Three Shady Side Academy wrestlers earned individual titles and two others placed second at the 2009-2010 PIAA Class AA Southwestern Regional Tournament, held March 5-6 in Johnstown, Pa. The top five finishers in each weight class advance to the PIAA Individual Championships in Hershey, Pa., on March 11-13.
Senior Matthew Cunningham (171 lbs.) and junior Geoff Alexander (199 lbs.) won their third straight PIAA regional titles. Cunningham defeated Burrell's Dakota DesLauriers in a 7-2 decision, while Alexander defeated Westmont-Hilltop's Tanner Hough in a 6-4 decision. Junior Phillip Elias won the 112-lb. title, defeating Westmont-Hilltop's Josh Polacek in a 5-4 decision.
Second-place finishers were senior Frank Martellotti, who lost a 1-0 decision to Tyrone Area's Ronnie Garbinsky in the 130-lb. championship bout, and junior Anthony Elias, who was pinned by Burrell's Dave Makara at 1:54 of the 112-lb. title match.
All five wrestlers will advance to the PIAA Individual Championships. Senior Nick Ciesielski (285 lbs.) and senior Matt Giel (189 lbs.) also competed for the Indians but did not advance.
Good luck to Head Coach Tim Giel and the team at the PIAAs, where SSA has won the team title the past two years.
Read the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review story about the PIAA Regionals.
Read the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette story about the PIAA Regionals.
