Behind champion Joe Enick, Penn-Trafford earns 3rd-place finish at Mid-Winter Mayhem

By: Paul Schofield
Sunday, January 22, 2023 | 11:01 AM

Purchase Photo Options

Penn-Trafford senior heavyweight Joe Enick said he was just looking to have fun and do his best at the Mid-Winter Mayhem on Jan. 13-14.

But Enick (23-4) ended up winning the title against some of the top heavyweights in the state.

Enick defeated Brockway’s Gavin Thompson, 1-0, in the finals.

He was seeded fourth and pinned his way to the finals. He decked Fort LeBoeuf’s Thatcher Baney (0:56), Penn Cambria’s Nick Summerville (3:00), DuBois’ Zach Gallagher (3:01) and No. 1 seed Gunner Treibley of Danville (5:55).

“I was looking to do my best and have some fun,” Enick said. “I was thinking about winning. I wrestled well and it was a great feeling.”

The week before, Enick was locked in a close battle with Latrobe senior Wyatt Held in the Westmoreland County Coaches’ Association tournament. He lost a 3-2 overtime decision on a questionable call.

“Wyatt is a good wrestler and it was a good match,” Enick said. “I’m not going to blame the official; I just have to wrestle a little better. I wouldn’t mind getting another shot at Wyatt.”

Enick said his already achieved his main goals in high school, winning WPIAL and PIAA Class 5A football titles.

He said he wouldn’t mind going back to Hershey to finish his wrestling career before heading to college to play football at Central Michigan.

“I guess I’d like to win a section title and earn a medal at WPIALs,” Enick said. “I’m not going to worry if I didn’t.”

One thing that Enick likes about wrestling is how it helps him in football.

“It’s crazy how much wrestling helps you,” Enick said. “Wrestling helps you tremendously with conditioning, your mindset and hand combat. I’d recommend wrestling to anyone who plays football.”

Enick helped lead Penn-Trafford to a third-place finish in the Mid-Winter Mayhem tournament at IUP’s Kovalchick Center. The Warriors finished with 119.5 points behind West Allegheny (161) and Fort LeBoeuf (145.5). Brookville and Parkland tied for fourth with 119 points, and Franklin Regional was sixth with 115.

Penn-Trafford’s Owen Ott finished third at 215 pounds by defeating Grant Mathias of Berlin-Brothersvalley, 1-0, in the third-place match. P-T’s Hayden Coy finished fourth after falling to Kiski Area’s Ryan Klingensmith, 15-5, at 127.

Tasso Whipple finished fifth at 172 by outscoring General McLane’s Jessi Stempka, 13-13, and Dylan Barrett placed sixth at 107 after dropping a 4-2 sudden victory decision to North Allegheny’s Gus Stedeford.

Penn-Trafford (5-8, 3-1) had a chance to share the Section 3-3A title with a win over Norwin on Jan. 25.

Norwin (4-0) clinched a spot in the WPIAL Class 3A team tournament. Penn-Trafford clinches with a win or a Thomas Jefferson loss to Franklin Regional.

The Warriors defeated West Mifflin, 55-18, in a Section 3 match Jan. 18. Dylan Barrett (107), Jake Lang (114), Hayden Coy (127), Dylan Clayton (152), Whipple (172), Adam Hall (189) and Enick (285) recorded pins, Logan Matrisch (133) won by major decision and Draven Hanford (121) won a decision.

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: Penn-Trafford