Waynesburg comes up one win shy of state title
Joe Tuscano/Observer-Reporter
Waynesburg is the runner-up in the PIAA Class AAA Team Tournament.
Cole Homet of Waynesburg, top, tries to gain control of Blaine Wilson of Nazareth at 132 pounds in the PIAA Class AAA Team Tournament. Wilson won a 5-4 decision.
Noah Tustin gets poked in the face by Nazareth’s Drew Clearie at 195 pounds in the PIAA Class AAA Team Tournament. Tustin won a 9-6 decision.
Luca Augustine of Waynesburg is tangled with Connor Herceg at 170 pounds in the PIAA Class AAA Team Tournament. Augustine won 2-1 in overtime.
HERSHEY – When wrestling fans in Southwestern Pennsylvania saw the amazing accomplishments of Waynesburg High School’s wrestling team, one couldn’t help but wonder what type of team could ever beat the Raiders.
Now they know.
Only the No. 1 team in the state, Nazareth.
The Blue Eagles showed themselves to be more than enough to handle the Raiders Saturday afternoon at the Giant Center in Hershey.
Nazareth won 38-21, capturing nine out of the 14 matches and sending Waynesburg to its first loss in 16 dual meets.
“Boy, I’m so proud of these kids. Our goal was to win the state team title and we came so close,” said Waynesburg head coach Joe Throckmorton. “That’s going to be our goal for next year.”
Waynesburg’s remarkable season ended one victory shy of perfection. The Raiders won the Section 4 title by beating arch-rival Cannon-McMillan, then went on to win their first WPIAL team title in 31 years.
Waynesburg was making its first appearance in this tournament and the Raiders wowed fans in the arena when they defeated Bethlehem Catholic, considered one of the favorites to make it to the finals against Nazareth, in the semifinals.
“They work so hard and they get better and better,” said Throckmorton. “Man, they’re such a young team but they’re so experienced. They are winners because they work around winners. They are just so positive. They keep it light in the room and with the coaches. We are having fun in the wrestling room. The kids make the coaches have fun and that’s what you do this for, fun.”
The match started at 220 pounds, possibly the worst spot for the Raiders. Throckmorton decided to forfeit and move Ryan Howard up to heavyweight. The move worked as Howard won a decision in overtime, 5-3, against Matthew Burton.
And Mac Church followed with a hard-fought 1-0 victory Charles Bunting to tie the match at 6-6.
Nazareth took over from that point, winning six of the next eight and taking a commanding 26-15 lead that it would never relinquish.
“We don’t have the one hammer,” Nazareth head coach Dave Crowell said. “We used to, but not this year. They all stepped up to help. There shouldn’t just be one leader because that means the rest of the guys are followers.”
Waynesburg’s top wrestlers came through with victories, including Rocco Welsh and 126, Wyatt Henson at 138 and Luca Augustine at 170.
But it was not enough.
If the Raiders stay healthy next season, they should be gunning for the same title at the same time and same place. The Raiders have no seniors on their roster, while the other final four powerhouse teams will suffer varying amounts of graduation.
“The high point of the year? I think that was Friday, when we beat Bethlehem Catholic,” said Waynesburg’s 132-pounder Cole Homet. “And finishing in third place at Powerade was another high point. The highs and lows teach you and you just have to embrace it.”