From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Waynesburg’s Welsh named to Pittsburgh Classic
BY KEN WUNDERLEY TRI-STATE SPORTS & NEWS SERVICE
The Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic usually waits until the conclusion of the PIAA championships to choose its Pennsylvania and WPIAL all-star teams.
The Classic selection committee has changed its strategy for the 49th annual event, which will be held March 25 at the AHN Arena at Peters Township High School.
The committee has announced the selection of six participants, including three from the WPIAL. Waynesburg senior Rocco Welsh has been chosen to wrestle on the Pennsylvania All-Star Team. His opponent in the feature match at 172 pounds will be Josh Barr, a senior from Davison High School in Michigan who will wrestle for the U.S. team.
Welsh is a three-time PIAA Class 3A finalist and one-time champ who is ranked No. 1 in the country at 170 pounds by Flowrestling.com. Barr is a two-time Michigan state champion who is ranked No. 2 in the country at 182 pounds.
Flowrestling.com also ranks the top 30 wrestlers in the country, regardless of weight class, and both are among the top 10. Welsh is No. 8 overall in the country, while Barr is No. 9.
Last July, Barr defeated Welsh at Junior Nationals in what many considered the most thrilling match of the 2022 finals. It was Barr’s second national title. Welsh avenged the loss by defeating Barr in FloWrestling’s Who’s #1 all-star match in September.
“This is being referred to as the rubber match for these two elite wrestlers,” said Phil Mary, co-director of the selection committee. “We’re sure they’ll provide the wrestling fans with a great match.”
The Welsh vs. Barr rivalry may continue into college because both are attending Big Ten schools. Welsh will travel west to Ohio State while Barr will travel east to Penn State.
The Classic committee has also announced something new for this year’s event. There will be two bouts with girls — and two of the girls are from the WPIAL.
Laurel senior Abbie Miles will be a member of the Pennsylvania All-Star Team. She will face Destiny Rodriguez of West Linn High School in Oregon in a bout at 165 pounds. Rodriguez is ranked No. 1 in the country, while Miles is ranked No. 22.
“It’s a big honor,” Miles said. “To be one of the two girls chosen from this area to participate in such a prestigious event is amazing.”
Kiski Area senior Isabella Devito will be a member of the WPIAL All-Star Team. Her opponent in the preliminary match at 124 pounds will be Cali Leng, a senior from St. Marysville in Ohio.
The WPIAL All-Star Team will face an all-star team from Ohio in the preliminary match at 4 p.m. The Pennsylvania All-Star Team will face the United States All-Star Team in the featured match at 6 p.m.