Since 1935, the Mt. Lebanon boys wrestling team has been a dominant force in the WPIAL. During the 2025-26 season, the team produced multiple county championship qualifiers and had several wrestlers place in postseason tournaments. The regular season concluded Saturday, Jan. 31, and now the Blue Devils are preparing to compete at the WPIAL Championships on Feb. 20-21.
The team is led by two standouts: senior Cole Gibbons and junior Evan Sala. After the county finals, Gibbons was 25-4 on the season, and Sala was 24-5 following the Allegheny County tournament. Both wrestlers qualified for the WPIAL Championships as well as the PIAA West Regional tournament.
Gibbons, a New York University wrestling commit, has been wrestling for the past 12 years and sees this as the highlight of his career. He was a recent addition to the “Century Club” after winning his 100th match on Dec. 13. Gibbons is just the seventh Mt. Lebanon boys wrestler to reach this milestone.
“This year means so much to me,” Gibbons said. “I feel like the past 12 years of my wrestling career have led up to this final season.”
Gibbons chose to attend NYU, where he plans to study business, because of its rigorous academic opportunities.
“I decided to go to NYU for its prestigious academic program and to live in New York City,” Gibbons said. “The process was a little stressful, but fun visiting different colleges before I eventually decided on NYU.”
Gibbons is also a four-year member of the boys varsity lacrosse team, where he has won three WPIAL championships, and serves as the school mascot, the Blue Devil. But despite these varied activities, he describes wrestling as something different — “a brotherhood.”
“There are no other combat sports teams,” Gibbons said. “We are such a unique and tough set of people, which makes wrestling different from anything else I do.”
Junior Evan Sala has been wrestling since first grade. He stuck with the sport after picking it up quickly and enjoying the challenge, along with encouragement from his older brother.
This season, Sala said his growth has been just as mental as it has been physical.
“Since freshman year, I’ve gotten a lot more disciplined and confident,” Sala said. “I trust my training and stay focused on being consistent and improving now instead of just winning or losing. A big lesson I have learned is that hard work pays off. If you stay consistent and push through tough practices, results will eventually come.”
During tough practices, Sala stays motivated by focusing on his goals and how he wants to perform in matches, while also drawing encouragement from his teammates.
“It’s also nice to have a team full of great people who help push me to work hard,” Sala said.
Gibbons agrees with Sala’s emphasis on leadership and teamwork, values that both wrestlers strive to pass down to the underclassmen.
“I try to teach the younger wrestlers through respect and show them what it takes by leading by example,” Gibbons said. “I also try to bring a positive mindset into whatever I am doing. Smile, laugh and just truly enjoy the moment, no matter the circumstances.”
Sala has continued to develop his leadership skills this season, qualities he plans to carry into the remainder of his junior year and into his senior season.
“I try to encourage the younger wrestlers or give them tips and act like a leader or coach,” Sala said. “I just want them to keep improving and feel welcome.”
Beyond the mat, wrestling has taught both Gibbons and Sala life lessons they will carry throughout the rest of their high school careers and into adulthood.
“Wrestling has taught me that hard work pays off,” Gibbons said. “It is so prevalent in the sport. When you do the right things each and every day, results will show.”
Sala agreed, noting that wrestling has not only shaped his physical skills but also built mental resilience and discipline — lessons he carries both on and off the mat.
“Outside of the sport, I think wrestling has helped me with mental toughness,” Sala said. “I feel like I have that dog in me. It has also taught me time management skills.”
The Class 3A individual WPIAL Championships are set for Feb. 20-21 at Canon-McMillan High School, while the team championships will be held at the AHN Arena at Peters Township High School. The team welcomes support as it competes for a WPIAL title, whether as a team or through individual wrestlers.
For younger wrestlers, Gibbons offers a piece of advice: “Soak it in and enjoy every moment, because four years truly go by so fast.”
