By DAN PALM
MVI Sports
Eight local wrestling teams were in tournament action this weekend and a number of athletes got on the podium. The most impressive performance, though, may have come from Belle Vernon Area’s Cole Weightman.
At the MyHouse Trojan Wars at Chambersburg High School, BVA’s Weightman powered through a loaded 195-pound bracket on his way to a second-place finish.
The Leopards sophomore was the sixth seed and pulled off upsets over the fourth- and sixth-ranked wrestlers in the state to get to the championship match.
In the quarterfinals, Weightman (13-1) surprised the three seed, Cumberland Valley’s Jake Lucas, with a 4-1 decision.
In a semifinal stunner, Weightman beat Downingtown West’s Maximus Hale, 5-1. Hale was the two seed and ranked fourth in PA.
In the final, Weightman gave top-seeded Southern Columbia’s Gaige Garcia all he could handle in a 3-1 loss.
Garcia, the returning 195-pound state champion, is ranked No. 1 in PA, No. 3 in the country and will be wrestling and playing football at Ohio State next year.
“The best things about Cole aside from the ability are the big match experience from the past, his work ethic and that he attacks every match the same,” said first-year Leopards coach Bob Bove. “His approach to every match is ‘It’s time to go to work.’ He understands that he still needs to improve and he works hard to do that.
“We were wondering if there would be any lingering effects from last year’s injury but he left little doubt that he could be a WPIAL and PIAA title contender.”
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