You can never figure a first-year wrestler will do well. Even if the wrestler in question has done well in junior high. Size and strength and physical maturity just have to be factored in; the game is faster and bigger for even the most accomplished young athlete.
In high school wrestling, a fairly large number of wrestlers are able to put all the tangibles in order and have a great senior season after paying their dues for one or two seasons, gaining confidence and maturity along the way. Especially if we look at qualifying for the PIAA tournament. A lesser number are able to master the plausibles earlier and have two big years. Still a smaller number get to have three strong seasons on the mat. When you talk about the number of young athletes, who begin wrestling varsity as a ninth grader and immediately do well, that is indeed, something to talk about in hushed tones reserved for legends. If a high school is lucky enough to count any of these super talented wrestlers in the history of the program, you can be assured they can count the number on one hand and have fingers left.
Tyrone Area High School wrestling fans had the rare chance to see two of those four-year wonders at the PIAA state tournament at the Giant Center in Hershey this past weekend. Both T. J. Albright, who saw his tournament end early and A. J. Schopp, who went to the limit and came away proud, but just a little short of the grandest goal in high school wrestling, answer to that category.
Schopp (40-4) reached the zenith of high school wrestling, in a state where most of the other states can only hope to achieve but can’t come close to the talent and ability of Pennsylvania wrestlers.
After opening with a 6-0 shutout win in his first experience at Hershey, over Bethlehem Catholic’s Bryan Smith and a big second-period pin over Derek Leiby of Troy, Schopp escaped a semifinal loss, by pulling of a heart-thrilling reversal in the final second of the ultimate tiebreaker rideout for a 2-0 win over Westmont-Hilltop freshman Trevor Kushner. The two District 6 foes, who had not met during the season, or at either of the District or Regional tournaments, wrestled scoreless through the first six minutes of regulation, the one-minute sudden death overtime period and both of the 30-second tiebreaker periods, added new this season. Then in the final 30-second rideout period, with Kushner choosing the top position and riding Schopp out for the first 29 seconds, A. J. was able to slip out from underneath and gain a reversal at the whistle to go on for the championship final on Saturday afternoon.
Schopp’s opponent in the final knew A. J. well. Shady Side Academy freshman Frank Martellotti, the District 7 champ and runner-up to Schopp at last week’s Southwest Regional, was back for another try against the Tyrone grappler, with a PIAA state championship in the balance.
“They both knew what each other had,” explained Tyrone wrestling coach Blair Packer. “This was the top of the heap with the best meeting the best. You have to be the very best and on this day, A. J. was only number two. Last week, he was the best. On any given day, either could come out on top.”
Like the Regional, Martellotti took an early 2-0 lead, countering a takedown attempt by Schopp with just three seconds gone in the match, for a takedown of his own. Martellotti choose neutral to start the second period, to avoid getting under Schopp, who turned him for tilts three times in the Regional during an 11-4 triumph. Again, Martellotti scored a takedown countering the Tyrone freshman. Each time, A. J. escaped to trail 4-2 after two periods.
With Schopp taking the top position, Martellotti wrestled defensively, knowing what to expect from Schopp’s tilt attempts. Although the referee called Martellotti twice for stalling, the additional point only closed the score to 4-3, when time ran out on Schopp’s 2006-07 season.
“Naturally, we are very disappointed right now, but I am extremely proud of A. J.,” said Packer. “He has a story to be told, a legend to laydown. He has mastered his sport. It is a matter of maturing and placing himself at the top of the rung. He has three years, after making it to this point as a freshman. That is simply sensational to make it here and to place second in the entire state. This should be motivation for the next three years. He has handled adversity and wants to prove he is number one in the state.”
