Pitt Wrestling Sees Two First Place Finishes at Clarion Open

Pitt Wrestling saw great success at the Clarion Open on Sunday, with two champions and other great placements throughout the roster.

No. 14 Redshirt senior Reece Heller won his first Clarion Open at 184 pounds, while No. 16 redshirt first-year Mac Stout defended his title at 197 pounds.

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Heller pinned Michigan State’s Misha Lomboy in the round of 32, defeated Edinburg’s Eli Makel 20-4 in a technical fall in the round of 16, won on medical forfeit against Clarions Patrick Cutchember in the quarterfinals. He would then pin Columbia’s Aaron Ayzerov at 1:12 in the semifinals and win his title with a 19-3 technical fall victory over Clarion’s Cam Pine.

Stout would pin Ohio State’s Mike Misita in the round of 32, and then defeat two Michigan State wrestlers, with an 8-2 decision in the round of 16 over Kael Wisler and an 11-2 major decision against Remy Cotton in the quarterfinals. Stout stayed strong defensively the rest of the way, earning a 5-2 decision over Columbia’s Jack Wehmeyer in the semifinals and a 3-0 decision over Michael Dellagatta in the final.

No. 32 redshirt first-year Vinnie Santaniello earned a second place finish for his efforts at 133 pounds. He won a 6-2 decision over Kent State’s Pablo Castro in the round of 16, a 3-1 decision over Tyler Ferrara in the quarterfinals and then upset No. 8 Nic Bouzakis of Ohio State in an 11-4 decision in the semifinals. He would lose to one of the best high school wrestlers in the country in Bo Bassett in a close 13-10 decision in the final.

NC State transfer and Franklin Regional Alum Finn Solomon also had a great day for Pitt wrestling, finishing in second place at 149 pounds.

He pinned Columbia’s Matt Arciuolo in the round of 64, and earned decisions of 6-3 over Brown’s Ethan Mojena in the round of 32, 6-5 against Ty Wilson in the round of 16 and 7-4 vs. Buffalo’s Kaleb Burgess in the quarterfinals. 

Solomon won a close 6-5 decision over No. 26 Dylan Chappell of Bucknell, wrestling unattached, in the semifinals, but lost in a major decision, 12-4, to No. 5 Dylan D’Emilio of Ohio State in the final.

Redshirt first-year Briar Priest and Anthony Santaniello, brother of Vinnie Santaniello, both finished in third and fourth place, respectively, at 141 pounds.

Priest earned a 12-6 decision over Edinboro’s Anthony Ferraro in the round of 64, won an 18-1 technical fall over Clarion’s Jack Martinec in the round of 32 and then two decisions, 6-5 against Columbia’s Mason Clarke in the round of 16 and 2-0 over Purdue’s Michael Leveille in the quarterfinals. He did lose in a 14-3 major decision to Ohio State’s Brandon Cannon in the semifinals.

Anthony Santaniello dominated his first three matches, winning in a 16-1 technical fall against Navy’s Chase Caprella in the Round of 32, a 19-7 major decision against Gardner-Webb’s Dominic Dutillio and then another technical fall, 15-0, over Buffalo’s Andy Lucinski. He would suffer a technical fall loss, 20-5, to No. 5 Jesse Mendez of Ohio State in the semifinal, before medically forfeiting the third place match to Priest.

No. 30 redshirt first-year Jared Keslar had a solid day himself, earning a fourth place finish at 157 pounds.

He won a technical fall, 20-4, against Pitt-Johnstown’s Gavyn Beck, wrestling unattached, in the round of 32, won a 16-7  major decision over Tyler Brignola in the round of 16 and then a 4-2 decision over Purdue’s Joey Blaze in the quarterfinals. He lost a 2-0 decision to Seneca Valley alum and Clarion’s Alejandro Herrara-Rondon in the semifinal and then a 4-1 sudden victory defeat in the third place match to Bucknell’s Cade Wirnsberger.

Redshirt first-year Jack Pletcher was the other Panther to earn a placement, finishing in sixth place at 149 pounds.

He majored Pitt-Johnstown’s Chad Jesko, wrestling unattached, 22-9 in the round of 32, but suffered a pin against Gardner-Webb’s Zach Price in the round of 16.

He then moved through the consolations, winning three straight decisions, 8-3 against Purdue’s Jaden Reynolds, 10-5 Michigan State’s Clayton Jones and 2-1 over Burgess. He won a no contest against Navy’s Kaemen Smith, before falling to another Navy wrestler in Nick Vafiadis in a 4-1 sudden victory decision in the fifth place match.

Pitt wrestling will compete in dual action for the first time in the 2023-24 season next Sunday, where they” compete in the Navy Duels, taking on Navy, Morgan State and VMI all day.

Full list of Pitt wrestlers that competed at the Clarion Open.