion with a five-takedown, 11-3 major decision over United\’s Robert Henderson. Nine went on to add a fourth title. Johnson, who will join Zanetta on the Pitt mat team next fall, finished with a WPIAL-record 182 wins… District 10 had one champion in Grove City 171-pounder Caleb Kolb, son of former Pittsburgh Steeler standout lineman Jon Kolb. The University of Nebraska recruit capped his 39-0 season by holding off Octorara\’s Josh Smith 3-2 after scoring an early takedown… District 10\’s other finalist was Greenville senior 125-pounder Coty Burnett. He bowed 7-4 to Northwestern Lehigh Erin Yenolevich, who averted becoming the first wrestler in PIAA history to fall in the finals three times. The SE Region champ came out on the short end of overtime bouts against Johnson at 112 in 2007 and Line Mountain\’s Tyler Erdman at 119 last year… Wyomissing, which never had a state champ in its 41-year history, had two in 41 minutes. Freshman Arty Walsh won at 103 with a third-period near fall and soph Nick Hodgkins triumphed at 130 with four takedowns to prevent Logan Sheldon from becoming Hyndman\’s first champ… The 103 finale matched two underclassmen from schools that aren\’t that far apart but are in different districts. A third-period near fall was the difference as freshman Nick Roberts of North Star (D-5) won 4-1 over soph Evan Link of Penn Cambria (D-6). The latter has two brothers who also placed at states… Line Mountain 189-pounder Jon Fausey joined Kolb as the only wrestlers to climb to the top of the winner\’s stand with no defeats for the season… The combined record of the wrestlers prior to the championship matches was 1060-63… Five returning champs failed to repeat… Shady Side Academy did repeat as team champion with 84 points. Benton (74), Reynolds (58.5), Wyomissing (50) and Westmont-Hilltop (43) rounded out the top five… The 13 points earned by Brothers put Curwensville in a tie for 44th place with Ridgway and two D-10 teams, Maplewood and Commodore Perry… The Class AA field had matmen from 103 schools… A crowd of 7,184 for the finals boosted the tourney total to 28,293 for the four sessions.
CHAMPIONSHIPS
(District-Place, Region-Place, Grade, Record in Parentheses)
103 – Nick Roberts (5-1, SW-1, 9, 32-6), North Star, dec. Evan Link (6-1, SW-3, 10, 40-4), Penn Cambria, 4-1.
112 – Arty Walsh (3-2, SE-1, 9, 34-4), Wyomissing, dec. Zach Beitz (3-1, SE-3, 9, 39-5), Juniata, 5-2.
119 – Anthony Zanetta (7-1, SW-2, 12, 45-1), Keystone Oaks, dec. A.J. Schopp (6-1, SW-1, 11, 39-1), Tyrone, 4-3.
125 – Evan Yenolevich (11-1, SE-1, 12, 38-1), Northwestern Lehigh, dec. Coty Burnett (10-1, NW-1, 12, 28-3), Greenville, 7-4.
130 – Nick Hodgkins (3-1, SE-1, 10, 43-2), Wyomissing, major dec. Logan Sheldon (5-1, SW-2, 12, 37-2), Hyndman, 10-2.
135 – Colin Shober (3-1, SE-1, 11, 53-1), Schuylkill Valley, dec. Phil Steinberg (6-1, SW-1, 11, 31-3), Central Cambria, 9-3.
140 – Dane Johnson (7-1, SW-1, 12, 53-2), Shady Side Academy, major dec. Robert Henderson (6-2, SW-3, 10, 31-5), United, 11-3.
145 – Eric Hess (4-1, NE-1, 11, 37-2), Benton, dec. Tyler Hain (4-3, NE-3, 11, 35-5), Warrior Run, 9-2.
152 – Dirk Cowburn (9-1, NW-3, 11, 29-3), Coudersport, dec. Joe Harper (3-2, SE-1, 12, 40-3), Susquenita, 10-5.
160 – Corey Lear (4-1, NE-1, 12, 35-1), Benton, dec. Matthew Cunningham (7-1, SW-1, 11, 44-3), Shady Side Academy, 7-2.
171 – Caleb Kolb (10-1, NW-1, 12, 39-0), Grove City, dec. Josh Smith (1-1, SE-1, 12, 36-4), Octorara, 3-2.
189 – Jon Fausey (4-1, NE-2, 12, 44-0), Line Mountain, dec. Dallas Brown (3-1, SE-1, 12, 36-4), Delone Catholic, 7-5.
