O-R Athlete of the Week: Ky Szewczyk, Waynesburg

Name: Ky Szewczyk
School: Waynesburg
Sport: Wrestling
Class: Freshman
Szewczyk’s week: The 106-pounder for the Raiders won his weight class and avenged an earlier loss to Andrew Binni of Canon-McMillan in the Section 4-AAA Tournamemt.
Szewczyk entered the tournament as the third seed and Binni was No.1. Szewczyk opened with a 7-0 decision over Aiden Bench, the No. 2 seed, from Bethel Park in the semifinals.
Szewczyk then edged Binni 2-1 for the section title, the first of an incredible 12 for Waynesburg. A takedown with 1:47 remaining in the match gave Szewczyk a 1-1 tie in the match and sent it to overtime.
Szewczyk made an escape in the second overtime stand for the 2-1 victory.
“I trained really, really hard that week,” said Szewczyk. “I was determined that I was going to take first place and no one was going to stop me.”
Binni tore up Szewczyk, 7-2, in the first round of the Subsection 4A.
“That was third or fourth time they wrestled and Ky has come up short,” said Waynesburg head coach Joe Throckmorton. “He has never been the superstar. He just keeps working and working. His technique got better. He’s matured and has gotten more confidence by wrestling with the guys on the team.”
Fatherly advice: Each practice, Szewczyk works out with a former state champion that also is his dad. Kyle Szewczyk was a state champion at North Star in 1997.
The two wrestlers are about the same size. Kyle weighs a little more. Kyle finished his career with a 100-7 record and placed fourth in the state as a junior. Ky is 19-5.
“He gives me good advice and tells me what I need to work on,” said Ky. “I hear his voice while I’m out there. It’s been really important that he is here with me.”
Ky Szewczyk also works out with freshman Joe Simon, the starter at 113, and sophomore Mac Church, the starter at 120. Those two wrestlers have an 86-10 combined record.
Compiled by Joe Tuscano