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Trinity, PT fall in team preliminaries

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Cole Whitmer of Trinity is about to pin Franklin Regional’s Anthony Alesi at 195 pounds.

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Joe Tuscano/Observer-Reporter

Peters Township’s Richard Meyers front, is caught in a cradle by Anthony Ferraro of Pine Richland at 106 pounds.

CANONSBURG – Mark Powell had the dual meet figured out three ways before the first whistle.

Each time, it came out with Trinity’s wrestling team scoring 42 points and winning the preliminary-round bout against Franklin Regional in the WPIAL Claass AAA Team Tournament at Canon-McMillan High School Monday evening.

But there was a fourth way, one in which Powell, the Trinity coach, didn’t expect.

And that was the way it played out.

Trinity lost two key bouts, 160 and 106, and that left them short of 42 points. It also was enough for Franklin Regional to come away with a 38-36 victory that ended the Hillers’ team season.

Peters Township also saw it’s dual meet season come to an end with a 42-39 loss to Pine-Richland.

Chartiers Valley advanced with a 48-27 victory over Hampton and Norwin wiped out West Mifflin, 51-18.

“Their kids did a great job,” said Powell. “If we win at 106, then we are right there at 42. The dominoes did not fall our way. But the kids showed up and worked hard. A couple things didn’t go our way. But that’s the beauty and the beast of this sport. It’s a fickle lady.”

At the Eastern Tournament at Gateway High School in early December, Lane Whitmer pinned Justin Bass of Franklin Regional at 106 pounds. But last night, Bass pinned Whitmer in 2:33.

“That was a big match and 160 was a big one, too,” said Franklin Regional head coach Matt Lebe. “We have a strong tradition and our guys know it’s important to uphold it. We love it.”

Franklin Regional wrestles Seneca Valley Wednesday.

In the first bout of the night, 160 pounds, Gavyn Beck decisioned Trinity’s James Porter. At Gateway, it was the other way around.

So instead of having a 42-33 lead heading into the last bout, the Hillers held a precarious 36-33 edge. That vanished when Mason Spears won by 16-0 technical fall over Evan Bell to clinch it.

“I’m proud of these kids,” said Powell. They worked hard for this. A couple of matches didn’t go our way but they fought hard.”

Trinity got pins from Drew Cain (170), Hunter Frantz (182) and Cole Whitmer (195).

Returning state champion Carter Dibert (120) and Finn Solomon (132) won by fall for Franklin Regional.

Meanwhile, Peters Township trailed 24-6 through five bouts, thanks in part to pins from Kelin Laffey (132), Nathan Lukez (145), Cole Spencer (152) and Jacob Lukez (160).

But Peters Township rallied to make it 24-22 after pins from Bill Kail (138) and Ethan Spangenberger (195) and a forfeit to Donovan McMillon at 195.

Pine Richland surged to a 42-21 lead but Peters Township rallied again to get within 42-33 but there was only one bout remaining. Bryce Wilkes got the pin for PT at 126 pounds.

“We knew going in that everyone we needed to get a pin, got a pin for us too have a shot,” said Peters Township head coach Derrick Evanovich. “We knew we were strong where they were weak. So we needed someone not to get stuck or someone to get a pin where we didn’t expect.”

Peters Township has only two seniors and two juniors on the roster so the experience of competing was important.

“Just getting to the playoffs, it’s where you want to be,” said Evanovich.

“It would have been nice to pull this win off but oh well.”

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