Youngest Wilps brother making his mark in wrestling
Noah Wilps has labored in the shadow of his older brothers since breaking into the wrestling team's starting lineup at Chartiers Valley High School as a 152-pound freshman.
Two wrestling seasons have since passed and Wilps is now set to join his brothers in the spotlight.
"I grew up watching my brothers wrestle," said Wilps, referring to older siblings Matt and Tyler, who are starters for coach Rande Stottlemyer at the University of Pittsburgh. "Now I'm getting a chance to experience some of the things they've done in the past."
Noah, the third and final brother in the Wilps family, earned his first national title as a member of the Pennsylvania freestyle team that won the team title at the USA Wrestling Cadet Duals, which took place June 13-16 at Daytona Beach, Fla.
"I had a 4-3 record [competing at 160 pounds] in the freestyle tournament and a 1-2 record in the Greco-Roman tournament," Noah Wilps said. "It was great to come home with the team title in freestyle. We didn't do as well in the Greco tournament."
One of Wilps' freestyle losses was to Illinois' Zachary Prinz in the preliminary round robin. Despite the loss, Pennsylvania recorded a 36-33 victory in the match. The two teams met again in the title match and Wilps gained revenge against Prinz to lead Pennsylvania to a 33-31 victory.
"Wrestling in this tournament gave me a chance to wrestle some of the best wrestlers in the country," Wilps said. "It was a very rewarding experience."
Wilps got spoiled during his trip to Daytona, but not for obvious reason.
"I watched a lot of TV," Wilps said. "We don't have cable at home. I got spoiled watching educational channels like the History and Discovery channels. I came home and didn't know what to do."
During his Florida sojourn, Wilps occupied himself with some other diversions as well.
"I definitely spent some time on the beach," Wilps said. "You can't go to Florida and not visit a beach."
Wilps accepted an invitation to the Cadet Duals, because he couldn't attend the PAWF individual state tournament, which was took place the first weekend in June.
"I wrestled at a tournament at Chartiers Valley a couple months ago and [PAWF director] Van Plocus asked if I wanted to wrestle for the Pennsylvania team at the Cadet Duals," Wilps said.
"I jumped at the opportunity because I knew I wouldn't be able to attend the [PAWF] state tournament. I had a big final [in school] the day before the tournament, so I decided to skip the state tournament."
Noah Wilps placed sixth in Section 4-AAA as a 152-pound freshman. He competed at 170 this past season and placed third in the section to qualify for the WPIAL Class AAA Tournament. He finished with a 27-13 record after losing two of three in the WPIAL tourney.
"Noah could have wrestled off at 160, but decided to wrestle up at 170 because the team needed him there," said Bill Evans, Chartiers Valley's coach. "That was a classy move."
Noah's brothers are also having a memorable summer. Tyler won FILA Junior Nationals in May, while brother Matt was second at the University Nationals the same weekend.
"FILA Junior Nationals are for wrestlers up to age 22," Evans said. "Any wrestler enrolled in a college can compete in University Nationals. Both are very busy."
And it's not just wrestling.
"Matt and Tyler went on a mission trip to Haiti," Evans said. "Noah will be making a mission trip to New England soon. I'm so proud to be able to coach the Wilps brothers."
Unfortunately for Evans, Noah is the last of the Wilps.
"I keep asking their parents, Jeff and Lisa, why they stopped at three," Evans said. "If I had 14 kids who worked as hard as the Wilps brothers, I would be able to conquer the world."
Noah Wilps did not qualify for a trip to the Cadet National individual championships, which begin July 17 at North Dakota State University in Fargo.
Wilps' Chartiers Valley teammate Darion Lutton did qualify, however. Lutton, a two-year starter who wrestled at 120 last season as a junior, qualified for a trip to Fargo at 126 pounds.
"It's great to see that Darion will be wrestling in Fargo," Evans said. "He's a very athletic kid who is a straight-A student."
Two wrestling seasons have since passed and Wilps is now set to join his brothers in the spotlight.
"I grew up watching my brothers wrestle," said Wilps, referring to older siblings Matt and Tyler, who are starters for coach Rande Stottlemyer at the University of Pittsburgh. "Now I'm getting a chance to experience some of the things they've done in the past."
Noah, the third and final brother in the Wilps family, earned his first national title as a member of the Pennsylvania freestyle team that won the team title at the USA Wrestling Cadet Duals, which took place June 13-16 at Daytona Beach, Fla.
"I had a 4-3 record [competing at 160 pounds] in the freestyle tournament and a 1-2 record in the Greco-Roman tournament," Noah Wilps said. "It was great to come home with the team title in freestyle. We didn't do as well in the Greco tournament."
One of Wilps' freestyle losses was to Illinois' Zachary Prinz in the preliminary round robin. Despite the loss, Pennsylvania recorded a 36-33 victory in the match. The two teams met again in the title match and Wilps gained revenge against Prinz to lead Pennsylvania to a 33-31 victory.
"Wrestling in this tournament gave me a chance to wrestle some of the best wrestlers in the country," Wilps said. "It was a very rewarding experience."
Wilps got spoiled during his trip to Daytona, but not for obvious reason.
"I watched a lot of TV," Wilps said. "We don't have cable at home. I got spoiled watching educational channels like the History and Discovery channels. I came home and didn't know what to do."
During his Florida sojourn, Wilps occupied himself with some other diversions as well.
"I definitely spent some time on the beach," Wilps said. "You can't go to Florida and not visit a beach."
Wilps accepted an invitation to the Cadet Duals, because he couldn't attend the PAWF individual state tournament, which was took place the first weekend in June.
"I wrestled at a tournament at Chartiers Valley a couple months ago and [PAWF director] Van Plocus asked if I wanted to wrestle for the Pennsylvania team at the Cadet Duals," Wilps said.
"I jumped at the opportunity because I knew I wouldn't be able to attend the [PAWF] state tournament. I had a big final [in school] the day before the tournament, so I decided to skip the state tournament."
Noah Wilps placed sixth in Section 4-AAA as a 152-pound freshman. He competed at 170 this past season and placed third in the section to qualify for the WPIAL Class AAA Tournament. He finished with a 27-13 record after losing two of three in the WPIAL tourney.
"Noah could have wrestled off at 160, but decided to wrestle up at 170 because the team needed him there," said Bill Evans, Chartiers Valley's coach. "That was a classy move."
Noah's brothers are also having a memorable summer. Tyler won FILA Junior Nationals in May, while brother Matt was second at the University Nationals the same weekend.
"FILA Junior Nationals are for wrestlers up to age 22," Evans said. "Any wrestler enrolled in a college can compete in University Nationals. Both are very busy."
And it's not just wrestling.
"Matt and Tyler went on a mission trip to Haiti," Evans said. "Noah will be making a mission trip to New England soon. I'm so proud to be able to coach the Wilps brothers."
Unfortunately for Evans, Noah is the last of the Wilps.
"I keep asking their parents, Jeff and Lisa, why they stopped at three," Evans said. "If I had 14 kids who worked as hard as the Wilps brothers, I would be able to conquer the world."
Noah Wilps did not qualify for a trip to the Cadet National individual championships, which begin July 17 at North Dakota State University in Fargo.
Wilps' Chartiers Valley teammate Darion Lutton did qualify, however. Lutton, a two-year starter who wrestled at 120 last season as a junior, qualified for a trip to Fargo at 126 pounds.
"It's great to see that Darion will be wrestling in Fargo," Evans said. "He's a very athletic kid who is a straight-A student."
wrestling