HERSHEY — There can be a lot of pressure on a wrestler going after a second PIAA wrestling title.
There is a bull’s-eye on their chest, and they expect to get their opponent’s best.
Norwin junior Landon Sidun and Belle Vernon senior Elijah Brown did not seem bothered by the pressure.
Both claimed their second titles Saturday at the PIAA Class 3A championships at Giant Center.
Sidun (51-1, 124-3) dominated a fellow WPIAL wrestler Tommy Gretz of Connellsville, 17-0, and Brown used a second-period escape for a 1-0 victory against Garnet Valley senior Paxton Hunt.
Gretz (46-15 this season, 105-32 overall) got to the finals by upsetting DuBois sophomore Mateo Gallegos, who defeated Sidun in the PIAA West Regional final, in the semis.
But he was unable to keep up with the top wrestler in the country at 121 pounds.
Sidun wanted a rematch with Gallegos, but Gretz had a tremendous tournament to get to the finals.
“I had to respect Tommy because he been taking out guys this entire tournament,” Sidun said. “It felt good to score points. This weekend I felt primed, and I had to get back my attack.”
Sidun and Kurtis Phipps are the only Knights to win titles.
“It is pretty cool to win again,” Sidun said. “It is the first time someone has won two.”
Sidun said losing last week fueled him this week.
“It did not discourage me,” Sidun said. “It made me work harder and fine-tune some things. Every title is awesome. It was awesome to get back.”
Brown (46-1, 173-20) had some trouble with Hunt (46-2, 135-28).
But a second-period escape was all he needed in a 1-0 victory.
“He had really tough re-attack,” Brown said. “So getting to my offensive was difficult. I was able to weather the storm.”
Hunt had the option to take the bottom position down a point and decided to take neutral.
“I am known for being tough on top,” Brown said. “I am sure he watched a lot of film.
“It was a little nerve-wracking. I did not think of it as winning another state title. I used it as just another tournament.”
When Kiski Area sophomore Mario Hutcherson lost to Notre Dame-Green Pond senior Dominic Sumpolec at the Powerade Tournament, they said they’d see each other in March.
Hutcherson (48-1, 91-8) used a scramble for a takedown in the first period and defeated Sumpolec, 4-1, to claim the 189-pound championship.
Sumpolec won at the Powerade semifinals 4-3.
“We will take a state title over a place at Powerade,” Kiski Area coach Chris Heater said. “We corrected our mistakes from that tournament.”
Hutcherson said he has been at numerous big tournaments.
“I love the big stage,” Hutcherson said. “I feel I wrestle better there, and all the big tournaments prepared me for this. Dom is a strong and a big dude. He is tough.”
He is the fourth Kiski Area wrestler to win a state title. He joins Issac Reid (285 pounds in 2018), Darren Miller (126 pounds in 2019) and Matt McCutheon (182 pounds in 2012). Miller is an assistant coach.
“Darren was the last Kiski wrestler to win a state title, and he has been giving me a pep talk all weekend,” Hutcherson said. “It is nice to get my school back up there.”
Hutcherson, Sidun and Brown kept a streak going in Westmoreland. Since 1995, the county has had at least one state champion.
Connellsville has 15 state champions after junior Kai Vielma followed his game plan and defeated Central Mountain junior Aiden Kunes, 4-0, for the third time this season.
“He told me was going ride him out, then escape in the third period and get a takedown,” Connellsville coach Bill Swink said. “That is what he did.”
Vielma, a Stanford commit, is Connellsville’s all-time wins leader for a team with 51.
“I went out and believed in myself,” Vielma said. “I knew the whole time I was going to win. No to be cocky, but I felt confident in my skills and my talent. I trusted, and I have been working for this moment my entire life.”
Franklin Regional junior Michael Ruane (46-5, 115-31) ran into a buzzsaw in the finals, losing an 18-4 decision to Northampton junior Gabriel Ballard (41-5, 121-19).
Ballard was a two-time place-winner, finishing as a runner-up at 127 in 2025 and in fourth place 2024.
“He was tough to score on,” Ruane said. “It was not the result I wanted, but I was happy to be in the finals.
“I feel I made a big jump this season. I need to make that next step. I cannot regress.”
Ruane was attempting to become the 14th Panther to win a PIAA title.
Owen J. Roberts senior Dean Bechtold claimed his second state crown with a 29-second pin of North Allegheny senior Bradyn McConneha.
Bechtold (28-0, 127-15) is a four-time place-winner and three-time finalist. He placed second in 2024.
McConneha (42-4, 104-31) earned his first medal in three tries. He was the WPIAL runner-up and PIAA West Regional champion.
Canon-McMillan freshman Lee Dreshman (51-5) was attempting to become the 26th Big Mac to win a state title.
But Sun Valley sophomore Jacob Carr (42-2, 80-12) denied him the title with a 3-0 victory. Carr used a two-point nearfall in the second period to snag the lead.