Backs to the wall
BUTLER TWP — Scotty Dietrich is aware of the implications of the Butler wrestling team's 42-33 Section 3-A loss to Pine-Richland Wednesday night at the Butler Intermediate High School.
The Golden Tornado will need a nearly perfect run through the rest of its sub-section schedule to reach the postseason.
Dietrich believes by the end of the dual season, Butler's young roster could find its stride.
The Golden Tornado (2-1, 1-1) only has three seniors — Connor Foust (126 pounds), Jeremiah Bortmas (160) and JD Bojanac (285) — in the lineup.
“I think we can't really put this behind us, it's going to eat at us in the back of the head, but it's going to motivate us a lot,” Dietrich said. “To get to where we need to be by the end of the season ... I definitely think we can hit a spark near the end of the season and pick it up.”
The Golden Tornado's next section match will be Jan. 2 at North Allegheny. Butler wrestles McGuffey next Tuesday in a non-section match.
“We always want to come back and be one or two and challenge North Allegheny, who is the heir apparent for the section title,” Butler coach Scott Stoner said. “We have to come back and get third. That means beating Knoch, Seneca Valley and Mars. They can beat us just as well, because we have a young team.”
Pine-Richland (3-0, 2-0) took control with wins in four straight matches.
The Rams picked up pins at 106 and 120, won by forfeit at 113 and Garrett Burham's 5-0 win at 126 put Pine-Richland ahead 36-21 with three matches left.
“We wrestled well and that's one of the things we talked about, tonight would tell us who we are,” Pine-Richland coach Steve Joseph said. “We expect big things from ourselves and Butler is the test to see if we're going to match up to that.”
Dietrich and Caleb Baxter needed pins at 132 and 138, respectively, to keep Butler in the match.
Leading 9-2 entering the third period, Dietrich knew he needed a finish. He kept working and landed a throw, putting Vittorio Orsini on his back with 1:22 remaining.
“We discussed it the night before the match that Caleb and I were going to come up with big matches and get pins,” Dietrich said. “I knew when the time was running out I had to get to the pin. I didn't swing for the fences, but I worked in, got to the weak spot and hit the throw.”
Baxter nearly got caught in the first period, reversed out of it and built a 9-2 lead before pinning Grant Felt in 2:41 at 138.“I went out trying to get a pin real fast, once I got out of position and he reversed me, I got worried there,” Baxter said. “I started settling down and doing what I was told during practice.”Pine-Richland's David Kelly ended any thoughts of a Butler comeback. Kelly pinned Donovan Malovich, who was going for a pin down 15-6 in the third period, at the 4:58 mark.Bojanac, Bortmas and Hank Finan (152) all won by pin for the Golden Tornado.Junior David Dimun (170) beat Ryan Means 8-4 to pick up his first win in a competitive match since fifth grade. Dimun rejoined the team after missing a few seasons with football injuries.“I loved it,” Dimun said. “(Coming back) is hard, definitely. But it felt good getting one tonight.”Pine-Richland 42, Butler 33(Match started at 152 pounds)106-Ben Salas (P) pin Isaiah Christy, 3:50; 113-Alex Salas (P) by forfeit; 120-Hunter Baxter (P) pin Sam Dietrich, 1:03; 126-Garrett Burnham (P) decision Connor Foust (B), 5-0; 132-Scott Dietrich (B) pin Vittorio Orsini, 4:38; 138-Caleb Baxter (B) pin Grant Felt, 2:51; 145-David Kelly (P) pin Donovan Malovich 4:58; 152-Hank finan pin Tony Jones, 1:32; 160-Jeremiah Bortmas (B) pin Justin McFarland, :22; 170-Dave Dimun (B) decision Ryan Means, 8-4; 182-Brendan Burnham (P) pin Nick Roth, 2:27; 195-Mike Geyer (P) decision Justin Johnson, 10-7; 220-Keegan Harris (P) pin Seth McCrea, :33; Hwt.-JD Bojanac (B) pin Luke Krebs, :55
