Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament makes solo debut: Top wrestlers to watch, what to know
Butler's Rowan Zehmisch spars with North Allegheny's Aleigha Revelent in a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
Butler's Brin Zehmisch spars with North Allegheny's Anna Kovacic in a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
Butler's Brin Zehmisch spars with North Allegheny's Anna Kovacic in a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
Butler's Kaitlynn Plopi spars with North Allegheny's Ava Anthony in a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
Butler's Anastasia Manchester spars with North Allegheny's Alexis Hartshorn in a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
Butler's Kaitlynn Plopi spars with North Allegheny's Ava Anthony in a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
Butler's Olivia Hageman spars with North Allegheny's Heidi Radford in a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
Butler's Brin Zehmisch spars with North Allegheny's Anna Kovacic in a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
Butler's Monica Osborne spars with North Allegheny's Alexandra Gosnell in a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
Butler's Olivia Hageman spars with North Allegheny's Heidi Radford in a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
Butler's Brin Zehmisch spars with North Allegheny's Anna Kovacic in a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
Butler's Monica Osborne spars with North Allegheny's Alexandra Gosnell in a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
Butler's Mylee Toner spars with North Allegheny's Maya Scott in a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
Butler's Olivia Hageman spars with North Allegheny's Heidi Radford in a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
Butler's Brin Zehmisch spars with North Allegheny's Anna Kovacic in a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
Butler's Rowan Zehmisch spars with North Allegheny's Aleigha Revelent in a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
Butler's Rowan Zehmisch spars with North Allegheny's Aleigha Revelent in a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
Butler's Kaitlynn Plopi spars with North Allegheny's Ava Anthony in a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
Butler's Anastasia Manchester spars with North Allegheny's Alexis Hartshorn in a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
Butler's Mylee Toner spars with North Allegheny's Maya Scott in a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
Butler's Mylee Toner spars with North Allegheny's Maya Scott in a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
Butler's Monica Osborne spars with North Allegheny's Alexandra Gosnell as Butler Coach Nathan Bottiger watches during a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
Butler's Kaitlynn Plopi spars with North Allegheny's Ava Anthony in a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
Butler's Rowan Zehmisch spars with North Allegheny's Anna Svoboda in an exhibition match during a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
Butler's Rowan Zehmisch spars with North Allegheny's Anna Svoboda in an exhibition match during a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
Butler's Rowan Zehmisch spars with North Allegheny's Anna Svoboda in an exhibition match during a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
Fans hold up signs in support of Butler's Kaitlynn Plopi during a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School against North Allegheny on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
Butler's Kaitlynn Plopi spars with North Allegheny's Ava Anthony in a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
Butler's Rowan Zehmisch spars with North Allegheny's Anna Svoboda in an exhibition match during a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
Butler's Kaitlynn Plopi is declared the winner after sparring with North Allegheny's Ava Anthony in a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
Butler's Rowan Zehmisch spars with North Allegheny's Anna Svoboda in an exhibition match during a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
Butler's Rowan Zehmisch spars with North Allegheny's Anna Svoboda in an exhibition match during a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
Butler's Rowan Zehmisch spars with North Allegheny's Anna Svoboda in an exhibition match during a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
-
Butler's Rowan Zehmisch spars with North Allegheny's Aleigha Revelent in a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
-
Butler's Brin Zehmisch spars with North Allegheny's Anna Kovacic in a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
-
Butler's Brin Zehmisch spars with North Allegheny's Anna Kovacic in a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
-
Butler's Kaitlynn Plopi spars with North Allegheny's Ava Anthony in a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
-
Butler's Anastasia Manchester spars with North Allegheny's Alexis Hartshorn in a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
-
Butler's Kaitlynn Plopi spars with North Allegheny's Ava Anthony in a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
-
Butler's Olivia Hageman spars with North Allegheny's Heidi Radford in a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
-
Butler's Brin Zehmisch spars with North Allegheny's Anna Kovacic in a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
-
Butler's Monica Osborne spars with North Allegheny's Alexandra Gosnell in a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
-
Butler's Olivia Hageman spars with North Allegheny's Heidi Radford in a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
-
Butler's Brin Zehmisch spars with North Allegheny's Anna Kovacic in a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
-
