PIAA postseason
- Thread starter El-Jefe
- Start date
yeah, that was sweet. He hit Urbas with a lateral drop (combined with an inside trip), about 10 seconds into the match. Urbas did a good job to stave off the pin, but McGonogle kept readjusting, and got the pin
Since I haven’t seen it discussed yet, what was the move Hillegas hit from bottom? Closest I can come up with is a hip toss with a cast over.
Love seeing the old district 6-9 schools represented, takes me back to my old if undistinguished wrestling career in high school in the mid sixties when I fell in love with the sport. Clearfield, Bald Eagle, Dubois, St. College etc. I'd like to see Mr. Pataky bring back P.O. into the mix soon, I believe he's making progress. Saw a hint of Quentin Wright's teaching in that 195 final 
Only could have been better if it had been against a District 7 or 11 opponent
Only could have been better if it had been against a District 7 or 11 opponent
Considering Koll's mother still lives in State College, I'd be shocked he hadn't seen Urbas plenty by now.
Pretty much that.
Hillegas stood from bottom, grabbed Wright's left wrist with his right hand, grabbed the wrist, and hipped into an arm throw.
I couldn't tell what Hillegas did with his left hand -- if he reached under Wright's arm (to make it something like a Japanese whizzer) or if he reached over (to make it more of a trapped arm throw/roll). I think he reached over but couldn't tell for sure.
Every year I watch piaa states there is a move that I am absolutely amazed at, this year that was the one. Last year when Hillegas won, I compared his creativity to Nolf and this year same. Of all the younger kids I have seen, this kid looks to be something special.
He's a heckuva talent but something about him I don't like.
2nd year in a row, in the finals he wrestled good not great, let his opponent do most/all of the work, hit one great move, and protected his lead.
Today Wright was clearly better on feet and pushed pace. Hillegas won with 2 reversals plus fending off attacks, and by fending off I mean blocking and stalling. Wright scores more with the college out of bounds rule too.
He's nationally ranked and won the Most Falls/Least Time Award, and few guys have that one great move in them, so maybe I'm pointing out a tan line on a swimsuit model. Just seems like there's a pattern of blasting lesser opponents and letting better opponents do all the work. And that raises red flags with me.
Hope he proves me wrong next year.
El Jefe, How is Hillegas as a prospect compared to Bartlett in your opinion?
You’re a man of few words.
I know he won at Powerade. I was wondering if you had some technical thoughts comparing the two.
Hillegas and Bartlett are both elite prospects. I think right now it boils down to intangibles.
Last night Hillegas got dominated on feet by a very good but not elite wrestler. I don't think he took a shot the entire match. Giving up the first takedown happens -- Wright is good. What bothered me is that Hillegas spent the entire 3rd period backing up, blocking, edge wrestling, stalling, protecting the lead. I don't believe he took a Wright took it to him, and wins with a college sized mat, college OOB rules, and/or a ref who calls stalling.
I don't know if his mindset was to sit on the lead for an entire period, or if he gave up one takedown and didn't think he could score. Either way, give me the guy who doesn't do that.
Last night Hillegas got dominated on feet by a very good but not elite wrestler. I don't think he took a shot the entire match. Giving up the first takedown happens -- Wright is good. What bothered me is that Hillegas spent the entire 3rd period backing up, blocking, edge wrestling, stalling, protecting the lead. I don't believe he took a Wright took it to him, and wins with a college sized mat, college OOB rules, and/or a ref who calls stalling.
I don't know if his mindset was to sit on the lead for an entire period, or if he gave up one takedown and didn't think he could score. Either way, give me the guy who doesn't do that.
I just know we don't talk about Bartlett that much. Hillegas and Teasdale are not the first big pelts on his wall...with wins over Busiello, Tommy Cox & Chris Cannon also his resume. Do we not talk about him because he's from Tempe AZ and perhaps Zeke will get him to ASU? Or does being at a Prep school mean he's ticketed for Cornell/Penn/Princeton/Lehigh/Bucknell?
