WPIAL wrestling is doing fine
For anyone that followed the 58th Annual Powerade Christmas Wrestling Tournament last Friday and Saturday at Canon-McMillan High School, the results, on paper, may not appear to be that strong for the WPIAL, but how District 7 fared in the two-day event that featured 74 teams should not be a reflection of the quality of wrestling among Southwestern, Pa. schools.
When it was all said and done Saturday afternoon, the WPIAL had one champion in Norwin’s Landon Sidun, and 12 reached the podium in the top eight of their respective weight classes.
In a world that is driven by results, that may not seem like much, but the tournament that began as the California State Christmas Tournament by Frank Vulcano Sr. in 1967 has evolved into a national event. It just happens to be in our corner of the globe.
Frank Vulcano Jr. has taken over as the tournament director, and has turned Powerade into something special that occurs in wrestling-obsessed Washington County.
It gives the local fans a chance to see some of the best in the country, but emotions take over, as everyone wants to see their kids win, regardless of whether your child is wrestling Bo Bassett, or the first-year kid down the street.
Unfortunately, in wrestling, as in life, you are not always going to come out victorious, and the lessons learned at Powerade will go way beyond winning and losing for the teams involved.
Three local schools in the Herald-Standard coverage area competed at Powerade in Connellsville, Waynesburg Central and West Greene with three medalists in Connellsville’s duo of Evan Petrovich (5th at 152) and Lonzy Vielma (8th at 160) and West Greene’s Colin Whyte (7th at 285). The Raiders didn’t produce any placewinners, but Roan Tustin lost in the blood round at 215.
The Falcons led the area in team points with 77, which was good enough for 15th place. The Pioneers and Raiders brought seven wrestlers total, but all three teams and their coaches believed the experience was invaluable, and will benefit their wrestlers when the postseason tournaments begin.
Connellsville, who is a favorite to repeat as WPIAL dual meet champion in Class 3A, was second in the Powerade team standings among WPIAL schools behind Thomas Jefferson, which was ninth with 104 team points.
The Falcons have a solid lineup from top to bottom, and the scoring in individual tournaments differs from dual meets, so those that support coach Bill Swink’s team shouldn’t worry.
Connellsville’s Tommy Gretz (107) and Kai Vielma (139) lost in the blood round in bouts that could have gone either way. Gretz dropped a 6-4 decision and Vielma lost, 1-0.
I have shared conversations with coaches that have had plenty of success in the sport and won the Powerade in previous years, but admitted that they would struggle to place in the current version of the tournament.
The parity at Powerade can be compared to a Division I tournament where everyone is a state champion and has numerous accolades. State champions have come to Powerade and not been able to medal.
I doubt schools from Florida and Nevada would book flights to Pennsylvania just after Christmas for any other reason than to wrestle in some of the best competition in the country.
The success of WPIAL at the state tournament this year will tell a great deal, but here is one individual that believes the WPIAL is doing just fine in the sport of wrestling.
Herald-Standard sports writer Jonathan Guth can be reached via email at jguth@heraldstandard.com