Seneca Valley boys wrestling reverses course on Butler thanks to Cooper Beres’ upset
Seneca Valley’s Cooper Beres defeats Butler’s Ace McElravy 8-2 in a 215-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
BUTLER TWP — Seneca Valley wrestling coach Kevin Wildrick said he sent Cooper Beres to the mat Wednesday night hoping the sophomore could “limit the damage.”
Beres, who is dealing with a partially torn labrum in his right shoulder, was making his first appearance for the Raiders this season. The Raiders were trailing host Butler 29-28, and had he been pinned in the 215-pound bout, the Golden Tornado would have clinched the team win with just one bout remaining.
Beres did more than just avoid being pinned against Ace McElravy, who had seven pins coming into the match. After allowing the initial score on a reversal in the second period, Beres owned the scoring while earning an 8-2 decision.
His teammate, Tommy Wuycheck, pinned John Gill moments later to give Seneca Valley a 37-29 victory.
Beres’ win included a reversal of his own and four near-fall points in the final 42 seconds of the second period to take a 6-2 lead. He began the third in the bottom position before executing another reversal.
“I’m pretty good on top and bottom, not so much in neutral,” Beres said. “I injured my shoulder near the end of football season and had to wait to see if I needed surgery. I thought I might not wrestle at all this season.”
He wasn’t in the original lineup at 215 Wednesday, but after wins from Butler’s Dylan Thurber (152 pounds) and Sutton Stoner (160) handed the Tornado a 29-16 lead, Wildrick informed Beres of the switch.
Butler’s Santino Sloboda, left, and Sutton Stoner celebrate Nick Savannah’s pin against Seneca Valley in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
“Coming off that injury, his first match of the season, he was awesome tonight,” Wildrick said. “He wrestled at 189 last year, so a grown man’s weight as a freshman.”
Beres went 10-13 last year, though all 10 victories came by fall.
“It’s not so much the pain, it’s just a different feeling,” he said of the injury. “I can definitely tell the difference. My right shoulder feels a lot weaker than the left. It feels really good to be able to give the team a shot to win tonight.”
James Bidoli and Nick Heinricher earned pins for SV (7-2, 2-0) in the two bouts preceding that of Beres.
For Butler (1-3, 1-2), there were bright spots, just not enough. Nick Savannah (127 pounds), Santino Sloboda (133) and Mason Swidzinski (139) tallied three consecutive pins.
“Our job as coaches is to teach, and the wrestlers’ job is to learn,” Butler coach Scott Stoner said. “We talk about and teach fundamentals in practice, and you want the kids to put that to use on the mat. But it’s not happening. It’s just very frustrating.”
While SV is not in action again until next Wednesday when it hosts North Allegheny, Butler will compete at the 64-team Mid-Winter Mayhem tournament Friday and Saturday at Indiana (Pa.) University.
Seneca Valley 37, Butler 29
107-Riley Smith (SV) by forfeit; 114-Branson May (SV) major dec. Ben Kinney, 8-0; 121-Sullivan Stutz (B) dec. Jackson Cairns, 8-2; 127-Nick Savannah (B) pinned Morgan Temple, 4:31; 133-Santino Sloboda (B) pinned Tyler Nguyen, :43; 139-Mason Swidzinski (B) pinned Christian Droz, 2:38; 145-Zach Hill pinned Lucas Green, :48; 152-Dylan Thurber (B) dec. Mason Purvis, 12-8; 160-Sutton Stoner (B) tech. fall Dean Sauers, 21-5; 172-James Bidoli (SV) pinned Hunter Dinger, :44; 189-Nick Heinricher (SV) pinned Javier Valadez, :53; 215-Cooper Beres (SV) dec. Ace McElravy, 8-2; 285-Tommy Wuycheck (SV) pinned John Gill, :41
Butler’s Nick Savannah defeats Seneca Valley’s Morgan Temple by pin in a 127-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Butlers Santino Sloboda, left, and Sutton Stoner celebrate Nick Savannah’s winning bout against Seneca Valley in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Seneca Valley’s Cooper Beres defeats Butler’s Ace McElravy 8-2 in a 215-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Seneca Valley’s Branson May defeated Butler’s Ben Kinney by an 8-0 major decision in a 114-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Seneca Valley’s Branson May defeated Butler’s Ben Kinney by an 8-0 major decision in a 114-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Butler’s Sullivan Stutz defeated Seneca Valley’s Jackson Cairns by an 8-2 decision in a 121-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Butler’s Sullivan Stutz defeated Seneca Valley’s Jackson Cairns by an 8-2 decision in a 121-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Butler’s Sullivan Stutz defeated Seneca Valley’s Jackson Cairns by an 8-2 decision in a 121-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Butler’s Sullivan Stutz defeated Seneca Valley’s Jackson Cairns by an 8-2 decision in a 121-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Butler’s Sullivan Stutz defeated Seneca Valley’s Jackson Cairns by an 8-2 decision in a 121-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Butler’s Nick Savannah pinned Seneca Valley’s Morgan Temple in a 127-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Butler’s Nick Savannah pinned Seneca Valley’s Morgan Temple in a 127-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Butler’s Nick Savannah pinned Seneca Valley’s Morgan Temple in a 127-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Butler’s Santino Sloboda pinned Seneca Valley’s Tyler Nguyen in a 133-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Butler’s Santino Sloboda pinned Seneca Valley’s Tyler Nguyen in a 133-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Butler’s Mason Swidzinski pinned Seneca Valley’s Christian Droz in a 139-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Butler’s Mason Swidzinski pinned Seneca Valley’s Christian Droz in a 139-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Butler’s Zach Hill pinned Seneca Valley’s Lucas Green in a 145-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Butler’s Zach Hill pinned Seneca Valley’s Lucas Green in a 145-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Butler’s Zach Hill pinned Seneca Valley’s Lucas Green in a 145-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Butler’s