A historic sporting event will take place Wednesday night in the Butler High gym — and it has nothing to do with basketball.

The Golden Tornado wrestling team will bid for its first section championship when the Tornado host Hampton, North Allegheny and Hopewell.

Butler faces Hopewell while North Allegheny takes on Hampton in dual matches at 6 p.m. Two mats will be on the floor so that the duals can be contested simultaneously.

The two winners meet at 8 for the Section 3 title.

Butler is 16-2 in duals this season and is unbeaten in the WPIAL. The Tornado won their division of the section while North Allegheny won its side.

The Tornado have never defeated NA in a dual meet and the teams could face off for the section title.

What theater that would be, especially in the high school gym. Butler’s home gym is at the intermediate high school.

For wrestling in Butler, opportunity is knocking — big time.

This is the most important high school wrestling event ever hosted in this county, let alone in Butler.

Seneca Valley has a long tradition in the sport. Mars, Knoch and Slippery Rock have been building programs.

Wrestling has had its moments around here, certainly. Mars’ Dave Pisarcik took an unbeaten record into the state finals a few years back. Cole Baxter became Butler’s first state placer two years ago.

Seneca Valley has done well in the WPIAL meet and Grove City has produced state champions.

But all of those things happened outside the county. In terms of a monumental wrestling achievement happening in a school’s own gym, this could be a first.

Butler has enough ability to capture the section title. Baxter is 23-1 with 16 pins, Mike Crawford is 21-2, and Dakoda Collins is 20-3. Nine other Tornado wrestlers have more than 10 victories.

The Butler junior high program continues to thrive, posting a perfect dual match record this season. The feeder system under junior high coach Don Geibel has worked wonders.

Korey Caudill, a sophomore 119-pounder in his second year of wrestling, has an 18-5 record.

Coach Scott Stoner has been at this for a while. Now in his 18th season, he’s amassed 223 dual match wins against 120 losses.

No coach is more passionate about nor more dedicated to his sport than Stoner. For about five years, he has had Butler wrestling in position to turn the corner.

Two of the roadblocks have been winning a section championship and posting a victory over North Allegheny, a longtime WPIAL power.

Both roadblocks could be smashed Wednesday night.

That would be a sight to see.