New address

Because "Mat Matters" was changed from Blogger's server to the Observer-Reporter's server recently, you might have to create a new bookmark for the blog. Make sure you bookmark:

http://www.observer-reporter.com/or/matmatters/

The good stuff is coming soon.

Charges dropped against Angle

Associated Press

PITTSBURGH – A suburban Pittsburgh district judge has dropped assault and harassment charges against professional wrestler and Olympic gold medalist Kurt Angle.
The 40-year-old wrestler had been accused of attacking his former girlfriend Trenesha Biggers at his suburban Pittsburgh home on Aug. 6. The charges were dropped at Angle’s preliminary hearing on Tuesday.
Angle maintains that he never hit Biggers.
On Monday, Angle and Biggers agreed to have no contact with one another. Biggers, also a wrestler, withdrew a protection from abuse complaint against Angle.

NHSCA Preseason Tournament

The National High School Coaches Association will hold their 12th annual Pre-Season Wrestling Championships, Nov. 14 at Pleasant Valley High School in Monroe County, Pennsylvania.

The event attracts wrestlers from 18 different states with the results heavily influencing national wrestling polls for their pre-season national rankings. It is also an opportunity for the high school wrestlers to showcase their talent for college recruiting.

Blair Academy in Blairstown, NJ dominated the event last year crowning eight champions. Blair Academy Head Coach, Jeffrey Buxton says, “Last year was the first time we attended the NHSCA Preseason Nationals as we brought our entire team. It was a valuable experience for all of our wrestlers as the competition was extremely good helping our kids prepare for the upcoming season. The NHSCA continue to support High School wrestling giving wrestlers the opportunity to improve and wrestle against the very best.”

Top wrestlers from across the nation use the NHSCA National Pre-Season Wrestling Championships as a final preparation for the beginning of the wrestling season. The top six finishers in each weight class automatically qualify for the NHSCA’s 14th Annual U.S. Open and the National Beach Wrestling Championships.


Athletes must be enrolled in high school for eligibility. All wrestlers must register online by November 11th at the NHSCA website, www.nhsca.com. Wrestlers may change weight classes without penalty until Nov. 12.

Burgettstown hires 2 head coaches

Burgettstown High School's wrestling program will have two head coaches next season. With the wrestling season just five weeks away and the district struggling to find a replacement for Chris Day, the school board decided to hire Terry Havelka and Jon Vallina, the school's athletic director, as co-coaches for this season.
Havelka took last season off to watch his son, Jeff, wrestle for the University of Findlay. Day took the position on an interim basis because Havelka wanted to return for the 2009-10 season. When Jeff Havelka received an extra year of eligibility because of a shoulder injury that wiped out most of the 2007 season, Terry Havelka wanted to postpone his return.
So the board attempted to fill the position and thought it had a candidate ready at the September meeting. But that hire fell through, leaving the school district with little time to find another coach.
Terry Havelka has been in the program for 30 years and Vallina has coached for a dozen seasons. They know their stuff. Each had problems with taking the position on a full-time basis so making them co-coaches was a good idea. Vallina said he wants to bring in three or four assistants to give the program more flexibility.
Gary Havelka and Kent Vallina will coach the junior high program.

Former coach sues Waynesburg U.

Tara Kinsell has a story on our Web site about Waynesburg University's former wrestling coach Charlie Heard suing the school.

"Former Waynesburg University wrestling Coach Charlie T. Heard of Morgantown, W.Va., has filed a federal lawsuit against his former employer in U.S. District Court claiming he was treated differently from other coaches because he is black.

The suit, filed Monday, alleges discrimination by the university against Heard and athletes recruited by him. ... "

Here's the link to read the rest of the story:

http://www.observer-reporter.com/OR/Story/09-30-Waynesburg-University-lawsuit

The search continues

If you haven't been paying attention, Burgettstown High School still does not have a wrestling coach. The school board settled on a candidate and was ready to hire him at this month's meeting. But he pulled out at the last minute.

That leaves the search going back to Square 1. There were three finalists for the job so maybe one could emerge. Chris Day held the position last season on an interim basis while Terry Havelka took the season off to watch his son Jeff compete in college. Havelka planned on returning this season but Jeff was awarded an extra season because of an injury so those plans fell through.

If you know of anyone interested - and please, let's at least assume your candidate has some coaching experience, and a time schedule compatible with the sport's demands - then let me know or give Burgettstown athletic director Jon Vallina a call at the high school.

Angle cleared of charges

Professional wrestler and Olympic gold medalist Kurt Angle has been cleared of charges of violating a protection from abuse order and possession of human growth hormone.

Angle was arrested last month in suburban Pittsburgh. His girlfriend, Trenesha Biggers, had obtained a protection order after the two had fought.

Police say they found vials of human growth hormone in Angle's car. The 40-year-old wrestler said he had a prescription to treat previous neck injuries. He also denied stalking Biggers.

District Judge Carla Swearingen on Tuesday also dismissed charges against Angle of driving with a suspended license and drug possession related to the hormone.

Biggers did not comment outside court. Angle said he will be more careful about who he associates with in the future.

Angle found with HGH

MCKEES ROCKS - Pro wrestler and Olympic gold medalist Kurt Angle has been arrested on charges of possessing a human growth hormone and violating an order of protection in suburban Pittsburgh.

Angle was arrested about 7:50 a.m. Saturday in a Robinson Township strip mall parking lot. His girlfriend, who said she obtained a protection order about 11/2 hours earlier after the two fought Friday night, alleged that he had circled the lot staring at her as she sat in a coffee shop, according to a police affidavit.

Police said they found the human growth hormone Hygetropin in Angle's car, and the wrestler told them he had a prescription for the drug. He also told officers he had not seen the woman and was looking for a hotel because he was barred from his home.



Angle, 40, was charged with violating the order of protection, harassment, possession of drugs and paraphernalia and driving with a suspended license. He posted bail and is scheduled to appear for a hearing Tuesday on the drug and harassment charges and Wednesday on the charge of violating the protection order, a court clerk said.

Angle, the current heavyweight champion of Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, was scheduled to appear in a TNA Wrestling event Sunday night in Orlando, Fla. Steven Godfrey, spokesman for Nashville, Tenn.-based TNA Wrestling, declined comment on the arrest but said the main event between Angle, Sting and "The Blueprint" Matt Morgan would go on as scheduled.

Godfrey also said TNA has a drug policy in place for staff and performers, but he declined to release the details.

Angle is a two-time NCAA Division I wrestling champion at Clarion University. He won the 220-pound championship at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, defeating Iran's Abbas Jadidi for the gold medal, and has been a professional wrestler since 1998.

In September, Angle was found not guilty of drunken driving in Moon Township