WHEELING — Dick Edge and Dr. Dan Doyle have devoted much of their respective lives to the sport of wrestling.

Now the two Ohio Valley natives are receiving the ultimate recognition for passionate and dedicated service to the mat sport. They are becoming Hall of Famers.

The two will be inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame – West Virginia Chapter on Oct. 30 in Charleston.

“When I first moved to Wheeling, it was Coach Edge who welcomed me as a new member of the Ohio Valley wrestling community. His fatherly advice guided me in the right direction in establishing my own wrestling program at old Wheeling High School,” said Dr. Bill Welker, Hall of Fame board member and a Pennsylvania Wrestling Hall of Famer. “I will always value his friendship and undaunted willingness to help others in the coaching arena.

“As Dan Doyle’s high school coach at Wheeling Central, I knew from the start his powerful work-ethic would take him far.  Not only was Dan an excellent college wrestler, but he was also one of the area’s most successful mat-coaching mavens,” Welker said. “He instilled in his athletes the importance of hard work and perseverance to succeed on the mats and in life.  I was honored to coach him.”

EDGE, a 1954 Wheeling High graduate, has the distinction of starting wrestling programs at two local high schools — Triadelphia in 1964 and Warwood three years later.

His tenure with the Vikings proved quite successful. His 1971 squad when undefeated in dual competition while winning an OVAC team championship.

Edge coached the school’s first state champion in 145-pounder Joe Matyskiela. He also guided John Vdovjak to two state crowns while also setting an Ohio Valley record for consecutive wins, a mark which has since being broken.

Edge has been active in local wrestling circles for more than a half of a century. He has been a key cog in the annual OVAC Ron Mauck Wrestling Tournament at WesBanco Arena in Wheeling.

The OVAC Hall of Famer was named Ohio Eastern District Wrestling Coach of the Year in 1975 and received the OVAC’s prestigious ‘Mr. Mat’ Award in 1979. He was enshrined in the West Liberty Hall of Fame in 1997

Edge served as president of the OVAC during the 1986-87 and 1987-88 school years. He represented Wheeling High in the 1954 OVAC All-Star Football Game and then went on to West Liberty State College where he was a four-year letterman, two-time all-West Virginia Conference grid selection and the team’s co-captain as a senior.

He and his wife Pat have three daughters: Lynn, Jenny and Holly.

DOYLE scripted an impressive prep mat career at Wheeling Central. He was a three-time OVAC Tournament place-winner, earning an OVAC championship in 1972. He capped his Maroon Knight career by winning the 1972 state title at 112 pounds.

Doyle took his vast grappling skills to Allegheny College in Meadville, Pa. He became a Division III national tournament qualifier.

That set the table for an impressive coaching career.

Doyle cut his coaching teeth at Jefferson Union before starting the mat program at Buckeye South in 1985. South morphed into Buckeye Local where he worked wrestling wonders.

Doyle guided Buckeye Local to back-to-back overall OVAC Tournament team titles (1996 & 97) along with a pair of conference dual meet crowns. His success yielded him district coach of the year plaudits twice and an OVAC coach of the year award.

The former OVAC president now serves as director of the OVAC Ron Mauck Tournament. His son Sean — who wrestled for him at Buckeye Local — is now head coach at Wheeling Jesuit, turning the Cardinals into a NCAA D-II power.

Doyle was the 2005 recipient of the Mr. Mat Award.  He also served as  superintendent of Noble County Schools.

Doyle and his wife, Cindy, have two other children — Erin and Megan.

“Being inducted in to the National Wrestling Hall of Fame – West Virginia Chapter is one of the greatest honors I can receive,” Doyle said. “Receiving this honor affirms the many blessings I have received in my life, as this honor reflects the time, effort and support of the many individual’s that I have been surrounded by, including my family, the athletes, coaches, parents and all those associated with the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference to name a few.”

BUBBA’S BITS

OUR THOUGHTS and prayers go out to the family and friends of Greg Sacco who died Tuesday. Sacco served as a Wheeling Central assistant football coach for 33 years. He was a passionate Maroon Knight supporter and one of the nicest guys in the coaching profession.

I KNOW he has the rights to his beliefs about racial inequity, but 49ers’ quarterback Colin Kaepernick is a goon in my book for sitting during the national anthem.

BUBBA WATSON is a standout golfer. He is also a great humanitarian. The long-hitting southpaw recently donated $100,000 to the Louisiana flood relief effort.

THE NFL kicks off its regular season this week. Injuries can derail title hopes very quickly, just ask the Cowboys (Tony Romo) and Vikings (Teddy Bridgewater). My Super Bowl 51 pick has the Steelers besting the Packers.

FRANCISCAN UNIVERSITY’S women’s volleyball team is hosting its annual Side-Out Foundation Dig Pink Day on Saturday to support breast cancer research.

The Lady Barons open Dig Pink Day at Finnegan Fieldhouse against Marietta College at 3 p.m.

That will be followed by matches between Edison Local and Steubenville High at 5 p.m. and Beaver Local and Aquinas Academy at 7 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults and $2 for students and senior citizens.

All proceeds support the Side-Out Foundation and the Teramana Cancer Center TEAR Fund.

IT IS good to see Phil Pest coaching again at Wheeling Central after his departure from Buckeye Local. The former Bethany College tight end standout is a good football man and will be a nice addition to Mike Young’s staff.

FORMER WVU head grid coach Bill Stewart will be the first inductee in the Wetzel County Museum Hall of Fame in New Martinsville. The induction ceremony will be held tonight at the museum at 6 o’clock. Don Nehlen will be the featured speaker.

Former WVU athletic director and Moundsville native Ed Pastilong will also be in attendance.

FRED RAY’S Fairview High (Ky.) Eagles bested Lawrence County, 22-14, Friday night.

The former Martins Ferry and Ohio University quarterbacking standout has his team 2-1 heading into this week’s game against Pikeville.