Trib HSSN Top 20 Stories of 2020: Burrell’s streak continues
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Sunday, December 20, 2020 | 6:43 PM
Burrell celebrates with the WPIAL Class AA team wrestling championship trophy, their 14th consecutive win, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2020, after defeating Burgettstown in WPIAL Class AA team wrestling championships at Chartiers-Houston High School.
The most unique year in our lifetime is coming to an end. With so many mass starts and stops, highs and lows, just about all walks of life were affected by the coronavirus in 2020.
High school sports were no different. The first two and a half months of the year were carefree and business as usual. Then the final nine and a half months were greatly affected by the pandemic, whether scholastic contests were played or not.
Trib HSSN will close out the year with a daily countdown and a look back at the top 20 WPIAL stories from the year 2020.
No. 14 — Bucs aren’t stopping here
It started in 2007 and shows no signs of slowing down.
Burrell’s WPIAL Class AA wrestling championship streak turned 14 in February.
Four coaches have been part of the golden ride for the Bucs in those 14 years with Josh Shields running the championship program for half of those title runs over the last seven years.
Burrell cruised past Beth-Center in the WPIAL quarterfinals, Quaker Valley in the semifinals and Burgettstown in the 2020 Class AA championship match. The Bucs won the three playoff matches by a combined score of 178-39.
Once again though, gold in the WPIAL wrestling playoffs did not translate to success in the PIAA postseason tournament for Burrell. The Bucs lost to District 11 champion Saucon Valley in the quarterfinals, then fell to District 5 champion Chestnut Ridge in the Round IV consolations.
Only once in this 14-year run of district dominance has Burrell been able to follow up WPIAL gold with a PIAA title. In 2008, the Bucs beat Bermudian Springs from District 3, 37-29, for the school’s only state team wrestling championship.
The streak passed Norwin girls volleyball (1973-85) as the second longest championship run in WPIAL history behind only 20 consecutive district swimming titles by the Bethel Park boys team from 1981-2000.
No. 16 – An Overdue Golden Storm
No. 17 – Lots of Mercy for Central Valley Foes
No. 20 – Golden Knights of the Tennis Court
Tags: Burrell
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