With deep lineup led by star Landon Sidun, Norwin wrestling in position to reach goals

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Saturday, December 6, 2025 | 11:01 AM

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With Penn State commit Landon Sidun back and healthy — and a postseason-tested lineup around him — Norwin wrestling is primed to make more noise in the WPIAL Class 3A postseason.

It will take more than Sidun to produce team success.

“We don’t base the team effort and attitude off one individual,” Norwin coach Kyle Martin said. “No one is bigger than the team or program.”

Seven letterwinners are back for the Knights, who went 16-3 and reached the WPIAL quarterfinals before losing to Connellsville, 40-18.

Senior Luca Butera is a three-time letterwinner at 107 pounds, while Sidun, a junior who missed last postseason with an injury, is 72-2 in his career and won a PIAA title as a freshman at 114 pounds. He was 30-0 last season.

Sidun was named a FloWrestling All-American at 120 pounds.

Junior heavyweight Sebastian Summerville, junior Santino Brasco (189), junior Nathan Klingensmith (139), senior Tanner Shaffer (160) and senior Ty Goughner all are two-time letterwinners.

Other returnees include sophomore Nathan Gulibon (121), sophomore Coleton Klipa (114), junior Gabe Hawkenberry, junior Brooks Blasko (127), a Central Catholic transfer who did not compete in the postseason last year, sophomore Dom Butera (133) and junior Riley Shaffer (172).

Klipa finished fifth in the WPIAL as a freshman.

Martin said Noah Curren and Jonah Fierle are newcomers to watch.

Martin said there are no expectations coming from him or his staff.

“Wrestling is pretty straightforward,” he said. “You get what you earn. Every athlete will get what they earn. And sometimes, even when you do absolutely everything right, you may not accomplish your goal, but you have zero shot of accomplishing a goal without the correct attitude and effort.

“We have a system that works, a system that is used by the top colleges in the country and a system implemented by USA Wrestling’s Olympic Development program. If the athlete wants to be successful and jump levels, they will buy in. If they don’t, that’s OK, but their personal expectations should match their level of buy-in.”

Martin often reiterates his program’s broader-picture approach.

“My focus is always on the mission: developing Olympians in wrestling and Olympians in life,” he said. “I will challenge them, make them embrace discomfort to better prepare them for life after sport because wrestling is what they do, not who they are.”

The Norwin girls wrestling team, meanwhile, has a few individuals who should contend for WPIAL titles.

Among them are senior and two-time WPIAL champion Josephine Dollman (148), an Edinboro commit who missed the PIAA tournament last season because of an injury.

Dollman was 30-4.

Junior Octavia Walker (170), who finished 28-10 last year, also has two WPIAL titles and was a West Region runner-up as a sophomore.

Also back for the Knights’ third-year program are junior Karsyn Champion (155), a returning WPIAL champion who finished eighth in the state, and seniors Addyson Elyes (112), Lily Chaney (142), Giana Ruble (118) and Lily Holtzman.

Three freshmen looking to get off to a strong start in the program are Marin Tocco, Aubrey Sellman and Lily Mills.

“With the girls side,” Martin said, “we are looking to continue raising the standard for future Lady Knights.”

Norwin was 5-5 as a team last year.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Norwin