Jan 6, 2022 3 min read

Gary Welsh likes to call them Murderers’ Row but none carries a bat, uses a glove or wears a New York Yankees baseball uniform.

Beth-Center High School’s wrestling team might not have the names of Ruth, Gehrig and Lazzeri in the lineup but they are a dangerous and productive group through the middle of the lineup.

Kyle McColllum, Tyler Fisher, Tyler Debnar, Tyler Berish and Trevor Pettit give Beth-Center as strong a middleweight lineup as there is in Class 2A and maybe even stronger than some Class 3A teams.

The group all placed and were responsible for a third-place finish for Beth-Center in last month’s Southmoreland Invitational Tournament. Only two Triple-A teams, Butler and Plum, finished ahead of Beth-Center in the team standings.

And this group will be on display again tonight at Canon-McMillan High School when the Tri-County Athletic Directors’ Tournament gets underway.

First-round action begins at 5 p.m. with the semifinals at 11 a.m. Saturday and the finals at 2:30 p.m.

“We call them Murderers’ Row, just joking around,” said Welsh, the Bulldogs’ head coach. “We’ve never had wrestlers of that caliber in a row. It’s a good stretch of kids and I’m definitely glad that they are on our side.”

Pettit won the 160-pound title in the Southmoreland event and Berish won at 152. Kyle McCollum was runner-up at 132. Fisher was fifth at 138 and Debnar grabbed fifth at 145.

So who is the best of the bunch?

“That would be really hard to say,” Welsh said in his most diplomatic tone. “They all have different styles. Kyle is the most fluid on the team, Pettit is the most physical kid on the team and Tyler Berish is a quality kid at all positions. So it’s really hard to compare them.”

Fisher, McCollum and Pettit are seniors. Debnar and Berish are juniors.

“Once the two-pound allowance hit after Christmas, our lineup was where it was going to be (throughout the season),” Welsh said. “It’s all worked out. Everyone has his spot. We’re not bunched up.”

Pettit and McCollum came into the season each needing 14 wins to reach the Century Club. Both were state qualifiers and each finished third in the district as did Debnar and Berish. All four won section titles.

The only starter lost to graduation from last year’s team was Alex Lang, a 189-pounder who was 12-1.

Welsh has managed to fill in the spots above and below Murderers’ Row with even more talent. Davis Stepp and Jackson Gwyer are quality lightweight and Alston Csutoros and Joshua Deems are strong up top.

“I’m hoping to do really well in this tournament,” Welsh said. “I’m looking forward to it. Obviously, the Waynesburgs and Canon-McMillans are waiting for us but I have a certain number in mind that I think we can win. We’re in January and in a blink of an eye, you’re in the postseason.”