Mar 7, 2021 9 min read

Many Waynesburg Central High School wrestlers made their mark in the state wrestling championships through the years.

Dave Thomas, one of the school’s greatest wrestlers, earned his in victory and defeat.

With a little good fortune, his one PIAA gold medal could have turned into three.

Thomas, who won his state championship as a sophomore in 1989, finished third as a junior, and was a tragic runnerup as a senior in 1991.

Thirty years ago, Thomas was involved in one of the – if not the – most bizarre and mystifying state championship finals results in PIAA history.

That night at Hersheypark Arena left nearly everyone in attendance in disbelief, frustrated, and stupefied.

For the record, Thomas was within two minutes March 16, 1991 of his second state title when fate – in the form of referee Dr. John Hosage – stepped in and rewrote the bout and PIAA wrestling history. Thomas, who dominated the first four minutes, led 5-0.

Hosage awarded Thomas’ opponent, Ben Keebler of St. Mary’s a penalty point early in the third, calling Thomas for an illegal clasp, this after warning Thomas for false starts in the top position to start the third period.

Twenty-four seconds into the third period, Hosage called stalling a second time on Thomas, which gave Keebler a second penalty point.

Thomas said he did ask what he was doing wrong and Hosage then penalized him two more penalty points to make it 5-4 with 1:36 still left to wrestle. Thomas rode Keebler the next 1:28 before the bout slipped away. Keebler gained a reversal with eight seconds left to win the championship and leave Thomas confused and dejected.

“I think I accomplished enough but I did not accomplish everything I wanted to,” Thomas said. “I would have liked to have won three straight state titles. It didn’t happen. But I did win one.

“Going into my freshman season, I thought about going to state. The next year I was able to win a state championship.”

Thomas and his family moved from the area to the Philadelphia area because of a job transfer from his employer, the department of corrections in April 2018.

Thomas and his wife, Tonette, have two children, Emily, who attends Drexel University, and Christopher, who is in graduate school at Drexel.

Ironically, Thomas became Perkiomen Valley’s middle school head wrestling coach before becoming the school’s head coach this season.

He said he really had not thought about coaching.

“I waited a year after high school to go to Clarion,” Thomas explained. “I started as a true freshman (1992-93 season). I dropped out of school after that.

“After that I started coaching soccer and wrestling. I like kids and I like being around young kids and try to help them and show them things I know. I love to see them progress and have fun while they learn.

“As for my career and what happened, it’s water under the bridge and you try to learn from it.”

A few weeks ago, one of Thomas’ high school wrestlers learned about how a referee can control what happens to any wrestler on the mat and beyond.

“I tell them all the time, keep your mouths shut as to not get any penalty points or worse,” Thomas said. “My kid got hit because he opened his mouth. He was thrown out of the tournament and had to sit out the first two matches of next season. You cannot leave yourself open to that. The referees have the control.”

What did he say?

Nobody with a fair and competitive spirit would wish a loss on any one or any team the way Thomas had one heaped on him in that state championship bout.

It was wrong. It was almost criminal.

To this day, no one has an answer to why Hosage penalized Thomas two points early in that third period.

To this day, it makes no sense. Thomas did not curse; he wasn’t demonstrative in any way and he did not show up Hosage.

The scorer’s table called Hosage to the table to ask him to explain the call and penalty. Obviously, those at the table detected nothing and didn’t expect a call.

“I was riding him tough on top,” Thomas said. “I was doing the work. I did nothing other than in a normal voice question the calls. I didn’t cuss and I didn’t say anything derogatory. You can’t talk to the ref at all because they have all the power.”

Far too much in this case. Ask those who witnessed it.

“I can’t remember the sequence really well but what I remember more than anything is that Dave looked incredibly confused,” said Rod Frisco, who then was a wrestling beat writer for the Harrisburg Patriot News. “He had his head wrapped that tournament to protect a head injury. Things were going well for him in the bout. Once (Hosage) hit him with the caution for a false start, he started becoming confused on what the referee was calling.

“I wasn’t privy to the conversation between Dr. Hosage and Thomas, but I sat there thinking, this is ridiculous and why would Thomas have to change anything he was doing.”

Waynesburg Coach Joe Ayersman, widely known and recognized for his sportsmanship, quiet, and calm nature became angry, then incensed.

“I was upset,” Ayersman admitted. “I ask him why the two points for penalty. Hosage responded: ‘I don’t have to tell you.’ That wasn’t the answer I was looking for and it wasn’t a good answer. I still don’t know why. What was it? Did Dave do anything? He didn’t really say anything.

“Hosage seemed to want to influence the outcome of the match. I experienced bad calls in my life, but that was the worst call I have ever seen. That was just not right.”

Bob Stephenson was a teammate of Thomas’ in 1991.

He went on to an outstanding athletic career at Waynesburg – football and wrestling – played football at Penn State, has served as the Raiders’ athletic director and is currently the high school principal.

His view as a teammate was even harsher than other witnesses.

“Some of the stuff Dave did on the mat was not coachable,” Stephenson said. “He had a feel for turning the right way. He was a tremendous rider. He was blessed.”

Until this.

“That was such a travesty,” Stephenson went on. “The referee wanted to be noticed. Joe was always calm, cool and collected. He was heated.

“The official just did not want Dave to win. I remember the whole arena booing; everyone was like this just isn’t right. Simply, the official wanted to be noticed. He became too involved in the match.”

Frisco said it is a good thing it was Ayersman in the corner rather than a more excitable or aggressive personality, which could have led to bedlam.

“I remember the (wrestlers) going out of bounds and back to the center. Thomas was getting ready to take top position and Hosage said something to him. Dave stood up and grabbed his head. From that point, it seemed to break Thomas’ concentration.

“Then at the end, Keebler gets the better of a scramble. It was just infuriating to see what happened. I tried to get a comment from Dr. Hosage but could not.

“We were all left in the dark. In the theater of my mind, I can remember, but not all the specifics. What I do know is that some think it’s one of the worst officiated matches ever.”

Ayersman still feels the pain of that outcome.

“I went to the table afterward and got nothing out of it,” Ayersman said. “Hosage was the rules interpreter for the state. Who am I going to go to? (Bob) Lombardi (currently the executive director of the PIAA) said to me, ‘Don’t you know who that is.’ I said I do, but that doesn’t make any difference to me right now.

“It was sad. Hosage did a terrible job and wouldn’t explain himself.”

An attempt to reach Hosage recently was not successful.

Thomas’ legacy

Thomas finished his Raiders’ career with a 119-12 career record.

His state title clearly places him near the top of the great Waynesburg wrestlers from the past. James Conklin was a four-time PIAA and WPIAL champion. Coleman Scott was a three-time PIAA champion and four-time WPIAL champion.

“Dave is one of the top wrestlers we’ve had,” Ayersman said. “You don’t find too many who placed three times in the state tournament. He was a great wrestler and a great leader. He set a good example. He was very knowledgeable. I felt when he was young, he could be state champion.

“I was fortunate to coach guys like Doug Haines, Joe Throckmorton and Dave, all great state champions, amazing young men, and all great wrestlers.”

Thomas has no regrets.

After battling injury and brutal competition in the WPIAL and state in his junior year, Thomas said he rededicated himself to gaining a second PIAA title as a senior.

“I wasn’t focused 100 percent my junior year,” he explained. “We wrestled hard over the summer, and we practiced hard all season. We all put a lot of time in. I just felt I did it once, I could do it again.

“Everyone still asks me about my finals bout. I do still think of it. As many years as I went back to Hershey, I’d see him and think about going up to him. I still wanted to knowwhat it was I said. But I just decided to never go up.”