BUTLER TWP — Victory was automatic Tuesday night for the Butler varsity wrestling team.

For sophomore 120-pounder Aiden Plopi, victory was quite welcomed.

Plopi, who did not join the sport until last year, scored an 8-6 decision over New Castle's Noah Spencer during the Golden Tornado's 57-9 dual match win over the Red Hurricane.

New Castle, winless in duals this season, surrendered five matches to forfeit. Butler's Ana Malovich at 106 pounds, Kelly Schaukowitsch at 113, Nate McMaster at 145 and Cooper Baxter at 189 won their matches by pin.

Plopi's win was “the highlight of the evening,” Butler coach Scott Stoner said.

He had been winless in five matches this year and did not have his hand raised in approximately 20 bouts last season.

“It's always fun to see someone get his first win,” Stoner said. “Aiden did what he had to do to pull it out.”

Plopi wiped out deficits three times during the match, scoring the tying takedown to force overtime during the final minute of the third period. He secured the winning takedown less than a minute into overtime.

“Yeah, that felt pretty good,” Plopi said of the winning takedown. “I know I have a long way to go, though.

“My goal is to eventually become a .500 wrestler. Just win as many as I lose.”

Plopi said he became a wrestler “when they pulled me out of gym class.”

“We still get a few of our kids that way,” Stoner said, smiling.

Malovich and Schaukowitsch got the night started by securing their pins for the Tornado.

“It's always important to get the team off to a positive start when you're involved in one of the first matches,” Schaukowitsch said. “Even if you lose, you want to at least wrestle well to help set a tone.”

Butler hasn't been doing much losing lately.

The Tornado are 9-2 in dual matches this year and are coming off winning the Southmoreland Dual Tournament championship over the weekend.

“We wrestled so well in the finals of that tournament, I almost expected somewhat of a letdown tonight,” Stoner admitted. “But overall, I thought we wrestled well.

“Without the stellar competition, there wasn't a whole lot of action happening on the mat. That makes it tough to gauge things.”

New Castle weighed in only nine wrestlers. Seven of them competed.

“Our numbers are down,” New Castle coach Bruce Allen said. “COVID has really hurt our team this year. Not many kids came out for the team.”

Butler wrestles at Moon Wednesday night, then at Mars on Friday. The Tornado host West Allegheny next Tuesday. Moon and West Allegheny are the Tornado's final two section meets.

Butler is 2-1 in section competition.

“I feel like this team has a lot of potential,” McMaster said. “Our lineup is deep and we've been wrestling consistently well.

“I don't pay attention to the (team) score when it's my turn to wrestle. It's me against the other guy. That's how I look at it.

“This is Western Pennsylvania. You know you're going to run into quality opponents and you have to be ready for them.”

Butler 57, New Castle 9(Match started at 106 pounds)106-Ana Malovich (B) pinned Kortel Marshal, 3:16; 113-Kelley Schaukowitsch (B) pinned Lakim Petronelis, 2:46; 120-Aiden Plopi (B) dec. Noah Spencer, 8-6 in OT; 126-Nick Schaukowitsch (B) by forfeit; 132-Levi Donnel (B) by forfeit; 138-Jonah Miller (NC) dec. Domenic Vivirito, 10-4; 145-Nate McMaster (B) pinned Giovanni Carlucci, 1:44; 152-Cameron Hooks (NC) pinned Cade Savochka, 4:24; 160-Steven Green (B) by forfeit; 172-Mickey Kreinbucher (B) by forfeit; 189-Cooper Baxter (B) pinned Noah Shields, 1:52; 215-No match; Hwt.-Jake Pomykata (B) by forfeit