Norwin wrestling decks Penn-Trafford with 6 pins

By: Paul Schofield
Wednesday, January 7, 2026 | 9:49 PM

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Norwin wrestling coach Kyle Martin pushed his team at practice to be tougher since the Powerade tournament last month.

The No. 2-ranked Knights (8-1, 3-0) showed that Wednesday against rival Penn-Trafford in a Section 9-3A match.

Norwin put on a show by winning 10 of 13 matches, which included six pins, in a 54-14 victory.

The Knights clinched a berth in the section tournament later this month.

Things started well for the Knights as Luca Butera pinned Penn-Trafford freshman Jax Brentzel at 107.

After Brayden Alexander was awarded a forfeit at 114, Norwin’s Landon Sidun won the feature match of the night when he defeated Penn-Trafford’s returning PIAA placewinner Dylan Barrett by technical fall 19-3.

Sidun dominated from the start with three first-period takedowns to build a 9-2 lead. He kept the pressure on in the second period and extended his lead to 16-3.

“I was happy to get a match against one of the better wrestlers,” Sidun said. “I was super excited when you come into your home dual and wrestle a neighboring school and get to wrestle one of the best guys in the area.

“The gym was packed tonight, and the crowd added to the win. I felt the team wrestled well.”

Penn-Trafford (2-5, 1-1) got on the board at 127 when Luke DeSantis picked up a pin.

But consecutive pins by Dom Butera (133), Brooks Blasko (139), Nathan Klingensmith (145) and Noah Curran (152) stretched the lead to 41-6.

The second highlight match of the night pitted Norwin’s Jack White and Penn-Trafford’s Logan Matrisch at 160. White used two takedowns in a 7-1 hard-fought match.

“We still need to get tougher,” Martin said. “If we want to win medals next month, we must get tougher. It was better, but we still have a way to go.”

Penn-Trafford coach Travis McKillop said he was not pleased with his team’s performance. He, too, said his team must get stronger.

“I gave them a pretty good butt-chewing in the locker room,” McKillop said. “Norwin is a very good team, but we must compete better.

“It was nice to get Cael Ott back in the lineup,” McKillop said. “He is a senior, and he’s been plagued by injuries the last two years. It was nice that he got a pin.”

Sidney Hand had the other Warriors victory. He defeated Riley Shaffer, 4-0, at 172.

Tanner Shaffer got a major decision win at 189, and freshman heavyweight Jonah Fiele ended the match with a pin.

Both teams return to action Friday at the 73rd Westmoreland County Coaches’ Association tournament at Greensburg Salem High School.

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: Norwin, Penn-Trafford