Butler County’s boys wrestling 2026 all-stars: Butler’s Santino Sloboda AOTY, first team, more
Santino Sloboda doesn’t exude a rugged toughness or nastiness like some wrestlers.
The Butler senior can actually appear aloof, even on the biggest stage.
But four years of claiming medals at the PIAA Individual Wrestling Championships, including two straight after quarterfinal losses that saw him rally for third, proved there’s a resilience inside his Gumby-like 127-pound frame.
“Coming back to get third both of those years was really awesome,” Sloboda said last week looking back at his historic career that ends with him once again being named the Butler Eagle Boys Wrestler of the Year.
“I think during my whole high school career, I was always thinking about wrestling or the next thing or the next tournament,” he said, “and once it was all over I (realized) I did a lot really cool stuff.”
Including recovering after a devastating loss on Day 2 of the state championships this year when he arrived at Hershey a championship contender. He lost to Manheim Township’s Frank Leanza 9-2 in uncharacteristic fashion, battled through the blood rounds despite a shoulder injury and then took advantage of the chance to avenge his loss to Leanza for bronze.
His graduation later this spring will leave a hole in the Golden Tornado training room.
“It’s gonna be difficult (to not have him),” head coach Scott Stoner said after Sloboda walked off a high school mat for the final time. “We develop a special bond between us and our athletes. … This relationship, it goes beyond this 30-foot circle and 3 feet apart, and that kind of stuff. It’s a tough thing to see any kid leave.”
Sloboda is looking forward to his next stop at Pitt. It’ll be a new experience.
“The Butler room is good,” he said. “(But) the partners at Pitt are gonna be so good, I’m gonna get beat up literally every single day.”
Meet this year’s Butler Eagle boys wrestling all-county team, including first team and honorable mentions listed alphabetically:
Santino Sloboda, sr., 127, Butler: There’s not much more that needs be said of the Golden Tornado’s golden boy. Sloboda is the best wrestler in program history and one of the best in county history after going 48-2 to finish 176-9 for his career, the total wins the most ever in the county. He swept section, district and regional gold for the third straight year and matched last year’s PIAA Class 3A championship bronze with another this year to give him four total state medals.
Zach Hill, sr., 145, Seneca Valley: Hill graduates with 112 career wins after a 36-9 season that saw some big highs but ended shy of his goal of making the state championships for the first time. He won a WPIAL section title for the first time after placing second (twice) and third in his previous three seasons, then claimed seventh at districts before bowing out in regionals.
Parker Joseph, fr., 133, Mars: The Planets’ roster is incredibly young and proved during the regular season it can hang with Butler County’s best, even ending a lengthy losing streak against Butler. Joseph will be at the center of it after a 40-15 debut season that saw him place fourth in sectionals, seventh in districts for the final spot in state regionals, and finishing sixth there. He seems poised to be a state qualifier next year.
Owen Layhew, sr., 145/152, Knoch: What could have been? Layhew became the Knights’ first 100-win wrestler, finishing 103-37 for his career after a 24-5 regular season. He wrestled all season on a torn ACL, but another injury right before the postseason cut his final year short. A section champion and WPIAL runner-up a year ago, he was likely a contender to make states if not for the injury.
Michael Pierro, so., 121, North Catholic: Pierro has a bright future ahead after a 26-11 campaign (60-23 career). The sophomore finished second in his WPIAL section tournament, then came in sixth at the district championships to qualify for the regional tournament. He did that all while wrestling on a torn meniscus the entire season.
Nick Savannah, jr., 121, Butler: Savannah’s name is circled as a candidate to join the 100-win club next year after a 27-12 campaign (85-36). After an eighth-place finish at WPIALs as a sophomore, Savannah won bronze at the sectional meet this year but just missed the district podium a week later.
Olympic Serrao, fr., 139, Mars: Serrao caught attention early this season with some big dual-meet wins and pairs with Joseph (above) to form a young and exciting core for this team. Serrao was dominant at times and should be a series PIAA medal contender over the next few years after going 43-7, winning WPIAL section gold, placing fifth at districts and missing the Hershey trip by one win with a sixth-place finish at regionals.
Riley Smith, jr., 107, Seneca Valley: Easily the best year of his career, Smith is now on pace to reach 100 wins next year after going 43-6 (78-40 career). He had his most successful postseason run yet, winning WPIAL Class 3A section gold, finishing fifth in the district and medaling in sixth at PIAA regionals to just miss states.
Sutton Stoner, sr., 152, Butler: What a wild postseason for the senior. Coming in without any hardware after injuries crushed his sophomore and junior seasons, Stoner went 35-13 this year and won his first section title. But he nearly missed regionals after finishing eighth at the district meet, only for an opening to form due to another wrestler’s injury. Stoner capitalized, finishing fourth at regionals to qualify for the state championships for the first time.
Zac Turberville, sr., 160, Slippery Rock: The Rockets’ second-winningest wrestler in program history finishes his career 128-39 (38-7 this season) and hopes to wrestle in college. He won section and District 10 Class 2A gold (his fourth medal there). He continued his postseason run to his farthest point, finishing second at regionals to book a trip to Hershey’s Giant Center for the first time.
Tommy Wuycheck, sr., 285, Seneca Valley: Wuycheck got a dramatic win in the WPIAL championships seventh-place match with a first-tiebreaker pin, letting out a roar after clinching a PIAA regional berth for the third and final time. He finished 35-14 on the year and 86-58 for his career with a section bronze medal to top it off.
Angelo Amelio, sr., 133, North Catholic; James Bidoli, sr., 172, Seneca Valley; Liam Corcoran, so., 189, Mars; Ace McElravy, so., 215, Butler; Brayden McGowan, sr., 152, Knoch; Sam Passarelli, so., 145, Mars; Aden Shay, jr., 152, Slippery Rock; Victor Wagner, jr., 127, North Catholic
