The opening Shot.
Week four of the 2025 – 2026 Greenbrier East Wrestling season is in the books. The team, men and women, worked hard in practice, striving to get better every day. The women’s team had no tournament this week. The men traveled to East Fairmont for the Tom Lewis Wrestling Classic. The rich history of West Virginia wrestling is reflected in the stories behind the tournaments in which our wrestlers participate.
The Tom Lewis Wrestling Classic is named in honor of Tom Lewis, a longtime East Fairmont High School coach, who coached not only wrestling, but football and track as well. In 1970 Tom Lewis was asked to “help with the team” and became a mat-side fixture of Marion County wrestling for 48 years. His efforts included coaching, upgrading wrestling facilities, organizing tournaments and events, hand crafting trophies, and developing the character and academic performance of the young men he coached. He did all of this as a volunteer, never accepting payment for his commitments. In 2012, Tom Lewis was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.
The Week in Review.
Tom Lewis Classic. 22 teams from West Virginia and Ohio competed in the Tom Lewis Classic. Congratulations to Greenbrier East’s Tom Lewis Classic place winners: Harrison Smith, 3rd Place – Heavyweight Division; Carter Web, 6th Place – 150 pound weight class; Sonny Herbert, 5th Place – 120 pound weight class. Harrison won twice by pin, and twice by technical fall (win by 15 points). He avenged his sole loss on the day in the third place match. Sonny also earned two pins on the day. Owen Edwards and Week 3 Wrestler of the Week Mason Miller also ended the day with winning records.
Sponsor Spotlight.
We thank The Livery Tavern, 1134 Washington Street E Lewisburg, WV 24901 our Tournament Sponsor for the Tom Lewis Classic. (theliverytavern@gmail.com (304) 645-9836) Without the support of our sponsors our participation in tournaments would be significantly diminished. The Livery Tavern is a great place to celebrate a win. If you wish to sponsor a tournament, please call Rob Frank, 719 322-2985, or email to rob@rjflaw.com.
Wrestler of the Week (Week 3) – Mason Miller
Greenbrier East High School’s Week 3 Wrestler of the Week (Men’s Division) is Mason Miller. Due to Illness, Mason was not available for interview last week, so we run his profile this week.
Mason placed 4th in the Fallen Heroes Memorial Tournament and had a winning record at the Tom Lewis Classic.
1) Why wrestle?
When I was younger, I would watch videos of wrestling and of martial arts and decided that I would someday learn one. I tried wrestling and have been wrestling ever since. The skills and discipline of wrestling benefit me in all aspects of my life. Nothing is better for my mental health than a really hard workout.
2) What are your primary goals as a person, a student, and an athlete?
The most important goal in my life is to know God and to develop an ever increasing relationship to Jesus Christ – to put Jesus first before all things. I pray before my matches and always pray over my opponents and teammates. It is my goal to become a West Virginia State Wrestling Champion and to earn one hundred wins on the mat.
3) What contributes the most to your ability to achieve these goals?
Jesus is my motivation. I strive to perform all tasks, whether at work, home, or in studies—with dedication and integrity, viewing this as service to the Lord. I keep in mind Colossians 3:23-24: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord…”
4) What advice do you have for fellow students and athletes as they pursue their goals?
Don’t give up or become discouraged. Do your best, put Jesus first and everything else will work itself out.
5) What are your plans after high school?
I would like to pursue music, and in particular to continue to play guitar.
Wrestler of the Week (Week 4) – Harrison Smith
Harrison is a multi-sport athlete excelling in football and wrestling. Following the 2025 football season, Harrison was named a First Team All Coalfield Conference defensive lineman.
Harrison placed Third in the Tom Lewis Classic.
1) Why wrestle?
My whole family has wrestled or coached wrestling, including my father, my grandfathers, my uncles, and my sisters. It’s just something I grew up doing.
2) What are your primary goals as a person, a student, and an athlete?
I would like to become the person my parents want me to be. To make them proud and see in myself what they see in me. As a student my goal is to work to get the best grades that I can. As an athlete, my goals are to become a West Virginia State Wrestling Champion and to be named First Team All-State in football.
3) What contributes the most to your ability to achieve these goals?
The two things that contribute most to achieving my goals are the guidance and support of my family, and my work ethic. I have learned that the most important factor in my success is working my tail off.
4) What advice do you have for fellow students and athletes as they pursue their goals?
