The Allegheny County Championships Outstanding Wrestler Trophy

If you didn't know what you were looking for on a January weekend in Fox Chapel, it would look eerily similar to a three-ring circus—except this circus had eight rings.

Ok, there weren't any elephants or trained dog acts. But there was wall-to-wall people everywhere, creating mass confusion. There were two tigers fighting each other to the finish on each ring. It did have an Olympic aspect to it. And coordinating and bringing organization to all the chaos were the Ringmasters, Ron Frank and Bob Siar.

Fox Chapel's Brett Skonieczny, in white, won his weight division

Frank and Siar were Co-Directors of the fifth annual Allegheny County High School Wrestling Championships, held at Fox Chapel High School in late January. It may not have been a circus, but it definitely had the energy, action and excitement that go on under a big top.

An unidentified Plum wrestler (in purple) working to pin his opponent

Gateway won the championship as a team, but wrestlers from Fox Chapel and Plum won individual titles.

Highlands' Nathan Tomporoski (in yellow) shakes hands with his opponent before a match

Practically every—all 40 of them--high school wrestling team from Allegheny County and the Pittsburgh City league, were at the two-day event. Frank, Fox Chapel's wrestling coach, and Siar, Frank's assistant, coordinated the 40 schools and over 500 wrestlers in 852 bouts. The tournament included both AAA and AA squads from the WPIAL as well as the City League. It gave area wrestlers a chance to go head-to-head against many schools and quality wrestlers they may not see all season.

An unidentified Gateway wrestler attempts to gain control over Highlands' Ed Petrosky

"It was a great display of wrestling ability and great competition," said Ron Frank. "I don't think you are going to find any time this year where these groups are together." "We want to showcase Allegheny County wrestlers," Siar also added. "It gives opportunity for every level to participate."

Frank and Siar each handled different responsibilities. Frank took care of much of the on-floor responsibilities. During the matches he kept the flow going, handled any problems that came up, got mats and other equipment moved and positioned, and generally made things happen. He noted that he did the organization of the grunt work, but that Siar handled the technical end of it and more. "But if I do the grunt work," Ron said, "he is the heart and soul of the wresting tournament."

Bob Siar, a part of the Foxes' wrestling coaching staff for 13 years, assembled and coordinated information from record and scorekeepers, and used a computer program to keep track of the 852 bouts and brackets. As each wrestler won or lost, they either moved on into winners or losers bracket or were out of the tournament. It was an Olympic-sized job to keep track of all the matches and statistics, even with a computer. But Siar was no stranger to Olympics and bout sheets. Ron Frank says Siar "learned from the feet of the masters."

Since he was a teenager, Bob's mom and dad have kept bout sheets in the Olympics. His parents, Sue and Bob (Senior), who also helped with the Allegheny County tournament, have worked with bouts in the Olympics and elite tournaments for 25 years. He grew up with Olympic bout sheets and began helping his mom and dad with them right after college.

Siar's technical experience was obvious in how smoothly the tournament flowed. The thousands of hours he, Frank, and the other volunteers put in, made everything all work out. They tamed the circus and transformed it into an exciting, action-packed exhibition of Allegheny County Championship wrestling.

Alle-Kiski Today was at the final day of bouts and is pleased to bring you the 2006 Allegheny County High School Wrestling Championships finals on TV. Watch it on Comcast On Demand in the Your Hometown and Local Sports Folders.