Dec 29, 2022 3 min read

ON THIS DATE

Dec. 30

1960 – Canonsburg wins the Canonsburg Invitational basketball tournament by defeating Fort Cherry 55-50 in the title game. Ken Thornton scores 20 points for the Gunners.

1965 – Canon-McMillan dominates the Western Conference wrestling tournament held at Washington High School. The Big Macs have seven individual champions: Mike Toplisek (88 pounds), Greg Trunzo (95), Rod Patterson (120), Tony Weishner (133), Tom Gazvoda (138), Carl Subroick (145) and heavyweight John DiYenno.

1969 – Pete Maravich scores 53 points and leads LSU to a 94-91 victory over previously undefeated Duquesne in the championship game of the All-College Basketball Tournament in Oklahoma City.

1970 – Wash High’s George Bryant (112), Dean Ellis (127) and Van Davison (133) win individual championships and help the Prexies to the team title at the Western Conference Wrestling Tournament at Canon-McMillan.

1970 – Four-time defending national champion UCLA defeats Pitt 77-64 before a Civic Arena record crowd of 13,535 in the championship game of the 20th Steel Bowl basketball tournament. The previous Arena record crowd of 13,526 watched Bruno Sammartino defeat George Steele in a wrestling match July 24, 1970. Curtis Rowe and Sydney Wicks each score 26 points to lead UCLA.

1971 – Trinity wins its second Western Conference wrestling tournament team title in three years. The Hillers have four individual champions in Tim Barnickel (88), Mike Passalacqua (120), Scott Miller (154) and Ray Dallatore (165).

1971 – Lionel Billingy scores 35 points, including 22 in the first half, to lead Duquesne to an 87-67 victory over Pitt in the championship game of the Steel Bowl.

1977 – Matt Cavanaugh completes touchdown passes of 39, 11 and 25 yards to running back Elliott Walker as Pitt routs Clemson 34-3 in the Gator Bowl.

1978 – Chartiers-Houston has only one individual champion — Tom Whitfield at 132 pounds — but wins the team title as the California State College Invitational Wrestling Tournament.

1979 – Ray Natili scores 43 points, including 18 field goals, sparking Immaculate Conception to a 79-46 victory over Washington in the championship game of a holiday basketball tournament at Henry Memorial Center.

1980 – Del Walker’s 15-foot jumper with seven seconds remaining gives Avella a 60-59 victory over McGuffey in the championship game of the Fort Cherry Holiday High School Basketball Tournament. Walker finishes with a game-high 24 points and is named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.

1981 – John Luckhardt, defensive coordinator at Lehigh University for the past nine years, is named head football coach at Washington & Jefferson.

1987 – Trinity’s Jim Vore (132 pounds) is the lone local champion at the California UNiversity Christmas Wrestling Tournament at Hamer Hall.

1988 – Waynesburg, with three three champions – Don Lemley (140 pounds), Lee Robinson (189) and Steve Tedrow (heavyweight) – wins the team title at the California University Christmas Wrestling Tournament.

1996 – Jason Maile makes five of six shots from three-point range and scores 24 points to lead Pitt to an 85-78 victory over No. 8 Michigan in the Rainbow Classic.

1997 – Waynesburg’s Mike Seybold (125 pounds) and Pat O’Donnell (160), McGuffey’s Jim Hanning (140) and Trinity’s Andy Migyanko (119) win championships at the Powerade Christmas Wrestling Tournament.

2003 – Waynesburg’s Coleman Scott wins his third consecutive championship at the Powerade Christmas Wrestling Tournament, decisioning Oxford’s Jarrett Hostetter 12-0 in the 125-pound final.

2005 – Canon-McMillan’s Colin Johnston (112 pounds), Trinity’s Grant Lowther (125), Kory Bissett (135) win titles at the Powerade Christmas Wrestling Tournament in Canonsburg.

2009 – Freshman Cody Wiercioch snaps a 40-year drought for Charleroi in the Powerade Christmas Wrestling Tournament by defeating top-seeded Pierce Harger of Moeller 2-1 in the 152-pound championship bout.

2011 – Cody Wiercioch wins the 170-pound title, and teammate Solomon Chishko is the champion at 145, helping Canon-McMillan to a second-place finish in the team standings in the Powerade Christmas Wrestling Tournament.