PIAA wrestling begins Thursday
How tough are the PIAA Wrestling Championships?
Butler sophomore Santino Sloboda and senior Ana Malovich, unbeaten in their respective boys and girls weight classes, are not seeded No. 1 in their brackets at states.
Sloboda (36-0) — named the WPIAL 3A Tournament’s Most Outstanding Wrestler after his come-from-behind 5-4 win over Norwin’s Landon Sidun in the 114-pound title match — is seeded No. 3 in the PIAA meet behind Colby Martinelli (21-1) of Pennridge and Kaedyn Williams (31-0) of Manheim Township.
“There’s a system that they use, based on prestige points,” Butler coach Scott Stoner said. “Martinelli beat Santino at states last year. Williams was fourth at 114 pounds, Santino was fourth at 107 last year. It pretty much came down to a coin toss between them for seeding.
“We don’t mind (Sloboda) being seeded third because it’s a better path for him. Sidun will have to wrestle the No. 1 seed in the second round, which will knock one of them into the consolations. Santino just has to go match-by-match, find a way to win each one.”
Butler wrestling has never had an individual state champion.
Sloboda was named Most Outstanding Wrestler at WPIALs based on his unbeaten record and victory over Sidun, who was ranked No. 1 nationally.
“The way he won that match, with seconds to go, the crowd getting into it ... all of that put him (Sloboda) over the top for that award and deservedly so,” Stoner said.
Malovich is 15-0 on the year, but is seeded No. 2 at 118 pounds behind Savannah Witt (27-0) of Palisades.
“Those two saw each other a lot at national tournaments during the summers,” Butler girls coach Nathan Bottiger said. “I don’t think they’ve ever wrestled each other before.”
Malovich placed third at the state girls championships last year.
“I know I can win it this time,” Malovich said. “I know it won’t be easy, but I have a good grasp of the competition and I’m confident going in.”
“Ana is very levelheaded and she respects every opponent,” Bottiger said. “She’s not taking anybody lightly. She’s got the right attitude going into a tournament like this.”
Butler’s Kase Chopp (34-7), a junior at 133 pounds, is entering the tourney as a fourth-place qualifier out of the WPIAL. Anastasia Manchester (24-6), a freshman at 142, enters the girls tourney as a third-place finisher out of the WPIAL.
“Kase’s first match is against a kid with 12 losses (Brecken Strickland, 33-12. of Sun Valley),” Stoner said. “That’s certainly a winnable match for him. This tournament will be a good experience for him. Let’s see how many wins he can pile up.”
“The podium could be in the cards for Anastasia,” Bottiger said. “She is a 3-seed out of the toughest district in the state. She just needs trio be herself and go after it.”
Seneca Valley 121-pounder Connor Smith (27-8) was a fourth-place finisher in the WPIAL. He faces Cole Coffin (39-10) of Pennridge in the first round.
Raiders sophomore Hannah Hornick (19-11) was a WPIAL runner-up at 148 pounds and faces Myah Mulgrew of Cumberland Valley in the first round of the girls state tourney. Knoch junior Miranda Lajevic (25-11) placed third at 100 pounds at the WPIAL meet and will face Autumn Shoff of Moshannon Valley in the first round of the girls state tournament.