A Soph at Sem in PA...Cael's back yard. I would have thought we'd be all over him. Maybe we are and just don't know it?
A Soph at Sem in PA...Cael's back yard. I would have thought we'd be all over him. Maybe we are and just don't know it?
Bartlett's family moved with him to W-B.
I think we talk about him less because we see him less. Possibly also weight uncertainty -- where does he end up? Where does he fit with Teasdale, RBY, Busiello, Nick Lee, etc.? Though weight uncertainty also factors with Hillegas ...
I'm even more sure Cael is watching him closely.
I think we talk about him less because we see him less. Possibly also weight uncertainty -- where does he end up? Where does he fit with Teasdale, RBY, Busiello, Nick Lee, etc.? Though weight uncertainty also factors with Hillegas ...
I'm even more sure Cael is watching him closely.
Koll sits in the same row as my brother for at least the last two years. I snuck down to the row on Friday night because Damion Hahn and guy who sits with Koll weren't there and was three seats from him. He doesn't take any detailed notes as far as I can tell. Just fills in the brackets and is very quiet during the wrestling. I did wish him good luck this coming weekend when he cut out around 195.
AAA recap:
OW: Sasso. I would've given it to McGonigal, then Hidlay, then Sasso.
Most Falls/Least Time: Hillegas
Most impressive finals: McGonigal
Most impressive runner-up (overall tournament): Urbas, then Wright and Wallace.
Most impressive runner-up (finals): Wright, then Hartman
Biggest surprise champ: Boyd
Happiest to be there: Anderson by a landslide. (Aside: my wife, before banishing me to the basement, said Anderson was extremely dorky and cute because he was so dorky.) Distant runner-up: Hidlay.
Ugliest: Sasso by far. He can't help the complexion, but can help the wispy mustache and the Sideshow Bob dreadlocks.
Ugliest uniform: Nichter. The black plaid back looked like a picnic tablecloth. Hidlay's was ugly too, a too busy purple.
106 - Herrera 1, Phipps 0 UTB: One of those matches where you knew after regulation it would go to UTB, the coin flip winner would take top and win, and that's what happened. Phipps very nearly won in the 3rd, locked a nearside cradle and got Herrera to his back, but Herrera fought it off without 2 swipes.
Comical moment: Herrera had choice in OT but couldn't decide, so he took injury time to discuss with his coach. Coach told him to take bottom for some god-knows-why reason, and he got ridden out.
Both guys are really good on top. Otherwise, I suspect they're both in the finals because the weight cleared out last year -- but we'll need another year or two to really know that. Typical 106.
113 - Sullivan 4, Delaney 3: Sullivan scored on a first period single and a 3rd period reversal. He also was very tough on top with a half + spiral ride.
It was good to see Sullivan not facing a funkmeister like Zapf. He looks good, D1 prospect but guessing not on Cael's radar. (It's good to be the king.)
120 - Macri 3, Zapf 2: Macri scored on a 2nd period single and then protected his lead -- dropped to a leg from top repeatedly, and mostly blocked when on feet. Probably the better wrestler, but not the best match to watch.
Macri is headed to UTC, Zapf to Penn. I don't really see either as AA candidates, but maybe someone who could play spoiler at nationals.
126 - Hillegas 4, Wright 2. Wright scored on a first period HC and got reversed on a crab ride. Hillegas did the hip toss reversal thingy in the 2nd. Wright took feet in the 3rd and gave a lot of effort but couldn't score.
Talked plenty about Hillegas already. Wright is headed to Rider and should be a good addition for them.
132 - Boyd 5, Camacho 4. Frankly, Camacho should've won and blew it. Was up 3-0 in the 2nd, gave up a simultaneous locked hands + escape. Boyd got a single in the 3rd, Camacho tried a roll but rolled right into the takedown.
I'm gonna chalk this one up as a PIAA upset special. Boyd got handled by AA 4th Sallot this year. IMO both guys lose to both 126 finalists, though Camcho might have a shot at them.
