University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Pitt
Clarion Open
Pitt Crowns Two Champions at Clarion Open
11/5/2023 8:00:00 PM | Wrestling
Clarion, Pa.—Twenty-one Pitt wrestlers opened their 2023-24 campaigns on a busy day of collegiate wrestling action on Sunday at the annual Clarion Open at Tippin Gymnasium.
The day was a success for the Panthers, who came in at No. 16 as a team in the NWCA Coaches Poll this week ahead of the beginning of the new season. Four Pitt wrestlers advanced to individual finals and two were crowned as Clarion Open champions on Sunday evening.
Reece Heller, who starts this season ranked 14th in the InterMat poll at 184 pounds, added to his trophy case that already includes his 2022 Midlands Championships winner's medal by claiming the famous helmet given to Clarion Open victors. Heller dominated his bracket on Sunday, winning two matches by fall, two by technical fall and another by forfeit for bonus points in all five of his matches.
At 197 pounds, Mac Stout defended his Clarion Open title after triumphing in this tournament in his collegiate debut last season. Pitt's replacement for 2023 NCAA champion Nino Bonaccorsi, Stout also won five bouts on Sunday without being taken down and justified his preseason No. 16 ranking despite being just a redshirt freshman following in the footsteps of a legend at the University of Pittsburgh.
Full results from Pitt's action at the Clarion Open are available below.
Also making news by advancing to individual finals on Sunday for the Panthers were two more redshirt freshmen who could prove to be valuable additions to the lineup this season.
At 133 pounds, Vinnie Santaniello upset No. 8 Nic Bouzakis of Ohio State by a decisive 11-4 margin in the semifinal and should vault up the national rankings after an impressive collegiate debut. Only top rated high school wrestler Bo Bassett prevented Santaniello from claiming gold in a thrilling final.
And at 149 pounds, Finn Solomon knocked off No. 26 Dylan Chappell of Bucknell in a tight semifinal for his fifth and final win of the day that should put him in contention to earn a national ranking.
Pitt also produced several other place-winners at Clarion, with Briar Priest and Anthony Santaniello battling to third- and fourth-place finishes, respectively, at 141 pounds, while Jared Keslar took fifth at 157 pounds and Jack Pletcher fought back for sixth in the 149-pound bracket.
Next Sunday, the 16th-ranked Panthers will test themselves in dual action for the first time this season at Navy with a trio of matches against the hosting Midshipmen as well as Morgan State and VMI.
125 Pounds, No. 33 Colton Camacho, 0-2
Round of 32: Jax Forrest maj. dec. No. 33 Colton Camacho (Pitt), 18-5
Consolations: Drew West (Gardner-Webb) pins No. 33 Colton Camacho (Pitt), 5:19
125 Pounds, Jordan Villareal, 2-2
Round of 32: No. 1 Matt Ramos (Purdue) tech fall Jordan Villareal (Pitt), 15-0 (3:41)
Consolations: Jordan Villareal (Pitt) maj. dec. Ernie Perry, 13-5
Consolations: Jordan Villareal (Pitt) dec. Gunner Havens (Kent State), 4-2
Consolations: Aedyn Concepcion (Gardner-Webb) pins Jordan Villareal (Pitt), 6:42
125 Pounds, Tyler Chappell, 1-2
Round of 32: No. 21 Brayden Palmer (Chattanooga, unattached) maj. dec. Tyler Chappell (Pitt), 13-0
Consolations: Tyler Chappell (Pitt) dec. Nico Calello (Kent State), 3-0 SV
Consolations: Andrew Binni dec. Tyler Chappell (Pitt), 8-5
133 Pounds, No. 32 Vinnie Santaniello, 3-1, Second Place
Round of 16: No. 32 Vinnie Santaniello (Pitt) dec. Pablo Castro (Kent State), 6-4
