BUTLER TWP — When it comes to wrestling, Kase Chopp is aptly named.

The Butler junior chops his opponents to the mat with regularity.

“I like the throws — feet to back,” Chopp said. “That’s my best move.”

And his most productive one.

Chopp is 21-3 this season at 139 pounds, with 17 of those wins coming by pin. He had 21 pins among his 34 wins last season and had 14 pins among his 24 triumphs as a freshman.

“Kase is very strong and powerful up top,” Butler wrestling coach Scott Stoner said. “He’s built like a wrestler.

“His throws are his go-to moves, for sure. But you have to have more than one tool in the shed. There are times when your favorite move isn’t there and you have to go to something else.”

Chopp learned such a thing last weekend at the Mid-Winter Mayhem, a 58-team high school wrestling event hosted by Indiana (Pa.) University.

Seeded seventh in that event, he rallied to defeat second-seed and defending PIAA champion Dalton Perry of Canon-McMillan. Perry had a 7-4 lead as time was running out.

“My goal entering that match was to keep it close, not get beat up too bad,” Chopp admitted. “I didn’t think I had a chance at the end there.

“I went for kind of a desperation move, a hip and elbow roll, and I got it. Winning that match by a point ... I feel like it lit a spark to the rest of my season.

“It lit a fire under me. I want to keep knocking off bigger people,”

he added.

Chopp has a career record of 79-25 for the Golden Tornado. He’s improved his winning percentage with each seasopn.

Butler’s single-season pins record is 26, shared by four wrestlers. Cole Baxter holds the program’s career pins mark of 86.

Chopp is currently 12th in career pins at Butler — and climbing that chart fast.

“I feel like I can take a shot at the single-season (pins) record, maybe the career record if I get another 15 pins or so before this season is over,” he said.

“He’s a highly athletic kid,” Stoner said of Chopp. “He’s got tremendous foot speed and can use his hips. Shooting, takedowns, these are elements of his skill set Kase needs to refine.”

When he was a freshman, Chopp admitted his immediate goal was to join the 100-win club at Butler. His goal has since gone beyond that.

“One of our assistant coaches, Blake Caudill, works with me in the room a lot and he’s been talking trash on me” Chopp said, laughing.

“He’s got 128 career wins. All I want to do now is pass him up.”

Chopp said a number of Butler wrestling alumni come by the room to work with current members of the team. Steven Green, another former 100-win wrestler with the Tornado, has been working with Chopp.

“You appreciate their dedication to the program and their help has been invaluable to me,” Chopp said.

Stoner agreed.

“Wresting is a team sport,” the coach said. “The mind-set has to be preparation, to be at your best to score points for the team. Everyone in the room helps each other with that.”

Last summer, Chopp competed at nationals in Fargo, N.D., for the first time. He finished around .500 in his matches there.

But he gained so much more than a couple of wins.

“Going out there, competing against such high-level talent, you have to work hard to get ready,” he said. “The hard work I put in for that tournament carried over to this season.”

Chopp plans to drop to 133 pounds by the time the postseason tournaments roll around.

“The 139-pound class is loaded throughout the state,” he said.

“I’ll be a strong 133-pounder. My immediate goal is to win a section championship, finish among the top four at WPIALs, hopefully place in the state tournament.”

Chopp joined Butler’s elementary wrestling program as a youngster and has stayed with it ever since.

“Wrestling is a lifestyle and Kase has taken on that lifestyle,” Stoner said. “He’s set himself up to wrestle in college and he knows what it takes to prepare to face higher-level competition.

“He’s earned everything he’s gotten.”