Weightman dominant as Leopards drop dual with West Mifflin

Jenn Codeluppi /
MVI Sports Belle Vernon’s Cole Weightman raises his arm in victory after pinning West Mifflin’s Howard Congdon in just over a minute Wednesday.

By JOSE NEGRON
jnegron@yourmvi.com

Cole Weightman began his quest for WPIAL and PIAA gold by doing what he does best Wednesday night: winning.

The defending WPIAL Class 3A champion at 220 pounds, Weightman opened the winter wrestling season with a pinfall victory at 215 in Belle Vernon Area’s 43-18 loss to West Mifflin.

Weightman, who went on to finish sixth in the state while being named Mon Valley Independent-BeeGraphix Breakthrough Wrestler of the Year, earned the fall in 1:12 over WM’s Howard Congdon.

“It was a little bit sloppy and I was a little bit nervous since it was my first match after a bad injury last year,” said Weightman, who was injured in his PIAA semifinal loss to Cathedral Prep’s Dorian Crosby last year, forcing the BVA standout to take a medical forfeit in his fifth-place bout.

“I’m just excited to be back here.”

BVA head coach Bob Bove was pleased with what he saw from Weightman in his first match of the new season. But it wasn’t at all unexpected.

“We have pretty high expectations with him having been a state semifinalist last year,” Bove said, “but we also understand that in the state of Pennsylvania, there are no guarantees and just because you did it last year doesn’t mean you’ll do it again this year. He’s a hard worker and does all the right things, though. He and Logan (Hoffman) are practice partners and they’ve been having some really great practices with each other.”

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