Burrell’s 1st girls wrestling team ready to debut

By: Michael Love
Friday, December 1, 2023 | 9:13 PM

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With high school girls wrestling growing at such a rapid rate in Pennsylvania and throughout the country, Burrell didn’t want to be left on the outside looking in.

Burrell is the latest area school to give an affirmative vote to sponsor a girls wrestling program, having finalized the decision at the board meeting Nov. 21.

“We were anticipating that approval, and everyone is super excited to have it be a reality,” Burrell athletic director Drake D’Angelo said.

“The board has been very supportive of things we’ve been talking about, not just girls wrestling but other sports. They like the opportunities for kids and thought it was a great avenue for female athletes to experience something they might not have experienced before.”

Burrell is the fourth Alle-Kiski Valley school to sponsor the sport amidst a wave of sponsorships throughout the state. It joins Fox Chapel, Kiski Area and Plum among more than 100 girls programs in Pennsylvania.

The PIAA said it would sanction the sport if 100 or more teams signed on. The 100th school was Pennridge, which voted to sponsor girls wrestling Feb. 14.

The ball continued to roll until the PIAA sanctioned the sport May 17, paving the way for the WPIAL and PIAA to hold championship tournaments at the end of the season.

More than 20 schools in the WPIAL sponsor girls wrestling. North Allegheny started it all in June 2020.

“There’s been so much support for girls wrestling in the state over the past couple of years,” D’Angelo said. “Myself, I have a passion for girls wrestling as my daughter wrestles at the elementary level. I think it is a great sport for girls.

“I started talking with the kids from Burrell, and there was some interest. We were encouraged by organizations like Sanction PA to take the steps to make this happen. I started that with the hopes that we would be able to eventually start it.

“We’re excited for the girls and for the program overall. Girls wrestling is one of the fastest-growing sports in the United States. And in the greatest state in the nation for wrestling, we want to be a part of that.”

Burrell boys coach Josh Shields hosted an overall wrestling “try-it” night in October for those in kindergarten through 12th grade, and several dozen girls came out to give it a shot.

“We got a really good response,” D’Angelo said.

Fifteen signed up for elementary wrestling, and nine are participating in junior high and high school.

Of those nine, eight are freshman, sophomores or juniors under the tutelage of longtime Burrell boys junior high coach Chris Harkins.

They are junior Pippa Meyer, sophomore Madison Lang and freshmen Cayla Brothers, Ella Campbell, Caylee Enciso, Katie Koehler, Kendra Lewandowski and Cierra Molnar.

“Over the last couple of years when girls wrestling was catching traction in the state, we would often talk about it,” D’Angelo said. “Chris said if we got a girls program here at Burrell, he would love to coach it. He decided to step down from the junior high (boys) job and take over at the girls level.”

After the try-it night, open-room workouts offered the new girls wrestlers a foundation in the sport leading up to the preseason practices Nov. 17 for WPIAL winter sports.

“We gained a lot of momentum right from the start,” D’Angelo said.

Harkins said much progress has been made.

“None of them have ever wrestled before, but we’ve been extremely impressed with their athletic ability and how well they have caught on,” Harkins said.

“They have about a dozen practices under their belts at this point, and we have advanced so much. They are ready to compete.”

Because of the official beginning so close to the start of competitions, Burrell will not be able to compete at the Butler girls kickoff tournament Dec. 9.

But the Bucs girls will help make history Dec. 13 as they host the A-K Valley’s first-­ever girls dual meet against wrestling rival Kiski Area.

It will be a part of a tripleheader with the junior high and boys varsity matches.

“The coaches at Kiski and Burrell are firmly together in promoting girls wrestling,” Harkins said.

“The girls from both teams are going to get the same shirts (celebrating the match). The wrestling history between Kiski and Burrell is phenomenal. We’re hoping to be a part of that legacy.”

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.

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