Highlands’ Chambers, Plum’s Campbell seeking titles at Allegheny County Wrestling Championship

By: Paul Schofield
Friday, January 17, 2025 | 8:30 PM

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Things haven’t gone well the past two seasons for Highlands junior Javeon Chambers at the Allegheny County Wrestling Championship.

But this season has been different. Chambers did not leave Fox Chapel High School disappointed.

The No. 2 wrestler in Class 2A at 107 pounds according to Trib HSSN and top seed of the tournament looked sharp in his two matches, recording a second-period pin of Keystone Oaks freshman Ryder Gearhart in the Round of 16 and an 11-second pin of Upper St. Clair freshman Spencer Hills in the quarterfinals.

The victories put him in the semifinals at 11:30 a.m. Saturday against Moon sophomore Bryce Thomas, who pinned Thomas Jefferson sophomore Zach Rehak.

“I’m taking one match at a time,” Chambers said. “I’m not looking past anyone. I just want to go and be aggressive.

“I could see early that I could take him down. I just stayed patient.”

He was all over his two opponents and said that is how he must be to achieve his goal.

“He wants to be on the podium at states,” Highlands coach Grant Walters said. “Javeon is a special kid and a great kid. He’s got a goal set, and I’m confident he can achieve it.

“He gets better every time he sets on the mat.”

Chambers said he must continue to put forth great effort.

“I’m strong in the neutral position, and I need to continue to work hard,” Chambers said. “This just another step.”

Chambers is coming off a second-place finish at the Mid-Winter Mayhem.

“That tournament helped get his name out there,” Walters said.

Another junior off to a good start was Plum’s Owen Campbell, a two-time county finalist and 2023 107-pound champion.

Campbell, the No. 3 seed, won three matches to reach the semifinals at 139 pounds. He recorded 18-1 technical fall wins against Penn Hills senior Levi Smith in the Round of 32 and Moon junior Brayden Tooch in the Round of 16.

Then he added a third technical fall by defeating Montour junior Jacob Chacon, 22-4, in the quarterfinals.

He will face No. 2 seed Matt Danna of Quaker Valley in the semis.

Campbell defeated North Allegheny’s Gus Stedeford, 4-0, in the 2023 tournament but lost to Moon’s Cael Yanek, 5-1, at 121 in 2024.

“The goal is to get back to the finals and win,” Campbell said. “I love the new point system. It’s a game changer. I like being aggressive and scoring points.”

Campbell said his season has gone well. He’s lost only three times.

Now he is going after his opponents with three-point takedowns and using his four-point near-fall points with tilts.

“I really like this tournament,” Campbell said. “There is great competition for me.”

Fox Chapel leads the team standings with 149.5 points and four still alive for titles. Thomas Jefferson is second with 139.5 and five in the semifinals, and Bethel Park is third with 136.5 and six in the semifinals.

Plum has 102 points and three in the semifinals, Highlands has 69.5 and one in the semis and Riverview had 16 points and one wrestler in the consolations.

The finals are slated for 4:30 p.m.

Paul Schofield is a TribLive reporter covering high school and college sports and local golf. He joined the Trib in 1995 after spending 15 years at the Daily Courier in Connellsville, where he served as sports editor for 14 years. He can be reached at pschofield@triblive.com.