MERCER — Despite not finishing on the top step of the podium, Youngsville 139-pounder Logan McDonald put together a tremendous performance, finishing second at the Mercer VFW Tournament Friday and Saturday at Mercer Area High School.

McDonald wasn’t the only place winner on the weekend with brothers Ian Mancuso and Aidan Mancuso finishing fourth at 127 and 145 pounds respectively and James Johnson taking seventh at 121 pounds.

“Overall, the kids did a pretty solid job,” said Youngsville coach Dave Myers. “They’re understanding the intensity of tournament wrestling more clearly now which should serve them well in the future.”

McDonald actually opened the tournament with a match against his own teammate, pinning Owen Auflick in the third period to advance to the semifinals. There, McDonald made quick work of Sheffield’s Chase Kyler logging the pin at the 1:14 mark of the first period.

The two pins moved McDonald to the finals where he squared off with Cochranton’s Cash Morrell. Morrell was able to score the pinfall victory, leaving McDonald with a strong runner-up position for the tournament.

Ian Mancuso got off to a quick start for the weekend, pinning North Star’s Zane Paxton and Coudersport’s Brett Moss in the first period to move to the semifinals. There, Mancuso dropped a heartbreaking 6-5 decision to Mercer’s Carter Wise.

After battling back in the consolation semifinals with a win over Sheffield’s Hayden Holden, Mancuso wrestled in the third-place match where he again suffered a close loss – 7-5 to North Star’s Thanyal Miller.

His brother Aidan Mancuso wrestled well above his seeding for the weekend, going 4-2 and ultimately finishing in fourth at 145 pounds.

Mancuso’s wins included a pin over Knoch’s Derrick Glover, 6-1 decision over Slippery Rock’s Luke Kalmeyer and major decision over Sheffield’s Zack Barnes. Both of Mancuso’s losses were via pin to Jacob Henry of Clarion in both the quarterfinals and third-place match.

Johnson went 2-2 on the weekend, defeating Chartiers Houston’s Kayden Sutley in the second round of consolations and Cambridge Springs’ William Morceau in the seventh-place match.