Gateway’s Whiteside looks to build on runner-up finish at Eastern Area Invitational

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, December 14, 2018 | 8:06 PM

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A wall in the Gateway wrestling practice room is adorned with the names of the most successful competitors in the program’s history.

Evan Whiteside hopes to add his name to the honor roll.

“I always look at Jay Ivanco’s name on that wall,” Whiteside said of the section, WPIAL and PIAA standout who captured a PSAC title at Clarion in 2009.

“He’s always been a role model of mine. I want my name on the wall with my accomplishments. I’m just going to keep working hard at it.”

Whiteside got his junior season off to a solid start with a runner-up finish in a field of 15 at 113 pounds at the Eastern Area Invitational Wrestling Tournament on Dec. 8 at Gateway High School.

Whiteside earned a pair of decision victories before running into Franklin Regional freshman Finn Solomon in the title bout.

Solomon went 4-0 and pinned his way to the championship.

“I felt I wrestled well at Eastern Areas,” Whiteside said. “I thought I could’ve wrestled better against Finn, but I’m sure I will see him again, and I will prepare as best I can for that. That match really taught me a lot about what I need to work on and how to get better.”

Whiteside doubled up West Mifflin’s Jesse Galioto, a WPIAL qualifier last year, 10-5, in the semifinals.

“That match really gave me more motivation to keep pushing harder,” Whiteside said.

Motivation also came in the form of falling short of his goal to qualify for last season’s WPIAL tournament.

A WPIAL qualifier as a freshman, Whiteside was eliminated in the section tournament with a pair of losses in the 113 bracket.

“I know what kind of wrestler I am and what I should’ve done at sections last year,” said Whiteside, who carried a 42-27 varsity career record into the current campaign. “I didn’t meet my expectations. I can’t let that happen again. I take nothing for granted in the room and in my matches. I can’t slack off at any time.”

Gateway coach Ryan Sula said he was impressed with Whiteside’s reaction in the wake of the section disappointment.

“Evan still came to WPIALs and supported his teammates,” Sula said. “He really wanted to be competing like he was as a freshman, but he was there rooting them on. That’s what being a good teammate is all about.

“He’s carried that over to being a good leader for the young and inexperienced wrestlers on the team this year.”

Whiteside said he took advantage of extra offseason work in the practice room, including time with the Young Guns wrestling club.

“That mentally prepared me for the season,” he said. “I got an earlier start, and instead of waiting to get into my groove, I was already in it at the start of the season. I just want to continue to drive through my opponents.”

While Whiteside said he is focusing one match at a time with several opportunities throughout the rest of the month and into January, he does have the Allegheny County Tournament, set for Jan. 18 and 19, in the back of his mind.

Whiteside continued to open eyes at last year’s event as he made it to the 113-pound semifinals and placed sixth overall.

“I am really excited to get back to the county tournament,” Whiteside said. “I’ve always loved to wrestle there. Placing there last year really felt good. I want to place higher this year, and I feel like I am going to.”

Sula said he likes what Whiteside has going for him moving forward.

“He’s put in so much work to take that next step as a wrestler,” Sula said. “He knows he can compete with anybody. He just has to hone in on the things he does well and stick to that plan.”

Michael Love is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Michael at mlove@tribweb.com or via Twitter @MLove_Trib.

Tags: Gateway