MERCER COUNTY AREA —
REYNOLDS SENIOR star Austin Matthews joined an elite group of 4-time District 10 champions Saturday, a group that is basically made up of Raider wrestlers in the “modern era.”
Only 9 Mercer County grapplers have won every D-10 tourney they entered, but a fistful of the group were all Reynolds wrestlers who accomplished the feat in this century.
They are: Matthews (2010-13), Dylan D’Urso (2009-12), Mason Beckman (2008-11), Lawrence Beckman (2004-07) and Matt Dunn (2003-06).
Strangely, the other 4-timers came many years before: Greenville’s Rod Wentling (1958-61) and Rich Guerinni (1950-53); Grove City’s Steve DeAugustino (1940-43) and Jerry Spence (1938-41).
Why the big gap? Your guess is as good as mine. Could it be that the overall level of individuals was stronger in the 1960s, ’70s, ’80s and ’90s? Hard to say.
During this period, there were some locals who nailed down 3 district titles, which also is no small feat.
Reynolds tops the field in trifectas — Cody Kelly, Aaron Nestor, Justin Nestor, Justin Hollobaugh, Jerry Diehl, John Tofani, Jason Walter, Mark Bodo, John Hazi, Steve Popovich and Jerry Kendall.
Other 3-timers were: Greenville — Cody Copeland, Coty Burnett, Dom Marks, Sam Gano, Norm Lenkner, Neal Lineman, Emery Morrison, Rich Stuyvesant; Grove City — Wes Phipps, Len DeAugustino, Tom Tomeo, Mike Alderson; Farrell — Dom Russo; Hickory — Rande Stottlemyer; Commodore Perry — T.J. Musser, Josh Pearce; Jamestown — Tim Ault, Travis Cox; Mercer — Eric McKay; Kennedy Catholic — Joel Giroski; Sharon — Jordan Moss.
Who will be the next 3- or 4-time champ from Mercer County? It will be fun to watch and see. Reynolds sophomore Michael Bartolo won his first crown and has a shot at a three-peat. But we won’t be seeing another local win four for a few years at least.
ä The District 10 Coaches Association, headed by President Jeff Hiner of Union City and Secretary-Treasurer Tom Tingley of Lakeview, presents awards to sectional team champions as well as section and district “Coaches of the Year.”
The section team titles in 2013 went to Reynolds, Greenville and Saegertown.
Section Coaches of the Year were Seneca’s Jack Yaple, Reynolds’ Casey Taylor and Maplewood’s Matt Wilcox. After voting of D-10 coaches, Yaple was named the District 10 Coach of the Year.
Assistant Coach of the Year is Hudson Harrison of Seneca, while Middle School Coach of the Year is Jim Beach of Cambridge Springs.
Greenville Coach John Reynolds, who served for several years as president of the D-10 Coaches Association, will take over as president of the Pennsylvania State Wrestling Coaches Association next year.
Congratulations to all the coaches of District 10 who do such a good job preparing kids not only for wrestling but also for life after high school.
ä When it comes to life after high school, three wrestlers from District 10 and Mercer County will get a little boost for college after receiving $1,000 Kevin Kubalic Memorial Scholarships from the District X Association.
Referee Bo Bell, who heads the fund-raising efforts with a golf tournament every Father’s Day at Spring Valley Golf Course, near Mercer, presented the awards to top student-athletes Braden Gladysz of Greenville, Trey Maher of Grove City and Alex Shaffer of Mercer.
All excel in the classroom and outside school in extracurricular activities besides wrestling.
ä The PIAA Northwest Class AA Region Tournament, which will be held at Sharon this coming weekend, will have 10 matmen in each weight class — 6 from District 10 and 4 from District 9.
District 8 (Pittsburgh City League) send two wrestlers last year, but all the schools have moved to AAA this year.
Our region has seen several changes over the years and was probably at its toughest when it included District 6 as well as D-9 and D-10.
If it remains two districts in the future, there might be some consideration of only bringing 5 wrestlers from D-10 and 3 from D-9 for a smooth 8-man bracket. While it would mean that some of the last place finishers this year wouldn’t advance, the chance of those kids earning a one of three spots in the state tournament from the region are slim to none.
ä While the parking is somewhat a problem at Sharon High School because of the elementary school construction, Sharon is still a great site for the tournaments.
