HERSHEY, Pa. -- Joe Makara of Burrell and Kurt Brenner of Freedom won Class AA gold medals when the PIAA staged its last championship wrestling tournament at Hersheypark Arena in 2002.
Makara, a 125-pound senior, and Brenner, a 171-pound junior, will attempt to claim gold this afternoon in the PIAA’s inaugural tournament at the Giant Center.
Makara (37-4) defeated Slippery Rock’s Jeff Becker, 8-1, in last night’s 125-pound semifinals. Brenner (37-2) rallied to defeat Philip Bomberger of Juniata, 6-5. Brenner gave up his first takedown to a Class AA opponent this season in the first period. Brenner broke a 4-4 deadlock with a takedown with 23 seconds left in the match.
“I knew the third period was mine,’’ Brenner said. “I don’t think anyone in my weight class works as hard as me. I just had to get a feel for him, and by the third period I felt I could take it to him. It’s tougher the second time out here. It’s been expected of me, so if I lose, I’m letting people down. I battled it out and came out of it.”
In two other Class AA semifinals involving WPIAL wrestlers, Jeannette 152-pounder A.J. Graves and Charleroi heavyweight John Maraldo lost. Graves was eliminated from the championship bracket in a 7-2 loss to Joe Rovelli of Meyers. Maraldo was pinned in 2:55 by unbeaten Nate Morris of Central Columbia.
Those remaining undefeated in the WPIAL Class AAA this season are Bill Spencer (34-0) of Highlands at 103, Plum’s Sean Clair (32-0) at 119 and Jake Herbert (33-0) of North Allegheny at 171. They were three of 14 wrestlers from the district who won Class AAA quarterfinal matches in the afternoon.
Other notable winners in the quarterfinals were returning PIAA champion Coleman Scott of Waynesburg at 112 and Chartiers Valley’s Mark McKnight at 119.
Two wrestlers were beaten for the first time this season. Moon’s Jared Mowl (31-1) lost an overtime 2-2 rideout to Matt Kocher of State College in the 140-pound division when he failed to escape in 30 seconds. Kiski Area’s Scott McKillop (37-1) was relegated to the 215-pound consolation bracket after a 9-7 losing decision to Adam LoPiccolo of Susquehannock.
LoPicolo is a two-time PIAA runner-up who placed third at 189 last season.
McKnight (36-1) bounced back from a sluggish start in Thursday’s first round to easily defeat Kevin Henning of Spring Grove, 11-4, setting up a possible rematch with Clair today. Clair handed McKnight his only loss of the season in the Southwest Regional semifinals last week. Clair needed double overtime to decision Corey Moore of Central Mountain, 3-2.
“I wouldn’t mind wrestling Clair in the finals even though he beat me,” said McKnight, a PIAA runner-up two years ago at 103. “He’s a familiar person. You know what to do against him. That’s what I want.”
Scott, last season’s 103 PIAA champion, advanced in the 112-pound division with a 6-1 decision against Alex Krom of Easton.
Spencer made it to the 103 semifinals for the second year in a row with a 3-1 decision against Steve Mytych of Pleasant Valley.
“Most of the kids I’m going up against are huge,” said Spencer, who at 4 feet 8, is about 9 inches shorter than Mytych.
“They all have lanky arms and long, lanky legs,” Spencer said. “That spreads out my target more, but it’s harder to set up a shot because they are better able to keep me away with their arm span. It looked a little messy today, but I won.”
Herbert won a 12-3 major decision against Nate Rock of Ephrata. Herbert, a three-time PIAA medal winner, finished second at 160 last year. His father Jim Herbert was a PIAA champion at North Allegheny in 1974.
Herbert had to readjust his left knee brace late in his match with Rock and gave up three points in the final 30 seconds. Herbert had a few words with his father shortly after the match was completed.
“It happens all the time. He’s got to be tough on me,” Herbert said. “It would have been nice to get a pin, but up here you’ve just got to win no matter how you get it done.”
Herbert’s close friend, Josh Weitzel of Oxford, also advanced the semifinals. Both train in the off-season at the same wrestling club in Wexford.
“He’s still looking tough,” Herbert said. “I have to get past [Mike Corcetti of Kiski Area in the semifinals]. I’ve got to wrestle tough against him because that’s where upsets happen. I’ve got to stay on top of my game.”
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