With head coach back, a ‘very happy’ Knoch girls wrestling roster’s focus turns to postseason
Knoch wrestling coach Logan Downes, left, high-fives Kenna Watson after a 100-pound match during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
BUTLER TWP — Knoch’s four medals at Saturday’s Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament marked the program's best performance at the event.
To be fair, the Knights and the tournament (since splitting off from the boys junior varsity tourney) are just 2 years old. But still, progress is progress.
The meet also marked the third event since head coach Logan Downes was reinstated after being suspended and fired for several weeks.
“It’s been a very positive environment, and everybody’s been very happy to have our coach back,” said Leila Crowe, a 130-pounder who beat Hickory’s Marissa Tanner by 15-0 technical fall for fifth place.
Downes was suspended in December for several weeks after a publicly available Hudl video was sent to the school district from a tournament at Redbank Valley that showed Downes tapping a couple of his wrestlers on the buttocks in an apparent congratulatory manner after wins. He was fired him Jan. 6, but the school board reinstated him Jan. 14 after parents and members of the team contested the dismissal.
Downes, who has led the program since its inception, was back on the side of the mat days later at Sharpsville High School’s Battle Against Breast Cancer Tournament, where the Knights finished 13th. The Knights beat Greensburg Salem last week and then finished sixth in the Butler tourney.
Knoch's Leila Crowe wrestles Hickory's Marissa Tanner in a the 130-pound fifth-place match during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
Crowe said the team has improved in the week-plus since Downes’ return, and Carma Forty, a team captain who won fifth at 142 pounds with a last-second escape against Saegertown’s Royale Reno-Gaus, said Downes has always had a knack for knowing what to say during team prayer, something that was missing for almost a month.
“Everyone’s really glad he’s back, and it feels like our team prayers are whole again,” Forty said. “No one else really knew what to say (during team prayer while he was gone), and he knew exactly what to say.”
Downes said the support he and his family received has been “overwhelming” and he’s trying to show the same “support and appreciation” in return.
“But my focus now really is just gearing towards the girls, getting them ready in a couple of weeks for the postseason,” he said.
He credited Forty and star 124-pounder Braylee Ireland, a PIAA medalist a year ago who exited the Butler tournament in the consolation semifinals with a shoulder injury, for keeping the team focused and together.
“I think they realize that they have something special and we've been able to compete all year round,” Downes said. “Even without my presence they were still competing very well and everything.”
Butler 136-pounder Anastasia Manchester wrestles Canon-McMillan's Farrah Henderson during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
Butler 100-pound Riley Gayhart wrestles Pine-Richland's Allison Burk in a match during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
Butler 112-pound Sienna Stutz wrestles with Hickory High School's Emma Johnston in a 5th place match during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
Seneca Valley 106-pound Everly Harrell grapples with Saegertown 106-pound Aaliyah Morris in a semifinal match during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
Knoch 100-pound Kenna Watson maneuvers over Canon McMillan's Adelina Saussol in a semifinal match during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
Seneca Valley's Hannah Hornick during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
Butler girl's wrestling coach Nathan Bottiger fixes Anastasia Manchester's headgear during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
Knoch 100-pound Kenna Watson flips Greater Latrobe 100-pound Gabriella Roman during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
Knoch 100-pound Kenna Watson reacts after her loss in a 3rd place match during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
Knoch 100-pound Kenna Watson prepares for her 3rd place match during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
Knoch 124-pound Braylee Ireland wrestles South Park's Anna Duncan in a semifinal match during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
Seneca Valley's Kenley Alexander fist bumps a coach during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
Butler girl's wrestling coach Nathan Bottiger, left, reacts as Butler 142-pound Mylee Toner wrestles during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
Butler's 112-pound Sienna Stutz flips over as she wrestles Canon McMillan's 112-pound Elexis Owens during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
Butler 112-pound Sienna Stutz wrestles with Hickory High School's Emma Johnston in a 5th place match during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
Butler 130-pound Kaylee Christie shakes hands with Upper Saint Clair's Sydney Laboon after losing a 3rd place match during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
Butler 136-pound Anastasia Manchester wrestles Fort Cherry's Brookelyn McClain in a 1st place match during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
Seneca Valley 112-pound Adele Shih-Calabro moves to attempt a pin against Burrell's Ella Campbell in a 1st place match during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
Knoch 100-pound Kenna Watson attempts a shot against Shaler Area High School's Gianna Alcalde in a 3rd place match during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
Seneca Valley 112-pound Adele Shih-Calabro competes agaisnt Burrell's Ella Campbell in a 1st place match during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
Knoch 100-pound Kenna Watson circles Shaler Area High School's Gianna Alcalde in a 3rd place match during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
Knoch wrestling coaches Dave Ireland, left, and Logan Downes, right, call out directions from the sideline during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
Seneca Valley 170-pound Hannah Hornick wrestles Kiski Area High School's Alyssa Tresco in a 1st place match during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
Seneca Valley 170-pound Hannah Hornick wrestles Kiski Area High School's Alyssa Tresco in a 1st place match during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
Knoch's Leila Crowe wrestles Hickory's Marissa Tanner in a the 130-pound fifth-place match during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
