O'HARA TWP — Seneca Valley's wrestling program made history Saturday.

Knoch wrestler Guy DeLeonardis came within a whisker of doing the same.

The Raiders qualified 12 wrestlers for this weekend's WPIAL Championships by placing a dozen among the top five of their respective weight classes at the WPIAL Section 3 Tournament Saturday at Fox Chapel High School.

“We got nine through down here last year,” SV coach Kevin Wildrick said. “We've never gotten 12 through in one year. That says a lot for where our program's at right now.”

Wildrick was named Section 3-AAA Coach of the Year for the third consecutive season.

“It's nice that the committee thinks of me that way. It means a lot,” he said.

The Raiders put seven wrestlers in section title matches. Tyler Chappell at 106 pounds, Dylan Chappell at 120 and Alejandro Herrera-Rondon at 132 won section championships.

Herrera-Rondon (35-3), a junior, claimed his third section crown. Dylan Chappell (41-4) won his second.

“It's hard enough just winning one title in this section,” Wildrick said. “Winning two or more is a major accomplishment.”

Hunter Swedish at 113, Chanz Shearer at 138, Antonio Amelio at 145 and Liam Volk-Klos at 170 were section runner-ups for the Raiders.

Also advancing for SV are Drew Vlasnik at 152, Patrick Johnson at 182, Caden Leighty at 195, Nick Funovits at 220 and Davin Beahm at 285.

“Leighty (9-15) is our biggest surprise,” Wildrick said. “He's normally a 160-pounder. We had no one at 195 and I jokingly asked the kids if anybody wanted to fill that spot. Caden said he wanted to try it.

“The kid ate food like crazy this week to gain the weight to qualify, then took fourth place. I think it's great. There's a kid who wanted to get on the mat.”

DeLeonardis reached the 160-pound final for Knoch, which has never had a section champion in its 14-year history. He trailed Alex Wecht (26-6) of Fox Chapel 3-2 when he apparently took Wecht down to the mat with 37 seconds left.

The official ruled the takedown out of bounds and Wecht held on for the decision, handing DeLeonardis (20-1) his first loss of the season.

“That takedown was inbounds. At least, I thought it was,” DeLeonardis said. “That kid kept fleeing the mat and you're not allowed to do that.

“It's just disappointing, that's all.”

Knoch coach Grayson Hixon said “I'm not happy with the officiating in that match ... That's all I'm gonna say about it.

“The big tournament (WPIAL) is coming up. That's the one that counts. Guy will be ready for it.”

So will Knoch's other three qualifiers — Eli Reese (second at 285), Kam Grassi (fifth at 138) and Kyle Lauster (fifth at 170).

Butler is sending six wrestlers to the WPIAL tourney, including 195-pound section runner-up Caleb Hartung (30-8).

But overall, Butler coach Scott Stoner was not pleased.

“This is a tough tournament and we didn't wrestle at the level necessary to compete here,” Stoner said. “We got what we deserved.”

Levi Donnel at 113 and Cooper Baxter at 170 both took third place. Nate McMaster at 145 and Steven Green at 152 placed fourth, Clayton Dressler fifth at 126.

“Steven's weight class was the toughest one here,” Stoner said. “The three who finished in front of him (unbeaten Cole Spencer, 33-win wrestler Grant MacKay and SV's Vlasnik) could all do well at states.”

Mars is advancing four wrestlers to the WPIAL meet, all as fourth-place finishers: Rocco Darocy at 113, Brandon Kuhl at 120, Christian Scheller at 138 and Sean McElhinny at 160.

“We did better than expected,” Mars coach Bob Jox said. “Sean's our only senior. We got two sophomores and a freshman through and that bodes well for the future.”

Championship Finals

106-Tyler Chappell (Seneca Valley) dec. Anthony Ferraro (Pine-Richland) 6-2; 113-Nick Gorman (North Allegheny) dec. Hunter Swedish (Seneca Valley) 11-7 in OT; 120-Dylan Chappell (Seneca Valley) dec. Dylan Coy (North Allegheny) 2-0; 126-Zach Wright (Hampton) pinned Robert Palmieri (Pine-Richland) 1:24; 132-Alejandro Herrera-Rondon (Seneca Valley) dec. Kelin Laffey (Pine-Richland) 5-0; 138-Sam Hillegas (North Hills) maj. dec. Chanz Shearer (Seneca Valley) 15-2; 145-Nathan Lukez (Pine-Richland) dec. Antonio Amelio (Seneca Valley) 3-1; 152-Cole Spencer (Pine-Richland) pinned Grant MacKay (North Allegheny) 5:45; 160-Alex Wecht (Fox Chapel) dec. Guy DeLeonardis (Knoch) 3-2; 170-Tyler Kocak (Hampton) pinned Liam Volk-Klos (Seneca Valley) 1:55; 182-Justin Hart (Hampton) dec. Nick Marcenelle (North Allegheny) 3-2; 195-Logan Harmon (Armstrong) maj. dec. Caleb Hartung (Butler) 13-1; 220-Dawson Dietz (Hampton) pinned Ed Farrell (Fox Chapel) 1:25; Hwt.-Ben Grafton (North Allegheny) maj. dec. Eli Reese (Knoch) 11-1

Consolation Finals

106-Sam Horton (North Allegheny) pinned Derrick Falk (North Hills) :45; 113-Levi Donnel (Butler) pinned Rocco Darocy (Mars) 1:25; 120-Michael Kinzey (Armstrong) pinned Brandon Krul (Mars) 4:05; 126-Nathan Monteparte (North Allegheny) dec. Matt Sewatka (North Hills) 6-3; 132-Daniel Turner (Indiana) dec. Jeremy MacPherson (North Hills) 6-3; 138-Max Stedeford (North Allegheny) pinned Christian Scheller (Mars) 1:58; 145-Frederick Junko (North Allegheny) dec. Nate McMaster (Butler) 5-2; 152-Drew CVlasnik (Seneca Valley) dec. Steven Green (Butler) 5-1; 160-Ian Branstetter (North Allegheny) dec. Sean McElhinny (Mars) 8-2; 170-Cooper Baxter (Butler) tech. fall Ethan Mikovitz (North Hills) 4:17 (16-1); 182-Aj Ryan (Indiana) tech. fall Luke O'Conner (Fox Chapel) 3:00 (18-1); 195-Aaron Pepmeyer (North Hills) dec. Caden Leighty (Seneca Valley) 3-1; 220-Zach Shaver (Pine-Richland) dec. Damon Thompson (North Hills) 3-1; Hwt.-Tanner Smith (Indiana) pinned Davin Beahm (Seneca Valley) 6:41

5th-6th Place

106-Tyler Skalican (Indiana) maj. dec. Matthew Frank (Knoch) 12-3; 113-Liam McFarlane (Indiana) pinned Shane Simpson (Pine-Richland) 2:31; 120-Ray Worsen (Fox Chapel) dec. Nick Schaukowitsch (Butler) 6-2; 126-Clayton Dressler (Butler) pinned Braeden Trumbull (Armstrong) 2:12; 132-Aj Rohan (North Allegheny) dec. Colton Spohn (Butler) 1-0; 138-Kameron Grassi (Knoch) dec. Jack Turner (Indiana) 8-2; 145-Bradley Petras (Indiana) pinned Hunter Turner (Armstrong) 3:42; 152-Noah Cooper (Armstrong) pinned Jake Patterson (Fox Chapel) 1:34; 160-Jacob Lukez (Pine-Richland) forfeit over Nate McDonald (Butler); 170-Kyle Lauster (Knoch) pinned Luke Levendusky (Pine-Richland) 2:40; 182-Patrick Johnson (Seneca Valley) pinned Sam Freyermuth (Knoch) 4:59; 195-Jayden Resch (Hampton) pinned Henry Gavazzi (Fox Chapel) 1:16; 220-Nick Funovits (Seneca Valley) dec. Luke Rumpler (North Allegheny) 7-4; Hwt.-Jordan White (Fox Chapel) pinned Zak Dillingham (Armstrong) :35