[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”]
4x King of The Mountain Champion Sam Krivus (Hempfield Area)
The 2014 King of The Mountain Tournament continued it’s impressive streak of talented programs an their top ranked wrestlers. Overall Bethlehem Catholic, now competing in Class AAA, earned it’s second straight Team Tournament Championship, but was only able to crown one individual Champion. Several PIAA State Champions participated and the match-ups were tightly contested. Hempfield Area senior Sam Krivus won his fourth straight KOM Championship with a win in the finals over 2014 PIAA State Champion Cameron Coy (Penn Trafford).
Final Brackets
Team Standings
Below is a recap of the finals.
#1 State ranked wrestler Matt Parker (Pennridge) secured his first King of the Mountain Championship with a (8-4) decision over junior Alan Diltz (Benton Area).
Junior #3 Kordell Rush (Pennridge) and fellow District 1 wrestler #4 Riley Palmer (Council Rock South) faced off in the finals at 113 lbs. The last time these two met was at the 2014 PIAA State Tournament where Rush was victorious (5-0). Both wrestlers would end up earning medals in Hershey. They also met two week prior to the State Tournament in the finals of the 2014 District 1 AAA East Tournament at 106 lbs where Palmer earned a 3-0 decision. The two came into the King of the Mountain ranked #3 and #4 respectively in the State at 113 lbs. but Palmer continued his sprint out of the gate this season with a decisive fall in the first period to earn his second straight KOM Championship title.
At 120 lbs. 2014 PIAA State runner-up John Pipa (Bishop McDevitt) didn’t get a State finals re-match against #2 Jake Reigel (Bethlehem Catholic) who fell in the semifinals to Charlie Lenox (McDowell). Pipa proved himself among the State’s top 120 lbs. wrestlers with a (2-0) decision.
2013 National Prep runner-up Ethan McCoy (Greater Latrobe) moved up two weight-classes this season and has apparently settled in fine. The junior had an impressive win in the semifinals over 2014 PIAA State Champion Luke Karam (5-4) to advance into the finals. There he met sophomore Zack Trampe (Council Rock South) who was a South East Regional 4th place finisher as a freshman. Trampe entered the Tournament undefeated (6-0) and left it the same way with a narrow (7-5) decision over McCoy.
In the marquee match-up of the evening 2x PIAA State Champion Luke Pletcher (Greater Latrobe) faced-off against 2014 PIAA State Champion Korbin Meyers (Boiling Springs). The last time these two wrestlers met was in 2012 at interestingly enough at the King of the Mountain Tournament. Competing at 113 lbs. Myers and Pletcher met in the consolation semifinals where Korbin was victorious (3-1 OT). It isn’t often Pletcher doesn’t have his hand raised at the end of a match. In fact Luke would not drop another match in his career to date. As expected the match was tight and each exchanged escapes in the last two periods. It was Pletchers take-down towards the end of the third period that propelled him to a (3-1) decision and the Championship title.
Up next another pair of PIAA State Champions squared-off as 2013 PIAA State Champion Sam Krivus (Hempfield Area) and Cameron Coy (Penn-Trafford) met in the finals at 138 lbs. Two months ago Krivus won the Super 32 Challenge at 138 lbs. while Coy placed fifth. The two will get to know each other quite well in the coming years as both have committed to the Virginia Cavaliers wrestling program. It was senior Krivus who proved to much for Coy in a (5-1) decision over the returning PIAA State Champion.
At 145 lbs. Hayden Hidlay (Mifflin County) entered the finals as the #3 ranked wrestler in the State. Hidlay had an easy road the the Championship title picking up a (12-3) major decision over #17 Jake WIllochell (Greater Latrobe). Overall Hidlay had a fall, two technical-falls and the major decision to claim the 145 lbs. title.
In an upset #14 Trevor Corl (Bellefonte Area) outlasted sophomore PIAA State Medalist #5 Mikey Labriola (Bethlehem Catholic) with a (3-1) decision in front of practically home crowd. The senior Corl is a 2x PIAA State Qualifier and a first time KOM Champion.
At 160 lbs. Penn Trafford Devin Austin continued his talented senior season remaining undefeated with a (3-2) decision over sophomore Jacob Oliver (Huntingdon Area). It was Austin’s second title this season winning the Eastern Area Championship last weekend defeating State Medalist Paul Dunn in the process. Oliver was another PIAA State Medalist to fall prey to Austin this season.
The second Greater Latrobe wrestler to earn a King of the Mountain Championship was 170 lbs. junior #3 Jake Shaffer. The 2014 PIAA State Medalist earned a 5-0 decision over junior #4 Adam Soldridge (Bethlehem Catholic). It appears Shaffer’s bump from 152 lbs. to 170 lbs. is no issue for the junior.
Another junior earned his first KOM Title as Stroudsburg’s John Jacobsen improved on his third place finish from a season ago, In the finals #3 Jacobsen was able to skirt by Pennirdge’s third finalist of the Tournament #4 Kyle Gentile (1-0). The junior Gentile had an impressive win in the semifinals over the second ranked wrestler in Class AA at 182 lbs. with a (5-2) over Corey Hazel (Penns Valley). After earning an escape in the second period Jacobsen held down Gentile for the one point victory.
North Allegheny senior Zach Smith followed up his two victories by fall, both under 30 seconds, to earn a (3-1) victory over #4 Trey Hartsock at 195 lbs. #2 at 220 lbs. is Bethlehem Catholic senior Andrew Dunn who cruised to the lone title for the District 11 power. Dunn, a 2x PIAA State Medalist, had three falls and two decisions en route to the Championship. In the finals Dunn shut down returning PIAA State Medalist #3 Jacob Robb (Kittanning) with a (10-4) victory.
#1 State ranked heavyweight Alan Beattie (Burrell) picked up his second straight KOM Championship after #8 Tyler Mears (Greater Latrobe) was unable to to continue in the match after being taken down by Beattie. The Burrell senior went untouched picking up two falls and two medical forfeits en route to the Championship.
[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]
