PIAA champs in match No. 3?
It's not often that two PIAA champions face off in the regular season. It's even more rare for two state champs to wrestle two or more times in the regular season. Fans attending the Westmoreland County Coaches Association [WCCA] tournament this weekend might be treated to a third bout in 19 days between Latrobe's Luke Pletcher and Derry's George Phillippi. Pletcher, a junior, has won two PIAA Class AAA titles, the most recent coming at 120 pounds. Phillippi, also a junior, won a PIAA Class AA title as a freshman, then placed third in 2014 competing at 120. The two met Dec. 23 in a dual meet at 132 pounds and Pletcher posted a 2-1 win, with a penalty point deciding the outcome. They met again Dec. 30 in a final of the Powerade Christmas tournament. Pletcher pulled out another 2-1 victory when he escaped eight seconds into the ultimate tiebreaker period. "It's horrible going against him," said Pletcher, who works out with Phillippi as much as three times a week. "It's hard to turn on and off the switch and make him your enemy. It's different wrestling against Micky [Phillippi's nickname], and we were actually looking forward to the finals." Pletcher takes a 5-0 overall record against Phillippi into the WCCA tournament. Pletcher is a two-time county champion, including a 42 win a year ago against Phillippi in the finals. "Maybe we'll meet again in the county tournament," Phillippi said. "I'm sure it will be another great match." With five returning champions, Franklin Regional is a heavy favorite to repeat as WCCA team champion. The Panthers' Josh Maruca (152) and Josh Shields (160) are three-time champions, Michael Kemerer (145) is a two-time champ and Devin Brown (113) and Spencer Lee (120) are one-time champs. Belle Vernon and Hempfield each have two returning champs. Austin Bell (170) and Milton Kobaly (182) are back for the Leopards. Sam Krivus (138) and Fred Mantsch (220) return for the Spartans. Kiski Area's Tyler Worthing (220) also is a returning champion. The 18-team WCCA event is at Franklin Regional, beginning Friday night. Kiski Area's Chuck Tursky needs one win to become the first wrestling coach in WPIAL history to reach 500 wins. Tursky, in his 37th season, takes a 499-141-2 record into match Wednesday at Penn Hills. Tursky is one of only two WPIAL coaches who reached the 400-win plateau. The other one is retired Connellsville coach Tom Dolde Sr., who had a 448-137-6 record in 34 years. There are only nine coaches in PIAA history who have reached 500 wins. Tursky has a long way to go to break the state record for career victories, as Ridley's Carl Schnellenbach posted a 767-224-7 record in 54 years. "I'm not ready to retire yet, but I can guarantee you I will not be around long enough to break the state record," Tursky said. "As long as I'm healthy, I will keep coaching." Tursky and Dolde Sr. are among 15 WPIAL coaches who have 300 or more wins. * Butler coach Scott Stoner has an outside shot at reaching 300 wins this season. Stoner, in his 21st season, has a 290-137 record. Butler has 11 regular-season matches remaining on its schedule. * North Allegheny coach Jamie Kyriazis and Albert Gallatin's Duane Dupont reached the 200-win plateau in December. Kyriazis has a 203-65 record in 15 seasons, while Dupont is 201-155 in 21 seasons. The 22-team Tri-County tournament returns to Ringgold, beginning Friday. Waynesburg's A.C. Headlee (132) has a chance to become the first four-time champion in the seven-year history of the tournament. Other returning champs are Beth-Center duo of Tony Welsh (170) and Jason Stay (160), McGuffey's Gage Nicolella (120), CanonMcMillan's Matt Oblock (132), Waynesburg's Shane Piper (152), Trinity's Robert West (220) and Jefferson-Morgan's Ian Wolfe (285). The 13-team Midwestern Athletic Conference tournament returns to Montour Friday. West Allegheny is the defending champion and favorite to win another team title. West Allegheny's Nathan Hall (160) and Montour's Sal Desimone (120) are two-time champions. Other returning champs are West Allegheny's Mason Schaefer (120), Freedom's Kody Komara (132), Freedom's Dean Ward (145), Ambridge's Kevin Holman (152), West Allegheny's Josh Bahr (182), Ellwood City's Mike Sinclair (220) and Hopewell's Stephon Peake (285). Individual rankings 106 -- 1. Logan Macri, Canon-McMillan; 2. Jobe Chishko, PennTrafford; 3. Jacob Dunlop, Belle Vernon; 4. Danny Florentino. Peters Township; 5. Ben Salas, Pine-Richland. 