Kaelon Connolly finished third at the 2023 PJW State Championships. Photo submitted.

Connolly Takes 3rd at 2023 PJW JH State Championships; Seamens Earns Trip to HS State Championships

March 8, 2023

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – Battling through an injury suffered on Day 1, Kaelon Connolly came all the way back to earn third place at the PJW Junior High Girls’ State Championship.

Connolly, who wrestles for both the Sheffield JH and Warren County United girls’ teams, suffered an injury after winning her first two matches convincingly (pinfall and major decision). She lost her third match to drop into the consolation bracket.

Working her way through the consi bracket, Connolly won three matches on Day 2 to earn a spot in the third-place match. Though she was seeded 13th in the 32-girl bracket, Connolly needed just 1:57 to pin the No. 1 seed in the tournament to bring home third place.

“Just a 7th grader, she will truly be a force to be reckoned with next year,” WC United’s Keith Kophazy said.

SEAMENS HEADED TO STATES

LEECHBURG, Pa. – WC United’s Katie Seamens earned a trip to the PA Girls’ High School Wrestling State Championships with a 4th-place finish at the Western Regional Championships at Kiski High School.

Katie Seamens earned 4th place at the Western Regionals to earn a trip to the State Championships. Photo submitted.

Seamens picked up an 8-6, sudden victory win over Union City’s Brooke Dylon in the 148-pound quarterfinals. She was pinned by Leyna Rumpler (North Allegheny) in the semifinals to drop into the consolation bracket. Seamens needed just 2:09 to pin Mackenzie Heitger (Connellsville) in the consi semis and earn her spot in the third-place match. Dynisty Williams (Canon-McMillan) pinned Seamens to take third, but Seamens earned her “ticket to Hershey” by finishing in the top four.

Kasey Kophazy was two wins away from punching her ticket to the state championships as well. Kophazy was pinned by Hope Carmona (Canon-McMillan) in their opening round match in the 130-pound bracket, the tournament’s largest with 16 competitors.

Kophazy then earned pins over Emma Scatena (Plum) and Savannah Carfley (Curwensville) to make it to the consi quarterfinals. She was pinned there by Asia Fowler (Woodland Hills) to drop into the 7th-place match. Kophazy earned a 4-0 decision over Yoqi Zhou (Fox Chapel) to finish 7th in the region.

“The WC United Club is very proud of these ladies with their hard work ethics and both girls plan on continuing their wrestling careers in college,” Keith Kophazy said.

Seamens will participate in the state championships on Sunday, March 12 at Central Dauphin High School.

         

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