138 - Anderson 20, Koleno 4, TF 4:34: Anderson dumped Koleno to his back a couple times and should've stuck him in the 2nd, but got impatient, readjusted too quickly, and lost the pin. Koleno was game -- Anderson's last 2 takedowns were a counter shrug off a Koleno shot, and when Koleno Rachaled himself.
Koleno is headed to Clarion, and he's clearly not elite but can't fault the effort.
Anderson is elite, and will be a great addition to whatever D1 program he chooses next year. Not just for the talent, but also for the infectious attitude. He loves the sport and it shows. I think he even hugged the ref on the way off the mat.
145 - Sasso F 5:22 Ho: All but one of Sasso's takedowns were from Ho being off balance or taking really bad shots -- including a superduck that Sasso countered into a nearside cradle. Sasso's pin was a counter to a poor ankle pick attempt, got a bottom leg turk and worked Ho from there.
Ho is headed to George Mason; he won't be an AA threat. I don't think he was the 2nd best wrestler at the weight, but Vulakh was in Sasso's half. Sasso is headed to Tan Tom, and I think he could be anywhere from national finalist to low AA type.
152 - Evanitsky 5, McClenahan 2: Rematch of last year's consolations, which Evanitsky also won. Evanitsky scored in the first by dropping to an ankle off double unders, and then backdooring out of a scramble off a decent underhook + single shot. McClenahan hit a headlock that landed out.
Evanitsky is a very unorthodox wrestler, gangly, arms flailing, hard to break through him. He won Escape the Rock, so this wasn't a fluke. I don't think he's chosen a college yet, and he's a PSU Wrestling fan ... he'd make an excellent depth pickup. McClenahan is a SO, we'll see him again.
160 - Starocci 6, Hartman 4 SV: Real good battle between two D1 prospects. Starocci scored in the first on a double that he immediately converted into a turk, took Hartman to his back, but ran out of time. Hartman scored on a 2nd period shrug and a 3rd period reversal (grabbed a leg and forced a scramble). The match went to OT on a Hartman stall call. In SV, Starocci hit a single, converted to a double, and won with about 4 sec left.
Starocci won tough SV matches in the semis (Nijenhuis) and finals to win the title. These were NCAA Tournament type wins. Both takedowns were at the upper end of what you see from HS wrestlers. Hartman is a good pickup for Bucknell.
170 - Hidlay 11, Nichter 5: Drive forward hard with underhook, pick the ankle, rinse, repeat. Hidlay also hit a double for good measure. Give him a shirt year, and he looks like a 4x AA. Nichter is just a SO, had a good tourney, worth watching.
182 - Stillings 3, Wallace 1: Good match between 2 D1 commits (Drexel and Kent State). Stillings scored on a single. Wallace hit a lot of shrugs but couldn't score. Both will be starters and could make noise at nationals, not sure if either will AA.
195 - McGonigal F 1:37 Urbas: Quentin Wright special, lat drop with trip 10 sec into the match. Switched to a pancake on the mat. Urbas fought with everything he had, bore McGonigal's full weight the entire period, almost wriggled out twice, and didn't get stuck until McGonigal kicked his feet out.
Both guys are nationally ranked and deservedly so. McGonigal is headed to Lock Haven, and Scott Moore has to be happy. Urbas is a JR and should win next year -- he had an otherwise outstanding tourney (TF + 2 first period pins). His only other loss this year was to Beard.
220 - Catka 7, McClellan 5: Catka scored twice in the first, single to double, and then by stuffing a McClellan shot, but then got reversed at the buzzer (rode too high). He then hit a HC in the 2nd. This was a good match (except for a lot of blood stoppages) -- far better than last year's 220 snorefest.
Catka is someone to watch. Just a SO, active at this weight. Had a huge comeback victory in the semis over nationally ranked Edenfield, down 4-0, won 6-5. IMO he's a 3x champ unless Urbas moves up. McClellan is a SR, I think undefeated, decent HWT depth candidate.
