2004 PIAA Wrestling Tournament

PA Wrestling's Notes and Quotes

Page 3

By David Ackley

PENNSYLVANIA WRESTLING NEWS

FRESHMAN JITTERS – Shaler ninth-grader Matt Nelson certainly didn’t have any during his 8-6 win over Central Mountain’s Kyle Dolan in the 125-pound prelim. Dolan jumped out to a 5-0 after 1:29, but the first-year Titan refused to yield from the top in the second period and grabbed the lead for good.

“… (I)’m more nervous waiting around for Nick,” Nelson said of the delay for 135 and his twin’s debut on the floor. “It’s tough, in the past we wrestled back-to-back weights and there was no waiting around. As soon as I was done, I look over and watch him.”

Now Matt will have another delay, Nick will be wrestling in the consolation bracket after a loss to Altoona’s Joe Ciampolo, 8-7.

SEEN IT BEFORE – Dolan’s teammate Garrett Desmond bowed out of gold medal contention 16-0 to Springfield-Delco’s Sean Reed in 4-minutes, 49 seconds, but the Wildcats’ senior walked off composed and took little time to collect his thoughts.

“Last year, I watched as Tyler (McCall) lost his first round match and wrestled all the back through for third,” he said as he awaited the results to see who his first opponent was in the consolation bracket.

Desmond will wrestle Kiski Area’s Tyler Oravec later this evening.

“I’ve lost before, now I just have to make sure I’m ready to wrestle after on.”

UNSCATHED – The seven returning state champions all had an easy evening. Two-time champ Coleman Scott pinned Dover’s Chris Hollinger in just under four minutes. In the upper half of the 125-pound draw, Reading’s Charles Griffin, winner last year at the same weight, also had a fall. Griffin needed just 1:48 to pin Northampton’s Billy Stenack. The Konkrete Kids’ returning trio of Joey Ecklof, Josh Haines and Jon Oplinger all scored advanced easily. Ecklof and Haines each pinned with Oplinger turning in a 9-3 win. … Greensburg-Salem’s Donnie Jones, needed just 1:34 to flatten Brian Farley of Pleasant Valley. … DuBois’ Mario Morelli went the distance with Connellsville’s Jarrod King, however in the six minutes scored just four while the Falcon senior racked up 16. King is now at 160 pounds. He won his title a year ago at 152.

THE BEAST MEOWED – Cumberland Valley senior heavyweight Zackh Sheaffer (275 lbs.) ran his record to 44-0. Sheaffer earlier this season put in his collection a Beast of the East championship and a second-straight Top Hat  title. At Williamsport, Sheaffer pinned his way through the bracket both times, earning the most falls in the least amount of time each year. In addition his falls secured the team title for CV in each. … Sheaffer didn’t get a pin, instead finessed his way 3-2 victory over Northampton’s Matt Snyder. The winning points were scored on a takedown on the rink side of the mat with just nine seconds remaining.