MORGANTOWN – The University High School wrestling team captured the Class AAA state wrestling championship last season for the first time in Ken Maisel’s 29 years as head coach.
Although the Hawks are known to produce a strong roster year in and out, the 2024-2025 edition of the team may be one of, if not the best, he’s ever had while at the helm of the program.
UHS has swept the first three tournaments of the season as a team, most recently winning the Nurse Pro Plus tournament, hosted by UHS itself, this past weekend.
21 WV, Pa., and Ohio teams gathered on Baker’s Ridge for the one-day competition.
University won the team title with 280.5 points. Connellsville, Pa., was 2nd with 269.5, and Franklin Regional, Pa., was 3rd with 202 points. Connellsville is ranked #1 in the WPIAL and 2nd overall in Pa. Franklin Regional is ranked second in the WPIAL and seventh overall in Pa.
“It was a huge win. To beat the #1 and #2 teams in the WPIAL, who are also #2 and #7 in the entire state of Pennsylvania, the best wrestling state in the country, is significant for us. But these are all just stepping stones to the primary goal of another state championship.”
Winning championships for the Hawks in the Nujrse Pro Plus tournament were Pepper Martin at 113, Jackson Pate at 215, and Brock Kehler at 285. Finishing runner-up were Colton Gillespie at 126, Emerson Murphy at 175, and Ryder Hastings at 190. Finishing in 3rd place were Nico Maisel at 132, Carter Pauley at 150, and Brody Kehler at 165. Jackson Pate was voted the tournament’s most outstanding wrestler.
“I think we have had a good year thus far,” Maisel said. “We are excellent in just about every weight class. I think that is our strong point this year. That is the reason we beat Connellsville last weekend. They are outstanding! But they have four slightly weaker weights, and we capitalized on that. We have over 50 kids on the team, so we have kids competing hard at practice every day. We could potentially place 13 guys at states and hopefully a handful in the finals.”
Although the Hawks have seen success early on, Maisel and his team know how much is still ahead of them and how difficult that road can still be.
“Do not be complacent,” Maisel said. “That has been the message from the beginning of the year. Success breeds complacency, and complacency is the enemy of success. We tell them all the time, you are not as hot as you think you are; now get to work.”
The Powerade Tournament will be held Friday and Saturday at Canon-McMillan High School in Canonsburg, Pa.
74 teams will gather for the tournament, which includes 58 individual state champions from 2024.
“This weekend will be a test for us,” Maisel said. “The Powerade is known as the 2nd most challenging tournament in the country, so we’ll see how we stack up.”
