Winning the PIAA Class AA team title was nothing new for Tony D’Urso. Reynolds’ 42-18 victory over Shady Side Academy on Saturday marked the third time the senior was involved in achievement.
But winning the title with his little brother in tow? That was different.
“It was great to get the chance to go to (Hershey) with him,” Tony said of Dylan D’Urso, a Raiders freshman. “It’s something we’ll only do once, and I know he really wanted his own medal.”
Dylan D’Urso will have to win two more state team titles to match his brother’s haul. Tony D’Urso was part of a class that won three in four seasons for Reynolds (22-0), the only school to accomplish that feat since the tournament began in 1999.
The Raiders lost the 2005 AA final, then won it all in 2006 and 2007. The eight-time District 10 champs placed third a year ago.
“When we (the seniors) got here four years ago, it was our goal to win four straight,” Tony D’Urso said. “Last year was disappointing when we didn’t, so we knew we had to go all out to get it back.”
Cathedral Prep went 1-2 as the district’s Class AAA top seed at the Giant Center. After a loss to Cumberland Valley in the second round, the Ramblers (17-2) beat Connellsville 36-21 in the consolation bracket.
Central Mountain then eliminated Prep 42-16.
▀ Franklin placed third at last weekend’s 24-team Salamanca (N.Y.) Tournament. The Knights, highlighted by Trevor Graham and Josh Deeter, placed third behind Empire State entries Canasteo-Greenwood and Tioga.
Graham topped Andrew Lindstrom of Westfield (N.Y.) 7-3 in the 112 final and Deeter claimed the 189 bracket with a 13-5 major decision over Kyle Smith of Brighton (N.Y.) Brian Greenlee (152) and Dan Marlowe (171) were Franklin’s other finalists.
Chris Reitz of Iroquois reached the 160 final, where Salamanca’s Josh Becker beat the Braves’ standout 15-3.
Iroquois placed 13th overall and Girard, with Zach Tome fourth at 171, was 15th.
▀ Greenville will win its 700th varsity dual this year.
Just not until the end of this year.
The Trojans’ 2008-09 regular season ended at 15-3 with a 51-19 final at Shaker Heights (Ohio) on Jan. 30. It was the program’s 698th victory since its birth in 1934.
▀ Expect some of Reynolds’ wrestlers back at Hershey in early March. The Raiders should be factors throughout the state’s individual postseason tournaments, which begins this weekend.
The district’s AA section meets will take place Friday and Saturday. Section One competition is scheduled for Union City and Section Two at Sharon.
Reitz is a returning champ at Union City. Also attempting to repeat there are North East’s Levi Morton and Christian Drain, Maplewood’s Evan Dahl, Fort LeBoeuf’s Thomas Woodward, Harbor Creek’s Sam Kuhn, Fairview’s Nick Lohrer, Eisenhower’s David Osborne, and Jared Burger of the host Bears.
Jordan Moss will begin his bid to repeat as a PIAA champ before his hometown fans. The Sharon junior, undefeated en route to the 135 AA title last season, is expected to defend in that class.
Along with Moss, the section’s other returning champs are Reynolds’ Mason Beckman and Cody Kelly, Grove City’s Johnny Pas and Caleb Kolb and Greenville’s Coty Burnett.
The top five wrestlers in each bracket will advance to the AA district meet, scheduled Feb. 20-21 at Sharon.

— Mike Copper