The stages get bigger and brighter, but Yandel Morales keeps impressing.

After his run to the finals of the Pan-Am tournament, Morales traveled to Istanbul and placed at the U17 World Championships. Representing Puerto Rico, he placed ninth in the 51-kilogram weight class. He earned a win in his opening match before two defeats.

“It was cool, but I didn’t wrestle the way I wanted to wrestle,’’ Morales said. “I think I could’ve given myself more opportunities in the matches I lost. It’s a learning opportunity. Being on the stage, wrestling, and looking around, it’s shell-shocking because of how many people are there.’’

The 15-year-old won his first bout, a 6-2 decision over Tunisia’s Mokbel Sahli in the quarterfinal.

“For him going out there, we knew that this was the top notch kids out there,’’ said Ozzy Morales, Yandel’s father and assistant coach at Andover High. “Getting the first one out of the way, that’s the biggest relief. Getting that one out of the way was very big.’’

Morales lost via technical fall to Yamato Ogawa (Japan), but got the opportunity to wrestle again when Ogawa reached the final (he earned first place), because of the tournament’s consolation format. He was defeated again via technical fall by Sasha Petrosyan (Armenia), who went on to finish third.

“I think the nerves got the best of me,’’ Morales said. “Knowing that I’m in a completely different environment . . . It’s really cool seeing people from different parts of the world, seeing how they wrestle with their different styles.’’

He hoped for a better finish, but his opening victory put him at the center of the wrestling world for a moment in the spotlight.

“Winning and standing in the middle, getting your hand raised, looking out into the crowd of people . . . There’s so many people out there watching, and you know there’s people at home watching,’’ Morales said.

Just walking into the arena was an experience for Ozzy, who has been with Yandel every step of the way.

“Oh my god, it was shell-shocking. It was mind blowing. Just the setup that they had,’’ Ozzy said. “We always watch Worlds. To see my son out there and say ‘wow . . . ’ It’s very impressive for him to have the opportunity to be there, it was a blessing.’’

When Morales returns to Andover for his sophomore season, he’ll be coming in with a lot more experience. Already a state champion, Morales is primed for plenty more hardware as he continues his high school career.

“Just looking back, the growth is my biggest thing. The growth he’s had,’’ Ozzy said. “He continues to learn, he’s eager to learn. He wants to be the hardest worker in the room. Seeing that transition on the mat, that’s amazing.’’

■ Doughboy Wrestling Club competed at the 1000 Island Duals in Clayton, N.Y. With a 4-1 record, Doughboy placed second, after a tiebreaker in the final turned the 31-31 result into a win for Anisim Wrestling Club (N.Y.).

“They did what those guys train to do. Those kids have been wrestling a long time together,’’ said club owner Mike Marshall. “My favorite part was off the mat: seeing the leadership, the growth, the friendship.’’

St. John’s Prep rising senior Jayden D’Ambrosio (3-0), Phillips Andover rising sophomore Julian Rios (5-0), Chelmsford rising junior Thomas Brown (4-0), and Shawsheen rising junior Sid Tildsley (5-0) were unbeaten.

Tildsley’s biggest win came over New York state champion and Arizona State commit Joe Manfredi, a 3-2 win after trailing 2-0 with half a minute to go. Tildsley completed a successful shot for two points as time ran out, flipping the result in his favor.

“It was great,’’ Tildsley said. “I came right off. I got up and celebrated. The whole team was going crazy, everybody just screamed ‘two!’’’

Notables

■ Westford Academy sophomore Madison Smith won the 90th Massachusetts Girls’ Junior Amateur championship last week, defeating Kaitlyn Doe (Winsor School) on the first playoff hole at Braintree County Club. They were tied at 3-under-par 213 through 54 holes . . . In the Massachusetts’ Boys’ Junior Amateur Championship, Hingham’s Carson Erick (Boston Golf Club) beat Weston’s CJ Winchenbaugh (Oyster Harbors Club/Belmont Hill)) in the final round of match play, 1-up, at Great Horse.

■ Recent Westford Academy grad Matt Morash has committed to Penn State baseball . . . His former catcher at Westford, rising senior James McDermott, committed to Assumption on Saturday . . . Xaverian senior long snapper/offensive lineman Andrew Dufault also announced his commitment to Penn State.

■ Natick’s Ryan Mela, a 6-foot-6-inch rising senior forward at The Newman School in Boston, has committed to the Providence men’s basketball program.

Coaching chatter

■Stephanie Wood, who directed the Austin Prep girls’ hockey program to three MIAA Division 1 titles in 11 seasons culminating with a 27-0 run in 2022, has stepped down to pursue college coaching opportunities. Wood was 210-34-21 overall, including a 15-6-2 finish in the program’s inaugural season the New England Prep School Athletic Council in 2022-23.

“Coming to Austin Prep was the best decision I’ve ever made in my career, and I am so proud of everything our program has accomplished,’’ said Wood, who, after a playing career at Northeastern, is focused on coaching at the Division 1 level.

“Austin Prep entered the NEPSAC well positioned for success,’’ said Austin Prep AD Pat Driscoll, in lauding Woods. “That was due, in part, to the foundation built by the girls hockey program the decade prior.’’

■ Wellesley has made a noteworthy addition with the hire of Gary Patch as girls’ volleyball coach. A member of the state coaches’ association Hall of Fame, Patch directed Medway to the state tournament in all of his 12 seasons at the helm. He also coached at Assumption College, the Bancroft School, Ursuline Academy, and most recently Rivers. Patch is also the head coach of the SMASH Volleyball Club. “He comes to us highly recommended by players, parents, coaches, athletic directors and administrators,’’ said Wellesley AD John Brown. “We are excited for the start of the upcoming season.’’ . . . Mia Maccario is the new field hockey coach at Marblehead after the retirement of 45-year coach Linda-Rice Collins . . . Methuen boys’ hockey coach Bill Blackwell will now also coach the varsity golf team, and Joann Lanari-Guay is the new girls’ cross-country coach at the school . . . Fast-forwarding to the spring, Leon Elwell has replaced 16-year baseball coach Mike Zukowski at Lynn Classical. A veteran firefighter in Lynn, Elwell has directed the Greater Lynn Babe Ruth 15-year-old program to multiple appearances in the Babe Ruth World Series.

Correspondent Mike Puzzanghera and Craig Larson of the Globe staff contributed to this story.