And site manager Chris Osborne and his group do a tremendous job running the events there. Announcer Ryan Mergyl, computer bouter Janice Raykie, tech specialist Jeremy Whalen, Gary Gulla and many others contribute to the smooth operation of the tournaments, which makes it easy on D-10 tourney director Jack McIntire.
ä The tournament marked the final head coaching work of Commodore Perry’s Kevin Drew, who announcing he is retiring from the post he held for about a dozen years.
“I can’t say I’m retiring, because I don’t know if a coach ever retires,” Kevin said. “But I have (3) young kids and I need to spend more time with the family. “It will certainly be different because I’ve always been a coach (since graduating from Lock Haven University).”
The former Reynolds High mat star may help out in the junior program there since his son is in the second grade and is a novice wrestler.
Sports
WRESTLING NOTEBOOK: Matthews is 5th Reynolds matman to win 4 district titles
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Hickory boys edge WM for D-10 Class AA Track team title
HARBORCREEK — Hickory High co-head coach Mark Slezak referenced the term “exponential” in explaining the four-fold heart-felt feeling of having a relay team qualify for the PIAA Championships.
That sentiment seemed to summarize Mercer County’s performance during Saturday’s annual District 10 Class AA Track & Field Championships. -
5 area teams qualify for D-10 baseball playoffs
Five area baseball teams have qualified for the District 10 playoffs — Grove City, Kennedy Catholic, Sharpsville, West Middlesex and Wilmington.
In the Class A semifinals, Kennedy Catholic faces Cochranton at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Northwestern High School. Rocky Grove faces Eisenhower in the other semifinal game. -
Hickory, WM boys to collide at D-10 AA Track & Field Championships
For the 2nd time this week, a District 10 track & field team title could be decided by a pair of Mercer County contingents.
Just as Hickory and Grove City girls contested the Class AAA crown Wednesday night, so, too, are the Hickory and West Middlesex boys anticipating vying for Saturday’s AA title. -
Roundup: Reynolds baseball tops GC; Sharpsville, Wilmington softball teams win
ä Reynolds 4, Grove City 1 — At Transfer, Neal Engstrom fired a complete-game 3-hitter with 8 strikeouts and 3 walks in lifting the Raiders (9-8) past the Eagles (14-6).
Ryan Grace was tagged with the loss for Grove City. He struck out 6 batters, issued no walks and gave up 7 hits in going the distance. -
GC girls 3-peat at District 10 Class AAA Track & Field Championships
HARBORCREEK— Some athletes seeded 1st in four events would feel pressure. For Grove City High senior Daniel Jaskowak, it’s an opportunity for name recognition.
“I kind’ve like it. It’s cool, because people know who you are,” related Jaskowak, who won 3 events during Wednesday’s District 10 Class AAA Track & Field Championships. -
Hickory, GC girls collide at D-10 Class AAA Track & Field Championships
If you want to be the best, you have to beat the best. Cliché though that is, it will be borne out today at the annual District 10 Class AAA Track & Field Championships.
Hickory High girls — the defending PIAA Class AA titlists — will test the best from the biggest. And the Lady Hornets hope to give as good as they get from the 6-county competition. -
Local tune up for districts at Mercer County Invite
There’s a difference between a warm-up and a warning.
If Saturday’s annual track & field invitational is any indication, Mercer County’s contingent issued a warning for the remainder of District 10: This could be a big year in area annals. -
Roundup: Grace, GC beat Sharon, 4-0, in 5 innings
With an impending storm blowing in above Johnny Pepe Field time was limited, so Ryan Grace greedily gobbled up putouts.
Grove City High’s Grace gave up only 3 base hits, and the visiting Eagles eased to an abbreviated 4-0, 5-inning win over Sharon Friday afternoon. -
HIGH SCHOOL SPRING SPORTS ROUNDUP: County track meet set Saturday at Hickory
The annual Mercer County Track & Field Invitational will be held at Hickory High’s Hornet Stadium Saturday, beginning at 9 a.m.
Competing are all Mercer County teams, Class AAA and AA, as well as Slippery Rock. The meet serves as a warm-up to the District 10 championships set next week at Harbor Creek High. -
Roundup: Sharon baseball squad edges Sharpsville, 5-4
It was a tense Tuesday in Tiger-town.
Twenty-four hours removed from a 1-run Region 2-AA loss at New Wilmington, Sharon High’s baseball team could not afford another setback, otherwise its postseason aspirations were alleviated.
Conversely, region pacesetting Sharpsville could have secured the crown with a win, and the Blue Devils dashed to an early 3-0 lead. - More Sports Headlines
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