Dec 20, 2022 3 min read

After years of trying, Grant Lowther got his wish.

There is a female wrestling program at Trinity High School.

“I had tried to start a program when I was in youth,” Lowther said, “because my sister wanted to wrestle about 25 years ago. So I’ve been thinking about and trying to do it for a long time.”

Lowther said putting together a team was a process.

“We did all the paper work,” Lowther said, “and it turned out OK.”

Lowther heads a group of coaches that includes former Trinity wrestler Andy Migyanko, who teach two dozen females on the roster, K-through-varsity. There are four varsity female wrestlers at this point.

“There was no one who really came to me with the idea,” said Lowther. “I had known from coaching some of the youth boys that their sisters were interested, probably about five years ago.”

More important, Trinity is the 87th female program to establish female wrestling. Once that number hits 100 programs, the PIAA will recognize girls wrestling as one of its sports.

Lowther is the head youth coach for the boys, the junior high assistant and the head coach of the girls program. Lowther’s assistants are Rob Bland, Migyanko, Kassi Lowther-Riffle, Patty Lowther and Joe West.

“We’re hoping to fill the varsity roster next year,” said Lowther. “We do have a lot of junior high wrestlers. We try to have two coaches for each group.”

Lowther credits Canon-McMillan and North Allegheny as trailblazers for female wrestling. Both programs started last season.

“Canon-McMillan and North Allegheny influenced a lot of girls in the state, especially schools in Western Pennsylvania,” Lowther said. “They were the pioneers in the sport. I reached out to them. Everything has been positive. The school board and administration have been supportive. And so has the boys wrestling team.”

Trinity will wrestle in Powerade, in the girls 5-to-18 age group. That will occur next Wednesday, the day before the varsity boys begin.

Waynesburg streak ends

Butler halted Waynesburg’s streak of 42 straight wins over WPIAL teams with a 40-32 upset of the Raiders over the weekend in the finals at the Kiski Duals.

Waynesburg was without Joe Simon and two-time state champion Mac Church.

The other odd thing about this match was that Waynesburg won six bouts and Butler just five. The difference were two forfeits, one at 133, where Simon should have been, and 145, where Church normally wrestles.

Waynesburg got pins by Brock Evans (152), Roan Tustin (172) returning state champion Rocco Welsh (215) and Eli Makel (Hvy).