HERSHEY — For those who were hoping for a Landon Sidun-Mateo Gallegos rematch in the 121-pound PIAA Class 3A wrestling championship finals, Connellsville junior Tommy Gretz ruined it.
Gretz used a takedown in the first period and added another in the second period in an 8-6 shocker against Gallegos in the semifinals at Giant Center.
At the end of the match, Gretz stood up and punched his chest looking for his family in the stands.
“I have been close to beating him in the past, but I did not finish my shots,” Gretz said. “I was able to finish them tonight.”
Gretz, who was the only wrestler to reach the finals after starting the tournament with a preliminary match, will get Sidun, who needed overtime to defeat Hatboro-Horsham junior Dominick Morrison, 7-6, in tiebreaker 2 overtime.
After allowing a tying takedown at the buzzer in regulation, Sidun was able to get a two-point reversal in overtime and then held for the win.
“It was not the rematch I was hoping for, but Tommy wrestled a great tournament,” Sidun said. “It is super cool for the WPIAL to have two guys in the finals.
“(Morrison) getting the late takedown was not how I drew it up. But I stayed composed.”
Sidun’s path was not easy. He defeated Bethlehem Catholic sophomore Nico Emili, 12-3, in the quarterfinals and then beat Morrison, the 2024 114-pound champion. Sidun was the 2024 107-pound winner.
“All the tournaments I competed in this season prepared me for this,” Sidun said. “I am thankful for the schedule we have. Tommy is a tough competitor, and I must be ready to go.”
Connellsville has two finalists. Top-seed at 145, junior Kia Vielma joined Gretz in the finals. He blanked Central Bucks East sophomore Daniel Dennis, 10-0, at 145.
He will face Central Mountain junior Aiden Kunes.
Franklin Regional junior Mike Ruane (47-4) allowed an early takedown and then rallied for a 5-4 victory against Boiling Springs senior Ian Longenberger. He gets Northampton junior Gabriel Ballard in the 152 final.
Ruane was holding the leg of Longenberger tightly during the final 10 seconds of the match.
“It was probably one of the scariest moments of my life,” Ruane said. “I knew I was tough enough and grindy enough to pull it out. I believed in my training, and I trusted myself.”
Ruane stayed focused even after giving up the first takedown.
“My whole career has been me getting taken down first,” Ruane said. “It is not a good thing, but I am confident I can come back from that.”
Canon-McMillan freshman Lee Dreshman surprised some when he defeated Council Rock South freshman Quinn Bagnell, 5-3.
No. 1 seed Jacob Carr of Sun Valley rolled to a 10-0 victory against West Allegheny sophomore Michael Johnson.
The WPIAL will have eight in the finals.
The others are Kiski Area sophomore Mario Hutcherson (189), Belle Vernon senior Elijah Bell (215) and North Allegheny senior heavyweight Braydn McConneha.
Hutcherson (47-1) defeated Nazareth senior Brayden Zuercher, 11-4. He will face Notre Dame-Green Pond senior Dom Sumpolec, who defeated Latrobe junior Hunter Snyder, 17-2.
Brown, who became Belle Vernon’s all-time record-holder for wins with 172, finally got a tough match when he defeated Owen J. Roberts sophomore Decker Bechtold, 4-1.
The Penn State commit’s previous matches were a 33-second pin and 44-second technical fall.
Brown (45-1) will face Garnet Valley senior Paxton Hunt, who defeated DuBois sophomore Kendahl Hoare, 7-3.
McConneha (42-3) defeated Shikellamy senior Brody Rebuck, 4-2.
The finals are slated for 4 p.m.