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Athletes of the Week: 12.28.12
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Cody Wiercioch, Canon-McMillan
Last week: This season, Wiercioch, a senior wrestler, has won titles at the Walsh Jesuit Ironman Tournament in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, and the Reno Tournament of Champions in Reno, Nev. Wiercioch has a 14-0 record this season and will wrestle at Pitt next year.
Check this out: From the time he got to high school, Wiercioch has been one of the top wrestlers in the area. As a freshman at Charleroi, he finished as the top wrestler in PIAA Class AA with a 38-1 record after finishing second in the WPIAL. Though he could not replicate those feats as a sophomore -- he finished second in the PIAA and suffered three losses -- he had an outstanding junior year after transferring to Canon-McMillan, going 46-0 en route to finishing first in PIAA Class AAA. For his accomplished career, heading into this year, he had a 123-4 record.
• Were you expecting the kind of performances that you had when you won the Walsh Jesuit and Reno tournaments? I wasn't going in there to lose. I was expecting to do well and everything fell into place.
• What are some of your goals for this season, both personally and for your team? To go undefeated and win another state title.
• What was it like to change schools halfway through your career? Was it a strange transition and have you enjoyed your time at Canon-McMillan? I've enjoyed it, but it was a weird change to switch over to such a big school from such a small school.
• How are you feeling about your team's chances in the Powerade Christmas Tournament this week? I expect the team to do very well, hopefully finish in the top three. I expect a few champions to come from our team, including myself.
• Who are you expecting your team's biggest challenger to be at the state level this season? Probably Central Dauphin.
• What's your favorite part of the holiday season? Christmas cookies.
Erin Mathias, Fox Chapel
Last week: Mathias had 16 points, 12 rebounds and 5 blocked shots in leading Fox Chapel to a win against Franklin Regional last Tuesday.
Check this out: Mathias, a 6-foot-3 junior center, is having a big bounce-back season, this after missing her sophomore season after developing patellar tendinitis in her right knee. Mathias is averaging 18 points per game and has helped the Foxes start the season 7-0 (through Wednesday). Mathias, who was named all-section when she averaged 10.7 points as a freshman, has already accepted a scholarship to Duke. She was offered after her freshman season.
• We hear you met Justin Bieber recently. How did that happen? About a week before his concert I entered this contest on his fan site for a chance to meet him, and I was one of the ones who ended up winning.
• What was he like? We only got a minute with him to get our picture taken, but he was nice.
• Is it surprising the team is off to such a great start? I think it's a surprise to a lot of people, but not to us. We knew we'd be a lot better this season.
• Best player in the WPIAL? (Hopewell's) Shatori Walker-Kimbrough.
• Why Duke? I've always been a huge Duke fan, and when I went down there and visited the campus, everything was just great.
• Have you been to a Duke men's basketball game? Yeah, I've been to a couple. It was so cool and very loud.
• Who shovels the snow in your family? Mostly my dad. If it snows during (Christmas) break, usually either me or my brother.
• Favorite Christmas movie? Elf.
• People might be surprised to know that ... I'm really good with song lyrics and can rap pretty well.
• Which rapper can you do the best? Nicki Minaj.
First Published December 28, 2012 12:00 am
