Mar 25, 2022 3 min read

McMURRAY -Zander Phaturos will soon be on the move again.

The senior wrestler from Waynesburg High School arrived here from Arizona two years ago and played a big role on the Raiders’ PIAA Team Tournament championshp victory.

His parents had retired and moved to Western Pennsylvania, landing Phaturos in Waynesburg’s lap. He became one of the cogs in the Waynesburg machine, which had never known this type of success.

He will drop his bags next fall at Campbell University, probably as a middleweight. His parents are relocating again, this time to Myrtle Beach, meeting up with Zander’s grandparents.

But before that happened, Phaturos had one more stop to make: Peters Township High School Friday night to wrestle for the WPIAL team in the Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic in front of a standing-room-only crowd.

His 6-1 decision over Matteo Vargo of Penn, Ind., at 126 pounds helped the WPIAL to a 35-6 rout of Indiana, the third consecutive win for the WPIAL in this event. Vargo (108-10) was one of two Indiana state champions on the team. Hayden Watson, a 145-pounder, was the other and he lost a 7-5 decision to Jack Pletcher of Latrobe.

In the nightcap, the Pennsylvania team, which snapped a nine-match losing streak with a win last year, kept it close through six bouts.

But an amazing pin in 4:17 at 152 pounds by Hunter Garvin of Iowa City over Jackson Arrington of Forest Hills was too much to overcome in a 25-21 loss. Arrington lifted Garvin into the air on a double but went too far over. Garvin pancaked him seconds later for a 16-9 lead.

“I watched this a lot when I was younger but I never thought I’d get a chance to wrestle in it.” said Phaturos, who had a 60-18 record at Waynesburg. “Next up? I’ll probably be training for freestyle. I’ll be taking a class this summer at Campbell and just be getting ready for college.”

Phaturos’ teammate, Colton Stoneking, had little trouble with Elijah Anthony of Frankfurt, Ind., taking a 10-5 decision at 132, the third of seven straight victories for the WPIAL.

“I was at the classic a couple years ago to watch some of my friends,” said Stoneking (125-49). “I never thought I’d wrestle in this. Not a chance. When I was a freshman, I never thought I’d get out of WPIALS and I ended up making it to states. I’ve come a long way.”

Cole Weightman of Belle Vernon lost a 4-3 decision to Juan Grange of Penn, Ind., at 220. He finished his high school career with an 81-20 record.

Four new members were inducted into the Southwestern Pa. Wrestling Hall of fame in between matches..

The list includes Bill Closson, a former state champion from Plum High School; Donnie Jones, a four-time WPIAL winner and three-time state champion from Greensburg Salem High School; Jason Nolf, a three-time PIAA champion at Kittanning High School and three-time NCAA champion from Penn State; and Tom Dolde Jr., longtime coach at Connellsville High School.

Former Washington High School coach Bill Solominskiy and former Canon-McMillan athletic director and current school board member Manuel “Buns” Pihakis were honored with Community Service awards.