HERSHEY — Butler sophomore Cole Baxter made history Friday afternoon at the PIAA Class AAA Individual Wrestling Championships.
With his 9-4 victory over Shane Fenningham of Northampton in the 145-pound quarterfinals at the Giant Center, Baxter became the first wrestler from the school to earn a medal at the state tournament.
Baxter is one of 19 wrestlers from the WPIAL to advance to the 8 a.m. semifinals today. The finals are slated for 8 p.m. with the top eight wrestlers in each weight class earn all-state honors and medals.
Returning PIAA champions Shane Young of Penn-Trafford and Jake Kemerer of Hempfield are among the group.
Baxter (44-0, 77-8) controlled his match from the start and led 6-4 in the third period when he tilted the Northampton senior over to his back over a three-point nearfall.
"Becoming the school's first placewinner hasn't hit me yet. Probably not until I'm on the podium," Baxter said. "I'd like to win it, though."
Baxter, however, knows he's not favored to win the 145-pound title because there were two returning state champions in the weight class. Dylan Alton of Central Mountain won the 135-pound title, and Joey Napoli of Cumberland Valley won at 145. Baxter gets Napoli in the semifinals.
"No one expects me to win, but I'm approaching it that anything can happen," Baxter said.
Butler coach Scott Stoner said Baxter has set the goals high at the school now.
"He has a tough task ahead of him, but he's where we expected him," Stoner said. "He understands what he has to do.
"It's been awhile since we brought a wrestler here (2000). He was a little nervous the first day, but he's loosened up."
Baxter is the nephew of former NFL players Rich and Ron Saul.
The West Mifflin duo of Sam Sherlock (125 points) and James Fleming (160) reached the semifinals. Sherlock defeated Central Mountain junior Jordan Rich, 7-5, while Fleming pinned Jermaine Easter of Central Bucks East.
Hempfield senior Jake Kemerer, the returning 160-pound champion, had a scare. He trailed 2-0 in the third period, but rallied for a 3-2 win over James Sheptock of Northampton.
"I knew I had to get a takedown," Kemerer said. "He's a tough kid, but I knew I had to push him and keep pressure on him."
Sheptock was awarded a penalty for a technical violation against Kemerer and then got an escape for a 2-0 lead.
"I didn't agree with the penalty point," Kemerer said. "But I had to overcome it."
North Allegheny senior Joe Waltko (130) rolled into the semifinals with a 3-2 win against Matt Martoccio of Council Rock South. Waltko will face Canon-McMillan sophomore Nick Catalano this morning. Catalano defeated Mason Popham of Unionville, 5-3.
Also advancing were Alex Dunaway of McGuffey (103) and Matt Hundenski of Hopewell (152).
Hempfield also advanced Paul Bewak (103) and Jack Bachman (140), Derry's Jimmy Gulibon (103) and Travis Shaffer (130), Latrobe's Nathan Pennesi (125) and Joey Walters (135), Franklin Regional's Nico Megaludis (112), Connellsville's Nathan Gaffney (215), Albert Gallatin's Dan Karpency (152) and Belle Vernon's P.J. Tasser (171).
