The unexpected happened at the PIAA Class 3A West Regional wrestling tournament Saturday at Canon-McMillan.
The top 121-pound wrestler in the country, Norwin junior Landon Sidun, lost. DuBois sophomore Mateo Gallegos used a reversal in overtime to defeat Sidun, 3-2.
Gallegos (45-2) was able to slow Sidun’s pace down.
Sidun did have two potential takedowns in regulation wiped out, which did not please Norwin coach Kyle Martin.
“It is deja vu all over when I lost my freshman year,” Sidun said. “Mateo wrestled a great match and wrestled his style. He slowed everything down and did what he needed.
“There are things I have to do better personally for next week.”
Sidun said he should have just given up the escape, which would have tied the score.
Belle Vernon senior Elijah Brown (42-1), meanwhile, got his revenge when he defeated DuBois sophomore Kendahl Hoare, 7-1, in the 215-pound final.
Hoare handed Brown his only loss of the season, 10-8, on Dec. 6 at the Trinity Duals.
“I have been waiting a while for this match,” Brown said. “I was looking forward to it.”
Brown was coming off a knee injury sustained in the 2025 PIAA finals. He was not in the best shape.
He was on Saturday.
“Cardio was a big thing, and I had not had any big matches to battle-test me,” Brown said. “The key was holding go position and getting my shots when I could.”
Brown got a takedown in the first period and one in the second.
“I stayed in good position,” Brown said. “I am looking forward to defending my state title.”
Hoare (39-4) defeated Kiski Area senior Cooper Roscosky, 2-1, in overtime in the semifinals when Roscosky was penalized for a clasp in the ultimate tiebreaker period.
Hoare lost to Roscosky, 13-5, at the Kiski Duals.
Connellsville junior Kai Vielma (145) won his second West Regional title when he defeated Central Mountain junior Aidan Kunes, 5-2.
Moon senior Cael Yanek won the 133-pound title with a 5-2 decision over Altoona senior Braiden Weaver, denying Weaver a second title.
Canon-McMillan freshman Lee Dreshman used two takedowns to defeat Moon sophomore Bryce Thomas, 7-3, in the 107-pound final.
Thomas Jefferson junior Zach Rehak claimed the 114-pound title with a 10-0 win over Mifflin County junior Andrew Alexander.
Butler senior Santino Sloboda won the title at 127 with a 7-0 win against Trinity senior Dom Canali.
Kiski Area sophomore Mario Hutcherson edged Latrobe junior Hunter Snyder, 9-6, at 189.
“It is always good to wrestle Hunter,” Hutcherson said. “It was good to get a win. It gives me momentum heading to states.”
North Allegheny senior Bradyn McConneha used overtime to edge West Allegheny senior Matt Danna, 4-1.
Cranberry senior Dalton Wenner got past Canon-McMillan senior Collier Hartman, 6-5, at 139.
State College junior James Whitbred held on to defeat Franklin Regional junior Michael Ruane, 7-2, at 152.
Altoona junior Gavin Ciampoli rolled over Mt. Lebanon senior Cole Gibbons, 14-3, to win the 160-pound title.
State College freshman Teag Sanderson, Penn State wrestling coach Cael Sanderson’s son, defeated Thomas Jefferson senior Zach LaBryer, 13-6, at 172.
Canon-McMillan won the team title with 136 points. Franklin Regional was second with 99 and Connellsville third with 96.
The PIAA Class 3A championship is March 5-7 at Giant Center in Hershey.
The top five regional finishers in each weight class advance to states.