Mason Swidzinski, Butler wrestling pin Belle Vernon in WPIAL Class 3A preliminary round blowout
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Butler’s Mason Swidzinski pinned Belle Vernon’s Keadon Johnson in 40 seconds of the first period in the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Santino Sloboda defeated Belle Vernon’s Vander Raczkowski by pin during the second period of a 133-pound bout in the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Kase Chopp defeated Belle Vernon’s Colby Hibner by pin in a 145-pound bout in the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Charlie Rodgers wrestled Belle Vernon’s Deydon Soto in a 139-pound bout in the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Nicholas Savannah pinned Belle Vernon’s Gracin Guglielmo in the 107—pound bout during the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Nicholas Savannah pinned Belle Vernon’s Gracin Guglielmo in the 107—pound bout during the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Nathan Dickey wrestled Belle Vernon’s Rylee Doppelheuer in the 114-pound bout during the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Nathan Dickey wrestled Belle Vernon’s Rylee Doppelheuer in the 114-pound bout during the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Nathan Dickey wrestled Belle Vernon’s Rylee Doppelheuer in the 114-pound bout during the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Nathan Dickey wrestled Belle Vernon’s Rylee Doppelheuer in the 114-pound bout during the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Nathan Dickey wrestled Belle Vernon’s Rylee Doppelheuer in the 114-pound bout during the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Nathan Dickey wrestled Belle Vernon’s Rylee Doppelheuer in the 114-pound bout during the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Nathan Dickey wrestled Belle Vernon’s Rylee Doppelheuer in the 114-pound bout during the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler wrestling coach Scott Stoner coaches from the side during the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Sullivan Stutz pinned Belel Vernon’s Leonidas Soto in a 121-pound bout during the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Sullivan Stutz pinned Belel Vernon’s Leonidas Soto in a 121-pound bout during the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Sullivan Stutz pinned Belel Vernon’s Leonidas Soto in a 121-pound bout during the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Sullivan Stutz pinned Belel Vernon’s Leonidas Soto in a 121-pound bout during the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Mason Swidzinski pinned Belle Vernon’s Keadon Johnson in 40 seconds of the first period of a 127-pound bout in the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Santino Sloboda defeated Belle Vernon’s Vander Raczkowski by pin during the second period of a 133-pound bout in the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Santino Sloboda defeated Belle Vernon’s Vander Raczkowski by pin during the second period of a 133-pound bout in the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Santino Sloboda defeated Belle Vernon’s Vander Raczkowski by pin during the second period of a 133-pound bout in the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Santino Sloboda defeated Belle Vernon’s Vander Raczkowski by pin during the second period of a 133-pound bout in the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Santino Sloboda defeated Belle Vernon’s Vander Raczkowski by pin during the second period of a 133-pound bout in the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Santino Sloboda defeated Belle Vernon’s Vander Raczkowski by pin during the second period of a 133-pound bout in the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Santino Sloboda defeated Belle Vernon’s Vander Raczkowski by pin during the second period of a 133-pound bout in the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Santino Sloboda defeated Belle Vernon’s Vander Raczkowski by pin during the second period of a 133-pound bout in the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Santino Sloboda defeated Belle Vernon’s Vander Raczkowski by pin during the second period of a 133-pound bout in the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Santino Sloboda defeated Belle Vernon’s Vander Raczkowski by pin during the second period of a 133-pound bout in the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Santino Sloboda defeated Belle Vernon’s Vander Raczkowski by pin during the second period of a 133-pound bout in the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Santino Sloboda defeated Belle Vernon’s Vander Raczkowski by pin during the second period of a 133-pound bout in the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Santino Sloboda defeated Belle Vernon’s Vander Raczkowski by pin during the second period of a 133-pound bout in the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Santino Sloboda defeated Belle Vernon’s Vander Raczkowski by pin during the second period of a 133-pound bout in the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Santino Sloboda defeated Belle Vernon’s Vander Raczkowski by pin during the second period of a 133-pound bout in the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Santino Sloboda defeated Belle Vernon’s Vander Raczkowski by pin during the second period of a 133-pound bout in the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Charlie Rodgers wrestled Belle Vernon’s Deydon Soto in a 139-pound bout in the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Charlie Rodgers wrestled Belle Vernon’s Deydon Soto in a 139-pound bout in the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Charlie Rodgers wrestled Belle Vernon’s Deydon Soto in a 139-pound bout in the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Charlie Rodgers wrestled Belle Vernon’s Deydon Soto in a 139-pound bout in the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Charlie Rodgers wrestled Belle Vernon’s Deydon Soto in a 139-pound bout in the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Kase Chopp defeated Belle Vernon’s Colby Hibner by pin in a 145-pound bout in the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Charlie Rodgers wrestled Belle Vernon’s Deydon Soto in a 139-pound bout in the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Kase Chopp defeated Belle Vernon’s Colby Hibner by pin in a 145-pound bout in the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Kase Chopp defeated Belle Vernon’s Colby Hibner by pin in a 145-pound bout in the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Kase Chopp defeated Belle Vernon’s Colby Hibner by pin in a 145-pound bout in the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Kase Chopp defeated Belle Vernon’s Colby Hibner by pin in a 145-pound bout in the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Kase