Five Buc wrestlers from the Burrell WPIAL Runner-Up team took a trip to Hershey in March, to take part in the State Individual Championships: Josh Shields, Shane Welsh, Jordan Shields, Damian Majocha and Devon Maloney. Just to get to go to the Big Dance, to be great enough to go butt heads with other champions--that's heavy stuff! Any competition at that level is tough stuff; everybody is great and anybody can win or lose on any day. But four Bucs from Burrell came back home with some heavy medals from placing in the top eight--hey, that’s above and beyond!

"It was a nice change of pace from last year when we didn't bring home any medal…just phenomenal!" Coach Chris Como says, referring to the six Bucs that went to States a year ago and came home without any medals. [Hey, like I said, anybody can win or lose on any day!] Como says, "The team has really set itself apart. The strong ties to one another…I really think it was a close-bonded team, something I was really proud of from the team. We had great leadership from Josh, Zach Pisano, Derek Maloney--we acted as one unit. In the sport of wrestling to be the best requires dedication and commitment. No greater ingredient than being committed…when you are, almost to being obsessed, it all falls into line. You get unparalleled commitments. I've noticed that commitment in our guys this year. They outwork all their opponents."

The proof was in the metal. Senior Josh Shields snagged a Silver Medal and a second place finish to pace the Bucs. Shane Welsh grabbed a third place Bronze, Devon Maloney placed fifth and Damian Majocha took sixth place in the State. Burrell's 112-lber, Jordan Shields, may not have gotten a medal but keep an eye on the sophomore and watch him bring it home the next two years.

His brother, Josh, qualified for States as a sophomore and a junior also, but didn't medal until this year. Josh had to wrestle a knee injury just last summer before he could go anywhere on the mat. "I tore my knee up in June, hurt it bad at camp," Josh says. "I thought I had a torn meniscus [a very serious injury-ed]. I thought I’d have to get surgery." But it turned out not to be as serious, though he couldn't walk for a month. Josh, son of Jim and Luann Shields, is quick to thank his Uncle David at Shields Chiropractic in Delmont for helping speed his recovery with all kinds of rehab. He was running by August. The recovery from adversity might have been a boost for him: "I had confidence--just believing you will win; that was a big difference from last year to this year. Last year I didn’t think I was the best. This year, I just knew that you have to walk and talk like a state champion. In practice room I practiced hard, to make sure no one practiced harder than me."

Burrell's Bronze Medal Champion, sophomore Shane Welsh, also plays football and baseball. "I'm basically busy all the time, sometimes doing two sports at the same time," he says. Baseball tryouts were during the week of states, so Shane, the son of Susie and Rick Welsh, went the extra mile and did both. It's also what he did with the Bucs through the season, run in morning practices AND wrestle at evening practices. "You have to push yourself to the limit to achieve your goals," Shane says. "6am is hard to wake up for, but it's worth it. Our hard work over the season had a big effect on our finish at the end."