Two-time defending state champion Jaden Pepe of Wyoming Area and teammate Anthony Evanitsky cruised into the PIAA Class 2A Wrestling Championships semifinals with a dominating performances Friday morning in the quarterfinals in Hershey.
Crestwood’s Magnus Bibla lost in his Class 3A 215-pound quartefinal match later in the day. McCaskey’s Jose Garcia built a 4-0 lead and then pinned Bibla at 2:14. Bibla immediately moved to the third round of consolations.
Pepe took control early against Cambridge Springs’ Brody Beck on the way to a 15-2 major decision at 133 pounds. Evanitsky was also impressive early in a 16-0 technical fall win over Saucon Valley’s Jackson Albert at 139 pounds.
Pepe used a takedown and three nearfalls to build a 9-0 lead in the first period. Two takedowns and a nearfall in the second period accounted for six more points. Beck’s only points came on a pair of escapes.
Evanitsky led 14-0 after one period on the strength of a takedown followed by five nearfalls. His second takedown in the third period ended the match at the 4:40 mark.
Pepe will return to the mat at 7:30 p.m. Friday, facing Faith Christian’s Mason Wagner in the semifinals. Wagner advanced with a 5-2 decision over Benton’s Dylan Granahan.
Evanitsky will also wrestle in the semifinals at 7:30 p.m. He will battle Clearfield’s Brady Collins, who advanced with a 2-0 victory over Bryson Vaughn of Notre Dame Green Pond.
Here’s how WVC wrestlers in the consolation bracket fared Friday:
• Berwick 285-pounder Bruce Hartman was the only other WVC wrestler left in the Class 2A tournament other than the two from Wyoming Area. His tournament ended in the second-round consolations when he was pinned by Brockway’s Gavin Thompson at 3:22. Hartman trailed 2-1 at the time.
• Wyoming Valley West’s Dorian Hoffman saw his tournament conclude with a loss in the Class 3A second round of consolations. Perkiomen Valley’s Max Tracini edged Hoffman 2-1 in a 107-pound match.
Hoffman was awarded a penalty point in the first period, but Tracini scored a takedown 22 seconds into the second period for the bout’s only other points.
• Hazleton Area 121-pounder Simon Zamudio was eliminated with a 12-8 loss to Pennridge’s Quinn McBride in the Class 3A second-round consolations. McBride led 4-0 after one period. Zamudio used a reversal in the second period to cut the deficit to 4-2, but couldn’t get any closer as McBride built his advantage to 10-4 early in the third period.
• Pittston Area’s Jimmy Spindler was eliminated in the Class 3A 160-pound second-round consolations, falling 1-0 to North Allegheny’s Adam Rohan. Rohan recorded the match’s only point with an escape with 37 seconds remaining in the third period.
