The 1951 Tournament consisted of five teams and combined the Regional and State Tournaments into one tournament at one site for two days. Scoring for the State occurred only in the finals and this was the first year the State was not in Morgantown. After four matches, there was a four-way tie for first place. Parkersburg pulled away by winning three matches in row and University came back within striking distance when defending champion Bill Golden won his second consecutive title. Parkersburg had a chance to clinch the team title but Weston's John White spoiled those plans by narrowly defeating Parkersburg's Bill Yergo, 5-4. University tied the team score with one match remaining when their own Bill Davis escaped with victory over Beckley's John Perry, 3-2. The team title was decided on the last match of the evening when Beckley's Lewis Webb was called for an illegal hand hold against Hoppy Hopkins, who went on to win the match 1-0 and the team title for Parkersburg.
The 1951 tournament turned out to be one of the closest tournaments in the State's History. After finishing runner-up in his Sophomore year, University's Lew Guidi won his first of two State Titles and would later go on to an outstanding amateur career. Some of his post-High School achievements were: West Virginia Southern Conference Champion, 1954, 1955 and 1956. Southern Conference Outstanding Wrestler, 1956. Wilkes College Champion and Outstanding Wrestler, 1955. NCAA Runner-up, 1955. Texas AAU Champion. Two-time Runner-up National AAU Greco. Two-time Runner-up National AAU Freestyle. Three-time "All Army".
Final Team finish
1 12.0 Parkersburg*
2 9.0 University
3 3.0 Weston
3.0 Wheeling
3.0 Beckley
Championship
Wt: 103 Robert Pritchard WHL def Don Butcher WST Decision 9-8
Wt: 112 Lewis Guidi U def John Dyer P Decision 7-2
Wt: 120 Pat DeHart B def Junior Workman WST Decision 2-0
Wt: 127 Dick Murphy P def John Duran B Decision 2-0
Wt: 133 Bill Johnson P def Junior Pugh WST Decision 4-2
Wt: 138 Andy Sadie P def Paul Riffle WST Decision 6-1
Wt: 145 Bill Golden* U def Joe Rumbach WST Decision 6-3
Wt: 154 John White WST def Bill Yergo P Decision 4-3
Wt: 165 Bill Davis U def John Perry B Decision 3-2
Wt: UNL Hoppy Hopkins P def Lewis Webb B Decision 1-0
Regional Finals (or State Semi-Finals)
Wt: 112 John Dyer P def Esthmus WHL by Decision 1:25
Wt: 120 Pat DeHart B def Gene Palmer P by Decision 3:50
Wt: 127 Dick Murphy P def Cottrill WST by Decision 8-4
Wt: 133 Bill Johnson P def Britton B by Decision 2-1
Wt: 138 Andy Sadie P def Fuchs U by Decision 12-7
Wt: 145 Bill Golden* U def Bob Lowers P by Decision 3-3 Riding Time
Wt: 154 Bill Yergo P def Baughman WHL by Decision 7-2
Wt: 165 John Perry B def Tom Nedeff P by Decision 7-2
Wt: UNL Hoppy Hopkins P def Miller WST by Fall 1:48
Regional Semi-Finals (or State Quarter-Finals)
Wt: 145 Bob Lowers P def Tanner B by Fall 1:30
* Defending Champion
FOLLOW THIS LINK to a photo of the 1951 team champions, Parkersburg High
The Regional results are incomplete. If anyone has further results of the 1951 Regional (State) Tournament, please forward to this web-site.
Sources: "The Parkersburg News" and George Nedeff's "The Emergence of High School Wrestling in West Virginia".
Thanks to Brent Sams, Parkersburg WV
From The Pakersburg News