13 WPIAL wrestlers rated among nation’s best in preseason rankings

By: Paul Schofield
Friday, June 19, 2020 | 5:30 PM

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Four Waynesburg wrestlers were among a group of 13 from the WPIAL that cracked the top 20 in TheOpenMat.com’s national preseason rankings.

Four PIAA returning champions from the WPIAL made the list: Franklin Regional senior Carter Dibert, Seneca Valley senior Alejandro Herrera-Rondon, Waynesburg senior Wyatt Henson and Mt. Pleasant junior Dayton Pitzer.

Henson was the only state champion in 2020. Pitzer missed his sophomore season while recovering from knee surgery. Dibert and Herrera-Rondon were 2019 champions.

Our first HS rankings with the incoming freshman are here! See the updated rankings and who from the class of 2024 are included ⬇️https://t.co/dM5wSnezz9

— TheOpenMat (@theopenmat) June 16, 2020

None of the wrestlers was ranked No. 1 in his weight class. The highest finish was Henson, who was ranked fourth at 138 pounds.

Mt. Lebanon junior Mac Stout was ranked fifth at 170.

The other Waynesburg wrestlers ranked were sophomore Mac Church (14th at 106), sophomore Rocco Welsh (14th at 126) and senior Luca Augustine (16th at 160).

Dibert was ranked sixth at 113, Herrera-Rondon seventh at 132 and Pitzer 13th at 195.

Burrell senior A.J. Corrado was ranked 12th at 152 and Pine-Richland senior Cole Spencer 20th at 152.

Peters Township senior Donovan McMillon was ninth at 182, Belle Vernon junior Cole Weightman was 20th at 220 and Hempfield senior Isaiah Vance fifth at heavyweight.

Two Westmoreland County state champions — Latrobe sophomore Vinny Kilkeary (106) and Hempfield senior Ethan Berginc (113) — did not make the top 20 listing.

Paul Schofield is a TribLive reporter covering high school and college sports and local golf. He joined the Trib in 1995 after spending 15 years at the Daily Courier in Connellsville, where he served as sports editor for 14 years. He can be reached at pschofield@triblive.com.

Tags: Belle Vernon, Burrell, Franklin Regional, Hempfield, Mt. lebanon, Mt. Pleasant, Peters Township, Pine-Richland, Seneca Valley, Waynesburg