DISTRICT 4 WRESTLING: ATHENS GRAD WHITE INDUCTED INTO DISTRICT 4 WRESTLING HALL OF FAME (2025-01-09)
By TIM BIRNEY
Valley Sports Report
ATHENS — Former state champion, and Athens' all-time winningest grappler David White was inducted into the District 4 Wrestling Hall of Fame in a brief ceremony prior to the Wildcats' win over Troy Thursday night.
A 2010 grad, White won 163 matches at Athens, including a combined 100 technical falls and pin falls. He was a two-time North Section champ, a four-time District 4 place-finisher, a four-time Northeast Regional place-finisher, a three-time PIAA state medalist, and the 2010 the 112-pound state champion.
Longtime Athens coach Shawn Bradley spoke to a large crown prior to Friday's match, announcing the news, which came as a surprise to White.
"I've coached a lot of great athletes, David (White) was not one of them," said Bradley, drawing a big laugh from the crowd and a smile from White.
"He may be one of the worst athletes I've ever coached," continued Bradley. "What he was the best at, can't be taught. He had the biggest heart, the biggest will, and the best work ethic of any wrestler I've ever coached."
Bradley pointed to White's final high school match, which he cited as a "glowing example of his entire career." He wrestled Bethlehem Catholic's Randy Cruz, who was a returning state runner-up and would go on to win a state title in 2011.
"The first period was a pair of crazy scrambles because that's how David wrestled," said Bradley. "David takes bottom in the second period, gets ridden out, and turned. Cruz chooses bottom in the third, David cuts him, so he's down 3-0.
"David kept coming after him the entire third period ... 20 seconds left, one more scramble, David comes out on top, holds him on his back in a tilt, wins 5-3.
"He ended his career as a PIAA state champion," said Bradley to a large cheer from the crowd. "It was one of the loudest I've heard the Giant Center. It was amazing.
"He just kept coming, and wanted it more than the other kid," added Bradley. "The same thing he did his entire career."
White deflected credit for his success, and thanked those who helped him along the way.
"It's more a recognition for those who put the time into me," he said. "I would have never been here without those around me.
"From Shawn (Bradley) putting in all the time with me, going to every single morning and afternoon practice, to my Dad driving me all over the country to wrestle, to my drill partners — Ben Knecht, Matt Montrose, Garrett Russell, Todd Hall — all of my teammates, to my mentor Chad Sindoni for all the extra hours he came back and put into me.
"It's really more of a reward for them, and the effort they put into me," White added.
After high school, White wrestled at Army and Binghamton, where he was an NCAA national qualifier.
He has since returned to the area, and is currently coaching the Athens girls team.
"I'm just looking to do what was done for me, and to give the opportunities I was given," said White.
"The sport of wrestling opened up my life to a bunch of opportunities that wouldn't have been there otherwise.
"My whole goal is to give them the chances I was given," added White.
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IN PHOTOS: Athens coach Shawn Bradley, and David White. ... PHOTOS BY MATT PATTON.