BEA’s Coen Bainey wins a PIAA Class 2A West Super Regional title as 5 county wrestlers advance

Bald Eagle Area’s Coen Bainey might have a future pitching for a sandwich company.

The sophomore said that better match-day eating habits fueled his run to the 113-pound title at the PIAA Class 2A Western Super Regional.

“My diet this week was a lot healthier — and better — the past two days,” Bainey said Saturday at Kovalchick Convention and Athletic Complex on the campus of the Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where he was one of five Centre County wrestlers to qualify for Friday’s state quarterfinals in Hershey. “I ate a lot healthier today. It clearly made a difference in how I felt out on the mat. I’m going to keep doing that and get better at that.”

Penns Valley’s Malachi DuVall (172 pounds) and Philipsburg-Osceola’s Parker Moore (215) each finished second, and Saint Joseph’s Catholic Academy’s Zack Witmer (132) and Amonn Ohl (138) each placed third.

Witmer and Ohl helped push Saint Joseph’s to a tie for eighth in the team standings with 30 points in the event, which brought the top five finishers from the Southwest Region together for a tournament with the top three from the Northwest. BEA and P-O tied for 13th with 25 points apiece. Penns Valley was 25th with 17.5 points.

District 7’s Burrell captured the team title with 56 points — four more than second-place Reynolds of District 10.

Bald Eagle Area

Champion: Coen Bainey (113)

Eliminated: Lucas Fye (106), Cooper Gilham (6th, 126)

Team finish: T-13th, 25 points

Recap: Bainey rebounded nicely after taking his first loss of the season at the regional tournament, where he was beaten 9-1 by Bentworth freshman Chris Vargo.

Bainey used a third-period reversal for a 2-0 victory over Reynolds’ Chase Bell in the quarterfinals, then handed Vargo the first loss of his varsity career.

With the score tied at 1-1 in the final minute of the third period, Bainey got behind Vargo from the neutral position. The District 7 champ tried a Granby roll, which Bainey countered for a takedown and two near-fall points in the 5-1 victory.

Bainey and coach Ron Guenot said Bainey was sluggish last weekend because he didn’t pay enough attention to what he ate and drank before his matches.

“People don’t realize how important that is,” Guenot said.

So, what was on the menu this week?

“I had an egg and bacon sandwich on a flatbread from Subway,” Bainey said. “I had that with two Body Armor (drinks). That’s pretty much what I had all day.”

Bainey wasn’t going to divulge too much about his nutrition prior to the regional match, but he did say with a smile, “Reese Cups don’t sit too well with you before you go out on the mat.”

And there was plenty of reason to smile on Saturday. The victory over Vargo qualified Bainey for the state tournament, which also means a PIAA medal, as COVID protocols have reduced the event to eight wrestlers per weight class.

“After that semis match, it felt amazing,” Bainey said. “Last year, of course, I lost in the blood round. I was looking to come back this year and avenge that. And I am. It’s all plus from here. One win at a time and it moves you up places. That’s all that matters.”

Bainey scored a 12-2 major decision over Mount Union’s Bryce Beatty in the championship match, using a pair of takedowns, two reversals, a locking-hands call and three near-fall points for the comfortable advantage.

“He wrestled solid in all three areas,” Guenot said of Bainey’s performance on Saturday. “We need to continue that into next Friday.”

Gilham fell short of advancing to Hershey, as he placed sixth at 126 pounds. The senior lost to Greenville’s Chase McLaughlin by fall in the quarterfinals, then rebounded with an 8-3 victory over Forest Hills’ Easton Toth. A 4-2 loss to Chestnut Ridge’s Ross Dull ended his hopes for a state medal.

“It pretty much rips your heart out,” Guenot said. “That’s part of coaching. Not everybody can get a medal. When you see someone like him be with us for four years, a great kid on the mat and in the classroom, to see him come one match short of a PIAA medal for the third year in a row just breaks your heart.”

Fye was eliminated after going 0-2. Fye was beaten 10-0 by Southwest Regional champ Cooper Hornack of Burrell in the first round, then lost by fall to Quaker Valley’s Jack Kazalas in a first-round consolation bout.

“He had such a great season,” Guenot said of Fye. “He wrestled a lot of tough kids. He helped us be successful in the dual meet season. For him to be here at the state qualifier as a freshman, that will help him. I know that he’ll put everything into the sport that it takes to be successful.”

Penns Valley

Champions: None

State qualifier: Malachi DuVall (2nd, 172)

Eliminated: None

Team finish: 25th, 17.5 points

Recap: It was a little too much like déjà vu for DuVall.

For the second consecutive week, he built an early lead against Frazier freshman Rune Lawrence in the championship bout only to see it evaporate.

DuVall scored a first-period takedown and turned Lawrence for a 4-1 lead but the District 7 champion seized some momentum with a second-period rideout, then escaped and scored a tying takedown in the third to send it to overtime.

“He’s a heck of a wrestler on top,” DuVall said. “He tired out my right arm with that bar (and) wrist. Third period, I couldn’t really use my right arm on my snaps, which is my main setup.”

In overtime, DuVall got in on a shot, but Lawrence countered by powering into him for the winning takedown and three near-fall points.

“I needed to slow down in the moment. Just slow down and get to the fundamentals. I just kind of got ahead of myself in that match,” DuVall said. “He wrestled a good match, on the edge. That trip there, that stunk because I was coming up with that single leg. He’s a great wrestler and has a great future. I’m not too angry about the loss.”