Just keep working to accomplish your goals. Don’t stop if something goes wrong. Just keep pushing. My father would always tell me that good things happen when you work hard.
5) What are your plans after high school?
I would like to play football or wrestle in college. I would someday like to have a good job that I care about and which will allow me to live a happy and full life.
Upcoming Events.
This Friday and Saturday, Jan. 2 – 3, 2026 the men will wrestle in the 2026 WV Army National Guard Duals Wrestling Tournament In Memory of Lee Parlier. The tournament will take place at the Summersville Convention and Visitors Bureau, 3 Armory Way, Summersville, WV 26651 (304) 872-3722. The start time is 12:00 p.m. on Friday (Jan. 2nd) and 10:00 a.m. on Saturday (Jan. 3). Doors will open for spectators at 11:00 a.m. Friday ,and 9 a.m. Saturday.
On January 2, 2026, the women travel to Parkersburg for the Parkersburg Winter Women’s Classic. The tournament will take place at Parkersburg High School, 2101 Dudley Ave. Parkersburg, WV 26101. Wrestling begins at 4:00 p.m. This is a landmark early season tournament featuring some of the best programs in Northern West Virginia and Ohio. Each bracket is a who’s – who of past State Champions, and Placers (including GEHS’s Maya Frank) It will be a challenge for East’s growing women’s team.
Chris and Rachel Vass and Vass Engineering and Mineral Appraisals is sponsoring the men’s team for the 2026 WV Army National Guard Duals Wrestling Tournament. Appalachian Bows is sponsoring the women’s team for the Parkersburg Winter Women’s Classic. If you wish to sponsor these or any tournaments, please call Rob Frank, 719 322-2985 or email me at rob@rjflaw.com.
Little Known Fact of Wrestling – The Sacrifice During Christmas Break.
All winter sports require student athletes to sacrifice over the Christmas break, but the sacrifices made by wrestlers during the holiday season are greater than for any other sport.
Wrestlers do not get a break from their intense training over the Christmas break. Practices are held on Christmas eve, the day after Christmas, on New Years Eve, and on New Year’s Day – as wrestlers work to be in peak form for January 2nd tournaments. As a parent, I know I was not alone in watching my daughter prepare for a long run, followed by sprints, after opening presents on Christmas Day. No official practice, just a dedication and commitment to be her best.
Weight management is perhaps the most difficult part of Christmas for wrestlers. As other students are enjoying large meals with family, Christmas cookies, and other holiday sweets, wrestlers are carefully measuring their calories and food weight, knowing every once they put on, will need to be stripped off before the weekend following the holiday. For many wrestlers, the training schedule, practices, and need to avoid situations involving food, lead to isolation and a feeling of “otherness” or loneliness over the holiday. As their friends indulge, they sacrifice.
We all need to recognize and acknowledge the sacrifices made by young men and women in this most demanding sport. These sacrifices, however, are part of why wrestling is so successful at building character, discipline and focus in young people.
On December 21, 2025, wrestling internet influencer Bondchampp posted the following which accurately illustrates the challenges faced by wrestlers during the Christmas holiday:
The wrestler learns a fundamental truth early in life:
You do not get to have everything you want at the moment you want it.
You learn to delay gratification.
You learn to endure hunger without complaint.
You learn that discipline is often invisible to everyone except yourself.
And this is why it is worth it.
Because sacrifice, repeated under pressure, forges character.
Because comfort has never produced excellence.
Because when the lights turn on and the match begins, the wrestler carries something deeper than talent — they carry proof.
Proof that they chose commitment when distraction was easier.
Proof that they honored a long-term goal over a short-term pleasure.
Bondchampp, December 21, 2025, Every December, most people associate Christmas with abundance … For wrestlers, December represents something very different. Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid02nvtQJCvukERkSuaXh4Jt9MML5N4XEfjEWNywazE2RcH78iCvX4yEEQL45TnoWRjvl&id=61579676066593
We thank each of our wrestlers for their sacrifice over the Christmas season.
Next Week.
Next week’s article will give results of the 2026 WV Army National Guard Duals Wrestling Tournament and the Parkersburg Women’s Winter Classic, will profile the Week 5 Wrestler of the week, will give updates on upcoming events, and provide wrestler and donor highlights.
Live Stream. GEHS wrestling matches are now livestreamed and posted on the Greenbrier East Spartan Wrestling Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1400059887620954. If you can’t join us live, please join us online.
The following photo is of Mason Miller and was taken by Hannah Gill:
