Mead finished fourth in the 189-pound weight class, twice falling to Juuso Young (Port Allegany). Their first match came in the quarterfinals, with Young earning a 12-0 major decision.

Mead went on to win three straight matches in the consolation rounds, pinning Rudy Shetler (Central Clarion) then pulling out a 4-3 win over Grant Jin (St. Mary’s), and a 4-1 win over familiar foe Ben Walter (Kane), before Young would win via pin to take third place.

“I felt I wrestled well over the weekend,” said Mead. “Tom (Holden) had a good place with the brackets, and it worked out just as we thought it would’ve. I felt like the work we put in all week paid off well.”

Mead’s first match at the regional tournament will be against Commodore Perry’s Aiden Osborne (25-9).

Submitted Photo Eisenhower’s Cole Kellogg punched his ticket to regionals this week at Sharon High School when he locked down a sixth-place finish at sectionals last weekend at 152 pounds.

“Next week, I’m just going to have fun,” said Mead. “It was my goal to make it to the regional tournament this year and I was able to accomplish that. I think my first match is even. I’m just going to try and wrestle the best I can.”

Fellow senior, Chase Kyler, also fell to the same wrestler twice, as Brody Wehler (Brookville) defeated Kyler in the 133-pound quarterfinals 7-4, then again for fifth place via fall.

“Failure is just a part of sports,” said Kyler. “I had the goal of making it to regionals, but that just wasn’t in God’s plan. I was coached very well, and I thought I was prepared, but the lights were too bright. There were just better wrestlers in the bracket, and they earned it, so hats off to them.”

Kyler finished in sixth place with a final season record of 24-10.

At 145 pounds, Alex Marfink pinned Trenton Clyde (Curwensville) in his opening match, before Ty Aveni (Clearfield) was able to pin the Wolverine in the quarterfinals. Aveni went on to place third. Marfink pinned Robert Ruffing (Johnsonburg) in his first consultation match, but fell 6-4 to Tucker Nystrom (Kane) to end his weekend.

Sophomore Hayden Holden placed fifth at 127 pounds. Holden was pinned by Aiden Beimel (St. Mary’s) in the quarterfinals, but managed to pin his next two opponents, Michael Snyder (Cameron County) and Antonio Thorton (Brookville), to set up a match with eventual fourth-place finisher Brydin Chamberlain (Clearfield). Following a 4-2 decision loss to Chamberlain, Holden defeated Grayson Aaron (Central Clarion) 10-3.

Christian Evans at 139, Carter Campbel at 152, and Zach Barnes at 160 all lost their first two matches.

WARREN’S FISCUS, FITZSIMMONS ADVANCE

SHARON — Adika Fiscus and Ryan Fitzsimmons are returning to the Class 2A Northwest Regional after qualifying at this weekend’s District 10 Championships at Sharon High School.

The top eight finishers at each weight will return to Sharon on Friday, where they will be joined by District 9’s top four for the Northwest Regional. There, the top four at each weight will qualify for the PIAA tournament.

Fiscus, a junior at 26-10, and Fitzsimmons, a senior with a 21-14 record, have given themselves another shot at chocolate land in Hershey with fourth- and eighth-place finishes, respectively.

“We have two moving on,” said Warren coach Glenn Baldensperger.

“Adika, after getting beat 9-3 at 114 pounds by (Waylon) Waite from Reynolds, wrestled Tyler Enterline from Greenville and beat him 16-0 tech fall,” said Baldensperger. “Next was Maplewood’s Cadyn Shetler and a solid 4-1 victory.

“In the consolation semis, it was a rematch with Carson Braswell from Corry — who defeated us handily in the dual meet,” said Baldensperger. “Adika turned the tables on him with a 5-1 decision, which set the table for a rematch with Waite from Reynolds. This time, we closed the gap to a 3-2 loss. (I am) really excited about the way he wrestled this weekend and the adjustments he made. He is definitely wrestling well enough to punch his ticket next weekend.”

At 121, “Ryan Fitzsimmons also wrestled really well,” said Baldensperger. “After dropping a hard-fought 5-3 decision to (Carter) Wise from Mercer, he wrestled a really great match against Josh Caro from General McClane, avenging, I believe, a loss from the week before. He dropped a 4-0 match to Leyton Zacherl from Commodore Perry, and then lost to (Brady) Bowers from Fort LeBoeuf, 6-2, but gave up a takedown late trying to tie the match. Ryan is now a two-time regional qualifier and only losing by a few points. (I am) looking for him to peak next weekend and move on also.

“Trey Carrington (127) had the heartbreaker of the weekend,” said Baldensperger. “He had battled back from being down 4-2 and took the lead 6-4. With very little time remaining, he got his hips out of position and pulled to his back. That was the match to move on. Trey has had a great freshman campaign after taking a few years off, and I can’t wait to see what he does next year after putting time in this offseason.

Another freshman, “Ethen Ringer also made the trip this weekend,” added Baldensperger. “He also has had a great freshman campaign. Thing’s didn’t go his way this weekend, but he’s motivated. Stay tuned.”

Photo submitted to Times Observer

From left, Warren junior Adika Fiscus and senior Ryan Fitzsimmons are returning 2A Northwest Regional qualifiers after Saturday’s District 10 2A Championships at Sharon High School.

At far left, junior Adika Fiscus was Warren’s top finisher (fourth at 114 pounds) at Saturday’s District 10 2A Wrestling Championships at Sharon High School.

KELLOGG HEADED TO REGIONALS

SHARON — Eisenhower’s Cole Kellogg punched his ticket to regionals this week at Sharon High School when he locked down a sixth-place finish at sectionals last weekend at 152 pounds

Kellogg had to battle back through the consolation round after winning his first match 11-7. On Saturday, he dropped a 10-7 decision, but came back with a 15-4 win over Brandon Beers of Fort LeBouef to make the podium as the lone Knight wrestler to move on.

“I thought Cole wrestled a great tournament,” Eisenhower head coach Jared Lindell said. “It’s the first time he’s been able to wrestle in the postseason in two years. I’m happy for him and proud of how he’s taken advantage of his opportunity.”

The Knights team had seven wrestlers see their season come to a close. They were Rever Caudill (107 pounds), Shawn Miller (114), Griffin Williams (121), Derek Childs (145), Tucker Lindell (160), Bryceton Wilkins (172) and JJ Darr (215).

EAGLES’ MANCUSO’S CAREER ENDS

SHARON — Youngsville senior Aidan Mancuso saw his stellar wrestling career come to a close over the weekend with his performance at the District 10 Class AA Wrestling Tournament at Sharon Area High School.

Mancuso qualified for the tournament with his fourth-place finish in the 189-pound weight class at the recent PIAA District 10 Class AA Section 1 tournament and entered last Friday with a 9-8 record for his senior season.

After battling strep throat in the week prior to the tournament, Mancuso opened with Grove City’s Ian McCreary on Friday evening. Mancuso found himself on the losing end of a 9-0 major decision which sent him to the consolation bracket on Saturday.

There, Mancuso matched up with Sharpsville’s David Moyer. The Eagles senior trailed 2-1 after the opening period, took neutral to start the second period and escaped for a 3-2 lead with a period to go.

In the third, Moyer escaped to tie the match before a Mancuso takedown gave him a 5-3 advantage. A late flurry on a roll-through caught Mancuso out of position and his season came to a close with via pin late in the third period.

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Jon Sitler, Steve Younger and Allen Seybert contributed to this report.