If you like change, then the 20th edition of the Times Herald Big 30 All-Star Wrestling Team is for you.
No, the format is the same, but with 10 seniors among last year’s Fab 15 lineup, there was plenty of room for new faces this year — and added to that was the fact that three returning all-stars from a year ago, failed to make this year’s team.
That’s how tough is was once again to find a spot in this lineup, picked from the 15 Big 30 wrestling schools over the two-state, five county region.
In all, 14 wrestlers were selected — there was no 99-pounder picked this year — and among them were 11 first-time selections. The rest of the lineup featured two returning all-stars, plus another who made the team two years ago by missed out in 2014.
In all, this Big 30 team features eight New York wrestlers and six from Pennsylvania, with six seniors, six juniors, one sophomore and one eighth-grader. That’s the most underclassmen since 11 were named on the 2011 team.
Heading the lineup is this year’s Big 30 Wrestler of the Year, Smethport junior James Duffy, one of two state placewinners and seven state qualifiers selected.
The Hubbers’ 145 pounder, who made the team last year at 152, placed third at the PIAA Class AA state championships, matching the highest placefinish ever by a Smethport wrestler (Kirk Gregory was also third in 1991). He is the first wrestler ever from Smethport to earn Times Herald Wrestler of the Year honors.
The only other returning Big 30 All-Star selection is the area’s only other state placewinner, Cattaraugus-Little Valley/Pine Valley senior Alex Kelly. On the team at 182 pounds, the Section 6 champion was fourth this year at the New York State Division II championships in wrapping up a 46-5 season for a glittering 81-7 mark over the last two seasons.
Duffy, a District 9 and Northwest Region titlist, was 35-2 on the year and is 60-7 over the last two years.
While Kelly and Duffy are the only true repeaters, a third wrestler is back on the team after making the squad in 2013 — Port Allegany senior Casey Vollmer.
Vollmer, 27-7 on the year, took two of those loses after advancing to Hershey for the first time following a D-9 title and NW Region fourth-place finish. He was named at 113 pounds after having been selected at 106 as a sophomore when he was 28-5 and a D-9 runner-up.
Rounding out the state qualifiers named to this year’s team are Smethport junior Adam Shunk (27-7) at 138; Olean High junior Zach Bierfeldt (34-7) — part of the Huskies’ Allegany-Limestone connection — at 152 pounds; Port Allegany junior Ethan Budd (32-3) at 220; and Cameron County senior Jack Karsten (34-3), a 285-pounder who will be playing football at Edinboro University next fall.
Overall, six New York schools and three Pennsylvania schools are represented with Cattaraugus-LV/PV, Pioneer, Port Allegany, Smethport and Cameron County each putting two wrestlers on the team. Bolivar-Richburg, Wellsville, Portville, and Olean have one each.
For the Hubbers, this year’s two picks brings their total to 48 over the team’s 20-year history and 27 different selections overall — both Big 30 bests. Cameron County is next with 31 overall selections, while Pioneer is second with 21 different matmen.
Rounding out this year’s squad are eighth-grader Sam Grey (27-16) of Cattaraugus-LV/PV at 106; Portville sophomore Nick Koslowski (27-5) at 120; Pioneer junior Sam Fahy (34-14, 126) and senior Mytchell Collingridge (195); Cameron County senior Brandon Saline (28-5, 132); Wellsville senior Justin Foth (160); and Bolivar-Richburg junior Kameron Miller (170).
Collingridge (35-4), an at-large state alternate, had an outstanding season for the Panthers, winning an ECIC championship, a Class B-1 title, and placing third at the Section 6 state qualifier.
Miller was 38-3 and a fifth-place finisher at the Section 5 Division II SuperSectionals, while Foth was 41-5 and fourth in the Section 5 state qualifier.
In all, this year’s team boasts six District 9 finalists, five Northwest Regional placewinners (two champions), three Section 6 Class Tournament champions, six Section 6 tournament medalists, and two Section 5 placewinners.
Combined, the 14-wrestler lineup boasts a glittering 467-85 record with two members over 40 wins, seven others with 30-or-more, and the remaining five selections with at least 27 wins.
Meanwhile, Port Allegany’s Brad Greenman is the recipient of this year’s Times Herald Big 30 Coach of the Year award.
In this fourth year with the Gators, Greenman led Port to a 12-8 overall dual record and to an 8-0 Allegheny Mountain League mark — the Gators’ second title in three years and 10th overall. Port wrapped up the year with a fourth place finish at the District 9 Class AA championships and were second in the Times Herald rankings.
Greenman is the fourth Port Allegany coach in earn the award, following Doug Triplett (2003), Aaron Rendos (2008) and Sean Lathrop (2011).
Pioneer, coached by Chris Edwards, topped this year’s final Times Herald ranking list. The Panthers were 18-5, placed third at the Byron-Bergen Tournament, seventh at the 27-team ECIC championships, fourth at the 20-team Ken-Ton tourney, won the Section 6 Class B Tournament, and finished 8-0 in ECIC Division II dual meets for their second straight league title.
-Olean Times Herald
