Photos for the Mirror by Paul Schofield
Altoona’s Luke Sipes (left) eyes his competition, Connellsville’s Lonzy Vielma, in the 160-pound finals on Saturday.
CANONSBURG — The road to Hershey took the Altoona wrestling team a new direction this season.
In order to head east, the Mountain Lions had to head west toward Pittsburgh to punch a ticket to the Hershey Giant Center.
No matter what path the team took, the results are what senior Luke Sipes and junior Braiden Weaver had planned.
Sipes captured his fourth regional title and Weaver won his second, and Altoona ended up third as a team in the newly formed PIAA 3A West Regional at Canon-McMillan High School.
The PIAA combined the Northwest Regional and the Southwest Regional to form the West Regional. The top five finishers in each weight class advance to the state championship March 6-8.
Sipes (39-4) defeated Connellsville senior Lonzy Vielma, 8-1, in the 160-pound finals. He won his first three titles in the Northwest Regional.
Sipes notched his 150th career win during the quarterfinal on Friday. On Saturday, he knocked off Thomas Jefferson senior Brayden White, 10-3, in the semifinals, and then dominated Vielma, the District 7 champion, in the finals
“Honestly, I was looking forward to the new challenge,” Sipes said. “It was a new opportunity, so I’ve kind of had a growth mindset all year, and just trying to get a little better every match, trying to get better at something else. I was really excited and grateful to be able to come over here and compete.”
Sipes did not waste anytime in the final. He took a 3-0 lead with a takedown midway through the opening period. He stretched his lead to 7-0 early in the second period with an escape and takedown.
Vielma got an escape late in the second period, but Sipes smothered Vielma in the top position to secure the win.
“My game plan, just not for Lonzy but for everyone was to get to my offense quickly,” Sipes said, at University of North Carolina commit. “Get on it early and stay on it throughout the match.”
Sipes said he’s grateful to win four regional titles, but his mindset quickly turned to Hershey where is a three-time place finisher — fifth as a freshman, seventh as a sophomore and fourth as a junior.
“Hopefully I can cap my career off next week at the top of the podium,” Sipes said. “I’m currently ranked No. 2 behind Collin Gaj of Quakertown.”
Weaver built an early lead and held on to defeat Latrobe senior Leo Joseph, 10-8, in the 121 final. Weaver (38-8) held a 10-3 lead after two periods before holding off Joseph’s late charge.
Weaver, a University of Buffalo commit, topped Connellsville sophomore Nolan Rice, 10-1, in the semifinals before defeating Joseph, the District 7 champion.
Weaver said he followed his game plan of scoring a bunch of points until the third period when he let up.
“I dominated early, but I tired in the third period and just tried to protect my lead,” Weaver said. “I’m going to work on my gas tank throughout now and in states.
“It was a new scenery, a lot of higher advanced people than in previous regionals. I’m glad I get to compete against the best and prepare for states.”
Sipes and Weaver will be joined in Hershey by freshman Deklan Barr at 127 and sophomore Gavin Ciampoli at 139. Both finished fourth.
Barr lost in the quarterfinals on Friday but came back Saturday to defeat Harbor Creek’s Nolan Gummerson by technical fall, 17-1, Indiana senior Carter Putt, 4-1, in overtime with one second remaining, and Bellefonte’s Wyatt Long, 2-1.
He lost to Trinity’s Dom Canali, 7-0, in the third-place match. He lost to Canali in the quarterfinals.
Campoli also lost in the quarterfinals but came back on Saturday with three consecutive wins.
He defeated Obama Academy’s Azreal Lewis by technical fall, 17-1, Cranberry’s Elijah Brosius, 4-3, and Trinity’s T.J. Allison, 4-1. He fell 2-1 (tiebreaker 2) to South Fayette’s Talen Mizenko for third place.
Thomas Jefferson won the team title, edging Connellsville, 118.5-116. Altoona finished with 94 points.
No Hollidaysburg wrestler qualified for states.
