WPIAL wrestling notebook: Busy week ahead for Norwin

By: Paul Schofield
Tuesday, December 31, 2024 | 6:01 AM

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It’s a busy week for the Norwin wresting team.

Coach Kyle Martin has taken his team west to participate in the Doc Buchanan Invitational at Clovis, Calif.

It’s the third consecutive weekend the Knights are in a big tournament.

They competed at the Beast of the East tournament on Dec. 21-22 in Newark, Del., and the Powerade Tournament Dec. 27-28.

The Doc Buchanan Invitational is one of the top tournaments on the west coast.

“I’m looking forward to the tournament,” Norwin sophomore Landon Sidun said. “I’ve never been to California, and I’m eager to compete against some different guys. I know all the guys on the East Coast, and I want to face someone new.”

Because of Sidun’s titles the past two weekends, he is ranked No. 1 in the country at 121 pounds, according to MatScouts national rankings.

Martin said his biggest worry is getting his team healthy enough to compete. He said five wrestlers had the flu and impetigo.

The team left Sunday morning. The trip will include sightseeing and practice at different schools.

Other tournaments

There are three other individual tournaments this weekend.

The Tri-County Athletic Director Association tournament will be Friday and Saturday at West Greene.

The schools involved are from Fayette, Greene and Washington counties.

On Saturday, 12 WPIAL teams will head to Indiana for the Bo Wood Tournament, and 15 teams head to New Castle for the Ed Driscoll MAC Tournament at Laurel High School.

Golding, Claassen win

Kiski Area’s Ava Golding (136 pounds) and Plum’s Alaina Claassen (190) won titles at the Powerade Girls Tournament on Monday.

Placing second were Burgettstown’s Chloe Speicher (106), Brashear’s Tamara Humphries (112), Mt. Lebanon’s Paige Jox (118), Seneca Valley’s Maddee Fischer (130), Connellsville’s Janayah Nobles (136), Avella’s Abigail Dolanch (142) and Canon-McMillan’s Natalie Rush (190) each placed second.

Three Norwin wrestlers — Josephine Dollman (136), Karsyn Champion (155) and Octavia Walker (170) — placed third along with Southmoreland’s Zoey Murphy (235), Kiski Area’s Alyssa Tresco (142), Canon-McMillan’s Marlee Solomon (112), South Park’s Anna Duncan (124) and Peters Township’s Liliana Giulianelli (190).

Canon-McMillan won the team title with 127.5 points, and Connellsville was second with 106.

Brown wins at MyHouse

Belle Vernon senior and Pitt commitment Elijah Brown was the 215-pound champ at the MyHouse Tournament in Chambersburg.

Senior Deydon Soto placed third at 139, and senior Kole Doppelheuer took seventh at 152.

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.