Huntingdon, Williamsburg celebrate Wrestler of Year
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By Todd Irwin
sports@altoonamirror.com
Not too long after Andrew McMonagle captured the 189-pound title at the PIAA Class 2A Championships at Hershey's Giant Center, his celebrity status increased.
McMonagle, a Williamsburg High School senior who wrestled for Huntingdon as a junior and senior, was rewarded with two parades.
The Huntingdon parade happened the night he fashioned a thrilling come-from-behind 8-7 victory over Southern Columbia's previously unbeaten Garrett Garcia in the championship finals.
"That was just awesome," McMonagle said. "I want to thank both communities. They've been so supportive all year. Huntingdon has been awesome. They welcomed us in like we were their own. Those guys are the best down there.
"The Williamsburg community has been so supportive. A bunch of them don't really know much about wrestling, but they're always there to cheer you on, congratulate you and say they're thinking about you."
Last week, there was a locally televised Easter Seals-type drive in Huntingdon, where his autographed picture was auctioned off.
"It's pretty cool," he said. "I'm just glad I could go out there and help give back to the community that has given so much to me."
McMonagle, who earned Huntingdon's fifth state title, has been named the Altoona Mirror's Wrestler of the Year for on the 41st annual Mirror All-Star Team.
"I'm just extremely grateful, and I feel honored," McMonagle said. "A lot of people helped get me to where I am. I'm just super appreciative on everyone who's helped me."
"I'd say that's a great honor for him," Huntingdon coach Jon Mykut said. "The kid has worked his tail off, and he deserves everything he gets."
Williamsburg has never had a wrestling program, so McMonagle's title might be the last one for a Williamsburg student.
"Hopefully there's more to come," McMonagle said. "I don't want to be the only one. I want to start something."
McMonagle wrestled for Central as a freshman and made it to the Super Regional. But he missed the next season with a shoulder injury. When Central ended its co-op with Williamsburg, Huntingdon started a co-op with Williamsburg. McMonagle went 85-10 in two years for the Bearcats, including 47-3 this season.
"It was a seamless transition," Mykut said. "We accepted him 100 percent from the get-go, and he accepted us. I think he would tell you he loves the Bearcat wrestling program. Once you're in that program you're in it for life, and he knows that. Any time he's back in the area he's definitely more than welcome to stop back into our practice room any time."
As a junior, he finished second in an epic tiebreaker loss to Glendale's Zeke Dubler and placed third at the Southwest Regional to qualify for the state tournament. But in his first bout, he injured the PCL, LCL and meniscus in his knee. The knee injury appeared very serious, but McMonagle didn't need surgery.
"When that happened, they were telling me it was my ACL, and it was just a huge blow," he said. "I just knew I was going to keep working to get back no matter what it was. It turned out I got lucky. It wasn't my ACL.
"I had the best personal or therapist in the business, Zach Haulman, who helped me so much to come back. I had the best coaches and staff at M2 Training Center, and the Huntingdon guys were great. It was just a group effort to get me back and get me where I wanted to be."
McMonagle wore a brace on the knee early in the season, but soon he felt comfortable enough to wrestle without it.
"My knee brace came off around December," he said. "I think about a month after that I fully got back to not being scared, and I was really putting my knee to the test. I kept wrestling from there, and it felt pretty good. I was a little nervous at first getting back into it, but once you get out there, you don't really think about it."
McMonagle, who ended with a 93-17 career record, has always been a pinner. This year, he led the state in pins with 37 and finished with 71 for his career. McMonagle credits a lot of his pinning success to Penn State great David Taylor's M2 Training Center in Boalsburg.
"We've been working on arm bars," McMonagle said of M2. "I've always been an arm-bar guy. David (Taylor) is the best in the business with arm bars, and he's really helped with that. My coach at Huntingdon, Coach Mykut, has been a big influence on that too. He's not a big fan of tech falls. He always says get the pin if you can."
One of the opponents he didn't pin was Bald Eagle Area's Caleb Close. He beat Close, 6-3, in the Laurel Highlands Conference Tournament finals and was named the tournament Outstanding Wrestler.
Close then nipped him in a battle of the top two guys in the PA Power Wrestling rankings in the District 6 and Southwest Regional finals, 5-2 and 5-3.
"He's a big help to my success this year," McMonagle said. "We trained together all summer, and we're back to training together again. We're just going to keep pushing each other. Those losses only motivate you more.
"He really helped me open up and be free. It's not about the outcome of the match. It's just that you go out and give it all and wrestle free, and whatever happens, happens."
"He is the type of kid who wants to wrestle the best kid there is every single time," Mykut said. "With Close, he knew that was the best kid, and he wanted to face him every single time.
McMonagle, who began wrestling when he was 8 years old, will continue his wrestling career at North Dakota State.
"I'm pumped," McMonagle said. "I cannot wait to get out there and get to work for those guys. They have some of the best coaching staff in the country. I can't wait to get out there and meet those kids on the team and just start competing and get better every day. I think we can build something special together."