SF’s Carr looks sharp, wins title
South Fayette’s Mike Carr celebrates after defeating Saegertown’s Tyler Vath in their PIAA Class AA 138-pound finals match.
South Fayette’s Mike Carr, left, grabs the led of Saegertown’s Tyler Vath in their Class AA 138-pound finals match, Saturday.
HERSHEY – Mike Carr is the newest member of his family to become a PIAA Class AA wrestling champion.
Not only does that bring prestige, bragging rights and respect, it also means Carr can finally shave.
The junior at South Fayette and his father, also named Mike, have been growing postseason moustaches.
After Carr’s 3-1 decision over Tyler Vath of Saegertown in the 138-pound finals at the Giant Center in Hershey Saturday, the razor can come out.
Carr matched the gold-medal winning accomplishment of his oldest brother, Nick, by stopping Vath. Mike Carr completed the season with a 44-0 record and joined Gavin Teasdale of Jefferson-Morgan as the only undefeated Class AA wrestlers in the WPIAL. Teasdale (46-0) won the 106-pound title with a 4-2 decision over Aaron Burkett of Chestnut Ridge.
“I’m cutting it off,” said Carr. “I’ve been growing mine all season. Mike dad grew his in three days.”
The elder Carr said he was willing to do it to help his son.
“If it made him happy, then I told him I’d do it,” he said.
Mike Carr probably did not need the moustache to help him beat Tyler Vath, but every mental edge is important.
South Fayette coach Rick Chaussard, who wrestled on the same team with the elder Carr, politely declined to participate.
“It was mentioned to me, but I said no,” Chaussard said. “Too much gray hair.”
Mike Carr was too much for Vath, establishing a 3-0 lead in the second period after the first ended in a scoreless tie. Carr escaped early in the period then took Vath down with 1:01 left in the period. The only point Carr allowed was in the third period, when he was called for stalling.
When the match ended, the normally soft-spoken Carr leaped to his feet and tossed his headgear to the corner in celebration. He then circled the mat after having his hand raised and waited patiently until after Vath shook the hands of the South Fayette coaches before jumping into Chaussard’s arms.
“I was very surprised by that,” Chaussard said of the outburst. “I didn’t expect that out of him. He is usually so laid back.”
“I was saving all my energy for this moment,” said Carr, who was fifth at 132 pounds in last year’s tournament. “The WPIALs, regionals – they weren’t important. This is what I wanted. I wanted to accomplish the same goal as my brother.”
The Carr family had produced one state champion and three finalists since 2010. Nick won the 145-pound title as a junior and lost in the 152 finals as a senior. Brother, Seth, made it to the 112-pound finals two years ago.
“My goal at the end of my sophomore year was to go something-and-0,” Mike Carr said. “Now that I’ve done that, I’m going to celebrate.”