Royal family of Quaker Valley wrestling leaves massive mark on program

By: Ray Fisher
Sunday, March 16, 2025 | 11:01 AM

The Richey brothers — Justin, Logan and Marcus — aren’t the only family members who were able to achieve 100 wins in their wrestling careers.

Their father, Jason, 53, reached the century mark while competing at Allegheny College.

“They canceled the team after I graduated (in 1993), which is still upsetting to me,” Jason Richey said, “and gave me fuel to expand the sport to Sewickley. I realized wrestling had played a big role in making me successful in life. It taught me life lessons like persistence, determination and how to fail.

“I wanted to give back and give that opportunity for both my kids and the children of the Quaker Valley community.”

“Giving back to the QV community” proved to be a huge understatement.

In 2012, Richey, with assistance from community members, started Quaker Valley Wrestling Association.

“We started a 501c3, recruited kids, fixed and rehabbed the Sewickley Community Center, fundraised and bought a mat and uniforms,” Richey said. “It was quite the effort.

“We practiced at the Sewickley Community Center. We won the WAWA youth league championship every year. I coached until Marcus entered middle school.”

An emotional moment in Richey’s life propelled his decision to move forward.

“I had no idea whether the boys would wrestle or not,” he said. “Justin wrestled at Moon for one year at the age of 8. I used to take him to a ton of tournaments. At the last tournament of the year at Kiski, he started crying after a loss in his final match, which was unusual.”

It also struck the elder Richey’s heartstrings.

“I told Justin that it’s OK to lose. It’s no big deal,” said Richey, who wrestled scholastically at Hopewell. “He looked at me and said, ‘Dad, I am not crying because I lost. I am crying because the season is over, and I enjoyed doing these tournaments with you.’

“At that point, I was about to cry myself, and my heart was full of excitement. It was at that very moment that I decided I was going to start the QV wrestling program for everyone. As our QV kids got too old for the youth team, we did a co-op with Moon.”

Fast forward to 2015-16. Quaker Valley School District was convinced by Richey & Co. to adopt middle school and high school teams. QVWA paid the school district $20,000 a year for five years to fund the program.

Along with Richey, a partner/lawyer at K&L Gates, community residents Scott Diemert, Paul Carmody, Bobby Patterson and John Kazalas were instrumental in getting the program launched that first year.

“Since then, there are so many people that made this program such a success. Elise Anderchak comes to top of mind,” Richey said. “But there are so many great people in our organization. We are so lucky to have so many good people in the Sewickley community.

“And my wife (Melissa) has always been supportive. She kept our boys going through a sport that requires both mental and physical strength.”

QV’s wrestling program quickly became a bona fide force in Western Pennsylvania. The Quakers have had three varsity coaches in program history: Brian Cook (2016-17), Mike Heinl (2017-22) and Austin Heinl (2022-present).

“We thank Jason and appreciate all of his good work by laying the foundation and starting wrestling in the Quaker Valley community, which, ultimately, led to it becoming a varsity sport,” said QV athletic director Mike Mastroianni. “Jason’s dedication and influence on wrestling in the Quaker Valley community is unmatched.”

With the exception of the first season, the Quakers have won a section title and finished in the WPIAL’s final four every year.

“We also won one WPIAL championship with all three of my boys in the lineup,” Richey said. “Ironically, that (championship) match against Burrell came down to my son, Justin. We were down four points, and Justin was the only wrestler we had left. He pinned his Burrell opponent for a walk-off WPIAL championship.

“Coaches Mike Heinl, Austin Heinl and Garrett Frye (as well as many others) have been instrumental in this incredible success.”

Justin Richey, 21, graduated from QV in 2022 after compiling a 107-41 career record that included 55 falls. Justin won a WPIAL championship in his senior season. He now is a 165-pound junior at Gettysburg and a business major.

Justin, a two-time Academic All-American, captured a Centennial Conference title this year and qualified for the NCAA tournament.

Logan Richey, 20, is a 2023 QV graduate and began the 2024-25 season as a 157-pound redshirt freshman at Duke, where he is majoring in economics and public policy. He racked up a 112-51 career record with 45 falls at QV.

The 18-year-old Marcus Richey will graduate from high school this spring. He finished with a 100-44 career mark with 51 falls, winning 80 matches the last two years.

The youngest Richey sibling, the tallest of the three brothers at 6-foot-2, will join Justin at Gettysburg as he landed a merit scholarship.

“The smaller school size of 2,500 (students) is perfect for me, and the social scene is outstanding,” Marcus said. “Gettysburg’s wrestling program is on the rise. We are going to be tough to beat.”

Marcus Richey also was united with his brothers at the tail end of the 2024-25 season by his enlistment in QV’s century club.

“One hundred was important,” he said. “I am the ninth person in QV history to hit 100, so it feels good to be a part of that elite club.

“I have learned so much from Justin and Logan. They have supported me in every way. I will never forget when the three of us were in the starting lineup (in 2022) to beat Burrell for the WPIAL championship. That was probably the moment I love the most.”

Other wrestlers in QV’s prestigious century club are Jack Kazalas (151-28, 2004), Patrick Cutchember (141-31, 2022), John Rocco Kazalas (134-33, 2019), Bruce Anderchak (119-26, 2026), Connor Redinger (112-20, 2021) and Jack Diemert (110-58, 2025).

“The Richey boys are all stellar students,” QV coach Austin Heinl said. “All of them place a high priority on academic achievement. And the Richey boys have left a crater-sized mark on the wrestling program. Through the years, they stayed committed to their goals and visions of this program and have seen it all the way through to the end of their high school careers. From the first section championship to our seventh consecutive (this season), from the first time in the WPIAL final four to our first WPIAL title, and through all of the individual accomplishments, they have been there.

“Some say the Quaker Valley wrestling program wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the Richey family. Jason Richey led the charge and brought the right families and individuals together to lay the foundation for what QV wrestling is today. And Jason’s wife, Melissa, has supported her boys and the program throughout the years.”

Logan, Justin and Marcus Richey collectively achieved 317 wins in high school, earned two state medals, one WPIAL championship and seven section titles and were instrumental in the Quakers winning one WPIAL team championship.

“I am super proud of my boys,” said their father. “All three are much better wrestlers than I ever was. Even more important, they are outstanding young men who excel in the classroom.”

It seems the Richey family will be moving on to full-time fandom at the collegiate level. The elder Richey will be “passing the torch” as QVWA board of directors’ president to Jason Simmons.

“The QVWA looks over our youth, middle school and high school programs. We make sure that our wrestling program is completely integrated from K through 12,” said Richey, who served as board president since 2012.

“I am resigning from the board now that my boys are done. We have some great people taking over, and I feel the future of QV wrestling is bright. I think Jason Simmons will be able to help keep the program strong and take steps to formalize our girls high school program that is in the developmental stage. We have four high school girls now and a girls youth team.”

It, obviously, is a bittersweet time for Richey, his wife and their three sons.

“It has been the honor of my lifetime to start this program,” Richey said. “Whether the kids ended up being great wrestlers or not, I know we were able to teach hundreds and hundreds of kids important life lessons.

“I am absolutely positive we made a difference in many kids’ lives. I will miss my QV wrestling family.”

Tags: Quaker Valley