Early agate
ON THIS DATE
March 9
1963 – Waynesburg High School edges Canon-McMillan for the team title at the 13th Southwestern Regional wrestling tournament before an estimated crowd of 3,000 at Wash High gymnasium. Waynesburg’s Bob Shriver improves to 17-0 by winning the 133-pound title.
1968 – Trinity’s John (Bimbo) Chatman wins the 145-pound title at the PIAA Wrestling Championships with a 13-3 decision over Bill Thomas of York in the finals.
1971 – Scott Herz scores 23 points to lead Washington & Jefferson to a 68-57 victory over Allegheny in Hiram, Ohio, giving the Presidents their third consecutive PAC basketball championship.
1974 – McGuffey’s Jerry Main (91 pounds), Canon-McMillan’s Angelo Marino (98) and Washington’s Tim Mousetis (132) win titles at the WPIAL Class A Wrestling Championships.
1982 – In the aftermath of an 11-16 season, Duquesne University fires basketball coach Mike Rice, who had a 62-49 record in four seasons and was twice named Eastern 8 Coach of the Year.
1984 – Chris Popeck scores 18 points to help Washington overcome an early 10-point deficit and defeat Wilkinsburg 57-54 in the WPIAL Class AA championship game at the Civic Arena.
1985 – Washington wins its second consecutive WPIAL Class AA boys basketball championship, defeating Springdale 69-60 in the finals before more than 6,500 at Pitt’s Fitzgerald Field House. Chris Popeck scores 16 points to lead the Prexies.
1985 – Immaculate Conception’s Becky Burlingham scores 24 points and grabs 17 rebounds, but the Comettes are unable to overcome 32 turnovers and fall to St. Francis 53-49 in the WPIAL Class A girls final.
1988 – Waynesburg College wins its fifth consecutive NAIA District 18 men’s basketball championship, 85-72 over visiting Westminster.
1994 – Rutgers and West Virginia are invited to join the Big East Conference in all sports.
1996 – Jeremy Hunter of McGuffey wins his fourth PIAA Class AAA wrestling championship, defeating Anthony Rivera of Shikellamy, 17-5, in the finals.
1996 – Washington’s Aaron Gatten wins his second consecutive PIAA Class AA wrestling title by decisioning Ryan Welch of Liberty, 5-4, in the 189-pound final.
2013 – Canon-McMillan has three state champions – Connor Schram (126 pounds), Solomon Chisko (145) and Cody Wiercoch (170) – at the PIAA Class AAA wrestling championships, tying the school’s best showing. The three champions help the Big Macs win their third consecutive team title.