Dapper Dan Wrestling Classic: Three local stars have so much in common
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Bethel Park's Nick Bonaccorsi, Canon-McMillan's Nick Catalano and South Fayette's Nick Carr have a lot in common.
They won WPIAL titles this year, placed among the top three in their weight class at the PIAA championships, have accepted scholarships to NCAA Division I colleges and were chosen to represent their high schools at the Dapper Dan Wrestling Classic for the WPIAL All-Stars.
The WPIAL All-Stars will face Team Michigan in the preliminary match at 4 p.m. Sunday at Pitt's Fitzgerald Fieldhouse. The United States All-Stars will face the Pennsylvania All-Stars in the feature match at 6.
The Classic is sponsored by the Post-Gazette Dapper Dan Charities and local volunteers. Proceeds from the Wrestling Classic support a youth wrestling program for inner-city children through the Dapper Dan Youth Sports Leagues at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Pennsylvania. Tickets can be purchased at the door.
"I've been to The Classic the past five or six years," said Bonaccorsi, a Pitt recruit. "I'm a big fan and happy to finally be in it. It should be a lot of fun. I'm looking forward to seeing how we do against Team Michigan."
Bonaccorsi (157-28) is a four-time WPIAL Class AAA place-winner and one-time champion. He is also a three-time PIAA place-winner who finished third at 171 pounds this year. His opponent is Ben Ralston (160-30), Michigan Division I champion from Oxford High School.
Catalano (155-21) is a four-time WPIAL Class AAA place-winner, three-time finalist and one-time champion. He is also a three-time PIAA place-winner who finished second at 145 pounds. His Classic opponent will be Matt Frisch (206-21), a four-time Michigan Division I place-winner and one-time champion also from Oxford.
"My brother [Mike] wrestled for the WPIAL team in 2005, so I'm very familiar with The Classic," said Catalano, a University of North Carolina recruit.
Carr (129-17) is a three-time WPIAL Class AA champion, two-time PIAA finalist and one-time champion who placed second in the state this season. His opponent will be Dan Fleet (129-35), a three-time Michigan place-winner from Lowell.
First Published March 26, 2011 12:32 am
