Butler wrestling coach Scott Stoner (middle, to the right of the sign) and his team celebrate a win at the Virginia National Duals this past weekend. It was the first time the Golden Tornado had won the tournament in its three trips to the event. Submitted Photo 01/17/2023

HAMPTON, Va. — Longtime Butler wrestling coach Scott Stoner set the scene for the Virginia National Duals — a wrestling fan’s dream.

Ten mats on the floor, one after another, and multiple tournaments taking place at once in a setting slightly larger than a hockey arena. The acoustics, the backdrop, and the matches being contested up and down the floor make for a unique atmosphere.

“Our match might be going on and you’ll hear something erupt on the one end,” Stoner said. “It’s just a really exciting venue and a lot of really exciting things to see and be part of.”

Elation is becoming the theme of the Golden Tornado’s go-round. The team added yet another accomplishment to its mantle this past weekend, winning the tournament for the first time after heading into the Hampton Coliseum as its No. 1 seed.

“I’ve never, never accomplished something like this,” said Stoner, who’s taken his crew to the event each of the past three years. “It’s a landmark year with everything going on … All this stuff has been going on.First win over North Allegheny. We’re undefeated to this point in the season. We’ve never been undefeated to this point in the season.”

Stoner also recently moved into third place in all-time wins among WPIAL coaches.

Butler has shown up for four tournaments so far this campaign and cleaned house each time. They also emerged victorious at the 31-team Chartiers-Houston Invitational, the 10-team Kiski Duals, and the 33-team Southmoreland Holiday Tournament.

At the most recent gathering, the Golden Tornado competed in the American Division with 16 other teams. There were six Virginia teams at the tournament that were ranked in the top 15 of all divisions in the state. The event also featured other squads from Pennsylvania and Delaware.

Butler started out by dominating Kempsville, 84-0, and moved on to down Frank Cox High School — which was rated eighth in all of Virginia — in the round that followed. Then came back-to-back Virginia state runner-up River Bend —which the Golden Tornado beat 39-26 — before an extravagant pre-finals ceremony.

“They line every team up,” Stoner said. “They have the first and second and the third and fourth in each division — the collegiate, the three high school divisions. They do a color guard. They pay tribute to somebody who’s been involved in Virginia wrestling and promote. Hall of Famers, they call them out.

“It really builds the drama until they say, ‘Okay, let’s clear the mats, and let’s go!’ The energy level in the arena, it gets up pretty high.”

Butler’s encounter with defending state champion Great Bridge only added to the suspense. In come-from-behind fashion, the Golden Tornado outlasted the No. 2 team in Virginia to take home first-place hardware.

“We jumped out to an early lead and then battled back and forth,” Stoner said. “In the final four weight classes — 175, 190, 213, and 285— we won by fall. We were down 26-17 heading into the final four weight classes.”

As promising as the win itself was the way it was sealed.

“All four falls occurred off of the same bar series that we work on,” Stoner said. “So, consistency in what I’m teaching, and the kids are picking up and staying very disciplined at it … Obviously, as a coach, you’re doing many, many different things.

“But the one thing you’re working on and to see the kids go out and execute one after another and basically bury a very good opponent and win the match decisively — 41-26 — it was really positive on top of everything else.”

Santino Sloboda went undefeated at the tournament in the 107-pound weight class, upping his record to 21-0 this go-round. Ana Malovich (114 pounds) and Kase Chopp (139) both went 4-0, as well. Landon Christy (215) and Ethan Babay (285) also stood out.

Levi Donnell (160) stole the show, however, with three pins and a decision. He notched his 100th career victory in the semis, then defeated a defending Virginia state champion in Great Bridge’s Eric Doran in what Stoner said was a “knock ‘em down, drag ‘em out” type of clash.

“He wrestled as well as he’s wrestled all year,” Stoner said of Donnell.

Butler is just two weekends from heading into the WPIAL team tournament. If the Golden Tornado defeat Pine-Richland on Jan. 25, they will lock up their first-ever section crown.

Before that, Stoner’s bunch will be in action at home against section foe Mars Wednesday night. As part of the festivities, the program will recognize its 100-member elementary wrestling team.

“It’ll be a great time if someone was interested in getting their kid to see wrestling,” Stoner said. “A couple of elementary kids will get to wrestle head-to-head (in exhibition bouts) … It will be packed.”

He added that those who are interested in watching his team’s matches but can’t make it to the gym can watch on Facebook Live at Butler GT Wrestling.

“I really appreciate that kind of support from our community over this season that we’ve been going through here and all the success,” Stoner said. “It’s just nice to be winning.”