I've included a detailed breakdown of the matchups below.
I have a question for all of my readers: Why isn't this event more popular than it is?
Personally, I think it's a great event. It matches up the Laurel Highlands' best senior wrestlers against their counterparts from the WestPAC and Heritage Conferences. There is the potential for some truly outstanding matches in this. Unfortunately, a number of wrestlers turn down the opportunity to compete in it each year.
Why is this?
I understand some of the potential reasons. For instance, Somerset's Jacob Nickelson dealt with a serious shoulder injury for the final two months of the season. I completely understand why he wouldn't want to risk further injury to compete in an all-star meet. And I can also understand why someone like Forest Hills' Cody Law might turn down the opportunity. Even though he is not getting scholarship money to go to Penn State, Law is a recruited walk-on who hopes to one day earn a scholarship from the Nittany Lions. While the odds are slim that he would get hurt in this, I can understand if he didn't want to risk it for an all-star match.
Keep in mind, that I'm not sure if these are the reasons that either have given. It could have been a conflict of interest, such as the fact that tonight's event is on the same day as the freestyle/Greco qualifier at UPJ and that competing in that as well as the all-star event tonight would be too much.
A few wrestlers also opted out of this year's event because it is being held on Good Friday. That's also understandable.
The biggest issue I have is that this isn't a one-time issues. Organizer Matt Beaujon has had the event on a number of different dates and run into similar problems with each one. There are always conflicts with baseball (which one wrestler listed as a reason for not wrestling this year, even though there is snow on the ground and I doubt anyone was playing on Good Friday anyway) or other wrestling events.
Would it help if the date is determined even earlier in the year and coaches/wrestlers are informed of it and the possibility that they will be invited to participate? As it is, Beaujon sent out invitations almost three weeks prior to the event.
Is it that wrestling is too demanding? I understand that it's a difficult sport, but this is hardly the state tournament we're talking about. Wrestlers get 12 pounds and they only wrestle a 4-minute match. Even guys that haven't wrestled in two or three weeks should be able to handle that.
(As I'm writing this, I was just notified that another wrestler scratched from tonight's event).
It's not just the wrestlers that disappoint me every year, it's also the fans. Why is there no turnout for the event? It saddens me when only a few dozen people show up to watch some of our region's best wrestlers go head to head.
Is it a lack of publicity about the event? I know I got a couple of emails asking about it, but there never seems to be a buzz surrounding it. As a journalist, my job isn't to generate publicity for an event, but as a wrestling supporter, I try to do what I can for the sport.
I always try to do a preview on it and cover the event itself (although that hasn't always happened in the past).
I don't really do anything more than that for any other events during the season, such as the Sheetz Holiday Classic or the District 5 tournament. Yet they have people talking well before they happen.
I can't do much on it in advance because the lineups are always so fluid. Until it becomes such an established event that kids don't back out at the last minute, it's hard to write about it ahead of time.
So, readers, I'm asking you: What needs to happen to make this event bigger?
I've spoken with Beaujon about this a few times and he's adamant that he'll continue to have the event as long as kids want to wrestle in it. He's not making money on it and he's giving up his free time to allow these seniors one more chance to wrestle. There's no ulterior motive to it. I'm sure he'd like to know as much as I would how the event can grow into one that fans and wrestlers look forward to ever year.
Any suggestions?
119
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Steven Zipf – Westmont Hilltop
Career: 47-49
2012 – District VI 4th
2013 – District VI 6th
Parents: Ken & Betsy Zipf
College: Penn State
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Bill Charlton – Meyersdale
Career: 80-32
2011 – District V 3rd
2013 – District V 1st
Parents: Bill & Melissa Charlton
Future Plans: Workforce (HVAC)
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*130
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Josh Patrick – Ligonier Valley
Career: 113-20
2010 – District VI 1st, SW Regional 3rd
2011 – District VI 2nd, SW Regional 3rd,, PIAA 4th
2012 – District VI 1st, SW Regional 3rd,, PIAA 5th
2013 – District VI 1st, SW Regional 1st, PIAA 5th
Parents: Robert & Cheryl Patrick
College: Rutgers Major: Criminal Justice
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Chris Miller – Berlin Brothersvalley
Career: 113-37
2010 – District V 3rd
2012 – District V 4th
2013 – District V 1st
Parents: Ira & Missy Smith
College: Shippensburg Major: Physical Therapy
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141
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Mike Walsh – Westmont Hilltop
Career: 79-44
2011 – District VI 6th
2012 – District VI 2nd
2013 – District VI 5th
Parents: Tim & Lisa Walsh
College: Temple
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Noah Tarr – Blairsville
Career: 139-23
2010 – District VI 4th, SW Regional 4th
2011 – District VI 4th
2012 – District VI 3rd,, SW Regional 2nd
2013 – District VI 1st, SW Regional 3rd
Parents: Dave Tarr & Heidi Sulkosky
College: Undecided
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170
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Zack Pinkas – Forest Hills
Career:
2011 – District VI 5th
2012 – District VI 6th
2013 – District VI 3rd
, SW Regional 5th
Parents:
Future Plans:
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Cody Kephart – Portage
Career: 65-42
2013 – District VI 4th
Parents: Dave & Elise Kephart
College: Undecided Major: Nursing
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172
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Michael Brett – Bedford
Career: 82-33
2011 – District V 3rd
2012 – District V 2nd
2013 – District V 2nd, SW Regional 6th
Parents: Pat Brett & Marney Imler
College: Undecided
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Bill Dunbar – Meyersdale
Career: 69-34
2012 – District V 3rd
2013 – District V 3rd
Grandparent: Rodger Most
Future Plans: US Air Force
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220
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Don Shovestull – Westmont Hilltop
Career: 75-31
2011 – District VI 3rd
2012 – District VI 5th
2013 – District VI 2nd, SW Regional 3rd
Parents: Don & Barb Shovestull
College: US Naval Academy (NAPS)
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Mitchell Walker – Berlin Brothersvalley
Career: 36-17
2013 – District V 3rd
, SW Regional 4th
Parents: George & Susan Walker
College: Undecided
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It's a pretty cool and fun event. With only six matchups it isn't a big time investment so it'd be nice to see a decent crowd.
ReplyDeleteI agree, it is sad. However, one problem I encountered this year is that it was to be a 7:05 start time, and we drove 40 minutes and only saw 3 1/2 matches. I understand that it can't be helped when wrestlers drop out, but sticking to the announced start time would have helped my cause.
ReplyDeleteWhy not include more wrestlers from the district 6 area? Even if we do not have the challenge of champions, why not have the D6 AA vs. D6 AAA like they use to do? I think it would draw a big crowd an get a lot of interest.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, not every wrestler is taught by coaches (& parents), that the sport they love is slowly dying in America High Schools. Wrestlers need to promote their sport during the off season and year round, in anyway they can, for benefit of future wrestlers (their children). It bothers me that wrestlers (at this level) committ then back out at the last minute. I am sure they run the risk of injury in the practice room year round. But maybe if you linked the event to a fundraising cause for special olympics, american cancer society...it might help. Thanls to people like Matt & Eric for what they do for the sport and the young men who enjoy sucess from it!
ReplyDelete