Miller medals as PIAA State Champion; Rutan wraps up season at States
HERSHEY — After going 28-0 and winning all but two of her matches via pinfall this season (one forfeit win and one 9-0 decision), the Punxsutawney Lady Chucks’ Jael Miller made history at the state and local level by winning the 170-pound PIAA State Championship this past weekend in Hershey.
The Punxsutawney Junior became one of the first 12 Female PIAA State Champions with a pinfall win over Bensalem’s
Maya Krieger in the championship round.
Miller opened the weekend in Hershey’s Giant Center with a pinfall victory over Greater Latrobe’s Rowen Lewis, and in the quarterfinals, she won via 9-0 major decision over Parkland’s Shannon Fratus. In the semi-finals, she won via pinfall over Audrey Calgaro (CanonMcMillan).
Besides making history at the state level, her championship also left a huge mark at the local level, as this season was the inaugural one for the Punxsutawney
Lady Chucks Wrestling program.
So, as the lone highschool wrestler, the example she set this year is something for the handful of Jr. High wrestlers and the elementary ones coming up to strive towards.
“We are very proud of Jael for not only becoming the first official 170-pound state champion, but for the tenacity with which she pursued that goal,” said Lady Chucks Head Coach Eric Eddy. “She is receptive to all coaching and often asks questions because she is always striving to get better. We are looking forward to watching her career moving forward.”
He added, “She has had some really good training partners in the wrestling room, including Chucks Assistant Coach Joel Bowers, who has helped improve her skills and mat awareness. I feel that her time spent with Coach Rob Waller of the All American Wrestling Club had really aided in her growth as a student of the sport, and combine that with the work she has put in with local strength
and conditioning trainer Sam Barr.”
Miller is the second Punxsy Wrestling State Champion after Kaleb Young (160) in 2016, along with becoming the fifth state medalist in school history for both programs. Young medaled in 2014 and 2015 (5th, 138; 4th, 152), while JR Sutter finished 8th at heavyweight in 2002. Also, Howard Brooks took third at heavyweight in 1978.
Besides Miller, the Chucks’ Jordan Rutan (sophomore) was the second Punxsy wrestler to make the trip to States this past weekend in Hershey.
After becoming the District 4/9 3A 133-pound Champion in February, the first in four years since Garrett Eddy in 2020, Rutan took second in the North West AAA Regional
Tournament to become the second Chucks wrestler to make it to States in the last seasons, as Dysen Gould made the trip last season.
Over the weekend, he lost via pinfall to Connellsville’s Kai Vielma in the opening round, and in the consolation round, Sun Valley’s Brecken Strickland bested him with a 6-3 decision.
“It was nice to get someone to States for the last two years in a row,” said Chucks Head Coach DJ Gould. “Things didn’t quite go his way, but he wrestled well and this will be a great experience for him going into his next two years.”
He added, “He wrestled a lot of tough matches to prepare and get to Hershey this season, and we look forward to see what he can do in the next two years in the program.”