285 - Reid 3, Deboe 1: Reid scored on a blast double off the whistle in the 2nd. Otherwise, typical HWT snorefest. That's all on Deboe. Or, as the announcers put it: "Reid weighed in at 250 and Deboe is (pause) bigger." Down 3-1 with 1:45 left in the match, Deboe showed no urgency at all, mostly kept his distance, finally took a far away shot with 10 sec left. Reid was much more active with the lead.
Reid is headed to Lock Haven. He'll get squashed by Steveson at Dapper Dan, but should be decent in college. He's an active HWT (though you wouldn't know it yesterday). Deboe is a JR, and he has good past results, but this match was a real turn-off even by HWT standards. If he wrestles in college, he will need help with diet and conditioning. As big as he is, his dad is much bigger, and neither is real solid.
OW: Sasso. I would've given it to McGonigal, then Hidlay, then Sasso.
Most Falls/Least Time: Hillegas
Most impressive finals: McGonigal
Most impressive runner-up (overall tournament): Urbas, then Wright and Wallace.
Most impressive runner-up (finals): Wright, then Hartman
Biggest surprise champ: Boyd
Happiest to be there: Anderson by a landslide. (Aside: my wife, before banishing me to the basement, said Anderson was extremely dorky and cute because he was so dorky.) Distant runner-up: Hidlay.
Ugliest: Sasso by far. He can't help the complexion, but can help the wispy mustache and the Sideshow Bob dreadlocks.
Ugliest uniform: Nichter. The black plaid back looked like a picnic tablecloth. Hidlay's was ugly too, a too busy purple.
106 - Herrera 1, Phipps 0 UTB: One of those matches where you knew after regulation it would go to UTB, the coin flip winner would take top and win, and that's what happened. Phipps very nearly won in the 3rd, locked a nearside cradle and got Herrera to his back, but Herrera fought it off without 2 swipes.
Comical moment: Herrera had choice in OT but couldn't decide, so he took injury time to discuss with his coach. Coach told him to take bottom for some god-knows-why reason, and he got ridden out.
Both guys are really good on top. Otherwise, I suspect they're both in the finals because the weight cleared out last year -- but we'll need another year or two to really know that. Typical 106.
113 - Sullivan 4, Delaney 3: Sullivan scored on a first period single and a 3rd period reversal. He also was very tough on top with a half + spiral ride.
It was good to see Sullivan not facing a funkmeister like Zapf. He looks good, D1 prospect but guessing not on Cael's radar. (It's good to be the king.)
120 - Macri 3, Zapf 2: Macri scored on a 2nd period single and then protected his lead -- dropped to a leg from top repeatedly, and mostly blocked when on feet. Probably the better wrestler, but not the best match to watch.
Macri is headed to UTC, Zapf to Penn. I don't really see either as AA candidates, but maybe someone who could play spoiler at nationals.
126 - Hillegas 4, Wright 2. Wright scored on a first period HC and got reversed on a crab ride. Hillegas did the hip toss reversal thingy in the 2nd. Wright took feet in the 3rd and gave a lot of effort but couldn't score.
Talked plenty about Hillegas already. Wright is headed to Rider and should be a good addition for them.
132 - Boyd 5, Camacho 4. Frankly, Camacho should've won and blew it. Was up 3-0 in the 2nd, gave up a simultaneous locked hands + escape. Boyd got a single in the 3rd, Camacho tried a roll but rolled right into the takedown.
I'm gonna chalk this one up as a PIAA upset special. Boyd got handled by AA 4th Sallot this year. IMO both guys lose to both 126 finalists, though Camcho might have a shot at them.
138 - Anderson 20, Koleno 4, TF 4:34: Anderson dumped Koleno to his back a couple times and should've stuck him in the 2nd, but got impatient, readjusted too quickly, and lost the pin. Koleno was game -- Anderson's last 2 takedowns were a counter shrug off a Koleno shot, and when Koleno Rachaled himself.
Koleno is headed to Clarion, and he's clearly not elite but can't fault the effort.
