Boys Team:
Norwin Boys Wrestling pinned down success this season advancing to the WPIAL Semifinals for the first time in team history. The Knights also finished with a record of 12-1 overall and 3-1 in their Section, landing them at second in their Section. The team went up from their overall record from last year of 12-7 overall and 4-1 in their Section in 2023-24.
“The team has been working hard in the weight room and on the mats,” Coach Kyle Martin said. “We do some intense workouts and put a lot of science into the athletic development process. If the athletes buy in, we will see those results on the mat. If they don’t, we won’t.”
In addition to the WPIAL Team Championships on Feb. 15, the Knight wrestlers have a chance to advance to the PIAA Championships individually at the Section Tournament hosted at Norwin on Feb. 15. The top 6 individuals in each weight class advance to the PIAA Championship Individuals in March at Hershey.
Seniors Gage Mamie and Nick Puskar placed in the WPIAL last season, while sophomore Landon Sidun was runner-up in the WPIAL but went on to place number one in the PIAA State Championship. This season, the team is placed 5th in the WPIAL and 19th in the state, which are both the highest ever for the team.
“This year’s team is awesome,” Sidun said. “Everybody is friends and it’s really fun to be a part of the team. When someone is wrestling, the whole bench is cheering them on, bringing a whole different energy to the match and team as a whole.”
Last season, Sidun won a state title in the 114 lbs weight class, earning a gold medal at the PIAA Championships. The team also placed 5th at the WPIAL 3A championships. This season, at 121 lbs, sophomore Landon Sidun won three of the biggest wrestling tournaments in the country this season, obtaining 1st at all three. At Beast of the East, Sidun took down the number one kid in the country, Joe Bachmann, in overtime 3-2. At the Powerade Tournament, Sidun won his second Powerade title taking down world champion Paul Kenny. Lastly, at the Doc Buchanan Tournament in Fresno, California, Sidun took 1st once again, winning 5-3 in the finals.
The team is unified this season, with the lower weight classes dominating matches and the team as a whole exhibiting a theme of cohesion. Senior Gage Mamie, at 145 lbs, showcased his leadership throughout the season with multiple wins against rival Canon-McMillan, who the team won against twice this season. The teammates have gotten closer, with strong individuals creating a powerful team.
“My goal is to lead this team to team states,” Mamie said. “Connellsville is gonna be tough, but win or lose, we can come out of the next match with a win and make our way to the state championships.”
At the WPIAL Team Playoffs, the Knights opened the WPIAL Team Playoffs as the No. 5 seed and defeated both Canon-McMillan, the No. 12 seed, and Bethel Park, the No. 4 seed. The Knights now face the No. 1 seed, Connellsville at the WPIALS Semifinals at Peters Township on Saturday, Feb. 1. The top three teams in the WPIAL tournament make it to the PIAA team state championship.
Coach Martin X-Post: “I’ve coached athletes who won National & World Championships, coached PA teams to National Championships. But seeing 4 years building a program & chasing a mission come to life in your athletes will never be matched! Historic night for Norwin!”
Girls Team:
The Norwin Lady Knights have a record of 5-4 and are heading to the WPIAL championships on February 15. Last year, they finished with a record of 5-4 and junior Jojo Dollman placed 5th at the PIAA state championships.
The team, which became official two years ago, is solidifying and gaining momentum into the season and future seasons. The girls are wrestling with experience now, as well as gaining more wrestlers who can begin and continue to learn from the team and the coaches.
At Mid-Winter Mayhem, junior Jojo Dollman took 1st, and sophomore Karsyn Champion took 4th. At the Powerade tournament, Dollman, Champion, and sophomore Octavia Walker all finished 3rd place in their weight classes. At the Beast of the East, senior Keiarra Leonard placed 7th, Walker placed 7th, sophomore Avalin Barry placed 6th, and Dollman placed 4th, obtaining a top 15 finish out of 90 teams. These three tournaments are some of the biggest in Girls Wrestling in the east, showing the improvement and strength of the Norwin Lady Knights this season.
The team has gained more members than ever before and is coming together to form a strong group, enjoying each other’s company and cheering each other on from the bench. Although the team competes individually exclusively because Norwin still does not have enough members to fill the weight classes, they gain experience and knowledge from one another.
“My favorite part of wrestling is my teammates,” junior Lillian Chaney said. “We are all best friends, and it is so much fun watching them. I wouldn’t be doing it without them.”
This season will conclude with the WPIAL championships on Saturday, Feb. 15 at North Allegheny High School, and possible participation at the PIAA state championships by qualifying in the top individual wrestlers of each weight class. Dollman placed 5th at the PIAA state championships last season and now hopes to become a state champion.
“I am a two-time WPIAL champion and a two-time regional champion,” said Dollman. “My goal is to get a third title at the WPIAL and to place in the PIAA state finals.”
