Hopewell’s Ealy among 11 WPIAL wrestlers to reach Class AA Southwest Regional finals

By: Paul Schofield
Saturday, February 23, 2019 | 5:51 PM

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Hopewell senior Jacob Ealy has placed at the PIAA wrestling championships before.

He finished fifth at 126 pounds in Class AAA in 2018.

Now, because of Hopewell’s lower enrollment, Ealy is wrestling in Class AA and is wiping out the competition.

Ealy (37-2) advanced to the finals of the PIAA Class AA Southwest Regional tournament Saturday with his third dominating win in the tournament. He had a technical fall of Penns Valley sophomore Malachi DuVall, 15-0, in the semifinals. He had a technical fall and a major decision on Friday.

He was one of 11 wrestlers from the WPIAL to reach the finals at IUP’s Kovalchick Complex. The top six wrestlers in each weight class advance to the state tournament March 7-9.

The WPIAL will be sending 31 wrestlers to Hershey as 20 are wrestling for either third or fifth place.

Only two returning champions from 2018 are trying to repeat — St. Joseph Catholic Academy junior Jacob Dowling at 145 and Chestnut Ridge senior and Pitt recruit Jared McGill at 170.

The other WPIAL finalists are: South Park sophomore Joey Fischer (106), Elizabeth Forward junior Ryan Michaels (113), Burrell sophomore Ian Oswalt (120), Derry sophomore Ty Cymmerman (126), Freedom sophomore Trent Schultheis (152), Frazier junior Thayne Lawrence (160), McGuffey senior Christian Clutter (170), Ellwood City junior Austin Walley (182), Mt. Pleasant freshman Dayton Pitzer (182) and Derry senior Dom DeLuca (220).

Fischer, Cymmerman, Lawrence and DeLuca were all finalists in 2018.

Semifinal results:

106: Joey Fischer, South Park d. Easton Toth, Forest Hills, 9-4; Kai Burkett, Chestnut Ridge d. Suds Dubler, Glendale, 7-3.

113: Ryan Michaels, Elizabeth Forward d. Cooper Gilham, Bald Eagle Area, 3-1; Jackson Arrington, Forest Hills t.f. Nate Holderbaum, Chestnut Ridge, 16-1 (4:39).

120: Ian Oswalt, Burrell d. Baylor Shunk, Penns Valley, 7-2; Amonn Ohl, St. Joseph’s Catholic Academy p. Jimmy Gwyer, Beth-Center, 4:27.

126: Brock McMillen, Glendale d. Tyler Denochick, West Branch, 8-4; Tyler Cymmerman, Derry Area d. Chase Proudfit, Penn Cambria, 2-1 (TB2).

132: Chase Chapman, Philipsburg-Osceola d. Garret Cornell, Everett, 8-6 (SV); Kaden Cassidy, Bedford d. Zack Witmer, St. Joseph’s Catholic Academy, 3-2.

138: Jacob Ealy, Hopewell t.f. Malachi Duvall, Penns Valley, 15-0 (4:12); Erik Gibson, Forest Hills m.d. A.J. Corrado, Burrell, 15-5.

145: Caleb Dowling, St. Joseph’s Catholic Academy m.d. Shane Kemper, Burgettstown, 15-3: Tristan Pugh, Berlin-Brothersvalley d. John Rocco Kazalas, Quaker Valley, 4-3.

152: Trent Schultheis, Freedom Area d. Keegan Rothrock, St. Joseph’s Catholic Academy, 5-0; Hudson Holbay, Westmont Hilltop d. DEC Alec Supanick, North Star, 6-2.

160: Thayne Lawrence, Frazier medical forfeit Austin Mele, Burrell; Tyler Stoltzfus, St. Joseph’s Catholic Academy m.d. Jacob Sabol, Richland, 9-1.

170: Jared McGill, Chestnut Ridge p. Noah Hutcherson, Valley, 2:42; Christian Clutter, McGuffey d. Derek Brown, Penn Cambria, 3-1.

182: Austin Walley, Ellwood City d. Derek Yingling, West Branch, 10-6; Dayton Pitzer, Mount Pleasant p. Bryson Miller, Freedom Area, 4:51.

195: Damon Lemin, Tussey Mountain d. John Vargo, Bentworth, 3-1; Kolby Franklin, St. Joseph’s Catholic Academy d. Hunter Tremain, North Star, 3-0.

220: Dom Deluca, Derry Area d. John Croft, Central Cambria, 3-0; Duane Knisely, Chestnut Ridge d. Connor Forrest, Hopewell, 4-3.

285: Jake Ryan, Mount Union d. Jalen Stephens, Meyersdale, 7-2; Kole Winfield, Southern Huntingdon d. Marvin Beatty, Marion Center, 4-2.

Tags: Burrell, Derry Area, Elizabeth Forward, Ellwood City, Frazier, Freedom, Hopewell, McGuffey, Mt. Pleasant, Quaker Valley, South Park, Valley