Anderson is elite, and will be a great addition to whatever D1 program he chooses next year. Not just for the talent, but also for the infectious attitude. He loves the sport and it shows. I think he even hugged the ref on the way off the mat.
145 - Sasso F 5:22 Ho: All but one of Sasso's takedowns were from Ho being off balance or taking really bad shots -- including a superduck that Sasso countered into a nearside cradle. Sasso's pin was a counter to a poor ankle pick attempt, got a bottom leg turk and worked Ho from there.
Ho is headed to George Mason; he won't be an AA threat. I don't think he was the 2nd best wrestler at the weight, but Vulakh was in Sasso's half. Sasso is headed to Tan Tom, and I think he could be anywhere from national finalist to low AA type.
152 - Evanitsky 5, McClenahan 2: Rematch of last year's consolations, which Evanitsky also won. Evanitsky scored in the first by dropping to an ankle off double unders, and then backdooring out of a scramble off a decent underhook + single shot. McClenahan hit a headlock that landed out.
Evanitsky is a very unorthodox wrestler, gangly, arms flailing, hard to break through him. He won Escape the Rock, so this wasn't a fluke. I don't think he's chosen a college yet, and he's a PSU Wrestling fan ... he'd make an excellent depth pickup. McClenahan is a SO, we'll see him again.
160 - Starocci 6, Hartman 4 SV: Real good battle between two D1 prospects. Starocci scored in the first on a double that he immediately converted into a turk, took Hartman to his back, but ran out of time. Hartman scored on a 2nd period shrug and a 3rd period reversal (grabbed a leg and forced a scramble). The match went to OT on a Hartman stall call. In SV, Starocci hit a single, converted to a double, and won with about 4 sec left.
Starocci won tough SV matches in the semis (Nijenhuis) and finals to win the title. These were NCAA Tournament type wins. Both takedowns were at the upper end of what you see from HS wrestlers. Hartman is a good pickup for Bucknell.
170 - Hidlay 11, Nichter 5: Drive forward hard with underhook, pick the ankle, rinse, repeat. Hidlay also hit a double for good measure. Give him a shirt year, and he looks like a 4x AA. Nichter is just a SO, had a good tourney, worth watching.
182 - Stillings 3, Wallace 1: Good match between 2 D1 commits (Drexel and Kent State). Stillings scored on a single. Wallace hit a lot of shrugs but couldn't score. Both will be starters and could make noise at nationals, not sure if either will AA.
195 - McGonigal F 1:37 Urbas: Quentin Wright special, lat drop with trip 10 sec into the match. Switched to a pancake on the mat. Urbas fought with everything he had, bore McGonigal's full weight the entire period, almost wriggled out twice, and didn't get stuck until McGonigal kicked his feet out.
Both guys are nationally ranked and deservedly so. McGonigal is headed to Lock Haven, and Scott Moore has to be happy. Urbas is a JR and should win next year -- he had an otherwise outstanding tourney (TF + 2 first period pins). His only other loss this year was to Beard.
220 - Catka 7, McClellan 5: Catka scored twice in the first, single to double, and then by stuffing a McClellan shot, but then got reversed at the buzzer (rode too high). He then hit a HC in the 2nd. This was a good match (except for a lot of blood stoppages) -- far better than last year's 220 snorefest.
Catka is someone to watch. Just a SO, active at this weight. Had a huge comeback victory in the semis over nationally ranked Edenfield, down 4-0, won 6-5. IMO he's a 3x champ unless Urbas moves up. McClellan is a SR, I think undefeated, decent HWT depth candidate.
285 - Reid 3, Deboe 1: Reid scored on a blast double off the whistle in the 2nd. Otherwise, typical HWT snorefest. That's all on Deboe. Or, as the announcers put it: "Reid weighed in at 250 and Deboe is (pause) bigger." Down 3-1 with 1:45 left in the match, Deboe showed no urgency at all, mostly kept his distance, finally took a far away shot with 10 sec left. Reid was much more active with the lead.
