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Waynesburg, C-M in alumni wrestling meet

By Joe Tuscano for The Observer-Reporter newsroom@observer-Reporter.Com 5 min read
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Amanda Dicken thought it was a great idea.

What would an alumni wrestling match be like if the two teams were great rivals?

Well, we will find out 1 p.m., Saturday at Waynesburg High School, where the Raiders’ alumni team takes on Canon-McMillan alumni.

“Years ago, we did one when I was in middle school,” said Dicken, president of the Waynesburg Wrestling Association. “We had a good deal of seniors and their parents leave (the wrestling association) after last year and we were trying to think of some good fund-raising ideas. Everyone does cash bashes and gun bashes so we thought why don’t we do something like this.”

This match, which will last three periods of one minute for each bout, has been held at least twice before for Waynesburg alumni, once against West Greene and the other against themselves.

“It was easy and not so easy to get the kids to wrestle,” said Dicken. “I chose Canon-Mac because of our long-standing rivalry. I thought that would draw the most people we could get there to benefit both programs. Word spread from there.”

Dicken said they wanted wrestlers within 10 pounds of the weight they wrestled.

“But we had to be a little lenient,” Dicken said. “Some were concerned they were going to hurt themselves. So we have a decent lineup.”

Joe Ayersman and John Yates will coach the Waynesburg alumni.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students

The following is the expected competitors for Waynesburg:

Nick Garber - The four-year starter for the Raiders compiled a 121-36 record. Garber was a regional runner-up as a junior and finished sixth in the state as a senior.

Matt Blair - Blair went 40-4 in the 1989 season and finished fourth in the state at 125 pounds.

Mark Throckmorton - One of the more unorthodox wrestlers, Throckmorton was a regional champion as a senior at 130 pounds. He was a two-time state placewinner.

Dustin Henderson - A two-year starter for the Raiders, Henderson won two section tile and finished fourth in the state at 130 pounds as a senior.

Zach McGinnis - A winner of 74 bouts in his final two years, McGinnis was a regional champion in his junior season and finished fourth in the state as a senior at 125 pounds.

Jeremy Snyder - A section champion at 112 pounds in the 1998-99 season and runner-up at 119 the following year.

Clint Podish - A three-year starter, Podish amassed a 98-26 record. He won two section titles.

Tommy Henderson - A four-year starter, Henderson had 64 career wins and finished third and second in the section tournament at 135 and 138 pounds.

Phil Stoneking - Won 59 bouts in his two years as a starter. His record was 59-5-1.

Justin Smith - In the 1997-98 season, Smith went 27-12 at 145 pounds.

Luke Lohr - Lohr spent the 2021-22 season as a varsity assistant coach, helping the Raiders to a 20-1 record.

Joe Throckmorton - Throckmorton graduated from Waynesburg in 1980 after winning a pair of WPIAL titles and one PIAA gold medal at 119 pounds. He was a four-year starter at Waynesburg.

Throckmorton coached the Waynesburg wrestling team to the PIAA Team Tournament title in 2020-21 season, the first in school history. Waynesburg also won the team title at the individual tournament held in Hershey.

The following is the expected competitors for Canon-McMillan:

Dalton Macri - In three seasons, Macri compiled a 128-14 record and won the 126-pound state title. He was a three-time section champion and medaled in three regional titles.

Cody Wiercioch - A four-year starter, Wiercioch won three state titles and had a 167-5 record. Wiercioch won three regional titles and four section titles.

Bobby Owens - In three years as a starter, Owens won 100 matches and placed in the state tournament three times.

Bryan Milligan - Compiled a 23-12 record, including 18-7 as a senior. Took third place in sections as a senior.

Dennis Cole - Cole won 74 bouts in three seasons. He won two section titles and finished second as a sophomore.

Rocky Stoneking - Stoneking had a 23-win season and finished third in the section at 103.

Matt Luba - In his only season with the Big Macs, Luba went 16-11 and finished second in the section.

Albert Miles - In four years, Miles amassed a 111-17 record and was fifth in the state at 152 in Hershey. Miles won three section titles.

Larry Burgess - He competed at 133 pounds on the 1958-59 varsity team.

Mike Binni - A four-year competitor, Binni had 61 career wins and placed fourth in the section as a sophomore.

Nate Santelli - His best year was a 27-9 as a senior, when he won a section title and placed fourth in the regional.

Aaron Jennings - Jennings spent three years in at Trinity and one at Jefferson-Morgan. He was a state runner-up for J-M as a senior and had 80-28 record.

Keilan O’Daniel - O’Daniel was a state champion at 160 in 1994 as a senior after finishing second his previous two seasons. He had a 133-13-1 record.

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