Plenty of junior wrestlers grappling for state honors

The Junior Olympic athletes are age 14 and younger.
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. -- Next weekend, the Junior Olympic state wrestling tournament will be at the Johnstown War Memorial sports facility for three age groups: 10-under; 11-12; and 13-14. Hundreds of wrestlers have been competing for honors, including a large delegation from Mercer County.
The state is divided into 11 areas, with Mercer County belonging to Area 6 which includes Lawrence, Crawford and Venango counties.
Mercer County is sending 59 wrestlers into this weekend's action.
According to Dave Morris, who will be coaching Hickory's lone entry into the competition (Nicholas LaCamera, 212), there will be two returning champions from Mercer County -- Nathan Beckman (107) of Reynolds, who won a championship last year, and Dillon Sarcinella (187) of Greenville who won two years ago.
Morris, who has been coaching Hickory's junior program since 1991 and was a one-time wrestler in the Hornets' program, said there will be 22 kids in each weight class.
Plenty of competitors
"There were between six [thousand] and eight thousand wrestlers who competed in the state Junior Olympic Qualifier held recently. That's a lot of youngsters no matter how you look at it."
Morris' assistant is Nick Clepper, who attends Slippery Rock University. He, too, is a former Hickory High wrestler.
LaCamera, 14, is a ninth-grader at Hickory High. Nicholas, a quiet and laid back kind of guy, wrestles at 212; he qualified for the Junior Olympics on St. Patrick's Day at Meadville High School.
The son of Francis and Opal Kerr, Nicholas wrestled two matches in the qualifier at Meadville coming away with a 1-1 mark. He won his opening match by pinning his opponent, Bill Podvasnik, of Cochranton, in the first period. He then dropped his second match, losing to Kris Mason of West Middlesex.
LaCamera has been involved wrestling for three years and he loves it. He also plays football at Hickory where he is a tackle on both offense and defense. He also has been involved in the track program at the school.
Johnstown bound
Following are the Mercer County qualifiers with their weight class and school:
10 & amp; under -- Mitchell Murray (55), Middlesex; Preston Hoover (60), Mercer; Miles Bowser (60), Sharpsville; Joey Safner (65), Greenville; Rodney Brant (70), Mercer; Gavin Kroesen (70), Middlesex; Seth Simoni (75), Grove City; Zane O'Brien (80), Mercer; Mason McCollum (85), Reynolds; Elijah Rutter (85), Mercer; Troy Sagulla (90), Mercer; Garrett Morgan (90), Jamestown; Jonathan Hennegan (105), Mercer; Trevor Griswold (105), Reynolds; Randall Peabody (120), Greenville; and Joshua Johnson (150), Grove City.
11-12 -- Jonas Reaugh (65), Jamestown; Evan Clayton (65), Lakeview; Landon Clayton (75), Lakeview; Gage Priester (75), Sharpsville; Aaron Roberts (80), Jamestown; Nick Flock (85), Jamestown; Curtis Arnold (85), Reynolds; Justin Rhodes (90), Reynolds; Austin Matthews (95), Reynolds; Cole Cameron (95), Grove City; Curtis Amour (100), Lakeview; Xavier Ross (100), Sharon; Tyler Landfried (105), Grove City; Sam Napodano (105), Reynolds; Jason Ondic (115), Sharon; R.J. Swartz (125), Mercer; Tyler Gentile (135), Reynolds; Tyler Reeher (145), Reynolds; Blake Hein (145), Reynolds; Anthony McMillen (160), Sharon; Jamar Henry (200), Reynolds; and Tyler Tarr (200), Reynolds.
13-14 -- Tyler Roberts (77), Jamestown; Matt Spragle (77), Mercer; Dylan Durso (82), Reynolds; Cameron Alexander (82), Lakeview; Rodney Harnett (92), Reynolds; Alec Galone (92), Mercer; Adam Matthews (97) Reynolds; Randy Perkins (97), Greenville; Luke Marshall (102), Greenville; Nathan Beckman (102), Reynolds; Kyle Mariacher (112), Mercer; Daniel Cochran (124), Commodore Perry; Brandon Collins (132), Commodore Perry; Tyler Lewis (140), Lakeview; Tyler Rhoades, Reynolds (140); Steven Ceremuga (147), Commodore Perry; Lewendo Teague (167), Sharon; Nick Weaver (167), Greenville; Dillon Sarcinella (187), Greenville; Kris Mason (212), Middlesex; and Nicholas LaCamera (212), Hickory.