DuVall scored a technical fall over Fort LeBoeuf’s Timmy Church in the quarterfinals, then handed Northwest champion Gage Musser of Commodore Perry an 8-3 loss — his first of the season.

Lawrence is ranked first in the state by PA Power Wrestling. DuVall would likely need to knock off No. 1 Gavin Garcia of Southern Columbia in order to face Lawrence for a third consecutive week. The Penns Valley senior would gladly sign up for that opportunity.

“I’d love to see him in the finals,” DuVall said. “That would be amazing.”

Philipsburg-Osceola

Champions: None

State qualifier: Parker Moore (2nd, 215)

Eliminated: Marcus Gable (120), Austin Foster (138), Hunter Weitoish (5th, 160)

Team finish: T-13th, 25 points

Recap: Moore continued his track record of outplacing his seed.

A state medalist a year ago, Moore lost his first bout in the district and regional tournaments but managed to battle his way through the consolation rounds. That wasn’t necessary this time.

He knocked off Northwest champion Hayden Linkherhof of Corry in the quarterfinal round. The big moment in the match came in the second period, as Moore came out on top of a scramble that left Linkerhof on his back. The takedown and two near-fall points were enough for a 4-3 victory.

“Parker always enjoys the big matches,” coach Brad Pataky said. “He always has. He’s not afraid to go out there in the spotlight. It’s something he seems to thrive in.”

Moore picked up another one-point victory in the semifinals, beating Carlynton’s Collin Milko 3-2 thanks to a takedown in the final 30 seconds of the first period and an escape in the second.

Moore ran into Mount Pleasant’s Dayton Pitzer in the championship round. A 2019 state champion as a freshman who missed last season with an injury, Pitzer is favored to win another state championship this year. He pinned Moore for a second consecutive week.

“Dayton Pitzer is a very good wrestler,” Pataky said. “You can rest easy knowing that you lost to a kid that’s really good.”

Hunter Weitoish, who placed eighth in the state last season, fell short of a return to Hershey, as he placed fifth at 160 pounds. After losing 5-1 to Johnsonburg’s Cole Casilio in the quarterfinals, Weitoish pinned Commodore Perry’s Clayton Smith. A 7-0 loss to Forest Hills’ Ryan Weyandt sent Weitoish to the fifth-place bout, where he pinned Reynolds’ Jalen Wagner.

“Winning that fifth-place match is very important because if something happens to one through four and they can’t go (to Hershey), he can,” Pataky said.

Weitoish won 99 matches and was a four-time regional qualifier for the Mounties. He advanced to Hershey twice.

“He’s made a lot of progress since his freshman year,” Pataky said. “We’re happy to see him go out the way that he did, with a win. That’s something that not many people can say that they did at the end of your career.”

Marcus Gable lost by technical fall to No. 1-ranked Mason Gibson of Bishop McCort at 120 pounds, then dropped a heartbreaker, 4-3 in ultimate tiebreaker, to Tussey Mountain’s Trevor Husick.

Austin Foster was pinned by Glendale’s Brock McMillen and Mercer’s Carson Filer at 138 pounds.

“Austin has continued to get better throughout his career,” Pataky said. “His goal is to try to get on the podium next year. … We’re very happy for him and the progress that he has made. The same thing with Marcus. He’s continued to get better from his first day of practice to this weekend.”

Saint Joseph’s Catholic Academy

Champions: None

State qualifiers: Zack Witmer (3rd, 132), Amonn Ohl (3rd, 138)

Eliminated: None

Team finish: T-8th, 30 points

Recap: Witmer and Ohl quietly continue to advance, which is just fine with coach Brian Witmer.

“First of all, our goal all along, week by week, was to advance and have a shot at the end,” the coach said. “And we did it. Each week, we’ve attained our goals. Our next goal is to be on top of the podium.”

Both wrestlers have already faced some of the state’s toughest competition in their own district. Zack Witmer lost to Forest Hills’ Jackson Arrington in the district and regional finals while Ohl has had No. 1 Brock McMillen and No. 2 Ian Oswalt in his bracket for two consecutive weeks.

Ohl beat Mercer’s Carson Filer 8-2 in the quarterfinal round before falling to McMillen. The senior rebounded to pin Commodore Perry’s Ashten Aramagost for a spot in the consolation final, then scored an 11-0 major decision over Filer for third place.

After placing sixth in the state as a freshman, Ohl left Hershey without a medal the next two years, but he’ll be back on the podium on Friday. The only question remaining is where he’ll be standing.

“I think both kids wrestled well,” Coach Witmer said. “We had a rough little second round there but they’re there, and I think they’re as good as anyone in the bracket on a good day. I think they could surprise some people there.”

Zack Witmer pinned Commodore Perry’s Zane Grinnell in the quarterfinal round before dropping a 4-3 decision to Harbor Creek’s Connor Pierce in the semifinals. Pierce scored an escape and a takedown in the final minute for the victory.

A difficult, 4-3 win over Tussey Mountain’s Hunter Horton assured the St. Joseph’s 132-pounder of a spot in Hershey, and he beat Beth-Center’s Kyle McCollum 13-0 for third place.

“We’re excited,” Coach Witmer said. “We’re happy to be there. We’re just happy to be wrestling. This is a funny year. We’re just happy to be on the mat, to be honest.”