Apollo-Ridge’s Logan Harmon searching for WPIAL title

By: Greg Macafee
Wednesday, February 24, 2021 | 2:23 PM

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Over the last four years, Apollo-Ridge senior Logan Harmon has been a catalyst for the Vikings football team, leading the group to its best season in school history. But for all his accomplishments on the gridiron, Harmon has been just as good on the wrestling mat.

Apollo-Ridge doesn’t have a wrestling team, so Harmon and his younger brother, Landon, wrestle for Armstrong as part of a co-op. Logan has become one of the best wrestlers in the River Hawks’ lineup over the past three years.

“It’s been a great opportunity to work with him, have him in our room and to see him mature as an athlete and mature as a wrestler,” Armstrong coach Brandon Newill said. “It’s been pretty awesome.”

In his first two years of wrestling with the River Hawks, Harmon was 50-13, winning a section title last season as a junior. He also placed fourth at the WPIAL tournament, losing to Mt. Lebanon powerhouse Luke Stout, 5-2 decision, in the semifinals and Kiski Area’s Brayden Roscosky, 3-0, in the third-place match.

He was on the brink of a WPIAL title and even made an appearance in the PIAA tournament, where he ran into Stout again in the first round and then fell to Delaware Valley’s Jason Henderson in the third round of consolations. But Harmon has continued to work, and that’s what has led to his continuous improvement over the past three years.

“I’ve just been trying to come back at it every year and just work hard,” Harmon said. “I’ve just been listening to my coaches, letting everything sink in and just been putting it all to use.”

This year has arguably been his best season yet. After not wrestling his first match until Jan. 28 in a dual meet against Kiski Area, Harmon remains undefeated at 13-0. He captured his second section championship this past weekend by pinning Franklin Regional’s Christo Marion in 1 minute, 9 seconds.

Twelve of Harmon’s 13 wins this season have come via pin. His other victory came via a 10-4 decision against Hampton’s Conrad Harold. Harmon said he attributed his performance on the mat to his teammates and his coaches pushing him.

“It’s just been working in the room on top and being able to execute it on the mat,” Harmon said. “That’s been helping me, my wrestling partners have been helping me and they’ve all just been pushing me.”

Harmon has a unique set of traits that make him stand out. As a linebacker and a running back for the Vikings, Harmon displayed an ability to cover sideline to sideline and run over opponents while carrying the football. His size and his quickness carried over to the mat.

“I think for someone his size he has incredibly good footwork, and that’s probably why he’s such a good football player, too,” Newill said. “He can move his feet fast, and he can move in a way that a big guy typically doesn’t.”

Harmon is seeded second at 215 pounds for Saturday’s WPIAL Class AAA individual championships at Canon-McMillan, behind only Belle Vernon junior Cole Weightman.

Harmon will face Moon’s Andrew Sampson in the first round. After coming so close last year, Harmon is eager to advance and ready to use this week to his advantage.

“I feel good, and I’m definitely working on trying to get better this week and improving and working on stuff to do for WPIALs,” Harmon said. “I’m just trying to work on my shots and just preparing myself for this weekend.”

Greg Macafee is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Greg by email at gmacafee@triblive.com or via Twitter .

Tags: Apollo-Ridge, Armstrong