Wolverines ready for D-9 championships
A year ago, Sheffield’s Ethan Finch caught a lot of District 9 by surprise when he took home both the 170-pound D-9 title and the tournament’s Most Outstanding Wrestler award.
As the 4-seed, Finch knocked off the top seed in the semifinals and the No. 2 seed in the finals to take home the title. He’ll have everyone’s attention this year as he enters the 182-pound bracket as the top seed.
Six other Wolverines will enter as top-8 seeds and Sheffield will have 11 total wrestlers competing for a chance at a D9 title and a trip to the Northwest AA Regional Tournament.
The top four wrestlers in each weight class will advance to regionals.
Wrestling begins at Clearfield High School today at 4:30 p.m. with the prelims, quarterfinals, consolation round 1 and consolation round 2.
Here’s a breakdown of each weight class.
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106: Top Seed — Cayden Walter (Brookville, 25-5); Sheffield No. 7 Collin Brown (17-11).
Brown opens the tournament with a quarterfinal match against the No. 2 seed, Chase Weimer (17-4) of Port Allegany. Weimer earned a second period pinfall victory when the two met during a dual match last month.
113: Top Seed — Owen Reinsel (Brookville, 30-4); Sheffield No. 4 AJ Barnes (17-13)
Barnes has a quarterfinal match with Kane’s Isaak Johnson (17-10), the 5-seed. The winner will face Reinsel in the semifinals. Barnes picked up a 3-2 decision over Johnson during their dual meet match last month.
120: Top Seed — Brayden Kunselman (Brookville, 27-5); Sheffield No. 16 Chris Gossert (4-12)
Gossert draws Kunselman in the first round, with the winner to take on Curwensville’s Caleb Stiles (8-12) in the quarterfinals.
126: Top Seed — Braedon Johnson (Port Allegany, 20-4); Sheffield No entry
132: Top Seed –Anthony Glasl (Brockway, 28-1); Sheffield No. 8 Caden Smead (9-9)
Smead draws a bye into the quarterfinals where he awaits the winner of the first round match between Glasl and Coudersport’s Dalton Miller (8-18). Smead pinned Miller during their dual meet match in January. Glasl and Smead did not meet this season.
138: Top Seed — Zach Holland (Curwensville, 27-0); Sheffield No entry
145: Top Seed — Ethan Wiant (Redbank Valley, 30-0); Sheffield No. 8 Kevin Marfink (11-13)
Marfink has a first round bye and will meet the winner between Wiant and Ridgway’s Armandt Rosario (7-16). Marfink was pinned by Wiant, but had an 11-7 decision over Rosario this year.
152: Top Seed — Jacob Wickett (Ridgway 26-6); Sheffield No. 8 Landon Mead (15-11)
Mead gets a bye into the quarterfinals and will meet the winner of Wickett and Cameron County’s Luiz Patricio (7-12). Mead has not faced Wickett this season, but does hold a pinfall victory over Patricio.
160: Top Seed — Noah Bash (Brockway, 21-7); Sheffield No. 13 Jake Davidson (7-12)
Davidson has a first round match with Clarion’s Cutter Boggess (16-8) the 4-seed. Boggess picked up a first period pin when the two met earlier this month.
170: Top Seed — Teddy Race (Kane, 26-2); Sheffield No. 11 Todd Peszlen (1-4)
Peszlen takes on Clarion’s Donavan Edmonds (19-9), the No. 6 seed, in the first round with the winner to meet Johnsonburg’s Isaac Zimmerman (25-9), the 3-seed, in the quarterfinals. Edmonds holds a pinfall win over Peszlen this season.
182: Top Seed — Ethan Finch (Sheffield, 24-7)
Finch begins his D9 title defense with a first round match against Cameron County’s Connor Nolan (5-12). The winner moves on to face Coudersport’s Dylan Hajzus (12-17) in the quarterfinals.
195: Top Seed — Eric Johnson (Brockway, 27-1); Sheffield No entry
220: Top Seed — Nathan Taylor (Brookville, 30-5); Sheffield No. 6 Casey Anderson (10-8)
Anderson meets the 3-seed, Port Allegany’s Justin Young (16-4) in the quarterfinals. The winner will take on the No. 2 seed, Cale Ayers (23-1) of Coudersport in the semifinals. Young and Anderson did not meet this season.
285: Top Seed — Colby Whitehill (Brookville, 30-0); Sheffield No. 11 Danah Campbell (4-12)
Campbell squares off with Ridgway’s Jacob Kunselman (21-7) in the first round with the winner to advance to a quarterfinal date with Brockway’s Gavin Thompson (20-10), the 3-seed. Kunselman holds a pinfall victory over Campbell this season.