Knoch 130-pound Leila Crowe wrestles Hickory's Marissa Tanner in a 5th place match during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
Knoch 124-pound Braylee Ireland wrestles South Park's Anna Duncan in a semifinal match during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
An offical watches for a pin as Seneca Valley 106-pound Everly Harrell wrestles her opponent during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
Knoch 124-pound Braylee Ireland walks off the mat after losing to South Park's Anna Duncan in a semifinal match during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
Seneca Valley 106-pound Everly Harrell breaks free from Saegertown's Aaliyah Morris in a semifinal match during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
Seneca Valley 148-pound Kaeleigh Tuell works to takedown Canon-McMillan's Alaya Henderson during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
Butler 112-pound Sienna Stutz fights her way off the mat in a 5th place match against Hickory High School's Emma Johnston during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
Butler 130-pound Kaylee Christie fights to avoid being pinned by Upper Saint Clair's Sydney Laboon in a 3rd place match during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
Knoch's Carma Forty (148 pounds) attempts to pin Canon-McMillan's Mackenzie Pape during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Butler 136-pounder Anastasia Manchester wrestles Canon-McMillan's Farrah Henderson during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Butler 100-pound Riley Gayhart wrestles Pine-Richland's Allison Burk in a match during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Butler 112-pound Sienna Stutz wrestles with Hickory High School's Emma Johnston in a 5th place match during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley 106-pound Everly Harrell grapples with Saegertown 106-pound Aaliyah Morris in a semifinal match during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Knoch 100-pound Kenna Watson maneuvers over Canon McMillan's Adelina Saussol in a semifinal match during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley's Hannah Hornick during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Butler girl's wrestling coach Nathan Bottiger fixes Anastasia Manchester's headgear during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Knoch 100-pound Kenna Watson flips Greater Latrobe 100-pound Gabriella Roman during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Knoch 100-pound Kenna Watson reacts after her loss in a 3rd place match during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Knoch 100-pound Kenna Watson prepares for her 3rd place match during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Knoch 124-pound Braylee Ireland wrestles South Park's Anna Duncan in a semifinal match during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley's Kenley Alexander fist bumps a coach during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Butler girl's wrestling coach Nathan Bottiger, left, reacts as Butler 142-pound Mylee Toner wrestles during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Butler's 112-pound Sienna Stutz flips over as she wrestles Canon McMillan's 112-pound Elexis Owens during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Butler 112-pound Sienna Stutz wrestles with Hickory High School's Emma Johnston in a 5th place match during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Butler 130-pound Kaylee Christie shakes hands with Upper Saint Clair's Sydney Laboon after losing a 3rd place match during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Butler 136-pound Anastasia Manchester wrestles Fort Cherry's Brookelyn McClain in a 1st place match during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley 112-pound Adele Shih-Calabro moves to attempt a pin against Burrell's Ella Campbell in a 1st place match during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Knoch 100-pound Kenna Watson attempts a shot against Shaler Area High School's Gianna Alcalde in a 3rd place match during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley 112-pound Adele Shih-Calabro competes agaisnt Burrell's Ella Campbell in a 1st place match during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Knoch 100-pound Kenna Watson circles Shaler Area High School's Gianna Alcalde in a 3rd place match during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Knoch wrestling coaches Dave Ireland, left, and Logan Downes, right, call out directions from the sideline during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley 170-pound Hannah Hornick wrestles Kiski Area High School's Alyssa Tresco in a 1st place match during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley 170-pound Hannah Hornick wrestles Kiski Area High School's Alyssa Tresco in a 1st place match during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Knoch's Leila Crowe wrestles Hickory's Marissa Tanner in a the 130-pound fifth-place match during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Knoch 130-pound Leila Crowe wrestles Hickory's Marissa Tanner in a 5th place match during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Knoch 124-pound Braylee Ireland wrestles South Park's Anna Duncan in a semifinal match during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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An offical watches for a pin as Seneca Valley 106-pound Everly Harrell wrestles her opponent during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Knoch 124-pound Braylee Ireland walks off the mat after losing to South Park's Anna Duncan in a semifinal match during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley 106-pound Everly Harrell breaks free from Saegertown's Aaliyah Morris in a semifinal match during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley 148-pound Kaeleigh Tuell works to takedown Canon-McMillan's Alaya Henderson during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Butler 112-pound Sienna Stutz fights her way off the mat in a 5th place match against Hickory High School's Emma Johnston during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Butler 130-pound Kaylee Christie fights to avoid being pinned by Upper Saint Clair's Sydney Laboon in a 3rd place match during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Knoch's Carma Forty (148 pounds) attempts to pin Canon-McMillan's Mackenzie Pape during the Butler Girls Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Butler Intermediate High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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