Greensburg Salem, Penn-Trafford and Belle Vernon look to advance in wrestling playoffs

By: Paul Schofield
Sunday, January 26, 2025 | 7:47 PM

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It has been six years since Greensburg Salem competed in the WPIAL team wrestling tournament and seven years since the team won a playoff match.

But the improved Golden Lions (7-3) are back in the playoffs and will host Knoch (7-3) in a Class 2A preliminary-round match at 7:15 p.m. Monday. Avonworth (3-7) faces Central Valley (5-7) in the first match at Greensburg Salem at 6 p.m.

The Golden Lions lost to Thomas Jefferson, 45-19, in 2019, but defeated North Allegheny, 35-33, in a first-round match in 2018 before losing to Kiski Area, 63-6, in the quarterfinals.

Knoch is winless in two tries, falling to Laurel, 60-0, in 2022 and to Burrell, 70-3, in 2023. In 2021, Knoch qualified for the tournament but opted out because of covid-19.

The other two Class 2A preliminary-round matches are at Bentworth. Chartiers-Houston (5-3) faces Elizabeth Forward (4-3) at 6, and Avella (9-11) faces Bentworth (6-6) at 7:15.

In Class 3A, North Hills and Shaler will be the host schools.

At North Hills at 6, Butler (7-3) battles Belle Vernon (4-2), and Penn-Trafford (7-8) battles North Hills (8-3) at 7:15.

Belle Vernon hasn’t qualified for the playoffs since 2018, when it lost to Armstrong, 38-28. The Leopards’ last playoff win came in 2017, when they defeated West Allegheny, 43-30, in the first round. It then lost to Canon-McMillan, 43-23, in the quarterfinals.

Penn-Trafford’s (7-8) most recent playoff journey was in 2023, when it defeated Kiski Area, 33-27, in a preliminary-round match. The Warriors then fell to Canon-McMillan, 49-15.

North Hills is coached by Vertus Jones, a Greensburg Salem and All-American at West Virginia.

At Shaler, Moon (7-5) battles Peters Township (11-8), and Ringgold (9-1) meets Shaler (7-1).

The first round and quarterfinals are slated for Wednesday, and the semifinals and finals at AHN Arena at Peters Township are Saturday.

WPIAL Team Tournament

Class 3A

Monday’s schedule

at Shaler: Moon (7-5) vs. Peters Township (11-8), 6 p.m.; Ringgold (9-1) vs. Shaler (6-1), 7:15 p.m.; at North Hills: Butler (7-3) vs. Belle Vernon Area (4-2), 6 p.m.; Penn-Trafford (7-8) vs. North Hills (8-3), 7:15 p.m.

Class 2A

Monday’s schedule

at Greensburg Salem: Avonworth (3-7) vs. Central Valley (5-7), 6 p.m.; Knoch (7-3) vs. Greensburg Salem (7-3), 7:15 p.m.; at Bentworth: Chartiers-Houston (5-3) vs. Elizabeth Forward (4-3), 6 p.m.; Avella (9-11) vs. Bentworth (6-6), 7:15 p.m.

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.

Tags: Belle Vernon, Greensburg Salem, Penn-Trafford