2021 Valley News Dispatch wrestling all-stars
By:
Saturday, March 27, 2021 | 7:57 PM
Plum’s Vince Citrano wrestles Moon’s Tyler Diggins at the 2020 Allegheny County Tournament.
Highlands’ Jrake Burford celebrates after beating Pine-Richland’s Kelin Laffey at the 2020 Allegheny County Tournament.
Burrell’s Niko Ferra works to defeat Carlynton’s Bryce Rodriguez at 120 pounds during the WPIAL Class AA wrestling championships Feb. 20.
Apollo-Ridge senior Logan Harmon, who wrestles with Armstrong as a part of a co-op agreement, trains with Zak Dillingham on Feb. 23.
Burrell’s Cooper Hornack celebrates after defeating Quaker Valley’s Jack Kazalas at 106 pounds during the WPIAL Class AA wrestling championships on Feb. 20.
Kiski Area’s Ryan Klingensmith and Hempfield’s Ethan Lebin compete in the 120-pound bout during the Westmoreland County wrestling tournament finals Feb. 6.
Valley’s Dion Lyons (right) works against Burrell’s Aaron Edwards at 138 pounds on Jan. 20.
Norwin’s Chase Kranitz (left) wrestles Kiski Area’s Enzo Morlacci (right) in the 160-pound final of the Powerade Wrestling Tournament on Jan. 30.
Burrell’s Ian Oswalt works against Burgettstown’s Anthony Lancos at 145 pounds during the WPIAL Class AA team championship match Feb. 13.
Kiski’s Brayden Roscosky wrestles atop Hempfield’s Justin Cramer in the 195-pound final during the 2020 Westmoreland County Coaches Association wrestling tournament.
Knoch’s Eli Reese straps up before winning by forfeit against Riverview on Jan. 20.
Kiski Area senior Sammy Starr looks to finish off a pin during a sub-section meet with Armstrong on Jan. 28.
Plum’s Nino Walker works against Seneca Valley’s Tyler Chappell at 106 pounds during the WPIAL Class AAA wrestling championships Feb. 27.
Cooper Hornack
Burrell, fr., 106 pounds
2020-21 record: 29-3
In his first season of varsity wrestling, Hornack captured a WPIAL title and also took second at states. He had 14 pins and two of his three losses came via decision.
Antonino Walker
Plum, fr., 106 pounds
2020-21 record: 22-4
In his first high school season, “Nino” won a section title and placed second at WPIALs while topping the 20-win mark with 10 pins. He finished runner-up to Seneca Valley’s Tyler Chappell at the WPIAL tournament.
Niko Ferra
Burrell, so., 120 pounds
2020-21 record: 20-9
One of four WPIAL champions for Burrell this season but came up short at the regional tournament. Ferra tallied six pins and six decisions. He also went all season without being pinned.
Ryan Klingensmith
Kiski Area, so., 120 pounds
2020-21 record: 25-5
The Kiski Area sophomore made a big jump in his second season and tallied 16 pins while placing second at sectionals. He fell to Penn-Trafford’s Hayden Coy twice in the postseason but also beat him via pin earlier in the season.
Vince Citrano
Plum, jr., 126 pounds
2020-21 record: 16-7
Four of Citrano’s seven losses came against Franklin Regional’s Carter Dibert, an Arizona State recruit who finished runner-up at the PIAA tournament this season. He also lost to Hempfield’s Ethan Berginc, who finished third at states. He still earned eight pins.
Dion Lyons
Valley, jr., 132 pounds
2020-21 record: 14-8
One of four wrestlers for the Vikings this season, Lyons won the first section title of his career and also placed second at WPIALs, losing to Mt. Pleasant’s Jamison Poklembo in the title match. He tallied eight pins and won five matches via decision.
Jrake Burford
Highlands, jr., 138 pounds
2020-21 record: 21-6
Burford turned in another solid season for the Golden Rams, recording 16 pins. He took a 12-match win streak into the individual WPIAL tournament before losing to Franklin Regional’s Finn Solomon.
Ian Oswalt
Burrell, sr., 138 pounds
2020-21 record: 24-3
Oswalt finished his high school career with his second straight PIAA runner-up finish, but he joined an elite group of wrestlers by capturing a WPIAL title all four years of his high school career. While wrestling through a leg injury, Oswalt tallied 13 pins, and all three of his losses came against Glendale’s Brock McMillen.
Enzo Morlacci
Kiski Area, jr., 160 pounds
2020-21 record: 23-3
Morlacci became the first Kiski Area wrestler to win the annual Powerade Wrestling tournament. He tallied nine pins, and all three of his losses came via decision by two points or less. He fell to North Allegheny’s Collin McCorkle by a 3-2 ultimate tiebreaker in the WPIAL third-place match.
Sammy Starr
Kiski Area, sr., 172 pounds
2020-21 record: 39-6
Starr put together one of the best seasons of his high school career in 2021 and tallied 27 pins while finishing second at the WPIAL tournament and fifth at states. He finished his career with 113 wins and 67 pins.
Brayden Roscosky
Kiski Area, sr., 189 pounds
2020-21 record: 33-7
After capturing the 100th victory of his career, Roscosky placed second at WPIALs and came up just short at the PIAA Class AAA Super Regional tournament. He tallied 19 pins and eight decisions this season. Three of his losses came by two points or less.
Logan Harmon
Armstrong, sr., 215 pounds
2020-21 record: 20-4
Last season, Harmon became the first Apollo-Ridge student to qualify for the state tournament, and he took it a step further this year. Wrestling in a co-op agreement with Armstrong, Harmon captured his second section title, earned a runner-up finish at WPIALs and placed fourth at states. He tallied 14 pins this season.
Eli Reese
Knoch, sr., 215 pounds
2020-21 record: 18-7
Reese became the first Knoch wrestler to place at the PIAA tournament and was just the second Knoch wrestler to qualify for the tournament. In a year where his opportunities to wrestle were limited due to covid precautions, Reese excelled to earn a fifth-place finish at states.
Greg Macafee is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Greg by email at gmacafee@triblive.com or via Twitter .
Tags: Apollo-Ridge, Armstrong, Burrell, Highlands, Kiski Area, Knoch, Plum, Valley
More High School Sports
• What to watch for in WPIAL sports for Oct. 14, 2024: Girls soccer teams chasing final playoff berths• High school sports schedule for Oct. 14, 2024
• WPIAL clinched: Boys soccer playoff qualifiers and clinching scenarios as of Oct. 13, 2024
• WPIAL clinched: Girls soccer playoff qualifiers and clinching scenarios as of Oct. 13, 2024
• WPIAL clinched: Girls volleyball playoff qualifiers through Oct. 13, 2024
