By Ken Wunderley
Tri-State Sports & News Service

Shaler senior Ryan Sullivan, a two-time PIAA Class 3A finalist and  one-time champ, has scratched from Friday’s WPIAL Class 3A Tournament with a broken right hand.

“It happened in the first 10 seconds of the section finals,” said Sullivan, referring last Saturday’s Section 3 title match against Pine-Richland freshman Kelin Laffey. “I made a move and planted my hand on the mat and I heard a snap like twigs breaking.”

Sullivan (28-1), a Pitt recruit, took injury time, then continued the bout and recorded a 2-0 victory, despite not being able to use his hand. “I knew it was broke, but I didn’t want to default in my last high school match,” Sullivan said. “I took him down in the second period and rode him almost four minutes. It was so painful.”

Sullivan was a two-time WPIAL and PIAA finalist. He placed second in both tournaments as a 106-pound sophomore and won both tournaments last year at 113 pounds. “It really sucks,” said Sullivan, who will be wearing a cast for 6-8 weeks. “But there is nothing I can do about it.”

 

One of Many

In addition to Ryan Sullivan there are several other former State Finalists and who, for various reason, will not be competing this weekend. Unfortunalty for most they are seniors who saw their successful high school careers come to an early end.

 

Patrick DeMark – Trinity – 126 Pounds

Trinity junior Patrick DeMark stormed into the PIAA State Finalist last season at 106 pounds after transferring from Cumberland Valley where he was a State Qualifier as a freshman. He fell in the finals to Gary Steen but proved he was one of the State’s top lightweights in the process. This season DeMark moved up to 126 pounds and last week took fifth at the District 3 Championships after injuring his shoulder in the first round. Despite qualifying for the Southeast Regional DeMark will miss the rest of the post-season due to the injury. 

 

Kollin Myers – Boiling Springs – 145 Pounds

A two-time PIAA State Finalist, Boiling Springs senior Kollin Myers won’t get a chance to final capture gold. The Lock Haven recruit was injured at the King of The Mountain Tournament and did not enter the post-season. He was second last year to Nathan Haubert of Palisades and this year would have be in contention yet again.

 

Julian Gorring – Fort LeBoeuf – 182 Pounds

A week prior to the start of the post-season 2018 PIAA State Finalist Julian Gorring was suspended which removed the senior from post-season competition. He was fourth as a sophomore and fell in the 182 pound finals to Cody Mulligan (Saegertown). Gorring, who is heading to Appalachian State, was ranked #1 in the State before the suspension. 

 

Dominic Fundy – Beth-Center – 195 Pounds

The last two years have not been kind to Beth-Center wrestler Dominic Fundy. He was a PIAA State Runner-up in 2017 at 182 pounds falling to Saegertown’s Cody Mulligan. Since then he has battled injury after injury. Last year as a junior he was (16-1) and looking for another crack at a State Championship at 182 pounds when he suffered a season ending injury. In his final season Fundy tried to bounce back at 195 pounds but was never able to get back into a rhythm. In the WPIAL Tournament he was forced to injury default out effectively ending his high school career. 

 

Chase Dull – Bermudian Springs – 195 Pounds

2018 PIAA State Finalist Chase Dull of Bermudian Springs won’t get another shot in 2019 when he was suspended forcing him to sit out. In 2018 he made his first PIAA State Tournament and advanced all the way to the finals at 195 pounds where he fell to Gavin Hoffman (Montoursville Area). This season Dull competed at 220 pounds and 195 pounds going undefeated and ranked #1 in the State before his suspension.