Big Macs bounce back in wrestling team tourney
By Eleanor Bailey/the Almanac
Canon-McMillan heavyweight Austin Smith puts Norwin’s Evan Kline on his back for a pin during WPIAL Class AAA team tournament action. The Big Macs used seven falls to defeat the Knights, 55-17, and advance to the quarterfinals to face North Allegheny.
Eleanor Bailey
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Matt Furman is one of several returning starters for Canon-McMillan.
By Eleanor Bailey/Almanac Sports Editor/ebailey@thealmanac.net
James Baxter puts AJ Rohan on his back for a pin to start Canon-McMillan off with six points in its quarterfinal match against North Allegheny.
Eleanor Bailey
Gianmarco Ramos appears to put Freddy Junko on his back but the official ruled the competitors out of bounds. Ramos dropped an 11-7 decision to Junko at 145 pounds
Eleanor Bailey
Tanner Rohaley works over Grant McKay and scores a 10-4 decision at 152 for the Big Macs in their bout against North Allegheny.
Eleanor Bailey/the Almanac
Evan Miller rallied to beat Nick Marcenelle in a decisive 220-pound bout in the WPIAL quarterfinal match between Canon-McMillan and North Allegheny.
Eleanor Bailey
Jacob Houpt puts Sam Horton on his back and eventually scored a fall at 106 pounds for Canon-McMillan.
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Brandon Dami, back, is one of several returning starters for Canon-McMillan.
CANONSBURG – Last week’s stinging loss to Waynesburg festered like an open sore for the wrestling team at Canon-McMillan.
The Big Macs saw their section team tournament winning streak end at 18 following a dramatic 31-30 loss in the Raiders’ gymnasium.
Canon-McMillan would like nothing better than an opportunity to not only avenge that loss but also win a WPIAL Class AAA Team Tournament title in the process.
The Big Macs took the first step Wednesday night in the first round of the team tournament.
Canon-McMillan chalked up two impressive victories, stopping Norwin, 55-17, in the first round and knocking off North Allegheny, 39-21, in the quarterfinals.
Canon-McMillan advances to the semifinals against Seneca Valley at 4 p.m., Saturday at Norwin High School. Waynesburg wrestles Hempfield in the other semifinal.
The top three teams advance to the PIAA Team Tournament, which gets under way Monday with preliminary round bouts.
The Big Macs came into this tournament as the number three seed and can only meet top-seeded Waynesburg again if they can make it to the finals. With the way they wrestled last night, that’s a real possibility.
“We tried to take it one day at a time and one practice at a time,” said Canon-McMillan head coach Jeff Havelka. “The kids did a good job at practice, staying focused all week.”
The two teams traded pins and decisions through the first six bouts as the dual meet was tied 12-12.
Jimmy Baxter got a pin at 132 to start the bout for the Big Macs and Max Stedeford followed with one of his own at 138 pounds. Tanner Rohaley got a big win at 152 pounds with a 10-4 decision over Grant MacKay to tie the bout at 9-9.
The Big Macs took control of the bout with back-to-back pins from Tyler Rohaley at 182 pounds and returning state champion Gerrit Nijenhuis at 195. That gave the Big Macs a 24-12 lead.
“Everybody has a job and you want to get the job done and do it well,” said Tyler Rohaley. “That’s what makes a team a team.”
Miller got two backpoints as the buzzer sounded to end his match. The Big Macs held a 27-12 lead with five bouts to go.
“It felt like the momentum shifted in out favor after that win,” said Miller. “I was getting tired at the end so I wanted to end it early and not go to overtime.”
“We thought 113, 152 and 220 were the big bouts,” said NA coach Daniel Heckert. “I had no qualms with the call at the end of 220. We have to find a way to win it.”
The teams traded pins at heavyweight and 106 pounds. Jacob Houpt’s pin at 106 gave the Big Macs a 33-18 lead with three bouts remaining.
Against Norwin, Canon-McMillan used seven pins to run over Norwin, 55-17, in first-round action.
Jimmy Baxter pinned Slater McGonigle in 55 seconds at 132 pounds to become the latest member of Canon-McMillan to reach 100 victories in his career.
Baxter’s pin was one of seven for the Big Macs. The others came from Jacob Houpt (106), Gianmarco Ramos (138), Matthew Furman (170), Tyler Rohaley (182), Evan Miller (220) and Austin Smith (Hvy).
North Allegheny had no trouble handling North Allegheny, 54-12.