No. 1 wrestlers Spencer Lee, Luke Pletcher, Chris Eddins are on top

It’s no secret over the past 15 years, Westmoreland County has produced some of the best wrestlers in the state and the country.

Teams and individuals have thrived during the span.

Franklin Regional won consecutive state team titles in 2014 and ’15. Kiski Area and Latrobe teams have placed second in the state tournament and have had numerous individuals win WPIAL, PIAA and NCAA titles.

Currently, there are three wrestlers in college from the county ranked No. 1.

They are Franklin Regional graduate Spencer Lee, a two-time NCAA Division I champion at Iowa; Latrobe graduate Luke Pletcher, a two-time NCAA All-American at Ohio State; and Greensburg Salem graduate Chris Eddins, a two-time NCAA D-II champion at Pitt-Johnstown.

Lee continues to dominate the 125-pound weight class and recently won the U.S. Senior National freestyle title, which qualified him for the U.S. Olympic Trials in April at Penn State. The 2017 FR graduate went 5-0 and defeated Nathan Tomasello, 8-2, in the finals.

“It was funny,” Lee said in a post-match interview after the tournament. “We didn’t train that much freestyle, honestly.

“I pretty much did all the college-guy workouts, not the Hawkeye Wrestling Club workouts. They say wrestling is wrestling, and I believe that, so I trust them. I just did what I could.”

What he did was throttle the field, outscoring foes 52-6 in five bouts. Four of those were by technical fall.

Lee is 9-0 this season and 54-5 in his career. He has not lost a Big Ten match in his career.

He was a three-time PIAA and four-time WPIAL champion in high school while composing a 144-1 record. His only loss was to Iowa teammate Austin DeSanto in the state finals his senior season.

Pletcher, a 2016 graduate of Latrobe, is 18-0 this season and two wins away from reaching the century mark (99-20) in his college career. He can pick up win 100 against Illinois on Sunday.

He was a three-time PIAA and four-time WPIAL champion while posting a 166-5 career record.

Pletcher, who previously wrestled at 133, bumped up to 141 after deciding not to take a redshirt. He started the season by winning the Michigan State Open, where he defeated then-No. 1 Dom Demas of Oklahoma. After that win, Pletcher took over the top spot at 141.

“Bumping up was a good thing,” Pletcher said. “Redshirting wasn’t too much of an option. I’m still as strong as I was, and I’m not cutting weight. I feel a lot better and have more energy.”

Pletcher said he’s focused on getting better at all aspects of wrestling. Many coaches and local experts who know Pletcher said he’s competing at a high level.

His former Latrobe coach Marc Billett said it’s the best he has seen Luke wrestle.

“I enjoy wrestling each match,” Pletcher said. “I’m not looking ahead. I just focus on getting better every time I step on the mat. I enjoy the big matches.”

None get bigger than Ohio State wrestling at No. 1 Iowa on Friday and at No. 2 Penn State on Feb. 15.

Eddins wasn’t as decorated as Lee and Pletcher in high school. He won the WPIAL Class AAA 126-pound title in 2016 and finished sixth in the state. He was a two-time PIAA qualifier.

His senior season he was 37-6 and ended his career with 138-35. But Eddins (17-2), ranked No. 1 at 149 pounds, has been a different wrestler in college, winning consecutive Division II national titles.

“It’s just an honor to be mentioned in the same breath as Spencer and Luke,” Eddins said. “They are two great wrestlers. I’ve worked hard to become a good wrestler, and I’m continuing to work hard.”