113 -- 1. Devin Brown, Franklin Regional; 2. Alex Lynch, Seneca Valley; 3. Vincent Distefanis, Hempfield; 4. Noah Levett, Kiski Area; 5. Mike Kolosky, Trinity. 120 -- 1. Spencer Lee, Franklin Regional; 2. Gage Curry, North Hills; 3. Zach Hartman, Belle Vernon; 4. Luke Kemerer, Hempfield; 5. Ben Lynch, Seneca Valley. 126 -- 1. Gus Solomon, Franklin Regional; 2. Ethan McCoy, Latrobe; 3. Chris Eddins, Greensburg Salem; 4. Tyler Kenney, Connellsville; 5. Luke Landefeld, North Allegheny. 132 -- 1. Luke Pletcher, Latrobe; 2. A.C. Headlee, Waynesburg; 3. Joe Blumer, Kiski Area; 4. Josh Ridgeway, Norwin; 5. Matt Oblock, Canon-McMillan. 138 -- 1. Sam Krivus, Hempfield; 2. Cameron Coy, Penn-Trafford; 3. Shaun Wilson, Waynesburg; 4. Mitch Hartman, Belle Vernon; 5. A.J. Boeh, North Allegheny. 145 -- 1. Michael Kemerer, Franklin Regional; 2. Jarod Verkleeren, Belle Vernon; 3. Jake Hartman, Shaler; 4. Jake Willochell, Latrobe; 5. Mike Risnear, Penn-Trafford. 152 -- 1. Vincenzo Joseph, Central Catholic; 2. Josh Maruca, Franklin Regional; 3. Nino Bonaccorsi, Bethel Park; 4. Derek Verkleeren, Belle Vernon; 5. Ethan Smith, Latrobe. 160 -- 1. Josh Shields, Franklin Regional; 2. Paul Dunn, Bethel Park; 3. Devin Austin, Penn-Trafford; 4. Nathan Hall, West Allegheny; 5. Zach Mattucci, Greensburg Salem. 170 -- 1. Te'Shan Campbell, Penn Hills; 3. Austin Bell, Belle Vernon; 2. Jake Shaffer, Latrobe; 4. Brendan Burnham, PineRichland; 5. Logan Heinl, Shaler. 182 -- 1. Kellan Stout, Mt. Lebanon; 2. Clay Byerly, North Allegheny; 3. Colin McCracken, Waynesburg; 4. Tommy Provance, Connellsville; 5. Milton Kobaly, Belle Vernon. 195 -- 1. Drew Phipps, Norwin; 2. Zach Smith, North Allegheny; 3. Keegan Harris, Pine-Richland; 4. Chad Kuhn, Kiski Area; 5. Matt McGillick, Penn-Trafford. 220 -- 1. Tyler Worthing, Kiski Area; 2. Fred Mantsch, Hempfield; 3. Robert West, Trinity; 4. Luke Seifert, West Allegheny; 5. Dylan Davis, Latrobe. 285 -- 1. Zack Jablonski, Montour; 2. Zeynul Zaynullayev, Mt. Lebanon; 3. Tyler Mears, Latrobe; 4. Brendan Furman, CanonMcMillan; 5. Louis Mauro, Connellsville. 106 -- 1. Gavin Teasdale, Jefferson-Morgan; 2. Tyler Griffiths, Southmoreland; 3. Manny Dovshek, Bentworth; 4. Lane Kline, McGuffey. 113 -- 1. Cole Lambie, Southmoreland; 2. Andrew John, South Fayette; 3. Al Miscovich, Mount Pleasant; 4. Tyler Alberts, Ellwood City. 120 -- 1. Austin McDermitt, Burgettstown; 2. Brendon Howard, Jefferson-Morgan; 3. Gage Nicolella, McGuffey; 4. Hunter Neely, Bentworth. 126 -- 1. Dallas Bulsak, South Park; 2. Justo Hernandez, South Allegheny; 3. Teague Nicolella, McGuffey; 4. Brody Trumbull, Kittanning. 132 -- 1. George Phillipi, Derry; 2. Kody Komara, Freedom; 3. Aaron Harris, McGuffey; 4. Mike Novak, Mount Pleasant. 138 -- 1. Mike Carr, South Fayette; 2. Stone Kepple, Derry; 3. Evan Myers, Southmoreland; 4. Ben Hritsko, Chartiers-Houston. 145 -- 1. GioVonne Sanders, Jeannette; 2. Trevor Jamison, Jefferson-Morgan; 3. Noah Hanna, Burrell; 4. Sam Talorico, Beaver. 152 -- 1. Jake Wentzel, South Park; 2. Austin Mears, Mouth Pleasant; 3. Damon Greenwald, Burrell; 4. Cody Jenkins, South Alleghney. 160 -- 1. Ethan Charlesworth, Mount Pleasant; 2. Jason Stay, BethCenter; 3. Anthony Marra, Burrell; 4. Trevor Kniha, JeffersonMorgan. 170 -- 1. Jared Walker, South Fayette; 2. Greg Bulsak, South Park; 3. Anthony Welsh, Beth-Center; 4. Jake McKee, Burgettstown. 182 -- 1. Bill Bowlen, Jefferson-Morgan; 2. Nico Brown, BethCenter; 3. Brett Beltz, South Fayette; 4. Brendan Glover, West Shamokin. 195 -- 1. Luke Fournier, Elizabeth Forward; 2. Robert Scherer, Burrell; 3. Owen Main, West Greene; 4. Anthony Patterson, Jefferson-Morgan. 220 -- 1. Jacob Robb, Kittanning; 2. Tom Sever, Yough; 3. Seth Hitchins, South Allegheny; 4. Derek Allen, Avella. 285 -- 1. Allan Beattie, Burrell; 2. Jacob Beistel, Southmoreland; 3. Josh Lind, Mount Pleasant; 4. Ian Wolfe, Jefferson-Morgan. Team rankings
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