Reid is headed to Lock Haven. He'll get squashed by Steveson at Dapper Dan, but should be decent in college. He's an active HWT (though you wouldn't know it yesterday). Deboe is a JR, and he has good past results, but this match was a real turn-off even by HWT standards. If he wrestles in college, he will need help with diet and conditioning. As big as he is, his dad is much bigger, and neither is real solid.
Probably outside Twitter. On Twitter, Cael's following Starocci, McHenry and Patrick Kennedy. Casey's following Starocci, McHenry, AJ Ferrari, and Cole Urbas. Interesting. Wouldn't mind seeing Cael head up to South W-B.
And in-laws.
And Brother
Actually: There are very few prospects that any D1 coach doesn’t know.
Good finals recap but not sure about this last part. Deboe's Dad is about 5'9".
If is done like past years, it should be out on either Wednesday or Thursday of this week. They have already announced Teasdale will be wrestling Glory. I also saw that Mulligan is in.
I was surprised to see that Teske is not on the Iowa squad that will wrestle against the WPIAL.
Just a thought...for the second straight year, 27 different schools won individual state titles in Pennsylvania (repeat winner last year was Nazareth, with Sasso and Stefanik, this year is Reynolds, with Steen and Matthews). Mind. Blown.
The spread goes deeper than that -- only 3 schools even had 2 finalists. Reynolds (AA) had 2 champs. Erie Prep (AAA) went 1-1, Bald Eagle Area (AAA) went 0-2. So that's 56 finalists from 53 schools.
Willie also tweeted about fewer finals had ranked wrestlers -- and some of that is because the rest of the country is catching up to PA -- but some of that is because PA, the ranked guys got beaten. Example: AAA 220 Edenfield lost to Catka in the semis. (Also, Chlebove missed the year, and somehow Lane is unranked.)
The parity is amazing. The last year of the single-class championships, Lower Dauphin had three straight guys in the finals - at 138, 145 and 155. All three lost and Lower Dauphin is still looking for its first state champ 45 years later. But imagine that feat with 12 weight classes and 24 finalists.
Surprised to hear that....I usually associate LD as a perennial D-3 wrestling school along with Central Dauphin, Cumberland Valley, and Cedar Cliff
Me, too. But I was sitting with some Lower Dauphin folks at Hershey this past weekend and that's what they told me. Haven't verified it, but they were almost as old as I, so they should know.
Quick swag at who the better champs were -- AA first, predicted winner in CAPS.
106 - STEEN, Herrera
113- Boozel, SULLIVAN
120 - LANE, Macri
126 - TEASDALE, Hillegas
132 - Klock, BOYD (should note, Klock has a torn MCL, and IMO neither beats the 126 champs)
138 - Matthews, ANDERSON
145 - Haubert, SASSO
152- LAWRENCE, Evanitsky
160 - Clymer, STAROCCI
170 - Ruth, HIDLAY
182 - MULLIGAN, Stillings
195 - HOFFMAN, McGonigal
220 - WALTERS, Catka
285 - Scheib, REID
That's a 7-7 tie, though I'd also expect bonus at 145 and 195 ... which likely still keeps it a tie. Would be a really compelling dual ... if only.
106 - STEEN, Herrera
113- Boozel, SULLIVAN
120 - LANE, Macri
126 - TEASDALE, Hillegas
132 - Klock, BOYD (should note, Klock has a torn MCL, and IMO neither beats the 126 champs)
138 - Matthews, ANDERSON
145 - Haubert, SASSO
152- LAWRENCE, Evanitsky
160 - Clymer, STAROCCI
170 - Ruth, HIDLAY
182 - MULLIGAN, Stillings
195 - HOFFMAN, McGonigal
220 - WALTERS, Catka
285 - Scheib, REID
That's a 7-7 tie, though I'd also expect bonus at 145 and 195 ... which likely still keeps it a tie. Would be a really compelling dual ... if only.
Didn't they used to have the AA and AAA champs wrestle? I thought they did but I could be wrong.
Think of the impact of a charity matchup between those wrestlers!
