Central Mountain’s Luke Simcox Takes Second at Powerful Powerade Tournament at 139
By Joe Walker
CANONSBURG-Central Mountain Wildcat senior Luke Simcox took second place at the powerful Powerade Tournament, as he lost a 10-3 decision to Bishop McCorts’ Bo Bassett in the championship finals at 139 pounds. Bassett is ranked number one in the country, while Simcox is ranked sixth in the country.
Simcox earned his berth in the finals with a 1-0 decision over Maddox Shaw of Thomas-Jefferson in the semifinals. Simcox had defeated Shaw by the identical 1-0 score in the PIAA Class AAA finals last season to claim his state title. Shaw came into the Powerade match ranked fourth in the country at 144 pounds.
Prep school powerhouse Wyoming Seminary won their third straight team title with 229 points, as they crowned three champions and had a total of eight wrestlers finish in the top four of their weight class. The Wildcats finished in 12th place with 82 points, while the State College Little Lions finished in seventh place with 125 points and three champions. The Wildcats and Little Lions were the two highest placing public schools in the tournament.
The Little Lions saw Pierson Manville (145), Asher Cunningham (160) and Nicholas Palvechko (285) all crowned champions. Manville’s 145 final was the featured bout and saved for last of the evening, as Manville, ranked number one in the country, decisioned John Consiglio of Malvern Prep 1-0 in the finals. Consiglio is ranked number two in the country at the same weight.
The Wildcat duo of Griffin Walizer (145) and Giovanni Tarantella (285) both finished one win away from placing in the top eight at their respective weights. Walizer dropped a 4-1 decision to Ryan Lawler of Bishop McDevitt in the consolations. Lawler placed fourth in last year’s PIAA Class AA state tournament.
Tarantella fell 5-2 to returning Tennessee state champion Tyson Russell, who finished in fifth place. Both Walizer and Tarantella went 2-2 in the tournament, as Walizer is now 12-4 and Tarantella 12-5 in the current season.
In the championship finals at 215, Muncy standout Austin Johnson dropped a tough 4-3 decision to Jude Correa of Wyoming Seminary. Johnson is a defending Class AA state champion, after being a runner-up as a freshmen, while Correa is a two-time national Prep school champion and heading to Michigan University to wrestle next year.
The Wildcats will be back into dual meet action on Thursday, as they travel to Selinsgrove and battle the Seals in a Heartland Conference match-up.
Top 12 team standings: (70 teams total)
- Wyoming Seminary, 229 pts; 2. Saint Edwards (OH), 187.5; 3. Malvern Prep, 173; 4. Bishop McCort, 160; 5. St. Joseph Regional (NJ), 158; 6. Lake Highland Prep (FL), 154; 7. State College, 125; 8. Delbarton Prep (NJ), 124.5; 9. Bergen Catholic (NJ), 99; 10. Christian Brothers Academy (NJ), 91.5; 11. Notre Dame GP, 87.5; 12. Central Mountain, 82.
Championship Finals:
152 – Vince Bouzakis (Wyoming Seminary) dec. Jaxon Joy (Wadsworth, OH), 3-2
160 – Asher Cunningham (State College) dec. Alessio Perentin (Delbarton, NJ), 6-4.
172 – Gage Wright (Parkersburg South, WV) dec. Ryan Burton (St. Joe Regional), 4-2
189 – Jarrell Miller, Jr. (St. Edwards, OH) dec. Jake Dailey (Wyoming Seminary), 5-3.
215 – Jude Correa (Wyoming Seminary) dec. Austin Johnson (Muncy), 4-3.
285 – Nicholas Pavlechko (State College) dec. Rocco Dellagatta (St. Joe Regional, NJ), 2-0 107 – Dominic Deputy (Chestnut Ridge) dec. Cameron Sontz (Delbarton, NJ), 3-2 114 – Landon Sidun (Norwin) dec. Ayden Smith (Notre Dame GP), 6-1 121 – Nate Desmond (Wyoming Seminary) dec. Karson Brown (St. Edwards, OH), 5-0 127 – Jax Forrest (Bishop McCort) WBF Eren Sement (Council Rock North), 5:25 133 – Nick O’Neill (Malvern Prep) dec. Mathew Botello (Wyoming Seminary) 5-2 139 – Bo Bassett (Bishop McCort) dec. Luke Simcox (Central Mountain), 10-3.