Schopp is just the second Tyrone freshman to qualify and the second ninth grader to earn a medal at the PIAA state tournament. His 40 wins are the top mark by a Tyrone freshman, and only Terry Tate (47-0 in 2004-05, and 44-3 in 2003-04), Robert Waite (41-7 in 2005-06), and Dave Miller (40-9) in 2004-05) have ever won 40 matches for the Golden Eagles. Tate (2003-04) is the only other Eagle to win 40 as an underclassman.
The first Tyrone wrestler to qualify and place at the PIAA state tournament was T. J. Albright (32-12), who closes out an outstanding career as a Golden Eagle wrestler in second place in career wins with a 133-44 record. Albright claimed an eighth place state medal in his initial try at states. T. J. joins a very small group of Tyrone wrestlers to qualify for the PIAA state tournament three years, led by Bruce Wallace who place sixth as a sophomore before winning the state championship at 167 his final two years of high school wrestling. Albright, who won 30 matches or more all four years, leaves the Eagle wrestling program with only Terry Tate (149-24) ahead with more wins at Tyrone.
Albright had the misfortune to have to begin his state tournament against eventual 125-pound champ Andrew Arnold (40-3) of Northern Lehigh. Arnold had no trouble in pinning his next two opponents in 1:31, and 2:28, and had a solid 5-2 lead in the finals before giving up a late reversal in the final seconds, giving up only escapes in his four matches, prior to those final seconds.
Albright, wrestling up two weights this season, ran into a host of ranked wrestlers beginning early in the year, but still was able to rebound and qualify for his third trip to Hershey, completing a 32-12 senior season.
“T. J. has left his mark on the Tyrone wrestling program,” said Packer. “His legacy will be around for some time to come. He was the first freshman to place at state when he was eighth, and his work ethic instilled others around him to work harder.
“I tell the kids, that there are a lot of things that they have no control over when they wrestle. The preparation they put in, is one thing they can control. T. J. had that preparation and you could tell-it showed in his time on the mat at Tyrone.”
Five District 6-AA wrestlers made their way into the finals at Hershey. In addition to Schopp, Southern Huntingdon senior Cody Myers (38-3) finished second for the second straight year, falling 6-1, to three-time champ Troy Dolan (46-2) of Derry Area at 119. Penn Cambria senior Nathan Link (45-4) was edged 4-3 by Jordan Shields (42-4) of Burrell, at 130. Matt Moore (36-1) of Blairsville, avenged his only loss in the Southwest Regional semifinals beating Zak Klinvex of Shady Side Academy in the semifinals and then won the state title at 160, with a 3-0 win over Line Mountain sophomore Jon Fausey (37-3) 3-0. Westmont-Hilltop sophomore Zach Bennett (40-1) defeated Berwick junior Aaron Karns 11-7, in the 189-pound finals to give District 6 two champs and three runner-ups among 10 wrestlers who medaled.
In other Double-A wrestling, John Prezzia (fourth at 112) of South Side Beaver, Scott Clymer (third at 135) of Northwestern Lehigh, and Nikko Leitzel of Ridgway (third at 140) all failed to repeat after winning a title last year. Kellen Harris (44-0) of Sharon, won his second championship at 215.
In Triple-A action, 11 District 6 wrestlers earned medals, with Bald Eagle Area junior Quentin Wright ((41-0) completing an undefeated season with a 6-3 win over Matt Ryan of Canon-MacMillan, in the finals at 160. Indian Valley senior Nic Bedelyon (119) and State College junior Steve Bosak (145) both coming in second at their respective weight class.
Tim Darling (46-4) of Nazareth won his third straight state title at 152, defeating defending champ Ryan Goodman (37-2) of Greater Latrobe, 2-1 in the second tiebreaker. Zac Kummerer (53-5) won his second straight title with a 13-6 win over Tony Dellago (40-9) of Central Dauphin at 140. Jordan Oliver moved up two weight classes to win his second title besting Bedelyon 4-1.
Canon-MacMillan junior Colin Johnson (37-3), a champ at 112 last year was upset at 125, by Governor Mifflin senior Cory Houser (23-1) 13-8.
