Last month, the Waynesburg Central wrestling team won the PIAA State Title in historic fashion. In the WPIAL Team Tournament, they defeated North Allegheny (51-9) and Seneca Valley (67-3). In the state tournament, they beat Erie Cathedral Prep (54-12), Williamsport (50-13), and Central Dauphin (42-6). In addition, they won the PIAA Individual Tournament team title by a ridiculous margin after walking away with three state champions, two runners-up, and an additional place-winner. We may never see this kind of dominance from any local sports team again. However, several generations ago another group of Waynesburg wrestlers had an amazing run.
After losing the last match of the 1956 season to Mapletown, the Raiders put together a seven-year run that would be hard to top. They captured seven section crowns and six WPIAL titles and finished as WPIAL runner-up in 1958. Six times they finished the season undefeated on their way to an amazing 100-1 record over those years. The run included 48 and 52 match win streaks. The only blemish was an opening season loss to Canon-Mac in 1960. However, the team avenged that loss later in the season on their way to the WPIAL title. In the first match, the Raiders had qualified for the football playoffs that year and many of the key squad members were just getting off the gridiron.
In 1959, the team opened the season by traveling to Arlington, Virginia to take on Washington & Lee High School. The Raiders dominated the defending Virginia state champs 28-13. They also opened the 1961 and 1962 seasons against the defending Ohio state champions, Bridgeport and Beaver Local. Both matches ended with dominant Raider wins. Individual WPIAL champions during the run included John Ketchem and Robert Bleakney in 1957; John Byard and Duane Makle in 1958; Ron Mahle, Jim Husk and Sam Fuller in 1959; Phil Lapping and Tom Baily in 1960; Terry Wilson and Tony Gusic in 1961; Allan Roberts, Mickey Boudreau, Bob Shriver and Jim Meighen in 1962; and Leroy Taylor in 1963. Byard, Wilson, Boudreau and Shriver all went on to win state titles. Fuller finished as the state runner-up, as did Jim Higgins in 1964. Ralph Adamson also won the WPIAL in 1964.
Many on those teams went on to successful collegiate careers. Tony Gusic went on to win an NAIA National Title at Waynesburg College. Other members of those Raider teams who wrestled for the legendary Bucky Murdock at Waynesburg College were Terry Wilson, Frank Remaley, Mickey Boudreau, Ron Mahle, John Moore, Mickey Clayton, and Ralph Adamson. Adamson was a two-time conference champion and NAIA National Runner-up for the Jackets. Other Raider team members of the era who went on to wrestle collegiately were Jim Husk (Xavier), Jerry Phillips (Cincinnati), Joe Greenlee (Iowa), Wilson Voelker (Lafayette), Jim Meighen (Virginia), Jerry Gooden (WVU), Sam Church (WVU), and Mike George (WVU). Church and George both won Southern Conference titles for the Mountaineers. Terry Cole also won two Wisconsin State College titles at Wisconsin-Superior. Finally, Tom Baily was a two-time NCAA qualifier for Pitt.
Dave Clelland was the head coach for the first three years of the run, and Ernie Closser took over the helm for the last four. Joe Ayersman started his career in 1960 as an assistant coach for those teams after returning from his stint in the U.S. Army.