Nov 16, 2020 4 min read

The effects of the coronavirus has eliminated two local wrestling tournaments and forced a third one to move.

Limits on the number of fans have made putting on the season-opening Chartiers-Houston Tournament and the Tri-CADA-sponsored event in the first week of January impossible. Both tournaments have been canceled.

The nationally renowned Powerade Christmas Tournament has been moved from Canon-McMillan High School to the Monroeville Convention Center.

The reason these three changes occurred: not enough fans would be allowed to make the events profitable.

Two weeks ago, the PIAA releaed its COVID-19 guidelines for winter sports. They include for wrestling:

• Have hand sanitizer and wipes available at the table.
• Wash stations or sanitizer at mat side.
• No one touches the score sheet except the scorer.
• If writing implements are used, they should be sanitized and not shared with anyone.
• Disinfect the mats prior to and following competition.
• Athletes and coaches wear masks off the mat.
• Schools should communicate in advance regarding any screening policies and occupancy levels to be expected from the host site.
• Schools may increase the bench area to assist in social distancing.
• For tournament settings, prohibit all wrestlers from warming up simultaneously for competition. Provide separate warm-up areas off of the competition mats and sanitize them regularly.
• Provide separate warm-up mats off of the competition mat for teams involved in dual competition.
• Events should be structured to ensure compliance with current indoor occupancy limits and mitigation requirements by the Pa. Department of Health and Governor’s Office.

It’s the last one that has caused tournament directors to either eliminate or move events.

“The number includes wrestlers,” said South Fayette head coach Rick Chaussard, the host of this year’s Tri-CADA event. “We canceled our junior high tournament for the same reason.”

Last year’s junior high tournament had 15 teams with as many as 30 on the roster.

“That alone put us over the limit,” Chaussard said. “The way our schedule is looking, we are not going to be in a tournament except (Powerade).”

The Allegheny County Tournament, which South Fayette competes in each season, has been canceled.

The Chartiers-Houston Tournament is set to make a return in 2021 under certain circumstances.

“We plan on bringing it back when it’s safe for everyone,” said Chartiers-Houston athletic director Kurt Kesneck. “It’s been quite a long time since it hasn’t been held.”

The Bucs were scheduled to participate in the Southmoreland Tournament and it, too, has been moved to the Monroeville Convention Center.

“It’s very, very difficult to hold things that big,” Kesneck said. “We go by the PIAA guidelines. We are not using our locker room facilities, we’re limited in our attendance, two adults or family members for dual meets. If you are having a quad meet, you probably won’t be able to have any spectators. In our school, we aren’t allowing any visiting spectators.”

McMillon status in question

Donovan McMilllon, the state runnerup at 182 pounds, is leaving for college early and will probably not be competing on Peters Township High School’s wrestling team.

The football recruit will graduate from high school in December and leave for the University of Florida in time for January courses.

McMillon lost to Canon-McMillan’s Gerrit Nijenhuis in last year’s Class AAA finals at 182 pounds.

It was the first time two Washington County wrestlers met in the finals.

Good showing for Waynesburg

Three Waynesburg wrestlers won their weight class in the True Power and PA Power Wrestling Exhibition two weeks ago in Tyrone.

Mac Church (122 folkstyle), Cole Homet (140 folkstyle) and Luca Augustine (170 folkstyle).

Rocco Welsh, who weighed in at 155, took second, falling to Alejandro Herrera-Rondon 4-2.

In the Open Mat national rankings, Wyatt Henson is third at 145. Welsh is 17th at 152, and Augustine is 16th at 170.

Raiders get stronger

Waynesburg High School has added another former state champion to its lineup.

Junior Zander Phatorus, who won the 113-pound title in Arizona, should be in the starting lineup for the Raiders when the season opens up.

Phatorus was a state runnerup at 103 as a sophomore for Trinity High School in Peoria, Ariz.

Phatorus’ father, Lance, was a WPIAL champion from Riverview in 1984.