Picking the Trib HSSN Wrestling Team of the 2000s: Class AAA middle weights

By: Paul Schofield
Wednesday, December 30, 2020 | 2:46 PM

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Since all high school sports have been put on hold until Jan. 4, and with the postponements of three big holiday wrestling tournaments, now is a good time to take a look back and pick the top wrestlers from the WPIAL since the start of the century.

Wrestling hasn’t been better in the WPIAL than in the past 20 seasons. There are 100 wresters from the WPIAL that have won PIAA titles, and 36 of them were multiple-time champions.

Derry’s Jimmy Gulibon and Jefferson-Morgan’s Gavin Teasdale were four-time champions, while 13 more wrestlers won three titles. That list includes Waynesburg’s Coleman Scott, Franklin Regional’s Spencer Lee and Nico Megaludis, Derry’s Troy Dolan and Micky Phillippi, Kittanning’s Jason Nolf, Latrobe’s Luke Pletcher and Shady Side Academy’s Dane Johnson.

Many went on to star in college.

So with a little help from the wrestling community, let’s see who fans think are the best in each weight class and each classification.

For six straight days, the @TribLiveHSSN Twitter account will post polls asking fans to pick the top wrestler in five weight classes per day.

Check back each day for a new set of weights to vote on and a look at the results from the previous day’s polls.

At the end of the week, I’ll release my teams and we’ll see how they stack up against each other.

It’s not easy. There will be numerous four-time WPIAL champions that might be left off.

There are wrestlers on the list that won more NCAA titles than PIAA titles, but voting is based on their high school career, not their college career.

It’s an impressive list of wrestlers to consider. Wrestlers are slotted into weight classes that they competed in during their careers. The weights they won PIAA titles at are highlighted. There are also some four-time WPIAL champions that didn’t win PIAA titles.

Day 3 features Class AAA middle weights.

CLASS AAA

138 pounds

Wyatt Henson, Waynesburg, 122-20, PIAA champ (138)

Sam Krivus, Hempfield, 169-12, 2-time PIAA champ (120, 138)

Luke Pletcher, Latrobe, 166-5, 3-time PIAA champ (106, 120, 1238), PIAA runner-up (132)

140 pounds

Dan Burkholder, Trinity, 130-27, PIAA champ (140)

Ron Doppelheuer, Connellsville, 144-20, 2-time PIAA champ (125, 140)

Ashtin Primus, Connellsville, 179-20, 2-time PIAA champ (135, 140)

145 pounds

Solomon Chishko, Canon-McMillan, 136-21, 2-time PIAA champ (145), 4-time WPIAL champ

Michael Kemerer, Franklin Regional, 161-10, PIAA champ (145)

Nick Nelson, Shaler, 165-15, PIAA champ (145)

152 pounds

Cam Coy, Penn-Trafford, 147-11, 3-time PIAA champ (132, 145, 152), PIAA runner-up (138)

Ryan Goodman, Latrobe, 140-20, PIAA champ (152)

Troy Letters, Shaler, 146-4, 2-time PIAA champ (152, 160), 4-time WPIAL champ

160 pounds

Greg Jones, Greensburg Salem, 139-7, PIAA champ (160), 2-time PIAA third place

Jake Kemerer, Hempfield, 174-21, 2-time PIAA champ (160)

Jarrod King, Connellsville, 160-3, 2-time PIAA champ (152, 160)

Day 2 results are in and the Day 3 polls are open in the Trib HSSN Wrestling Team of the 2000s ballotinghttps://t.co/HYbqcpQfeC

— TribLive HSSN (@TribLiveHSSN) December 30, 2020

Here are the Day 2 Twitter poll results:

CLASS AA

106 pounds

1. Joe Makara, Burrell 47.3%

2. Frank Martelotti, Shady Side Academy 28.4%

3. Larry Hall, Jeannette 24.3%

113 pounds

1. Troy Dolan, Derry 61.7%

Anthony Zanetta, Keystone Oaks 20.4%

Joey Fischer, South Park 17.9%

119 pounds

1. Jimmy Gulibon, Derry 68.9%

2. Travis McKillop, Burrell 27.4%

3. Nathan Reckner, South Side Beaver 3.7%

126 pounds

1. Gavin Teasdale, Jefferson-Morgan 67.1%

2. Dave Makara, Burrell 24.4%

3. Geoff Alexander, Shady Side Academy 8.5%

132 pounds

1. Jason Nolf, Kittanning 76.1%

2. Jordan Shields, Burrell 22.2%

3. Damian Rose, Freedom 1.7%

Paul Schofield is a TribLive reporter covering high school and college sports and local golf. He joined the Trib in 1995 after spending 15 years at the Daily Courier in Connellsville, where he served as sports editor for 14 years. He can be reached at pschofield@triblive.com.