(Pictured: The Canon-McMillan Girls Wrestling Club with their Coaches)
After winning the Team WPIAL Title and placing 4th as a team in the PIAA State Championships. The varsity boys wrestling team then began competition in the individual portion of the post season. At the Southern Sectional Big Mac Grapplers grabbed 11 placements including 3 Champions: Tanner Mizenko 1st 109, Andrew Binni 1st 129, Gabriel Stafford 1st 191, followed by Matthew Furman 2nd, Geno Calgaro 2nd, Collier Hartman 3rd, Ryder Joseph 3rd, Luke Shaffer 5th, Mason Williams 5th, Brandon Dami 6th, and Blake Ward 6th. Based on these places, these wrestlers then qualified for the WPIAL tournament the following weekend. At the WPIAL tournament, the wrestlers then earned another 5 medals including Tanner Mizenko who became a 2023 WPIAL Champion at 109 pounds. This is Canon-McMillan's 157th WPIAL Champion which is the record. Also, earning medals was Andrew Binni 2nd, Matthew Furman 2nd, Gabriel Stafford 5th, and Geno Calgaro 8th. Gabriel Stafford's 5th place match win earned him his 100th career victory joining his teammate Matthew Furman who was also able to earn his 100th career victory this season. Furman ends his high school career with 125 wins. Top 4 from the WPIAL tournament then qualified for the PIAA State tournament the following weekend. At the state tournament CM finished with 2 wrestlers in the finals. Andrew Binni dropped a hard fought 8 - 5 match to a senior who is 8th ranked in the nation and is now a 3X State Champ. Andrew is a junior and will look to win the championship next season. Matthew Furman also battled hard but dropped a 9 - 2 decision to the number 1 ranked wrestler in the nation who is a 4X finalist and 2X champ. Matthew Furman has been selected to wrestle in the All-Star Event the Dapper Dan Wrestling Classic Saturday March 25th at Peters Township High School which starts at 4:00 PM. After that he will further his academic and wrestling career at Cornell University.
The Canon-McMillan Girls Wrestling Team began their individual post season at the Western Regional hosted at Kiski Area High School. The Lady Macs finished with 11 placers which all qualified for the State Tournament. There were 4 Champions, Valarie Solorio 1st 100, Madison Mansmann 1st 106,Paige Ward 1st 155 and Natalie Rush 1st 190. Also placing were Grace O'Korn 2nd, Leilani Ramos 3rd, Dynisty Williams 3rd, Audrey Calgaro 3rd, Elizabeth Elliott 4th, Capri Chambers 5th and Sienna Van Balen 5th. The following weekend at the State Tournament hosted at Central Dauphin High School, the Lady Macs followed up with an impressive 6 placers which included our very first girls wrestling State Champion Valarie Solorio, who pinned her way through the 100 pound bracket. In the finals she won by fall over the returning 100 pound State Champion. The Lady Macs also had 2 other finalist with Elizabeth Elliott dropping a hard fought 7 - 6 decision to the 20th ranked wrestler in the nation. This coming after she defeated the 12th ranked wrestler in the nation in the semi-finals. Natalie Rush also came up short in the finals as she got caught in a pinning combination while winning. Both Valarie and Natalie will return next year and be looking to get to the top of the podium. Elizabeth will continue her academic and wrestling career at the University of the Cumberlands. Joining these wrestlers on the podium were Dynisty Williams 4th, Madi Mansmann 5th and Audrey Calgaro 5th. Dynisty and Audrey will both be back next season looking to improve while Madi is currently entertaining scholarship offers from more than one college. When the dust settled at the Girls State Tournament the Lady Macs were crowned as the 2023 State Team Champions scoring 137 points, the 2nd place team finished with 92.5.
The coaching staff also earned some awards this season as AJ WIlliams was named Section 6 Junior High Coach of the Year following the junior high's Section Championship season. Jurdon Maier was named Section 6 Assistant Coach of the Year and Head Coach Brian Krenzelak was named Section 6 Coach of the Year and WPIAL Coach of the Year. All of these awards were voted on by their peers.
Congratulations to both the boys and girls wrestling teams on an amazing season which was earned through their hard work and perseverance!