215 – Brandon Palik (11-1, SE-1, 12, 38-1), Saucon Valley, dec. Josh McDannell (5-2, SW-1, 12, 36-3), Chestnut Ridge, 3-2.
285 – Jordan Roussos (7-1, SW-1, 12, 40-1), Carlynton, dec. Tyler Demott (4-1, NE-1, 11, 36-4), Benton, 9-6.
CONSOLATION FINALS FOR THIRD PLACE
103 – Josh Polacek (6-2, SW-2, 10, 35-10), Westmont-Hilltop, dec. Dylan Durso (10-1, NW-1, 10, 44-4), Reynolds, 2-1.
112 – Mason Beckman (10-1, SW-1, 10, 50-4), Reynolds, dec. Luke Frey (4-1, NE-1, 10, 41-2), Montoursville, 4-3.
119 – David Fogle (6-2, SW-3, 12, 36-6), Forest Hills, dec. Adam Matthews (10-1, NW-1, 10, 39-7), Reynolds, 4-2.
125 – Tyler Chesney (5-1, SW-2, 12, 33-4), Northern Bedford, dec. Ronnie Garbinsky (6-1, SW-1, 10, 39-2), Tyrone, 12-7.
130 – Frank Martellotti (7-1, SW-1, 11, 31-7), Shady Side Academy, dec. Cody Kelly (10-1, NW-2, 12, 48-5), Reynolds, 4-2 (OT).
135 – Jordan Moss (10-1, NW-1, 11, 37-2), Sharon, dec. Mitch Spencer (7-1, SW-3, 12, 39-5), Avella, 3-1.
140 – Derek Schmelyun (3-1, SE-1, 12, 48-1), Bermudian Springs, dec. Kris Krawchuk (11-1, SE-2, 12, 36-3), Northern Lehigh, 3-2.
145 – Dakota Kuhn (3-1, SE-1, 12, 38-5), Boiling Springs, pinned Fabio Boccuzzi (10-1, NW-1, 12, 42-9), Hickory, 2:42.
152 – Sam Kuhn (10-1, NW-2, 12, 39-2), Harbor Creek, dec. Nick Bancroft (10-2, NW-1, 12, 38-6), Maplewood, 7-2.
160 – Lewendo Teague (10-2, NW-3, 11, 38-3), Sharon, dec. Colin Hedash (11-2, SE-1, 10, 33-7), Northern Lehigh, 3-1.
171 – Nathaniel Brown (4-1, NE-1, 10, 34-3), Lewisburg, pinned Logan Shirey (9-1, NW-2, 12, 33-7), Redbank Valley, 1:34.
189 – Roman San Doval (7-1, SW-1, 12, 51-5), Shady Side Academy, dec. R.J. Malson (10-1, NW-1, 11, 41-6), Greenville, 9-3.
215 – Jesse Chesla (4-1, NE-1, 12, 38-5), Towanda, dec. Brian Beattie (7-2, SW-5, 10, 34-14), Burrell, 6-2.
285 – Lance Moore (2-1, NE-2, 11, 38-3), Lackawanna Trail, dec. Travis Chesla (4-3, NE-3, 11, 31-6), Towanda, 6-1.
CONSOLATION FINALS FOR FIFTH PLACE
103 – Jamie Welsh (11-1, SE-2, 10, 34-9), Pen Argyl, dec. Randy Cruz (11-2, SE-1, 9, 39-7), Bethlehem Catholic, 4-1.
112 – David White (4-2, NE-3, 11, 49-8), Athens, dec. Geoff Alexander (7-1, SW-1, 10, 48-9), Shady Side Academy, 6-4.
119 – Derek Brothers (9-1, SW-2, 11, 35-5), Curwensville, injury default over Jeremy Landowski (7-2, SW-5, 11, 37-15), 1:25.
125 – Tyler Small (3-1, SE-2, 11, 40-5), Delone Catholic, dec. Josh Lahr (4-1, NE-1, 10, 34-4), Shamokin, 6-5.
130 – Bryson Brooke (4-1, NE-1, 12, 34-4), Warrior Run, dec. Brandon Pesarchick (4-3, NE-3, 10, 38-7), Shamokin, 8-4.
135 – Travis McKillop (7-2, SW-4, 10, 37-13), Burrell, dec. Aaron Fry (4-3, NE-2, 11, 41-5), Muncy, 8-2.
