Seven from area take gold
Ayden Smith, Keanu Dillard, Kollin Rath and Adam Waters proved last year was no fluke. Trey Wagner, Tahir Parkins and Joey Bachmann lived up to the hype and expectations.
Savannah Witt and Aubrey Krazer are part of history.
And Sean Kinney made history. All seven locals won PIAA championships Saturday afternoon at the Giant Center.
Smith repeated as the Class 2A 114-pound champion with a stellar 7-4 decision. It was his 152nd career victory for the Rutgers commit. It broke the school record of current Rutgers wrestler Brandan Chletsos. Dillard bumped up two weight classes to win his second Class 3A title at 121 pounds.
Wagner went from 1-2 at states a year ago to a gold medal and Joe Provini’s first state champion as a head coach.
Parkins, fourth a year ago, dominated the 133-pound field, including York Suburban’s Tyler Adams 9-2 in the final.
Rath and training partner Collin Gaj of Quakertown engaged in another epic state final at 152 in 3A. Rath’s takedown early in the third period was the difference but not before a memorable 20-second scramble to finish the match.
“That’s a position I’m so comfortable with because of wrestling [Bethlehem Catholic
teammate] Shane McFillin in the room,” Rath said. “I’m in that position so many times that I know things I do wrong to get taken down and what to do to not get taken down.”
Gaj got in on Rath’s legs, but the Golden Hawks junior countered and continued to counter each readjustment by Gaj to hold for the 3-2 win.
Waters pinned Northwestern’s Luke Fugazzotto in 1:41 to repeat as the 2A 172-pound champion. Witt won 13-7 at 118 pounds for her second state, first as girls wrestling sanctioned by the PIAA. Krazer captured her third title in a row with a second-period pin at 130.
“There’s always pressure,” she said. “I put a lot of pressure on myself. I push myself hard to reach these goals. I’m happy I was able to win this.”
Kinney won his third state title, the first in the state to do so at 285. He beat Owen J. Roberts’ Dean Bechtold 15-0 in 4:08 in the final.
He’s also the first in the state to reach the state final at the same weight class.
Kinney ends his career with a 125-5 record with 98 pins. He was named the 3A tournament’s outstanding wrestler.
Frazier’s Rune Lawrence was the 2A recipient after winning his fourth state title.
Parkland’s Anthony Shave was named the state’s girls coach of the year.
Faith Christian and Bethlehem Catholic repeated as the 2A and 3A team champions, respectively.