Dylan Thurber defeated Seneca Valley’s Mason Purvis by a 12-8 decision in a 152-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Butler’s Dylan Thurber defeated Seneca Valley’s Mason Purvis by a 12-8 decision in a 152-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Butler’s Dylan Thurber defeated Seneca Valley’s Mason Purvis by a 12-8 decision in a 152-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Butler’s Dylan Thurber defeated Seneca Valley’s Mason Purvis by a 12-8 decision in a 152-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Butler’s Sutton Stoner defeated Seneca Valley’s Dean Sauers by technical fall, 21-5, in a 160-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Butler’s Sutton Stoner defeated Seneca Valley’s Dean Sauers by technical fall, 21-5, in a 160-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Butler’s Sutton Stoner defeated Seneca Valley’s Dean Sauers by technical fall, 21-5, in a 160-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Butler’s Sutton Stoner defeated Seneca Valley’s Dean Sauers by technical fall, 21-5, in a 160-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Seneca Valley’s James Bidoli pinned Butler’s Hunter Dinger in a 172-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Seneca Valley’s James Bidoli pinned Butler’s Hunter Dinger in a 172-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Seneca Valley’s Nick Heinricher pinned Butler’s Javier Valadez in a 189-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Seneca Valley’s Cooper Beres defeated Butler’s Ace McElravy by an 8-2 decision in a 215-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Seneca Valley’s Cooper Beres defeated Butler’s Ace McElravy by an 8-2 decision in a 215-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Seneca Valley’s Tommy Wuycheck pinned Butler’s John Gill in a 285-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Nick Savannah defeats Seneca Valley’s Morgan Temple by pin in a 127-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butlers Santino Sloboda, left, and Sutton Stoner celebrate Nick Savannah’s winning bout against Seneca Valley in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley’s Cooper Beres defeats Butler’s Ace McElravy 8-2 in a 215-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley’s Branson May defeated Butler’s Ben Kinney by an 8-0 major decision in a 114-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley’s Branson May defeated Butler’s Ben Kinney by an 8-0 major decision in a 114-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Sullivan Stutz defeated Seneca Valley’s Jackson Cairns by an 8-2 decision in a 121-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Sullivan Stutz defeated Seneca Valley’s Jackson Cairns by an 8-2 decision in a 121-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Sullivan Stutz defeated Seneca Valley’s Jackson Cairns by an 8-2 decision in a 121-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Sullivan Stutz defeated Seneca Valley’s Jackson Cairns by an 8-2 decision in a 121-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Sullivan Stutz defeated Seneca Valley’s Jackson Cairns by an 8-2 decision in a 121-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Nick Savannah pinned Seneca Valley’s Morgan Temple in a 127-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Nick Savannah pinned Seneca Valley’s Morgan Temple in a 127-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Nick Savannah pinned Seneca Valley’s Morgan Temple in a 127-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Santino Sloboda pinned Seneca Valley’s Tyler Nguyen in a 133-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Santino Sloboda pinned Seneca Valley’s Tyler Nguyen in a 133-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Mason Swidzinski pinned Seneca Valley’s Christian Droz in a 139-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Mason Swidzinski pinned Seneca Valley’s Christian Droz in a 139-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Zach Hill pinned Seneca Valley’s Lucas Green in a 145-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Zach Hill pinned Seneca Valley’s Lucas Green in a 145-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Zach Hill pinned Seneca Valley’s Lucas Green in a 145-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Dylan Thurber defeated Seneca Valley’s Mason Purvis by a 12-8 decision in a 152-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Dylan Thurber defeated Seneca Valley’s Mason Purvis by a 12-8 decision in a 152-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Dylan Thurber defeated Seneca Valley’s Mason Purvis by a 12-8 decision in a 152-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Dylan Thurber defeated Seneca Valley’s Mason Purvis by a 12-8 decision in a 152-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Sutton Stoner defeated Seneca Valley’s Dean Sauers by technical fall, 21-5, in a 160-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Sutton Stoner defeated Seneca Valley’s Dean Sauers by technical fall, 21-5, in a 160-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Sutton Stoner defeated Seneca Valley’s Dean Sauers by technical fall, 21-5, in a 160-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Sutton Stoner defeated Seneca Valley’s Dean Sauers by technical fall, 21-5, in a 160-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley’s James Bidoli pinned Butler’s Hunter Dinger in a 172-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley’s James Bidoli pinned Butler’s Hunter Dinger in a 172-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley’s Nick Heinricher pinned Butler’s Javier Valadez in a 189-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley’s Cooper Beres defeated Butler’s Ace McElravy by an 8-2 decision in a 215-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley’s Cooper Beres defeated Butler’s Ace McElravy by an 8-2 decision in a 215-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley’s Tommy Wuycheck pinned Butler’s John Gill in a 285-pound bout in a boys wrestling match Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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