It’s become an annual mid-winter rite in Lower Burrell.

Fire trucks with blaring sirens escort the Burrell wrestling team on Leechburg Road to the high school, marking the latest Bucs WPIAL team wrestling title.

That was the scene late Saturday afternoon at the corner of Wildlife Lodge and Leechburg roads. Fans gathered in the parking lot at Mogie’s Pub to welcome the team home from a 63-9 rout over Burgettstown in the WPIAL Class AA finals at Chartiers-Houston High School.

It was Burrell’s 14th consecutive WPIAL wrestling team title — an incredible mark only bettered by Bethel Park’s boys swim team run of 20 straight WPIAL championships from 1981-2000.

Putting that in perspective, Ben Linderman, an eighth-grader at Burrell, is 14 years old. The school has won a wrestling title every year of his life.

The chilly January late afternoon didn’t deter dozens of well-wishers who eagerly awaited the team bus as it made its way back from Washington County. They received periodic cell phone updates from those traveling with the team as to the progress the caravan was making toward home.

The Kinloch and Lower Burrell No. 3 volunteer fire companies blew their sirens to announce the arrival of the 14-time champs back into town.

While the celebrations lasted long into the evening, thoughts turned to preserving the run.

Linderman and his middle school classmates want to keep the title skein going.

“I hope to see this (run) still going,” Lindeman said. “We’re losing a lot of seniors, but we’re gaining a lot of new wrestlers, so there’s a good chance to keep it going. We converse a lot about it among ourselves.”

The secret to Burrell’s astounding success is the youth feeder programs that have trained wrestlers and have them ready to face the rigors of the sport when they reach high school.

Linderman not only participates in the youth wrestling program at Burrell but also with private clubs like the Mat Factory in Lower Burrell and the Pride of Pittsburgh.

There are 14 weight classes in high school wrestling; when a wrestler graduates, there is usually a younger one ready to slot in.

After a brief stop at the high school Saturday, the team made its way to the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 92 in Lower Burrell where the team celebrated with chicken wings and pizza.

Ben Linderman’s older brother Noah, a senior, had a great day on the mat, pinning his opponents from Quaker Valley in the semifinals and Burgettstown in the finals.

Noah entered the VFW parking lot with a couple of his teammates in his 1999 Jeep Cherokee with the speakers blaring Van Halen’s “Dancing the Night Away.”

Burrell wrestling has built a following even among fans who don’t have family members on the team or any affiliation.

Randy Newell of Lower Burrell has followed the program since moving to the community in 2000.

“I started following Burrell right then and there,” Newell said. “I didn’t think the win over Burgettstown would have such a wide margin of victory.”

As a youngster, Newell wrestled for Ligonier High School before graduating in 1981. He has plenty of memories from his extensive following of the Bucs.

Said Newell: “I remember the 2013 finals against South Fayette. Damon Greenwald was wrestling Mike Carr, who would be a two-time state champion. Carr went ahead, 12-3, and Greenwald came all the way back and won, 16-15.”

Newell also recalled the state tournament in Hershey last year when Burrell fell behind state powerhouse Brookville, 21-0 — and won the match 29-27.

“I think Burrell’s had a lot of great coaches,” Newell said.

Burrell will now get ready for the PIAA state tournament.

The Bucs draw a first-round bye. They will wrestle at Hershey’s Giant Center on Thursday against the winner of Monday’s match between Boiling Springs and Montoursville.

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