How Penn State wrestlers and a State High grad fared at U20 Pan-Am Championships
After the U20 Pan-Am Wrestling Championships came to a close on Saturday afternoon in Lima, Peru, all three Penn State wrestlers who competed had claimed titles.
Current Nittany Lions and brothers, Cole and Connor Mirasola, came away with freestyle crowns as did soon-to-be teammate William Henckel. Team USA won the team title as five other wrestlers claimed gold for the country, including Pennsylvania native Adam Waters, who competes for Faith Christian Academy.
The tournament has earned a reputation as the premier continental competition for athletes aged 17–20 from North, Central and South America.
The Mirasolas each had a round-robin style tournament as opposed to a usual bracket-style tournament.
Connor Mirasola earned the 92-kilogram title with Cole coming away with the 125-kilogram crown. Neither wrestler had a point scored against him.
Cole blanked Mexico’s Leonardo Guerrero, 10-0, in 51 seconds of a technical superiority for his crown in the third round of wrestling. The win was the same way he began his tournament.
Cole also opened his tournament by shutting out Guerrero, 10-0. In the second round of wresting, Mirasola earned another technical superiority over Canada’s Chanjot Kang, 10-0.
Connor collected a 10-0 technical superiority over Canada’s Michaeljeet Grewal in the third round of wrestling for his title.
He shut out Peru’s Kenyiro Gonzales, 10-0, in the first round of wrestling. Then, Connor blanked Ecuador’s Jean Zambrano, 10-0.
Henckel, a member of Penn State’s incoming recruiting class, gave up no points on his way to the 79-kilogram crown, needing just 2.5 minutes of wrestling to make the finals.
He blanked Brazil’s Leandro Araujo, 9-0, in the finals.
Henckel opened his title run by racking up a 12-0 technical superiority on Peru’s Dario Castillo. In the semifinals, Henckel earned a 10-0 technical superiority over Puerto Rico’s Vincent Echavarry.
Former State College wrestler claims gold
State High grad Pierson Manville, who competes for Arizona State, won the 67-kilogram weight class in the Greco-Roman portion of the U20 Pan-Am Championships on Thursday.
The former Little Lion wrestler gave up just one point the entire tournament, while helping Team USA earn the team title.
“From running with the flag around the mat to hearing the national anthem on top of the podium, it’s the greatest feeling in the world,” Manville told the Centre Daily Times in a text message. “I go out there to kick butt for my country.”
Manville pinned Brazil’s Lucas Marciel in 1:30 for the title. He made the finals by pinning Peru’s Joao Montesinos in 59 seconds.
Manville opened his tournament by sweeping a round-robin portion to be the No. 1 seed in a mini-bracket.
He collected a 12-0 technical superiority over Puerto Rico’s Henry Figueroa to open round-robin wrestling. He then topped Marciel in a 10-0 technical superiority.
