The Tyrone Wrestling Boosters Club held their annual awards banquet at the Casino in Lakemont on Sunday, May, 1, 2005.
The varsity Tyrone team was honored for their record setting dual mark for wins (16-5) and second straight District VI-AA team championship as well as their fine showing in various tournaments. The Golden Eagles won the Hanover Snacktown Duals, finished fourth of 33 teams at the King of the Mountain Tournament, won the 10-team Zeigler Blair/Huntingdon County Tournament and was fifth of 42 schools from six different states at the Eastern States Classic.
Individual honors were also bestowed upon several junior high and senior high wrestlers and all of the wrestlers received presents from the Boosters Club.
Terry Tate who set school records for wins in a season (47), wins in a career (149), pins in a season (36) and pins in a career (91), became the 11th Eagle to win a PIAA state championship, and the first since 1985 when Kenny Myers won a PIAA title. Tate, who will attend school and wrestle at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania next year, won the Outstanding Varsity Wrestler, Most Pins and Most Wins awards to take home the most hardware.
Brice Mertiff won the “Wrecking Ball” Award, David Miller won the Takedown Award, Josh Hunter won the Most Improved Wrestler Award and Robert Waite won the Spirit Award for the varsity
The senior trio of Terry Tate (149-24), David Miller (116-44) and Brice Mertiff (101-47), join a threesome from the 2005 Forest Hills team (Art Moss, Sean Kisel and Shane Valko) as the first time in the history of District VI wrestling to have a school have three members of a senior class to all collect more than 100 career wins.
On the junior high level, A. J. Schopp won the Outstanding Wrestler Award, Most Pins Award and tied with Jeremy Barlett and J. P. VanAllman for most wins. Barlett also won the Most Improved Wrestler Award, VanAllman added the Most Takedowns Award and Chase Weaver won the Spirit Award. In addition, coach Jason Bainey was selected as District VI Junior High Coach of the Year.
The Junior Eagles went 8-3 in dual meets and won their fourth straight Blair County Tournament as well as the Blue Devil Invitational Tournament.
Junior wrestler Heath Walk gave the invocation following a brief welcome by Wrestling Booster Club president Donnette Conrad.
Following the dinner, Bruce Bumgartner presented the keynote speech. Bumgartner, former two-time Olympic wrestling champion gave an informative, speech imploring the wrestlers and their guests to do their best.
Bumgartner, who was undefeated by any American wrestler for 17 years, completed his career with a Bronze medal at the 1996 Olympic Games. Bumgartner had an overall record of 134-12 as a collegiate wrestler at Indiana State University. Included among those wins are a world-best 13 World or Olympic medals and an NCAA championship his senior year.
Mr. Bumgartner, formally head wrestling coach at Edinboro, and now the Edinboro University Director of Athletics advised a four-step approach to those present-(1) get an education, (2) set and write down goals you desire to reach, (3) work your hardest, and (4) surround yourself with those who will give you the best opportunity.
Junior High awards were handed out by coaches Jason Bainey, who mixed statistics with humor, and Ron Garbinsky, while varsity head coach Blair Packer reviewed the season and with assistant coach Darin Desch handed out the varsity awards.
