HERSHEY -- Two matches.
Two regional champions.
Two contrasting styles.
Two wins.
Two more "Ws" to go to a state championship.
Belle Vernon Area 171-pound senior P.J. Tasser defeated District 10 champion Nick Milano (37-4), 3-1, to move into the semifinals of the PIAA Class AAA championships at Hershey.
"I knew what he liked to do so I wrestled my match," Tasser said. 'We just have to keep on going."
BVA coach Mel Gray was extremely proud of his senior, who upped his record to 33-4.
"P.J. is wrestling very smart matches right now," Gray said. "He is doing what needs to be done."
The first period ended scoreless and Milano chose to start the second period in the down position.
He quickly escaped Tasser's waistlock to take a 1-0 lead.
The pair sparred back and forth the rest of the period until 35 seconds left when Tasser took Milano down to take a 2-1 lead.
Tasser chose the down position to start the third period and with a little more than a minute left, Milano allowed Tasser to escape and get this third point.
However, Tasser and worked Milano so hard that Milano was exhausted and could not even attempt to shoot in on Tasser in the last 10 seconds.
"PJ wrestled a completely different style than he did against (District 12 champion Jim) Resnick," Gray said. "He is on top of his game and is hungry.
"When teams prepare for P.J., they have a hard time because he wrestles so many styles."
While his last two wins avenged losses Tasser suffered this season, this win served as a form of family revenge as Milano defeated P.J.'s older brother Donnie two years ago.
Donnie Tasser, a red shirt freshman on Pitt's team, was in attendance to support his brother.
Tasser now faces his third straight regional champion when he faces District 3 winner Clay Gable (37-4).
Gable advanced with an 8-0 win over Chartiers Valley junior Ty Wipps.
Tasser and the Dallastown senior have never faced off.
With the win, Tasser is now guaranteed to place and will look to become the first wrestler in BVA school history to win a PIAA title.
The semifinals begin at 8 a.m. today.
The only other remaining local wrestler is Ringgold's 189-pound senior Todd Miller.
Miller (37-5) defeated West Allegheny's Jake Leninsky (40-8) in overtime, 7-5.
Miller will face Northampton's Joe Piro (44-4) in the consolation third round.