Chopp defeated Belle Vernon’s Colby Hibner by pin in a 145-pound bout in the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Kase Chopp defeated Belle Vernon’s Colby Hibner by pin in a 145-pound bout in the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Kase Chopp defeated Belle Vernon’s Colby Hibner by pin in a 145-pound bout in the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Kase Chopp defeated Belle Vernon’s Colby Hibner by pin in a 145-pound bout in the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Gavin Rush won by tech fall over Belle Vernon’s Connor Hoffman in a 152 -pound bout in the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Gavin Rush won by tech fall over Belle Vernon’s Connor Hoffman in a 152 -pound bout in the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Gavin Rush won by tech fall over Belle Vernon’s Connor Hoffman in a 152 -pound bout in the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Gavin Rush won by tech fall over Belle Vernon’s Connor Hoffman in a 152 -pound bout in the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Gavin Rush won by tech fall over Belle Vernon’s Connor Hoffman in a 152 -pound bout in the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Gavin Rush won by tech fall over Belle Vernon’s Connor Hoffman in a 152 -pound bout in the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Gavin Rush won by tech fall over Belle Vernon’s Connor Hoffman in a 152 -pound bout in the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Sutton Stoner wrestled Belle Vernon’s Kole Doppelheuer in a 160 -pound bout in the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Sutton Stoner wrestled Belle Vernon’s Kole Doppelheuer in a 160 -pound bout in the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Sutton Stoner wrestled Belle Vernon’s Kole Doppelheuer in a 160 -pound bout in the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Sutton Stoner wrestled Belle Vernon’s Kole Doppelheuer in a 160 -pound bout in the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Brennan Michael pins Belle Vernon’s Skylar Gush in a 172--pound bout in the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Troy Ritson pinned Belle Vernon’s Eric Adamec in a 189- pound bout in the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Troy Ritson pinned Belle Vernon’s Eric Adamec in a 189- pound bout in the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Troy Ritson pinned Belle Vernon’s Eric Adamec in a 189- pound bout in the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Troy Ritson pinned Belle Vernon’s Eric Adamec in a 189- pound bout in the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Troy Ritson pinned Belle Vernon’s Eric Adamec in a 189- pound bout in the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Troy Ritson pinned Belle Vernon’s Eric Adamec in a 189- pound bout in the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Troy Ritson pinned Belle Vernon’s Eric Adamec in a 189- pound bout in the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Ace McElravy wrestled Belle Vernon’s Elijah Brown in a 215- pound bout in the preliminary round of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at North Hills High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
WEST VIEW — Mason Swidzinski has experienced the ups and downs that often accompany a freshman wrestling at the varsity level for Butler.
In Monday’s WPIAL Class 3A preliminary-round team playoff match against Belle Vernon, he quickly turned a negative into a positive.
After being taken down in the opening seconds of the 127-pound bout against the Leopards’ Keadon Johnson, Swidzinski answered with a reversal, followed by a pin in just 28 seconds at North Hills High School.
The effort helped the Golden Tornado top Belle Vernon 53-20, sending Butler to a first-round match at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Bethel Park.
Santino Sloboda, who won a WPIAL title last year, is Butler’s regular entry in the 127 weight class.
“We thought if we left Santino there, he would win by forfeit, and we wanted him to have a match tonight,” Butler coach Scott Stoner said. “So we bumped him up to 133.”
Which opened the door for Swidzinski.
“I wasn’t strong enough with the shot I took at (Johnson), and that’s when he took me down,” he said. “But I was able to flip him over and got the pin.”
Stoner said he could have left Swidzinski on the junior high team this season.
“I don’t know how much better he could’ve gotten at that level,” he said. “The experience he’s getting now is worth a lot more than anything he would have done for the junior high team.
“He gave up on the attack early in his bout tonight and that was disappointing, but when that happens, you need to come back and respond and he did that.”
Swidzinski said his goal was to “get better” this season and earn a winning record. Monday’s win puts him at 8-9, including five pins.
“From the start of the season, I think I’m taking better shots and have improved with my top work,” he said.
His pin was one of four for Butler (8-3) in the first five bouts as the Golden Tornado opened up a commanding 24-3 lead. Also winning by fall in that span was Nick Savannah (107 pounds), Sullivan Stutz (121) and Sloboda (133).
Savannah’s win came in 80 seconds over Gracin Guglielmo.
“Nick has had trouble taking the work he’s getting in during practice and bringing it into matches,” Stoner said. “But he really punctuated his bout tonight … took control and put that kid on his back.”
Brennan Michael’s pin of Skylar Gush in 21 seconds at 172 pounds sealed the team victory for Butler over Belle Vernon (5-3).
Also picking up pins for the Tornado were Kase Chopp (145) and Troy Ritson (189). Gavin Rush won by technical fall at 152.
Bethel Park earned a bye into the first round. The Black Hawks will present a stiffer challenge.
“It’s going to be a tall task,” Stoner said. “They are well-coached and have fundamentally strong kids.”
The winner of Wednesday’s match will wrestle immediately after against the winner of Norwin vs. Canon-McMillan in a quarterfinal, with the chance to advance to the semifinals Saturday at Peters Township High School.
Butler 53, Belle Vernon 20
107: Nick Savannah (B) pinned Gracin Guglielmo, 1:20; 114: Rylee Doppelheuer (BV) dec. Nathan Dickey, 6-3; 121: Sullivan Stutz (B) pinned Leon Soto, :41; 127: Mason Swidzinski (B) pinned Keadon Johnson, :28; 133: Santino Sloboda (B) pinned Vander Raczkowski, 2:16; 139: Deydon Soto (BV) pinned Charlie Rodgers, 3:14; 145: Kase Chopp (B) pinned Colby Hibner, 2:55; 152: Gavin Rush (B) tech. fall Connor Hoffman, 15-0; 160: Kole Doppelheuer (BV) pinned Sutton Stoner, 1:28; 172: Brennan Michael (B) pinned Skylar Gush, :21; 189: Troy Ritson (B) pinned Eric Adamec, 1:28; 215: Elijah Brown (BV) tech. fall Ace McElravy, 21-6; 285: Diamond Cantera (B) by forfeit
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