Butler’s Santino Sloboda, Seneca Valley’s Connor Smith and Tyler Chappell advanced to the semifinal round as the WPIAL Class AAA Wrestling Championships got under way Friday at Canon McMillan High School.

Sloboda, 36-0 on the season at 107 pounds, won his two Friday matches easily. He pinned Bethel Park’s Jaden Palombine in 1:35 in the first round,. then scored a 16-0 technical fall over Waynesburg’s Floyd Huff in the quarterfinal round.

The Raiders’ Smith (28-6) pinned Nathan Caracciolo of Hempfield in 1:52 of their first-round match at 114 pounds. Smith advanced to the semifinals with a 4-0 decision of Arontay Heningcamp of Gateway in the quarterfinals.

SV’s Chappell (29-5), wrestling at 127 pounds, pinned Aric Learn of Armstrong in 3:43 of their first-round match. Chappell then scored a 1-0 decision over T.J. Allison in the quarterfinals.

Butler had five other wrestlers — Kase Chopp at 139, Matt Zinkhann at 172, Mickey Kreinbucher at 189, Landon Christie at 215 and Ethan Babay at 285 — reach the quarterfinal round, but each was bumped into the consolations at that point. Seneca Valley’s Zach Hill won his first match at 133 to reach the quarterfinals, but lost by technical fall to Hempfield’s Ethan Lebin.

The Golden Tornado’s Levi Donnel, a No. 5 seed, dropped a 6-4 decision to Dominic Hartman of Penn-Trafford in the first round at 160 pounds, leaving him to work his way back through consolations.

Also dropping first-round matches Friday were Butler’s Gavin Rush at 133, Seneca Valley’s Jack Tofanelli at 121, Jacob Eubanks at 152, Corey Wolfe at 160 and Thomas Wuycheck at 215.

Mars’ lone qualifier, Rocco Darocy at 139 pounds, dropped a 9-4 decision to McKeesport’s Colton Kotouch in the pigtail round.

The semifinal round is scheduled to begin at 11:30 a.m. Saturday.

Bowling

Butler’s Alex Ekas and Luke Keene were among the 12 qualifiers for the state finals through the Western Pa. Regional Singles Championships.

Ekas and Keene finished fifth and sixth, respectively, out of 80 bowlers during the five-game qualifying round. Ekas rolled a 977 series that included games of 227 and 245. Keene rolled a 975 series that included games of 206, 201, 201.

Keene reached the quarterfinals before losing to Valley’s Baxter Diehm, 198-155. Ekas dropped a 167-166 decision to Burrell’s Jacob Terranova in the first round.

The Golden Tornado’s Rocco Rice rolled a 909, including a 237 game, to place 14th in the qualifying round. Freeport’s Dylan Granata was 21st with an 887, including games of 215 and 232. Shaler’s Ryan Callahan’s 257 was high game of the day with Ekas’ 245 coming in second.

Sean Endler of Plum won the regional title, defeating Diehm 198-159 in the championship game. The boys individual state championships are March 17 in Erie.

The boys team regional championship is Saturday.