140 – Daniel Knott (6-1, SW-2, 12, 34-6), Claysburg-Kimmel, major dec. Philip Racciato (11-2, SE-3, 11, 31-11), Pen Argyl, 16-2.
145 – Nick Carr (7-1, SW-4, 10, 38-8), South Fayette, dec. Jeremy King (10-3, NW-3, 11, 36-10), Fort LeBoeuf, 6-4.
152 – Alex Depew (11-1, SE-3, 12, 41-6), Wilson Area, major dec. Sam Shirey (4-3, NE-2, 12, 40-9), Midd-West, 10-2.
160 – Wesley Phipps (10-4, NW-1, 9, 34-10), Grove City, pinned Erik Hummel (4-2, NE-2, 12, 33-7), Lewisburg, 3:56.
171 – Cody Catalina (7-1, SW-4, 12, 37-11), Beth-Center, dec. Glenn Miller (3-3, SE-2, 11, 43-5), Hamburg, 5-3.
189 – Zac Bennett (6-1, SW-2, 12, 40-3), Westmont Hilltop, pinned Alex Temple (7-3, SW-5, 12, 39-18), Avella, 1:55.
215 – John Rizzo (6-1, SW-4, 9, 36-9), Richland, dec. Nick Dawson (4-2, NE-1, 11, 39-8), Montoursville, 3-2.
285 – Joe Chittester (9-1, NW-3, 11, 38-5), Ridgway, dec. Josh Krupa (5-1, SW-2, 12, 40-5), Bedford, 8-3.
CONSOLATION FINALS FOR SEVENTH PLACE
103 – Dylan Long (11-4, SE-3, 11, 31-14), Northwestern Lehigh, dec. Nate Giorgio (3-1, SE-4, 10, 45-10), Schuylkill Valley, 6-4.
112 – Brock Waughen (4-4, NE-2, 12, 35-8), Brandywine Heights, major dec. Joshua Ruppert (3-4, SE-2, 10, 31-11), Delone Catholic, 10-2.
119 – Joe Spisak (3-1, SE-1, 11, 39-4), Boiling Springs, pinned Jacob Boyde (3-2, SE-4, 12, 25-13), Delone Catholic, 2:04.
125 – Dave Makara (7-1, SW-3, 10, 39-12), Burrell, pinned Devin Cook (5-2, SW-4, 12, 35-12), Bedford, 4:58.
130 – Bryan Smith (11-2, SE-3, 12, 41-5), Bethlehem Catholic, dec. Garet Pisani (9-1, NW-1, 11, 37-5), Ridgway, 3-0.
135 – David Demor (7-3, SW-5, 120 37-10), South Side Beaver, dec. Travis Erdman (4-1, NE-3, 10, 41-6), Line Mountain, 7-2.
140 – Jordan Powell (10-1, NW-1, 12, 37-7), Commodore Perry, dec. Elias Biddle (4-1, NE-3, 11, 28-9), Warrior Run, 4-3.
145 – Shawn Perich (6-1, SW-1, 11, 38-2), Portage, dec. Craemer Hedash (11-1, SE-4, 11, 31-9), Northern Lehigh, 3-2 (OT TB).
152 – Devin O\’Brien (3-1, SE-2, 12, 37-6), Bermudian Springs, dec. T.J. Keklak (6-1, SW-1, 12, 35-8), Westmont-Hilltop, 4-3 (OT UTB RO).
160 – Derec Sauve (3-1, SE-3, 11, 39-7), Susquenita, pinned John Julian (6-1, SW-2, 12, 39-11), Penn Cambria, 4:59.
171 – Michael Blaszczyk (3-2, SE-3, 12, 41-4), Lancaster Catholic, dec. Corey Mattila (3-1, SE-5, 12, 35-9), Boiling Springs, 6-4.
189 – Kyle Dudley (7-2, SW-3, 11, 39-9), Valley, dec. Tim DeFrances (10-2, NW-2, 12, 34-9), Commodore Perry, 5-2.
215 – Jared Burger (10-2, NW-3, 11, 37-8), Union City, dec. Dylan Ferguson (3-1, SE-2, 11, 31-9), Fairfield, 8-5.
285 – Will Ringer (10-1, NW-1, 12, 43-7), dec. Mike Paradise (10-4, NW-2, 12, 32-12), Harbor Creek, 3-2.