Quarterfinal: No. 32 Vinnie Santaniello (Pitt) dec. Tyler Ferrara, 3-1
Semifinal: No. 32 Vinnie Santaniello (Pitt) dec. No. 8 Nic Bouzakis (Ohio State), 11-4
Final: Bo Bassett dec. No. 32 Vinnie Santaniello (Pitt), 13-10
141 Pounds, Briar Priest, 5-1, Third Place
Round of 64: Briar Priest (Pitt) dec. Anthony Ferraro (Edinboro), 12-6
Round of 32: Briar Priest (Pitt) tech fall Jack Martinec (Clarion), 18-1 (4:49)
Round of 16: Briar Priest (Pitt) dec. Mason Clarke (Columbia), 6-5
Quarterfinal: Briar Priest (Pitt) dec. Michael Leveille (Purdue), 2-0
Semifinal: Brandon Cannon (Ohio State) maj. dec. Briar Priest (Pitt), 14-3
Third Place: Briar Priest (Pitt) MF Anthony Santaniello (Pitt)
141 Pounds, Anthony Santaniello, 3-1, Fourth Place
Round of 32: Anthony Santaniello (Pitt) tech fall Chase Caprella (Navy), 16-1 (4:09)
Round of 16: Anthony Santaniello (Pitt) maj. dec. Dominic Dutillio (Gardner-Webb), 19-7
Quarterfinal: Anthony Santaniello (Pitt) tech fall Andy Lucinski (Buffalo), 15-0 (5:22)
Semifinal: No. 5 Jesse Mendez (Ohio State) tech fall Anthony Santaniello (Pitt), 20-5 (7:00)
Third Place: Briar Priest (Pitt) MF Anthony Santaniello (Pitt)
149 Pounds, Finn Solomon, 5-1, Second Place
Round of 64: Finn Solomon (Pitt) pins Matt Arciuolo (Columbia), 4:42
Round of 32: Finn Solomon (Pitt) dec. Ethan Mojena (Brown), 6-3
Round of 16: Finn Solomon (Pitt) dec. Ty Wilson, 6-5
Quarterfinal: Finn Solomon (Pitt) dec. Kaleb Burgess (Buffalo), 7-4
Semifinal: Finn Solomon (Pitt) dec. No. 26 Dylan Chappell (Bucknell, unattached), 6-5
Final: No. 5 Dylan D'Emilio (Ohio State) maj. dec. Finn Solomon (Pitt), 12-4
149 Pounds, Tyler Badgett, 2-2
Round of 32: Kaemen Smith (Navy) maj. dec. Tyler Badgett (Pitt), 17-6
Consolations: Tyler Badgett (Pitt) pins Kyle Bizjak (John Carroll), 2:22
Consolations: Tyler Badgett (Pitt) maj. dec. Karl Monaco (Columbia), 14-3
Consolations: No. 32 Kyle Schickel (Clarion) dec. Tyler Badgett (Pitt), 10-3
149 Pounds, Kelin Laffey, 3-2
Round of 64: Kelin Laffey (Pitt) maj. dec. Sam Harris (Gardner-Webb), 12-3
Round of 32: Kelin Laffey (Pitt) tech fall McCoy Pace (Columbia), 16-0 (5:00)
Round of 16: No. 26 Dylan Chappell (Bucknell, unattached) dec. Kelin Laffey (Pitt), 4-1 SV
Consolations: Kelin Laffey (Pitt) dec. Brady Worthing (Clarion), 5-1
Consolations: Jaxon Joy maj. dec. Kelin Laffey (Pitt), 14-1
149 Pounds, Ryan Michaels, 1-2
Round of 64: No. 27 Marcos Polanco (Purdue) maj. dec. Ryan Michaels (Pitt), 10-2
Consolations: Ryan Michaels (Pitt) pins Jaden Wehler, 4:03
Consolations: Ethan Mojena (Brown) dec. Ryan Michaels (Pitt), 5-1
149 Pounds, Jack Pletcher, 5-2, Sixth Place
Round of 32: Jack Pletcher (Pitt), maj. dec. Chad Jesko (Pitt-Johnstown, unattached), 22-9
Round of 16: Zach Price (Gardner-Webb) pins Jack Pletcher (Pitt), 4:49
Consolations: Jack Pletcher (Pitt) dec. Jaden Reynolds (Purdue), 8-3
Consolations: Jack Pletcher (Pitt) dec. Clayton Jones (Michigan State), 10-5
Consolations: Jack Pletcher (Pitt) dec. Kaleb Burgess (Buffalo), 2-1
Consolations: Jack Pletcher (Pitt) NC Kaemen Smith (Navy)
Fifth Place: Nick Vafiadis (Navy) dec. Jack Pletcher (Pitt), 4-1 SV
149 Pounds, Jack Marlow, 2-2, Unattached
Round of 64: Ethan Mojena (Brown) maj. dec. Jack Marlow (Pitt, unattached), 14-4
Consolations: Jack Marlow (Pitt, unattached) tech fall Matt Arciuolo (Columbia), 19-4 (5:08)
Consolations: Jack Marlow (Pitt, unattached) dec. Sander Miller (Columbia), 8-3
Consolations: Brady Worthing (Clarion) pins Jack Marlow (Pitt, unattached), 5:00
