Photo by Kim North St. Clairsville honored its 50th anniversary wrestling team prior to Wednesday night’s dual meet against Union Local inside the ECO Center. Pictured standing, from left, are former Martins Ferry and St. Clairsville wrestling coach John Vrotsos and members of the 1975 team Jim Fox, Bruce Myers (holding plaque) and George Starkey. They are surrounded by members of the St. Clairsville wrestling club.

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — St. Clairsville honored its past in front of its future Wednesday night when the Red Devils celebrated the 1975 wrestling team — the first-ever at the school — during a 50-Year Anniversary.

The inaugural St. Clairsville wrestling team was coached by Leonard Chaplinski and consisted of 20 matmen and two team managers. Team members were Randy Hayes, George Starkey, Jim Fox, Tom Shores, Mike McEndree, Bruce Myers, Ed Trudo, Tom Pytlak, Vic Bernardi, Chad Sproul, Barry Sigmon, John Schulenburg, John Slevin, Gary Matz, Ron Matz, Dennis Mingyar, Steve Haught, Fred Sechrest, Rich Greenwood and Mark Henry. Managers included Keith Myers and Jeff Sproul.

Of that group, only Starkey, Fox and Bruce Myers were able to attend the brief ceremony held between the junior high and varsity dual meets between St. Clairsville and Union Local.

When asked why he came out for that first team as a senior, Myers thought for a moment before replying, “I don’t really know. That’s a good question. It was something new that the school offered, so I said why not. I was too small to play basketball.”

Myers was a 126-pounder.

“This is quite an honor,” Myers said. “We, the three of us, have been thinking about this for some time now.”

Fox said, “It was new. I grew up on a farm so I thought I’d be pretty good at it, but I really wasn’t.”

He competed at 175.

“Tonight is something special. I’ve never been recognized before for anything,” Fox said. “This means a lot.”

Starkey was a little ahead of his two classmates, as far as wrestling goes.

“I started wrestling in Benwood and went undefeated before moving to St. Clairsville. They didn’t have a team for my first three years. I kept talking to Sam Mumley for about two years, and finally, he was able to get us a team. I made some great friends through wrestling.”

Starkey said Wednesday night was special.

“It never really clicked that we were the first wrestling team at St. Clairsville,” he recalled. “But I am glad we did it and that we are still here today to talk about it.”

“The idea to do this came about during a conversation with our club coach. He’s good friends with one of the original team members,” current St. Clairsville head wrestling coach Bobby Richmond said. “After some talking we decided we should honor that first team in some way. So, instead of having a Senior Night — we don’t have any seniors this year — we decided on honoring the original team and any alumni that wanted to come out.

“I have two alumni — Dillon Nolte and Chaz Snider — on my staff right now,” Richmond noted. “It’s a big night for St. Clairsville wrestling.”

Richmond said he hopes this turns into an annual event, and, at some point, he hopes to be to start a St. Clairsville Wrestling Hall of Fame.

Up until two years ago when Caden Stout won the Ohio Division II 150-pound state championship, the Red Devils had the dubious distinction of having the most Ohio state placers without ever having a state titlist.

“We broke that curse two years ago so we are off of that list,” Richmond said. “It’s nice to not see us on it anymore.”

As far as on the Wednesday, Union Local won six of the eight matches contested, while also collecting four forfeits en route to a 56-24 victory.

“The guys are working hard, wrestling hard. It’s always tough to wrestle a dual on the Wednesday following the OVAC Tournament because kids’ weights can get up and it’s a quick cut to get back down,” Union Local head coach Nate Starkey said.

That reason held back OVAC champion freshman Gamble Gossett (120) from competing. “We decided to hold him out and let him get black down to weight gradually,” Starkey explained. “We had our 157-pounder out with an injury, so I had to bump and move some guys around in different spots to make sure weight classes were filled.”

Gavin Bolock (126) recorded a 22-second pin to pull the Jets into a 12-all stalemate after the two rivals alternated forfeits at 106 and 113 to start the match.

Following a 10-4 decision by freshman Jaxon Lewis (138), Union Local pulled away with consecutive pins from Calvin Robbins (144) and Gunnar Gossett (150). Robins needed 2:50, while Gossett took just 2:28 as the margin increased to 33-12.

St. Clairsville’s Isaiah Howard (157) snapped the Jets’ streak with a pin in 4:43. He was trailing Union Local’s Gavin McVay, 6-5, at the time.

“We’re a young team that has a lot to work on,” Richmond said. “We’ve been getting better and better as the season progresses, but tonight felt like a little step backwards. We’ve got to try and look past tonight and come back tomorrow with a strong mindset

Therron Fillon (165) pinned Ryan Howard in 1:14 to pull the Red Devils to within, 33-24, but the Jets won the final four matches — two by forfeit — to secure the win.

Brody Perzanowski (175) posted a 17-1 technical fall and Brice Pitner pinned Bo Donley in 5:28 to end things. Koleton Clark (190) and Brady Hunt (215) were awarded forfeits.

“Brice is working his tail off. He’s a first-year wrestler trying to learn a lot in his first season,” Starkey noted.

Earning early forfeits were Union Local’s Max Dubiel (106) and St. Clairsville’s Carson Bishop (113) and Michael Howard (120).