Butler's Monica Osborne spars with North Allegheny's Alexandra Gosnell in a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
-
Butler's Mylee Toner spars with North Allegheny's Maya Scott in a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
-
Butler's Olivia Hageman spars with North Allegheny's Heidi Radford in a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
-
Butler's Brin Zehmisch spars with North Allegheny's Anna Kovacic in a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
-
Butler's Rowan Zehmisch spars with North Allegheny's Aleigha Revelent in a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
-
Butler's Rowan Zehmisch spars with North Allegheny's Aleigha Revelent in a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
-
Butler's Kaitlynn Plopi spars with North Allegheny's Ava Anthony in a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
-
Butler's Anastasia Manchester spars with North Allegheny's Alexis Hartshorn in a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
-
Butler's Mylee Toner spars with North Allegheny's Maya Scott in a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
-
Butler's Mylee Toner spars with North Allegheny's Maya Scott in a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
-
Butler's Monica Osborne spars with North Allegheny's Alexandra Gosnell as Butler Coach Nathan Bottiger watches during a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
-
Butler's Kaitlynn Plopi spars with North Allegheny's Ava Anthony in a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
-
Butler's Rowan Zehmisch spars with North Allegheny's Anna Svoboda in an exhibition match during a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
-
Butler's Rowan Zehmisch spars with North Allegheny's Anna Svoboda in an exhibition match during a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
-
Butler's Rowan Zehmisch spars with North Allegheny's Anna Svoboda in an exhibition match during a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
-
Fans hold up signs in support of Butler's Kaitlynn Plopi during a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School against North Allegheny on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
-
Butler's Kaitlynn Plopi spars with North Allegheny's Ava Anthony in a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
-
Butler's Rowan Zehmisch spars with North Allegheny's Anna Svoboda in an exhibition match during a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
-
Butler's Kaitlynn Plopi is declared the winner after sparring with North Allegheny's Ava Anthony in a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
-
Butler's Rowan Zehmisch spars with North Allegheny's Anna Svoboda in an exhibition match during a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
-
Butler's Rowan Zehmisch spars with North Allegheny's Anna Svoboda in an exhibition match during a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
-
Butler's Rowan Zehmisch spars with North Allegheny's Anna Svoboda in an exhibition match during a girls wrestling match at Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
BUTLER TWP — Saturday’s Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament will have a new feel to it.
That’s because it’s the first time the tournament, which made its debut in 2023, will run on its own. The tournament previously ran in conjunction with the boys program’s Doc Phillips JV Tournament.
But this year there was enough interest to split off, and Saturday’s tournament will feature 26 teams from Western Pennsylvania, including all three Butler County teams: Butler, Knoch and Seneca Valley.
“I’m really excited to see how this tournament goes,” Butler head coach Nathan Bottiger said.
Five ranked pa-wrestling.com wrestlers could hit the mats at Butler Intermediate School, headlined by Kisk Area’s 136-pounder Ava Golding, who’s ranked No. 2 in her weight class and medaled last year in the PIAA championships.
Golding competes in the same weight as Butler standout Anastasia Manchester, who is 13-5 and is an honorable mention in pa-wrestling.com’s latest rankings.
“Anastasia at 136 is probably the toughest weight class in the state right now,” her coach said.
Pa-wrestling.com’s top-ranked WPIAL team, Canon-McMillan, will also compete.
“We have some of the best WPIAL teams coming, we have some of the best teams coming from the northwest region,” Bottiger said. “We actually don’t see them a lot, so I’m pretty glad they’re coming down to our tournament.”
Here’s what to know about the tournament:
Butler's Anastasia Manchester, front, is one of the top wrestlers to watch this weekend at the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
Butler, Knoch and Seneca Valley wrestlers to watch
118 pounds: Butler’s Brin Zehmisch is 16-5 this season
124: Knoch’s Braylee Ireland is 14-4 this season
130: Seneca Valley’s Maddee Fischer is 15-3 this season
136: Butler’s Anastasia Manchester is 13-5 this season
Top wrestlers in Pa. to watch at tournament
Several of the top ranked wrestlers in the state, according to PA-Wrestling.com’s rankings as of Jan. 7, are expected to compete in Butler. Here’s a list of top-five wrestlers in each weight class to watch Saturday.
130 pounds: Plum’s Saphia Davis, No. 5
136: Kiski Area’s Ava Golding, No. 2; Connellsville’s Janayah Nobles, No. 4
190: Canon-McMillan’s Natalie Rush, No. 4; Plum’s Alaina Claassen, No. 5
The Big Macs are the top ranked team competing in the tournament, No. 8 in the state, and the top WPIAL team.
What to know about Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament
Location: Butler Intermediate School
Start: 9:30 a.m.
Finish: Medals rounds expected to be held between 2-4 p.m.
Schools competing: Butler, Canon-McMillan, Connellsville, Erie, Fort Cherry, Fort LeBoeuf, General McLane, Hickory, Kiski Area, Knoch, Laurel, Peters Township, Pine-Richland, Plum, Ringgold, Saegertown, Seneca Valley, Shaler, Valley
More in Sports