157 Pounds, No. 30 Jared Keslar, 3-2, Fourth Place
Round of 32: No. 30 Jared Keslar (Pitt), tech fall Gavyn Beck (Pitt-Johnstown, unattached), 20-4 (3:53)
Round of 16: No. 30 Jared Keslar (Pitt) maj. dec. Tyler Brignola (Gardner-Webb), 16-7
Quarterfinal: No. 30 Jared Keslar (Pitt) dec. Joey Blaze (Purdue), 4-2
Semifinal: Alejandro Herraro-Rondon (Clarion) dec. No. 30 Jared Keslar, 2-0
Third Place: Cade Wirnsberger (Bucknell) dec. No. 30 Jared Keslar, 4-1 SV
157 Pounds, Dylan Evans, 3-2
Round of 64: Dylan Evans (Pitt) pins Luke Geibig, 2:29
Round of 32: No. 16 Paddy Gallagher (Ohio State) maj. dec. Dylan Evans (Pitt), 17-9
Consolations: Dylan Evans (Pitt) tech fall Gabe Galioto (John Carroll), 20-3 (4:23)
Consolations: Dylan Evans (Pitt) dec. Tyler Brignola (Gardner-Webb), 11-7
Consolations: Carson Miller (Pitt) dec. Dylan Evans (Pitt), 4-3
157 Pounds, Collin McCorkle, 3-1
Round of 64: Collin McCorkle (Pitt) dec. Stephen O'Neil (Ohio State), 13-6
Round of 32: Collin McCorkle (Pitt) tech fall Hunter Jones (Gardner-Webb) 21-5 (4:46)
Round of 16: Collin McCorkle (Pitt) dec. Keegan Knapp (Kent State), 5-3
Quarterfinal: Cade Wirnsberger (Bucknell) dec. Collin McCorkle (Pitt), 8-2
Consolations: Carson Miller (Pitt) MF Collin McCorkle (Pitt)
157 Pounds, Brock McMillen, 2-2
Round of 32: Kolby DePron (Bucknell, unattached) dec. Brock McMillen (Pitt), 9-6
Consolations: Brock McMillen (Pitt) MF Alex Garee (Edinboro, unattached)
Consolations: Brock McMillen (Pitt) tech fall Ethan Barr (Kent State), 19-4 (4:04)
Consolations: David Berkovich (Columbia) dec. Brock McMillen (Pitt), 9-6
157 Pounds, Carson Miller, 5-2
Round of 32: Ty Raines (Buffalo) dec. Carson Miller (Pitt), 8-4
Consolations: Carson Miller (Pitt) tech fall Gannon Jaquay (Edinboro), 19-0 (4:04)
Consolations: Carson Miller (Pitt) dec. Kade Law (Purdue), 8-1
Consolations: Carson Miller (Pitt) dec. Eric Tigue (Buffalo), 6-1
Consolations: Carson Miller (Pitt) dec. Dylan Evans (Pitt), 4-3
Consolations: Carson Miller (Pitt) MF Collin McCorkle (Pitt)
Consolations: Jaden Le (Columbia) MF Carson Miller (Pitt), 1:53
165 Pounds, Grant MacKay, 3-2
Round of 32: Grant MacKay (Pitt) maj. dec. Geno Quodala (Navy), 11-2
Round of 16: Grant MacKay (Pitt) maj. dec. Aaron Ferguson (Kent State), 10-2
Quarterfinal: Stoney Buell (Purdue) dec. Grant MacKay (Pitt), 8-1
Consolations: Grant MacKay (Pitt) dec. Carter Chase (Ohio State), 9-7
Consolations: Hunter Shaut (Buffalo) dec. Grant MacKay (Pitt), 4-1
184 Pounds, No. 14 Reece Heller, 5-0, Clarion Open Champion
Round of 32: No. 14 Reece Heller (Pitt) pins Misha Lomboy (Michigan State), 4:40
Round of 16: No. 14 Reece Heller (Pitt) tech fall Eli Makel (Edinboro), 20-4 (6:21)
Quarterfinal: No. 14 Reece Heller (Pitt) MF Patrick Cutchember (Clarion)
Semifinal: No. 14 Reece Heller (Pitt) pins Aaron Ayzerov (Columbia), 1:12
Final: No. 14 Reece Heller (Pitt) tech fall Cam Pine (Clarion), 19-3 (6:11)
184 Pounds, Carson A. Miller, 0-2
Round of 32: Ryder Rogotzke (Ohio State) pins Carson A. Miller (Pitt), 0:29
Consolations: Kyle Snider (Kent State) dec. Carson A. Miller (Pitt), 8-3
197 Pounds, No. 16 Mac Stout, 5-0, Clarion Open Champion
Round of 32: No. 16 Mac Stout (Pitt) pins Mike Misita (Ohio State), 3:11
Round of 16: No. 16 Mac Stout (Pitt) dec. Kael Wisler (Michigan State), 8-2
Quarterfinal: No. 16 Mac Stout (Pitt) maj. dec. Remy Cotton (Michigan State), 11-2
Semifinal: No. 16 Mac Stout (Pitt) dec. Jack Wehmeyer (Columbia), 5-2
Final: No. 16 Mac Stout (Pitt) dec. Michael Dellagatta, 3-0
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