Rugged Rune: Frazier蘑菇视频 Lawrence earns 4th WPIAL title
Jonathan Guth
BRIDGEVILLE – There were no shouts of joy, holding up four fingers to represent each championship, or even tossing his head coach for a five-point throw.
Rune Lawrence, as Bachman-Turner Overdrive sang in their 1973 hit, was simply “Takin’ Care of Business.”
The Frazier senior and West Virginia University commit pinned all four of his opponents, including West Greene’s Colin Whyte in the finals at 215 pounds, for his fourth WPIAL Class AA Individual Wrestling Championship on Friday and Saturday at Chartiers Valley High School.
Lawrence became the 32nd wrestler in the history of the WPIAL to win four district titles. He also joins his brother Thayne as the only brother combination to accomplish the feat. Thayne, who is currently wrestling for Lehigh University, won his four from 2017-2020.
“It is pretty cool to accomplish this feat, and something Thayne and I can look back on down the road,” Rune Lawrence said. “It is always a good time to compete, but I can always work on something.”
Lawrence has dominated the competition so much over the years, his win almost seemed anticlimactic, but the way he has wrestled in the four district tournaments has made heads turn.
Lawrence only needed to wrestle twice to achieve his first title as the bracket didn’t have as many competitors from a normal season due to COVID-19, but Lawrence won both matches by fall at 172.
He won five bouts his sophomore season for the championship at 172, but didn’t spend much time on the mat. Lawrence spent a total of four minutes and nine seconds in winning his second gold. He won his first three matches in 13, 5 and 8 seconds before going 1:47 in the semifinals and 1:56 in the finals.
Lawrence moved up to 189 last season but still won all four of his matches by fall before his performance that concluded Saturday evening for a record of 15-0 with 15 falls in the WPIAL individual tournament.
“I just learned today that I have pinned everyone I have wrestled in the WPIAL tournament the past four years, which is cool,” Lawrence said. “However, I am really just looking forward to finishing up my high school career and accomplishing my goals.”
Lawrence admitted that he and Whyte are friends, and he sees potential in the Pioneer sophomore.
Whyte will join Lawrence this Friday and Saturday at Altoona High School for the PIAA Class AA southwestern regional tournament for the opportunity to wrestle in the state tournament, which is another tournament where Lawrence is seeking to become a four timer.
“Off the mat, we are good friends and drill all the time,” Lawrence said. “I try to help him as much as I can in the room, but when it comes to the match, you have to flip that switch. He (Whyte) is definitely getting better, and maybe I’ll pass the torch to him after this year.”
Lawrence and Whyte will not be alone at the regional tournament as the Commodores’ Ryan Celaschi (2nd at 160), Tyler Clark (3rd at 133) and Jackson Angelo (3rd at 189) qualified as the top eight in each weight class from the WPIAL advanced.
West Greene’s Noah Collins (6th at 114) and Seth Burns (8th at 133) moved on to the next round.