Observer-Reporter Athlete of the Week
Name: Ethan Barr
School: McGuffey
Sport: Wrestling
Class: Sophomore
Barr’s week: Barr was unstoppable at the Moon Duals, winning all five bouts to raise his overall record to 11-0. He also went undefeated at the John Marshall Duals.
Barr has eclipsed one-third of his win total from last season, when he posted a 32-17 record and reached the Southwest Region Tournament.
“I’ve never had a start like this,” said Barr.
Barr started the Moon Duals with a pin in 2:24 of Fayzullo Solohiddinov of Mt. Lebanon High School and followed with a second pin, this is time over Adam Reyes of Bethel Park.
The third victory also came via pin, this one over Ayden Moore of Connellsville before taking a 5-4 decision from Sean Martin of Upper St. Clair. Barr finished the event with a pin in 45 seconds of Gino Angeletti of Quaker Valley.
All but the match with Martin was wrestled at 152 pounds. Martin’s bout came at 160 and was the most satisfying for Barr for beating a Class AAA wrestler. Last year, Barr was edged by USC’s Grant Walnoha, 2-1, in this event.
The Highlanders went 2-3 last weekend, defeating Bethel Park and Mt. Lebanon.
Great bloodlines: If the last name Barr rings a bell, it should.
Ethan’s father, Jason, was a multi-sport standout for the Highlanders before graduating in 1993. He finished with 5,739 rushing yards, still good enough to be in the top 10 of WPIAL career rushing stats.
In wrestling, Jason Barr amassed a 128-13 record and was a three-time state qualifier and two-time medalist. He won section, WPIAL and regional titles. Jason Barr left McGuffey as the school’s pin leader.
“He’s been a big influence for me,” Ethan Barr said. “He makes me push myself. He also shows me what responsibility means, like to make sure things are taken care of around the house.”
Ethan Barr hopes to use those tools to make it to the state tournament, one of his personal goals this season. Before each match, he tries to go through the same routine.
“I stretch and run,” he said. “Then I try to calm myself down.”
Just to make sure he’s ready, he does have one superstition: he wears his socks backwards. How is this accomplished?
“They have a letter on them that is supposed to be worn on the outside of the ankles,” he said. “I wear mine with them on the inside.”
So far, it’s working well.
Compiled by Joe Tuscano