Picking the Trib HSSN Wrestling Team of the 2000s: Class AA lower weights

By: Paul Schofield
Tuesday, December 29, 2020 | 1:51 PM

Since all high school sports have been put on hold until Jan. 4, and with the postponements of three big holiday wrestling tournaments, now is a good time to take a look back and pick the top wrestlers from the WPIAL since the start of the century.

Wrestling hasn’t been better in the WPIAL than in the past 20 seasons. There are 100 wresters from the WPIAL that have won PIAA titles, and 36 of them were multiple-time champions.

Derry’s Jimmy Gulibon and Jefferson-Morgan’s Gavin Teasdale were four-time champions, while 13 more wrestlers won three titles. That list includes Waynesburg’s Coleman Scott, Franklin Regional’s Spencer Lee and Nico Megaludis, Derry’s Troy Dolan and Micky Phillippi, Kittanning’s Jason Nolf, Latrobe’s Luke Pletcher and Shady Side Academy’s Dane Johnson.

Many went on to star in college.

So with a little help from the wrestling community, let’s see who fans think are the best in each weight class and each classification.

For six straight days, the @TribLiveHSSN Twitter account will post polls asking fans to pick the top wrestler in five weight classes per day.

Check back each day for a new set of weights to vote on and a look at the results from the previous day’s polls.

At the end of the week, I’ll release my teams and we’ll see how they stack up against each other.

It’s not easy. There will be numerous four-time WPIAL champions that might be left off.

There are wrestlers on the list that won more NCAA titles than PIAA titles, but voting is based on their high school career, not their college career.

It’s an impressive list of wrestlers to consider. Wrestlers are slotted into weight classes that they competed in during their careers. The weights they won PIAA titles at are highlighted. There are also some four-time WPIAL champions that didn’t win PIAA titles.

Day 2 features Class AA lower weights.

CLASS AA

106 pounds

• Larry Hall, Jeannette, 127-17, 4-time WPIAL champ, 2-time PIAA placewinner (103)

• Joe Makara, Burrell, 140-18, 2-time PIAA champ (119, 125), 4-time WPIAL champ

• Frank Martelotti, Shady Side Academy, 171-22, PIAA champ (103)

113 pounds

• Troy Dolan, Derry, 170-9, 3-time PIAA champ (112, 119, 119), 4-time WPIAL champ

• Joey Fischer, South Park, 117-13, PIAA runner-up (113), 2-time WPIAL champ

• Anthony Zanetta, Keystone Oaks, 155-14, 2-time PIAA champ (112, 119)

119 pounds

• Jimmy Gulibon, Derry, 136-4, 4-time PIAA champ (103, 112, 119, 126), 4-time WPIAL champ, twice in AAA, twice in AA

• Travis McKillop, Burrell, 147-22, PIAA champ (160), 3-time WPIAL champ, 3-time PIAA placewinner

• Nathan Reckner, South Side Beaver, 147-27, 2-time WPIAL champ (120)

126 pounds

• Geoff Alexander, Shady Side Academy, 179-22, 4-time WPIAL champ (125)

• Dave Makara, Burrell, 148-33, 3-time PIAA placewinner, 3-time WPIAL champ (126)

• Gavin Teasdale, Jefferson-Morgan, 162-2, 4-time PIAA champ (106, 113, 126, 126), 4-time WPIAL champ

132 pounds

• Jason Nolf, Kittanning, 176-1, 3-time PIAA champ (103, 132, 145), PIAA third place, 4-time WPIAL champ

• Damian Rose, Freedom, 147-21, PIAA champ (135)

• Jordan Shields, Burrell, 162-25, PIAA champ (130), 4-time WPIAL champ

The Day 1 results are in and the Day 2 polls are open in Trib HSSN Wrestling Team of the 2000s ballotinghttps://t.co/54gvu6WTEX

— TribLive HSSN (@TribLiveHSSN) December 29, 2020

Here are the Day 1 Twitter poll results:

CLASS AAA

106 pounds

1. Kurtis Phipps, Norwin: 50.8%

2. Devin Brown, Franklin Regional/Saegertown: 27.9%

3. Shane Young, Penn-Trafford: 21.3%

113 pounds

1. Nico Megaludis, Franklin Regional: 72.8%

2. Jeff Breese, McGuffey: 15.8%

3. Colin Johnston, Canon-McMillan: 11.4%

120 pounds

1. Spencer Lee, Franklin Regional: 88.1%

2. Justin Spates, Mt. Pleasant: 7.6%

3. Logan Macri, Canon-McMillan: 4.2%

125 pounds

1. Coleman Scott, Waynesburg: 68.8%

2. Sam Hillegas, North Hills: 22.7%

3. Connor Schram, Canon-McMillan: 8.5%

132 pounds

1. AC Headlee, Waynesburg: 50.2%

2. Donnie Jones, Greensburg Salem: 33.6%

3. Tyler Smith, Franklin Regional: 16.2%

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.