Team standings
1. Thomas Jefferson 118.5; 2. Connellsville 116; 3. Altoona 94; 4. State College 80.5; 5. Mifflin County 71.5.
Finals
107–Nicholas McGarrity, Peters Township d. Andrew Alexander, Mifflin County, 9-8. 114–Nico Kapusta, Hempfield Area d. Mateo Gallegos, DuBois, 6-5. 121–Braiden Weaver, Altoona d. Leo Joseph, Latrobe, 10-8. 127–Santino Sloboda, Butler m.d. Dalton Wenner, Cranberry, 10-0. 133–Nico Fanella, Indiana d. Luke Willochell, Latrobe, 6-4. 139–Kai Vielma, Connellsville m.d. Domonic Ferraro, Pine-Richland, 9-4. 145–Dalton Perry, Central Mountain d. Ramil Islamov, Baldwin, 7-6.
152–Maddox Shaw, Thomas Jefferson m.d. James Whitbred, State College, 15-4. 160–Luke Sipes, Altoona d. Lonzy Vielma, Connellsville, 8-1. 172–Asher Cunningham, State College t.f. Bode Marlow, Thomas Jefferson, 18-0 (6:00). 189–Kendahl Hoare, DuBois d. Avery Aurand, Mifflin County, 5-2 (SV). 215–Elijah Brown, Belle Vernon d. Cooper Roscosky, Kiski Area, 1-0. 285–Shepherd Turk, Thomas Jefferson p. Peyton Kearns, Mifflin County, 2:45.
Third place
107–Tommy Gretz, Connellsville d. Michael Johnson, West Allegheny, 5-0. 114–Dylan Barrett, Penn-Trafford d. Zachary Franks, Connellsville, 4-1. 121–Nolan Rice, Connellsville d. Luke DeSantis, Penn-Trafford, 3-0 (SV). 127–Dom Canali, Trinity d. Deklan Carr, Altoona, 7-0. 133–Collier Hartman, Canon-McMillan t.f. Cael Yanek, Moon Area, 19-3 (5:00). 139–Talan Mizenko, South Fayette d. Gavin Campoli, Altoona, 2-1 (TB2). 145–Ethan Higgins, Bethel Park d. Max Firestine, Franklin Regional, 4-1 (SV).
152–Evan Petrovich, Connellsville m.d. Darius McMillon, Peters Township, 12-1. 160–Brayden White, Thomas Jefferson d. Rook Smith, Montour, 2-0. 172; Mario Hutcherson, Kiski Area t.f. Maclane Miller, Pine-Richland, 17-2 (:54). 189–Mark Gray, Kiski Area m.d. Hunter Snyder, Latrobe, 12-4. 215–Roman Thompson, Central Catholic p. Jake Conroy, Ringgold, 2:37. 285–Philup Rearick, Armstrong p. Bradyn McConneha, North Allegheny, 1:39.
Fifth place
107–Zach Rehak, Thomas Jefferson d. Bryce Thomas, Moon Area, 10-4. 114–Titus Colangelo, Franklin Regional p. Kael Davis, State College, 2:42. 121–Michael Worsen, Fox Chapel wins by forfeit over Ben Fuller, Meadville. 127–Aiden Kunes, Central Mountain d. Wyatt Long, Bellefonte, 5-0. 133–Nicholas Berrena, State College won by DQ Gus Stedeford, North Allegheny, 2:30. 139–T.J. Allison, Trinity d. Kamden Everly, Mifflin County, 4-1. 145–Kase Chopp, Butler t.f. Andrew Gall, Bellefonte, 22-3 (3:18).
152–Ezra Swisher, Bellefonte, d. Luke Dunlap, South Fayette, 7-0. 160–Liam Costa, Moon Area d. Noah Weaver, Bellefonte, 11-7. 172–Kaleb Kinzey, Armstrong d. Jackson Long, Bellefonte, 1-0. 189–Jacob Stephenson, Waynesburg d. Bryce Brungard, Central Mountain, 4-1. 215–Brayden Collins, Canon-McMillan d. Carter Wilson, DuBois, 2-1. 285–Cam Danna, West Allegheny d. D’Angelo Hamilton, Fox Chapel, 2-1.
(Top 5 advance to PIAA Championship March 6-8 at Giant Center, Hershey)