Wednesday, March 02, 2005
By Ken Wunderley, Tri-State Sports and News Service
Sean Clair, Donnie Jones, and A.J. Graves enter the Southwest regional tournaments this weekend with the number three in mind. Each has won two regional titles and is hoping to capture a third Saturday.
The Class AAA Southwest regional, which also doubles as the WPIAL tournament, begins tomorrow and concludes Saturday at Canon-McMillan High School.
The Class AA Southwest regional, which includes entries from Districts 5 and 6, begins Friday and concludes Saturday at the Johnstown War Memorial.
Clair, a senior from Plum, has won Class AAA region titles at 119 pounds the past two seasons. He has moved to 125 pounds and is seeded first in the 18-man WPIAL bracket with a 32-1 record.
“Sean has worked very hard to get to this level, “Plum coach Chuck Froehlich said. “He is one of three Plum wrestlers who have won two WPIAL titles, and has a chance to become our first three-time champion.”
Jones, a senior from Greensburg Salem, won the 130-pound region title as a sophomore, claimed the 140-pound crown last year and capped both seasons with a PIAA title. Jones (30-1) has moved to 152 pounds and is a prohibitive favorite to claim his third region and PIAA titles.
“Donnie has a chance to do something his brothers couldn’t do, “said Greensburg Salem coach Randy Parsley, referring to Jones’ brothers, Vertus and Greg, who also are two-time WPIAL champions. “We’ve never had a three-time WPIAL champion.”
Graves, a senior from Jeannette, won the Class AA Southwest region title at 152 pounds as a sophomore, then moved to 160 last year and captured his second title. He is ranked first in the state at 171 pounds and has a 34-0 record.
“A.J. came close [to posting a perfect record] last year, but couldn’t come up with that last win, “said Jeannette coach Charles Cook, referring to Graves’ only loss, which came in the PIAA finals. “It’s a great accomplishment to finish a season undefeated in Pennsylvania. There has been only one Jeannette wrestler who had a perfect season.”
Jeannette’s Derrick Hall posted a 30-0 record in 1985 en route to the PIAA Class AA title at 132 pounds.
Graves is one of five undefeated WPIAL wrestlers in the region field. Gateway’s Jay Ivanco (34-0 at 112 pounds), Shaler’s Nick Nelson (38-0 at 135 pounds) and Penn-Trafford’s Tom Picarsic (34-0 at 140 pounds) are unbeaten in Class AAA. Burgettstown’s Rich Froats (37-0 at 189 pounds) is the other unbeaten wrestler in Class AA.
Clair and Jones are among six returning Class AAA region champions. The other returning champions are Waynesburg’s Chris Neidermeier (34-3), Trinity’s Dan Burkholder (16-1), Greensburg Salem’s Andrew Haile (32-2) and Chartiers Valley’s Adam McKnight (28-7).
Neidermeier, a two-time WPIAL finalist and one-time champion at 103, has moved to 112. Burkholder won at 135 last year and is now at 140. Haile returns to defend his 189-pound title. McKnight is the defending champion at 275.
Graves is one of three returning Class AA region champions from the WPIAL. The others are: Burrell’s Devon Maloney (29-1) and Mount Pleasant’s Donnie Ament (42-3).
Maloney won the 103-pound regional title last year and has moved to 125. Ament has moved to 145 after winning at 140 last year.
3 times 3
Here are the three wrestlers vying for a third title, with their record this season, weight class and previous titles:
Donnie Jones, Greensburg Salem (30-1), 152: 130 in 2003, 140 in ’04
Sean Clair, Plum (32-1), 125: 119 in 2003, ’04
A.J. Graves, Jeannette (34-0), 171: 152 in 2003, 160 in ’04
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