By Ken Wunderley, Tri-State Sports & News Service
Donnie Jones and Joey Ecklof have a chance to join an elite group at the PIAA wrestling championships, which begin Thursday at Hershey’s Giant Center. But one will have to settle for less than a gold medal.
Both wrestlers are hoping to win a third PIAA title, which would put them in an elite category. Only 34 wrestlers have won three or more titles.
Unfortunately, Jones and Ecklof are competing in the Class AAA 152-pound weight class.
Jones (34-1), a senior from Greensburg Salem High School, won the PIAA Class AAA title at 130 pounds as a sophomore, then captured the 140-pound title last year. Ecklof (27-3), a senior from Northampton, won the 135-pound title as a sophomore, then claimed the 145-pound crown last year.
“I wrestled two matches at 145, but feel more comfortable competing at 152, “Jones said. “It’s my senior year and I wanted to be where I feel most comfortable.”
Jones, who has a 151-6 career record, had a 90-match win streak come to an end at the Powerade Christmas Tournament, when he lost, 5-4, to Dave Rella of Ohio’s Walsh Jesuit High School.
“I’m not concerned with who’s in my bracket, “Jones said. “I’m only concerned with my next opponent.”
The predetermined bracket at 152 pounds had Jones and Ecklof in the same half of the bracket, but the PIAA made a change to make sure they couldn’t meet until the finals.
“If I bring my A-game to every match, I don’t think there’s anybody in the state who can beat me, “Jones said.
Jones and Ecklof are among six returning PIAA champions in Class AAA. The others are: Rick Rappo, Brad Pataky, Joe Caramanica, and Nick Guida.
Rappo, a senior from Council Rock South, won the 103-pound title last year and has since moved to 112. Pataky, a senior from Clearfield, is a two-time finalist who placed second as a 103-pound freshman and first as a 112-pound junior. He returns at 119.
Caramanica, a senior from Nazareth, has moved to 145 after winning the 135-pound title last year. Guida, a senior from Parkland, returns to defend the 171-pound title he won last year..
Garrett Scott, a junior from Juniata Valley, is a two-time returning champion in Class AA. He is competing at 135.
Scott is one of five returning champions in Class AA. The others are: Matt Fisk, Matt Dunn, Damian Rose and Nate Sipes.
Fisk is a senior from Wyalusing who placed second at 103 as a freshman, third at 112 as a sophomore, and first at 119 last season. He returns as the favorite at 125. Dunn, a junior from Reynolds, won the 103-pound title as a freshman, then placed third at 112 last year. He is at 130.
Rose, a senior from Freedom, captured the 135-pound title last year and is now competing at 140. Sipes, a senior from Curwensville, won the 189-pound title last year and is now at 215.
The PIAA championships begin 9 a.m. Thursday.
Return trips
Jones is one of three WPIAL wrestlers who will be making a fourth consecutive trip to Hershey. The others are: Plum’s Sean Clair and Valley’s Logan Downes.
Clair placed seventh in the PIAA Class AAA tournament as a 112-pound freshman, fifth at 119 as a sophomore, and sixth at 119 last season. He captured a third WPIAL title, at 125 pounds, Saturday to earn his fourth trip to Hershey.
Downes placed third in the PIAA Class AAA tournament last year at 171, after posting a 1-4 record in two previous appearances at Hershey. Downes was a three-time WPIAL third-place finisher in Class AAA. The Vikings moved to Class AA this season and Downes placed second in the WPIAL and third in the Southwest Region at 171 pounds.
WPIAL leaders
Connellsvillle, Trinity and Greensburg Salem will be the best represented WPIAL teams at Hershey in Class AAA.
Connellsville had five wrestlers qualify at the WPIAL/Southwest regional; Trinity and Greensburg Salem each had four. Burrell and Mount Pleasant were the WPIAL’s top two teams at the Class AA Southwest regional. Burrell had six wrestlers qualify and Mount Pleasant had four.
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