Wiercioch loses in Classic finale
Cody Wiercioch of Canon-McMillan had the chance to put a great finishing touch on this year's Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic. Instead, he suffered one of his most painful losses.
Wiercioch lost a 7-4 decision to Zach beard, a four-time state champion from Tuttle, Okla., in the final bout of the evening as the United States Team defeated Pennsyvlania, 22-18.
In the opener, the WPIAL Team won for the third straight time against Virginia in this event's history.
What made this so hard to take was that Wiercioch lost in the same building he will be doing his college wrestling: Pitt's Fitzgerald Fieldhouse.
Not only did Beard beat Wiercioch, but he did something no other wrestler had been able to do for two scholastic seasons – take him down. Beard, a four-time Oklahoma champion with a 163-9 record, did it three times. The first of two in the first period brought ooohs from the capacity crowd.
Wiercioch’s loss came in the same building he’ll be wrestling in next fall. He committed to Pitt before the high school season began.
“Cody might be a little shell-shocked right now,” said Canon-McMillan head coach Chris Mary, who coached the Pennsylvania and WPIAL teams. “But he’ll bounce back.”
A distraught Wiercioch refused comment after his bout.
Beard led 4-2 after one period, taking Wiercioch down twice, but Wiercioch cut the lead to 4-3 with an escape in the second period. Beard escaped to start the third and put the match away with another takedown with 1:07 left.
Wiercioch compiled a 168-5 record to go along with his three gold medals and one silver. He has one more event on his schedule: the Dream Team Classic in Chicago next month.
Beard was named Outstanding Wrestling for the United States team and Benton’s Zain Retherford, who upset undefeated Anthony Ashnault (170-0, 4 titles) from South Plainfield, N.J., 1-0 at 138, was OW for Pennsylvania.
Wiercioch’s Canon-McMillan teammate, Connor Schram, nearly pulled the upset of the tournament when he took Joey Dance, a four-time state champion from Christiansburg, Va., into overtime. Dance, who had a 186-14 record in his scholastic career, managed to win the bout by riding out Schram in overtime.
The WPIAL Team got a 4-2 win by Seth Carr of South Fayette over Sean Badua of Osbourne Park in the first bout and never looked back.
Angelo Broglia of Canon-McMillan also chalked up a win, 3-2, over Justin Williams of Skyline.
Dustin Conti of Jefferson-Morgan lost a 5-2 decision to Zach Epperly of Christiansburg and Garrett Vulcano of Chartiers-Houston fell to Zach Roseberry of Brentsville, 12-3, at 220 pounds.
Four new members were installed in the southwestern Pennsylvania Hall of Fame: Aaron Gatten of Washington High School; George O'Korn of Canon-McMillan; Jake Herbert of North Allegheny; and Greg Jones of Greensburg Salem.
Wiercioch lost a 7-4 decision to Zach beard, a four-time state champion from Tuttle, Okla., in the final bout of the evening as the United States Team defeated Pennsyvlania, 22-18.
In the opener, the WPIAL Team won for the third straight time against Virginia in this event's history.
What made this so hard to take was that Wiercioch lost in the same building he will be doing his college wrestling: Pitt's Fitzgerald Fieldhouse.
Not only did Beard beat Wiercioch, but he did something no other wrestler had been able to do for two scholastic seasons – take him down. Beard, a four-time Oklahoma champion with a 163-9 record, did it three times. The first of two in the first period brought ooohs from the capacity crowd.
Wiercioch’s loss came in the same building he’ll be wrestling in next fall. He committed to Pitt before the high school season began.
“Cody might be a little shell-shocked right now,” said Canon-McMillan head coach Chris Mary, who coached the Pennsylvania and WPIAL teams. “But he’ll bounce back.”
A distraught Wiercioch refused comment after his bout.
Beard led 4-2 after one period, taking Wiercioch down twice, but Wiercioch cut the lead to 4-3 with an escape in the second period. Beard escaped to start the third and put the match away with another takedown with 1:07 left.
Wiercioch compiled a 168-5 record to go along with his three gold medals and one silver. He has one more event on his schedule: the Dream Team Classic in Chicago next month.
Beard was named Outstanding Wrestling for the United States team and Benton’s Zain Retherford, who upset undefeated Anthony Ashnault (170-0, 4 titles) from South Plainfield, N.J., 1-0 at 138, was OW for Pennsylvania.
Wiercioch’s Canon-McMillan teammate, Connor Schram, nearly pulled the upset of the tournament when he took Joey Dance, a four-time state champion from Christiansburg, Va., into overtime. Dance, who had a 186-14 record in his scholastic career, managed to win the bout by riding out Schram in overtime.
The WPIAL Team got a 4-2 win by Seth Carr of South Fayette over Sean Badua of Osbourne Park in the first bout and never looked back.
Angelo Broglia of Canon-McMillan also chalked up a win, 3-2, over Justin Williams of Skyline.
Dustin Conti of Jefferson-Morgan lost a 5-2 decision to Zach Epperly of Christiansburg and Garrett Vulcano of Chartiers-Houston fell to Zach Roseberry of Brentsville, 12-3, at 220 pounds.
Four new members were installed in the southwestern Pennsylvania Hall of Fame: Aaron Gatten of Washington High School; George O'Korn of Canon-McMillan; Jake Herbert of North Allegheny; and Greg Jones of Greensburg Salem.
posted by Joe Tuscano at
9:57 PM
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