WPIAL wrestling notebook: Greensburg Salem celebrating 800th win

By: Paul Schofield
Tuesday, February 8, 2022 | 6:01 AM

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Greensburg Salem’s athletic department has quite a celebration planned for Wednesday’s match against Ringgold.

First, the district will celebrate the team’s 800th victory, which occurred Dec. 18 when the Golden Lions defeated Gateway, 54-18.

More than 100 alumni and three previous coaches (Rob Waller, Daryl Kelvington and Bill Alexander) along with past PIAA champions Phil Detore (1965), Mickey Kenney (1970), Ken Parsley (1978), Brian Kapusta (1989-90), Jeff Kapusta (1992), Vertus Jones (1995), Greg Jones (2000) and Donnie Jones (2003-04) and numerous NCAA All-Americans will be in attendance.

Wrestlers from the Junior Olympic program also will be honored.

The celebration will begin at 6:30 p.m., followed by senior night activities and then the match.

“There could be four generations of wrestlers in attendance,” Greensburg Salem athletic director Frank Sundry said. “It should be a great night and entertaining.”

Shaw wins state title

Indian Land Middle School (S.C.) wrestler Addie Shaw won a state championship at the Carolina Invitational on Jan. 29. The daughter of Dayna and Ryan Shaw, a former Greensburg Salem wrestler and Southmoreland coach, she defeated teammate Madison Bailey, 11-2, in the finals.

She is the first girl in the middle school program to win a state title at the annual middle school and junior varsity state tournament.

Shaw, an eighth grader, was the 100-pound state champion. Shaw (8-4) was 3-0 with two pins and an 11-2 major decision. This is her first year competing.

Butler knocking on door

The Butler wrestling team has yet to reach the WPIAL Class 3A team semifinals, but it’s getting there.

The Golden Tornado (16-4) gave No. 3 Latrobe a good run in the quarterfinals before losing, 39-26.

“We’re getting close,” Butler coach Scott Stoner said. “The kids are working hard. We want to get there.”

Stoner is a Southmoreland grad.

Butler’s losses were to Grundy (Va.), Benton, North Allegheny and Latrobe.

“I knew it would be a close battle,” Latrobe coach Mark Mears said. “Fortunately, we were able to neutralize some of their better wrestlers with ours. Against a different team, they might have gotten to the finals.”

Butler was missing senior Cooper Baxter from the lineup.

Century club

Waynesburg juniors Mac Church and Rocco Welsh each captured their 100th career wins in the WPIAL Class 3A championship match against Connellsville.

The Raiders won their third consecutive title by defeating the Falcons, 35-18.

Church defeated Chad Ozias, 7-3, at 132 pounds. Welch had a technical fall win against Zac Bigam at 172.

Also joining the century mark was Canon-McMillan senior Jacob Houpt when he defeated Waynesburg’s Joe Simon, 10-0.

Girl Tournament Champions

The Western Pennsylvania Girls Championship was held Feb. 5 at North Allegheny, and Canon-McMillan walked away with the team title and three individual champions.

There were eight girls crowned champions including one each from Southmoreland, Valley, Laurel, Hampton and Armstrong. There were 15 schools that participated.

The Big Macs had 10 placewinners and finished with 117 points. Winning titles were Chloe Ault (136-142 pounds), Natalie Rush (157-174) and Rylie Stewart (125-129). Placing second were Dynisty Williams (157-174) and Leilani Ramos (117-124).

North Allegheny finished second with 68 points, but no champions. The Tigers had three girls place second: Brenna Collery (128-136), Callie Rautenbach (136-142) and Leyna Rumpler (143-151).

Southmoreland’s champion was Faryn DeWitt (113-116), who won three matches.

Valley’s champion was Arianna Bernard (143-151). Isabella McNutt (100-107) was Hampton’s champion, Alexis Brua (117-124) was Laurel’s winner and Toby Atwood (128-136) won from Armstrong.

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: Butler, Greensburg Salem, Southmoreland, Waynesburg