Injury keeps Mt. Pleasant’s Dayton Pitzer from defending state wrestling title

By: Paul Schofield
Monday, February 10, 2020 | 4:22 PM

When the WPIAL wrestling committee releases the Class AA section tournament pairings Tuesday, at least one big-name wrestler will be missing.

Mt. Pleasant sophomore Dayton Pitzer, who’s been sidelined for the season following a preseason leg injury, had surgery, and according to Mt. Pleasant coach Zach Snyder, his doctor advised him to sit out the season.

Pitzer, a returning WPIAL and PIAA champion who has been rehabbing the injury for more than a month, had hoped to return for the individual tournaments.

“Unfortunately, Dayton will not be competing in the individual postseason per his doctor’s recommendation,” Snyder said in a text message. “Definitely not the best news for his year, but it’s the best decision for his health and long-term future.”

Pitzer was 43-1 his freshman year with 28 pins. He defeated Freedom’s Bryson Miller, 3-1, in the 182-pound final.

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.

Tags: Mt. Pleasant