Luke Pletcher Wins 5th PJW Championship

Luke Pletecher, an eighth grade student at Greater Latrobe Junior High, captured his 5th Pennsylvania Junior Wrestling Championship on Saturday. Pletcher, who also competes for Rob Waller’s All-American Wrestling Club, won the 13 & 14 Division 107 LBS Championship with a (2-0) decision in the finals over Todd Lane of North Schuykill. It was Pletcher’s fifth straight PJW Title, winning previous Championships in 2011 at 92 LBS also in the 13 & 14 Division, 2010 at 85 LBS and 2009 at 70 LBS both in the 12 & 11 Division, and his first in 2008 at 65 LBS in the 10 & Under Division. This season Luke also won the WPIAL Junior High Championship at 105 LBS. Pletcher competed in the prestigious Super 32 Tournament last October and placed 4th at 106 LBS in a field that featured some of the Nation’s top 106 LBS wrestlers. The Super 32 106 LBS Champion was Michael Kemerer (Franklin Regional) who recently took 2nd at the PIAA State Championships at 106 LBS. In the semi-finals of the Super 32 Kemerer defeated Pletcher 1-0 in ultimate tiebreaker (view the match here).

Also capturing a PJW title this weekend was Eric Hong who won his 4th straight Championship. Hong, an eighth grade student at Riverview Junior/Senior High School in Oakmont, PA, claimed the 13 & 14 Division 92 LBS Championship with a (1-0) decision over WPIAL rival Ethan McCoy of Greater Latrobe. Hong won previous PJW titles in 2011 at 85 LBS in the 11 & 12 Division, in 2010 at 75 LBS in the 11 & 12 Division, and his first in 2009 at 65 LBS in the 10 & Under Division. Hong also placed 3rd at the Super 32 at 95 LBS in the Middle School Division and recently won the WPIAL Junior High Championship at 95 LBS with a (4-3) decision over Ethan McCoy of Greater Latrobe.