Three wrestlers claim crowns at PAC Championships
The Waynesburg University wrestling team wrapped up its regular season placing second at the Presidents’ Athletic Conference Championships and brought home personal titles for three wrestlers.
After being picked to finish third in the PAC at the beginning of the season, the wrestling team exceeded projected standings and completed the season with a second-place finish at the championships.
Juniors Ryan Shank and Filippo Crivelli, along with freshman wrestler Jake Evans brought home individual titles for the team.
The wrestling team went into the championships, said head coach Ron Headlee, with the focus of getting four champions. With potentially winning four individual titles for the Waynesburg wrestling team their chances of placing first in the PAC Championships was increased.
“We thought if we got four champions we would win it, and that’s what we were aiming for,” said Headlee. “We were close to the four with three and that’s pretty much what it was. If we had four we’d probably would have won [the Championship].”
Although Headlee and the wrestling team fell short of reaching their goal, Headlee spoke to the success of the team at the PAC Championships.
“I thought we wrestled really well at the PAC [Championships], wrestled just about as well as we could have,” said Headlee.
Despite a successful season for the wrestling team, Headlee said the team was different than any other he had coached in the past.
“We were just really young this year,” said Headlee. “This was the youngest team I’ve ever had since I’ve been here [at Waynesburg].”
Entering into the PAC Championships, Headlee said he had in mind the wrestlers who would end up winning individual titles for Waynesburg.
“[With Evans], Shank, and [Crivelli] we would have probably been disappointed if those three didn’t win [titles],” said Headlee. “They’ve been on-task all year.”
Evans, a freshman, has had a successful season for Waynesburg, Headlee said.
“[Evans] has a real good work ethic,” said Headlee. “He comes in, works and is very coachable. Whatever we tell him he just works at it and tries to be the best he can.”
Crivelli, a junior, had previous experience, as well as success, at the PAC Championships. He had been to the PAC Championships two years previously and won an individual title his freshman year at Waynesburg. At an event as important as the PAC Championships, Headlee said the previous years of experience helped Crivelli in the competition.
Although Shank had been to the PAC Championships in the past, this year marks his first year taking home an individual title.
Headlee spoke of the impact both Crivelli and Shank have on the wrestling program.
“They are our two captains and [the team] looks to them for their leadership,” said Headlee.
Although the regular season has ended for the Waynesburg wrestling team, regionals still lie ahead. According to Headlee, anything can happen at regionals and the team needs to move on from the PAC Championships to be successful.
This year, according to Headlee, preparation for the regionals event is different than how it has been in the past.
“[This year] is a little different,” said Headlee. “Usually we have a match [at the fieldhouse], but this year we have two weeks [of break] before Regionals. It’s a little bit longer… sometimes [it can be] a little bit too long. I don’t really like to go two weeks [without a match].”
According to Headlee, there is benefit in having an extended break for the wrestling team though. Headlee said it gives wrestlers more individual time to prepare for the event.
Headlee said he expects all three wrestlers, Shank, Crivelli and Evans to perform well enough at regionals to get seeded. Additionally sophomore wrestler Tristan Buxton has a chance at regionals, said Headlee. Although, according to Headlee, Buxton’s weight class has the chance of being one of the toughest to compete in at the regional level.
Looking back on the season, Headlee said he’s seen improvement in the young team.
“I think our guys all improved throughout the year,” said Headlee. “They stayed on course, they didn’t get frustrated after loses and they just kept working. That was the part that I was encouraged with.”
Although a young team, looking ahead Headlee said he sees future success.
“I think these [younger players] are a really good nucleus for the teams to come over the next three or four years,” said Headlee.