Seneca Valley (PA) senior Alejandro Herrera-Rondon claims his third PIAA state title at the Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania, in March 2021. Image courtesy of Ashley Chase/ Pittsburgh Sports Now.
For the freestyle wrestling fans out there, the Olympic Trials this Friday and Saturday will likely be your event of choice. That said, don't forget that one of the best annual high school all-star events, the 47th annual Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic, is Friday evening as well.
Team Pennsylvania will be looking to break a losing streak to Team USA that dates back to 2011 on Friday in the second of two marquee dual meet matchups. The event is sure to feature a plethora of future NCAA All-Americans and possibly a few Division I national champs.
Of the 20 recent 2021 NCAA finalists in St. Louis, exactly half (10) are former PWC alums. Similarly, six of the ten 2021 national champions have previously appeared in the event known as the Rose Bowl of wrestling (David Carr, Shane Griffith, Carter Starocci, and Gable Steveson, Austin O'Connor, and Spencer Lee).
Before the main event at 6 p.m., there is a dual at 4 p.m., which features an all-star team from Maryland against a team full of PIAA District 7 studs.
Another must-see match is a bout between the No. 1 and No. 2 girls in the nation at 127 pounds. Top-ranked Adrienna Turner (Davis, CA) meets No. 2 Montana Delawder (Gettysburg, PA).
Here are the twelve matches taking place in the main event and my projected victor for in bout.
120 - Brett Ungar (Notre Dame-Green Pond) vs. Richie Figueroa (Selma, CA)
Notre Dame-Green Pond's Brett Ungar comes to the PWC after a red-hot PIAA postseason. The future Cornell lightweight bested the two-time Class-2A champ Gary Steen (Reynolds) in the state semifinals and then shocked the PA wrestling community by pinning freshman phenom Mason Gibson (Bishop McCort) to claim his gold medal. Ungar earned OW honors in Hershey to close out his prep career. He concluded his high school career as a four-time state medalist and a two-time champion. His first title came in 2018-19 while competing for Hunterdon Central in New Jersey.
Ungar will battle three-time California state champion Richie Figueroa. While Figueroa is one of the top seniors in the Class of 2021, he and all other Cali competitors have missed significant time on the mat due to coronavirus restrictions in the Garden State. Still, the 2018 Cadet World silver medalist cannot be overlooked.
Miller's Pick: Figueroa
126 - Joey Fischer (South Park) vs. Drake Ayala (Fort Dodge, IA)
Joey Fischer finally won his first Pennsylvania state title this season. Fischer was previously a runner-up as a junior in 2020 and a fourth-place finisher as a sophomore in 2019. Arguably his most impressive appearance of the year came at Powerade 54 tournament, where he also took home gold. His path to the crown was far from easy.
He went through Ohio state champion Dustin Norris (LaSalle, OH) and 2020 PIAA Class-3A title-winner Ethan Berginc (Hempfield Area). Fischer also possesses a Junior national freestyle title from Fargo in 2018 on his resume.
Fischer's opponent, Drake Ayala, has Junior freestyle accolades of his own, but from 2019. Ayala has a medal from his Cadet days, too. Ayala boasts three Iowa state titles and four finals appearances. Ayala, a top-five prospect Class of 2021, will compete for the hometown Hawkeyes in college.
Miller's Pick: Ayala
132 - Dylan Chappell (Seneca Valley) vs. Chance Lamer (Crescent Valley, OR)
For the third year in a row, Dylan Chappell's season ended in heartbreak at the Class-3A state finals. The future Bucknell wrestler ends his career as a three-time PIAA runner-up. Still, Chappell also has a trio of top-three finishes at the Powerade, arguably the Keystone State's most challenging event. Chappell also has a podium finish at the always-tough Super 32 from 2018 to his credit as well.
Chance Lamer, a rare Oregon prep and future Michigan Wolverine is a three-time Oregon state champion. Lamer has a Super 32 finals appearance to his name as well. High school accolades aside, Lamer's has built a reputation for himself on the international circuit. He took home a bronze medal at the 2018 Cadet World Championships. Lamer's credentials also include a Greco title and a silver in freestyle.
Miller's Pick: Lamer
138 - Brock McMillen (Glendale) vs. Carter Young (Stillwater, OK)
A pair of matching three-time state champions and four-time finalists will be in a slug-fest at 138 pounds as Brock McMillen challenges Carter Young. McMillen was a state runner-up as a freshman before reeling off a trio of Class-2A PIAA crowns. He will remain local as a collegiate, choosing Keith Gavin and the Pitt Panthers.
Young mirrored McMillen in that he was a state runner-up as a freshman, then earned three consecutive golds. Young, however, was a double Cadet finalist in Fargo in 2017 (winning Greco) and got onto the Junior podium in freestyle during his latest appearance on the freestyle circuit. Carter is set to be a Northwestern Wildcat this fall.
Miller's Pick: McMillen
145 - Wyatt Henson (Waynesburg) vs. Caleb Rathjen (Ankeny, IA)
This pairing of future Iowa Hawkeye teammates will look to put on a show for the fans watching in Iowa City. Wyatt Henson, son of world champion and Olympic silver medalist Sammie Henson, is one of the nation's most heralded senior recruits. Wyatt has earned three state championships, one in Missouri and two in Pennsylvania. Henson also has a pair of bronze medals in Fargo at the Cadet and Junior freestyle events.
Caleb Rathjen is a four-time Iowa state finalist, falling just short as a freshman and senior. Like Henson, Rathjen had gotten onto the podium twice in Fargo, both as a Cadet. He was a runner-up in 2018 and a seventh-place finisher in 2017. Rathjen is dropping down to 145 for the PWC after a 2021 postseason at 152.
Miller's Pick: Henson
152 - Alejandro Herrera-Rondon (Seneca Valley) vs. Victor Voinovich (Brecksville, OH)
One of the most anticipated bouts of the day will occur at 152, where both guys are top-5 national recruits. Alejandro Herrera-Rondonclaimed his third PA AAA title in 2021 after jumping a whopping three weights following a fourth-place finish as a junior. It was the second year in which Herrera-Rondon had a large weight gain. He began his career at 106. During the regular season, Herrera-Rondon made his third Powerade final and won his second title in an utterly loaded weight.
Victor Voinovich of the Buckeye State, ranked No. nationally by some sites, will likely be Herrera-Rondon’s biggest test of the season. Voinovich grabbed his second Ohio state crown in three attempts. Voinovich is an acclaimed freestyle competitor as well. The future Oklahoma State Cowboy appeared in the Junior freestyle finals in Fargo.
At the next level, both Herrera-Rondon and Voinovich will take part in the historic Bedlam rivalry. Herrera-Rondon has signed with Oklahoma, while Voinovich committed to bitter rival Oklahoma State.
Miller’s Pick: Herrera-Rondon
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