Champ! Finch wins D-9 title at 170, named Most Outstanding Wrestler
Sheffield’s Ethan Finch is presented with the ‘Most Outstanding Wrestler’ trophy at the District 9 wrestling championships, following his D-9 title at 170 pounds. Finch and teammate Nick Knowles both advanced to the Northwest Regional.
Sheffield’s D-9 medalwinners – Ethan Finch and Nick Knowles.
Photo by Jared Bakaysa Sheffield’s Ethan Finch (top) battles Johnsonburg’s Tyler Watts during their 170-pound title bout at the District 9 Championships at Clearfield High School, Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019. Finch won the title and now heads to Sharon, along with teammate Nick Knowles, for the PIAA Class 2A Northwest Regional Tournament today. The top four wrestlers in each weight class will advance to the state tournament in Hershey next weekend.
Sheffield’s Ethan Finch is presented with the ‘Most Outstanding Wrestler’ trophy at the District 9 wrestling championships, following his D-9 title at 170 pounds. Finch and teammate Nick Knowles both advanced to the Northwest Regional.
Sheffield’s D-9 medalwinners – Ethan Finch and Nick Knowles.
Photo by Jared Bakaysa Sheffield’s Ethan Finch (top) battles Johnsonburg’s Tyler Watts during their 170-pound title bout at the District 9 Championships at Clearfield High School, Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019. Finch won the title and now heads to Sharon, along with teammate Nick Knowles, for the PIAA Class 2A Northwest Regional Tournament today. The top four wrestlers in each weight class will advance to the state tournament in Hershey next weekend.
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CLEARFIELD, Pa. - From No. 4 to No. 1.
Sheffield sophomore Ethan Finch blew through the field in the 170-pound weight class at the District 9 Class 2A championships, earning the title of not only district champion, but Most Outstanding Wrestler as well.
He becomes the first Sheffield wrestler to ever win that prestigious award and also became the first D-9 champion since 2006 for the Wolverines.
In addition, Sheffield senior Nick Knowles also punched his ticket to regionals with a third-place finish at 285.
After starting off the tournament with wins over Redbank Valley's Colton Bartley and Port Allegany's Derek Kallenborn, Finch had a date with Brookville's Elliot Park, the No. 1 seed, in the semifinals.
Finch pulled off the victory, a 5-3 decision, to set up a showdown with Johnsonburg's Tyler Watts.
In the finals, he earned a hard-fought 8-5 win over Watts to secure his place atop the medal stand and earn Most Outstanding Wrestler honors.
Knowles, after losing his semifinal match, came back strong with a pin of Kane's Shawn Nystrom early in the second period (2:22).
Both grapplers advance to the Northwest Regional this Friday and Saturday at Sharon High School, where the top four finishers will earn a trip to states.
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Team Standings
(1) Brockway 171.5, (2) Kane 162.5, (3) Brookville 135.0, (4) Port Allegany 127.5, (5) Redbank Valley 126.0, (6) Johnsonburg 92.5, (7) Curwensville 59.0, (8) Sheffield 50.0, (9) Coudersport 39.0, (10) Clarion 28.0, (11) Oswayo Valley 27.5, (12) Ridgway 26.0, (13) Cameron County 10.0
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Championship Finals
106: Owen Reinsel (Brookville) dec. Bryent Johnson (Smethport), 6-2
113: Trenten Rupp (Redbank Valley) dec. Reese Vollmer (Port Allegany), 7-3
120: Braedon Johnson (Port Allegany) pinned Harley Morris (Kane), 4:21
126: Anthony Glasl (Brockway) dec. Blake Passarelli (Curwensville), 3-2
132: Ethan Wiant (Redbank Valley) pinned Nolan Shaffer (Johnsonburg), 3:42
138: Noah Blankenship (Kane) injury default Hunter Martz (Redbank Valley)
145: Zach Holland (Curwensville) dec. Isaac Smoker (Port Allegany), 2-1
152: Aidan Hulings (Kane) dec. Cole Casillo (Johnsonburg), 8-3
160: Alec English (Kane) dec. Noah Bash (Brockway), 7-0
170: Ethan Finch (Sheffield) dec. Tyler Watts (Johnsonburg), 8-5
182: Garrett McClintick (Brockway) dec. Braden MacBeth (Brookville), 6-0
195: Eric Johnson (Brockway) dec. Justin Young (Port Allegany), 9-5
220: Ty Stahli (Kane) dec. Tanner LaBenne (Brookville), 4-2
285: Colby Whitehill (Brookville) pinned Hayden Thompson (Brockway), :46