HEMPFIELD COACH BOOSTS GRANDSON
Mike Kirkling is one of the most successful athletes in the history of Hempfield High School.
Now his grandson is trying to follow in his footsteps — with a little help from Kirkling.
Kirkling graduated from Hempfield in 1983 after starting four years for both the football and wrestling teams. An accomplished running back, Kirkling earned a football scholarship to Michigan State University. But he really made his mark at Hempfield on the wrestling mat.
As a wrestler, Kirkling compiled a 134-10-1 record and was a three-time WPIAL Class 3A finalist who won titles in 1981 and 1983. He also earned two PIAA bronze medals before reaching the pinnacle of Pennsylvania wrestling as a senior by winning a state heavyweight title. He is one of only seven Hempfield wrestlers to win a PIAA championship.
“Mike Kirkling is a legend at Hempfield,” said Tom Dolde Jr., a Connellsville graduate now in his first year as Hempfield’s head coach. “We graduated the same year. We may have been on different teams, but we all knew each other.
“Mike was a hard-nosed kid. He was tough as nails and loved competition. He also wrestled at the national level for a few years. He was one of the top-ranked heavyweights in the country.”
Kirkling, now 54, participated in the Olympic and World Team Trials a few times, but had the misfortune of sharing a weight class with an international wrestling legend.
“Bruce Baumgartner was in my weight class,” said Kirkling, referring to the four-time Olympian who now serves as athletic director at Edinboro University. “I don’t think he ever lost to an American. I finished third a couple times.”
Four years ago, Kirkling was hired as a junior high coach at Hempfield. This season, Dolde promoted him to varsity assistant, giving Kirkling the opportunity to coach his grandson.
“It was a no-brainer to move him up to the varsity [program],” Dolde said. “He’s very well-known at Hempfield. He brings a great knowledge of wrestling to our program.”
Kirkling became a father as a teenager, and his daughter Michaelene also became a parent at a young age. Her son, Isaiah Vance, is now a sophomore at Hempfield and one of the top heavyweights in the WPIAL in Class 3A.
“We both got started early as parents,” Kirkling said. “It’s great to have a grandson who can follow in my footsteps at Hempfield.”
Vance made his varsity debut last year as a 285pound freshman, a weight class usually dominated by upperclassmen. Vance placed third in Class 3A Section 1 to earn a berth in the WPIAL tournament, where he took home another thirdplace finish to qualify for the PIAA tournament despite being seeded No. 7 in the 20-man bracket. He posted a 2-2 record at Hershey and finished the season with a 34-9 record.
Kirkling has a unique perspective on the 285pound weight class, having overcome a massive size advantage while compiling a legendary career at Hempfield.
“I weighed 198 pounds when I won the state title,” Kirkling said. “I was wrestling kids who were 280-285 pounds. I wanted to move down to 185, but my coach wouldn’t let me.”
Vance, who entered the week with a 21-3 record and is ranked No. 2 in WPIAL Class 3A behind Upper St. Clair’s Jake Slinger, doesn’t have to worry about facing larger opponents. Although he weighs in around 282 pounds, his grandfather doesn’t think he’s sacrificing any agility, either.
“Isaiah is one of the best scramblers I’ve seen in a long time,” Kirkling said. “He moves like a lightweight. I was known for my drag into a single-leg takedown. He’s becoming known for his drag into a double.”
Vance took a big step forward at this year’s Westmoreland County Coaches Association tournament Jan. 4-5 at Norwin High School. He advanced to the 285-pound finals for the second year in a row and faced a familiar foe in Valley’s David Schuffert — who pinned Vance in last year’s final in only 53 seconds.
The two heavyweights proved to be much more evenly matched this time, as Vance recorded a 3-2 victory to exact his revenge and take home the title.
“I didn’t want it to end the way it did last year, so I went in more physical,” Vance said. “That was the mentality for this match. That’s what gave me the advantage.”
Vance’s head coach didn’t mince words when describing the change in outcomes from the 2018 final to 2019.
“Isaiah was bullied by Schuffert in last year’s finals and didn’t know how to handle it,” Dolde said. “This year, Isaiah bullied Schuffert.”
Vance seems to have a knack for avenging his losses. Either that or he just has a short memory.
Just one week prior to beating Schuffert in the finals of the WCCA tournament, Vance placed third at the prestigious Powerade Christmas Tournament at Canon-McMillan High School. His only loss came in the quarterfinals to Ashford Hollis of Oak Park River Forest High School in Illinois, again by way of a pin.
The two met again in the finals of the consolation bracket for third place. This time, Vance defeated Hollis with a pin of his own.
“We have high expectations for Isaiah,” Dolde said. “He’s got a long way to go, but he’s barely touching his potential. He’s got the talent to be a WPIAL and PIAA champion. And he’s only a sophomore.”
Kirkling, meanwhile, has plans to keep coaching even after Vance graduates.
“Michaelene has two more boys,” said Kirkling, the proud grandfather. “Leneil is 5, and Messiah is 2. My goal is to coach both of them.” Online: Team, individual rankings