McCort's Gibson tops 2-time state champ, Forest Hills' Arrington dominates at super regional

Eric Knopsnyder, The Tribune-Democrat, Johnstown, Pa.
·4 min read

Mar. 7—INDIANA — For months Mason Gibson and Jackson Arrington have been showing that they're on a different level than most of their high school wrestling opponents.

Arrington still hasn't been seriously tested, but Gibson finally got a challenge at the PIAA Class 2A West Super Regional on Saturday at the Kovalchick Athletic and Convention Center. Both won titles — the only local wrestlers to do so — and earned a spot in the state tournament.

They will be state medalists along with Chestnut Ridge's Ross Dull (126 pounds) and Luke Moore (152), Richland's Cooper Warshel (145), North Star's Connor Yoder (152), Forest Hills' Ryan Weyandt (160), Cambria Heights' Ian Eckenrode (189) and Meyersdale's Jalen Stephens (285).

Arrington beat Harbor Creek's Connor Pierce 21-8 for the 132-pound title. Arrington is the weight's top-ranked wrestler in Class 2A, while Pierce is No. 4, and both juniors picked up career win No. 100 in the semifinals, but the North Carolina State recruit showed just how large the gap is between the two.

"Just wrestling at such a high pace, that's my style," said Arrington, who won a PIAA title as a freshman and finished third last season. "I go out and score takedowns and score as much as I can in those six minutes. I think everything takes care of itself when I do that."

In the semifinals, Arrington pinned Beth-Center's Kyle McCollum in 1:06 for his 100th career victory.

Bishop McCort Catholic's Gibson, who is the top-ranked freshman in the nation at any weight, beat two-time PIAA champion Gary Steen of Reynolds 5-1 for the 120-pound championship.

After piling up takedowns in two victories by technical fall to reach the final, Gibson took the lead against Steen with his mat wrestling. He tilted the Penn State recruit for two nearfall points in the second period. Steen eventually escaped, and Gibson matched that in the third. There were several high-level flurries between the wrestlers, but Gibson scored the lone takedown on a beautiful duck-under with less than 20 seconds remaining in the third period.

"It was a pretty close match," Gibson said. "I think in the third period, I wrestled just to win. Third period, I didn't push enough. I'm not satisfied with that. I'm mad at myself.

"But overall, it was a great match. Gary went out there a ball of fire, I went (like a) ball of fire. We just let it loose. He's going for inside trips, I'm going for headlocks. Two of the best wrestlers going at it, just loving the sport, loving what they do."

Gibson and Steen will be favored to meet again in the finals at the Giant Center on Friday.

"I would love it," Gibson said of a potential rematch. "Gary Steen is one heck of a wrestler. I love these hard-fought matches. I hope to see him again in the state finals and put another show on for the crowd and the wrestling fans."

Gibson wasn't the only local freshman to impress at the tournament. North Star's Connor Yoder placed second at 152 pounds, losing 17-6 to Laurel's Grant MacKay.

After taking fourth at the Southwest Regional tournament a week ago, Yoder knocked off Northwest champ Jack Rimpa of Fort LeBoeuf on Saturday with a takedown in overtime.

Yoder then upset Chestnut Ridge's Moore — who had beaten him in the District 5 championship — in the semifinals.

"That was really nice," Yoder said. "I'd have much rather gotten that win here today in the semis than two weeks ago at districts. It means a lot more now."

Moore ended up placing third at 152 pounds, while Dull was fourth at 126. Chestnut Ridge's Calan Bollman, who was a state runner-up at 106 last season, placed fifth at 113 on Saturday and will not advance to Hershey.

"I thought Calan wrestled a lot better this week, even though he didn't make it," Lions coach Josh Deputy said. "Ross, he's a grinder. He's a kid that has done the right thing all year long. .... It's great for Luke as well."

Weyandt, Eckenrode and Stephens each placed fourth in his weight class.

Eckenrode had one of the more dramatic victories of the tournament. In the consolation semifinals — known as the blood round because it determines which wrestlers will earn a state medal — the Cambria Heights wrestler trailed Quaker Valley's Patrick Cutchember 5-4 late in the third period. When Cutchember scored a takedown with 18 seconds remaining, it appeared as though Eckenrode would fall short of his goal, but he reversed the District 7 champion and pinned him with just five seconds on the clock.