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By SCOTT FERTAL; Times Leader Sports Writer
Sunday, March 08, 1998 Page: 1C
HERSHEY- Coming from a wrestling family, Hanover Area’s Jesse Martinez knew
how special a state medal would be.
Years and years of hard work and dedication funneled into wrestling paid
off Saturday as the Hawkeyes senior finished third at 152 pounds at the PIAA
State Wrestling Championships at the HersheyPark Arena.
Martinez was third in the AA meet at 152, while Lake-Lehman’s Eric
Maciejczak (135) and Meyers’ Jason Schlingman (171) both finished fourth in
the AA tournament. Hazleton Area’s Jay Kotsko (135) was the lone Wyoming
Valley Conference AAA place-winner, finishing fourth.
Medals were awarded to the top six finishers in each weight class, and a
top-six finish also earned each individual All-State honors.
Martinez capped off a spectacular senior season in style as the highest
place-winner from the WVC.
“This is very fulfilling,” said Martinez. “Being able to place third here,
especially in Pennsylvania, is an honor.”
The finish was also special to his coach, and his father, Paul Martinez.
“This means a lot more,” the elder Martinez said. “It’s so much more
personal. If one of my kids win or lose, I feel for them for awhile. But with
him it’s gut-wrenching. I know everything he’s done because I went through it
with him. It’s great to see this come true.”
Martinez was impressive throughout the state tournament, wrestling a near
flawless tournament. His lone loss came in the semifinal round to eventual
state champion Nevada Walker of Commodore Perry.
“He wrestled really tough here,” Paul Martinez said of his son. “Being from
District 2, unless you place the year before, guys are going to be ranked
ahead of you. We told him all year long, that he was as good as anybody in the
state.”
In the consolation finals, Central’s Nick Frick was determined not to let
Martinez get off to a quick start.
After a scoreless first period, Martinez finally got on the board with an
escape for a 1-0 lead after two periods.
“He was controlling my elbows so I couldn’t shoot,” Martinez said. “So I
left it up to the flip.”
Frick scored a takedown in the third to force overtime, and nothing was
settled after the two-minute extra session, with the match still tied at 1-1.
In the 30-second rideout, Martinez won the coin flip and chose the bottom
position. That was an interesting choice considering the dominance Martinez
displayed from the top position in the tournament.
“It was too sweaty out there to pick top,” he said. “I was better off on
bottom because most guys down here don’t ride too well. Once I saw I won the
flip, I knew it was over.”
Martinez wasted no time, reversing Frick to his back for a five-point move
and the 6-1 victory. Martinez completes the season at 37-1.
“Realistically, I thought third place was my best chance,” Martinez said.
“And I’m happy where I’m at.”
After being eliminated in two matches last year in the state tournament,
Maciejczak worked on his skills, determined for a better showing.
His hard work paid off with All-State honors and a fourth-place medal at
135 pounds.
“I would’ve rather been in the finals,” said Maciejczak. “But’s there’s
nothing you can do about that.”
Chestnut Ridge’s Josh Weyandt took a 2-0 lead after one period with a
takedown in the consolation finals, then increased the lead to 3-0 with an
escape to start the second period.
Maciejczak finally mounted an offensive attack with a takedown, but Weyandt
countered with an escape for a 4-2 lead after two periods.
Maciejczak tied the score at 4-4 with a reversal, but Weyandt sealed the
6-4 victory with a reversal with less than 30 seconds remaining in regulation.
“I’m happy about it,” Maciejczak said of his finish. “Not many get to come
here and do what I did. It’s a big accomplishment.”
Maciejczak’s senior season ends at 35-3.
“We knew he had the potential, it was just a matter of putting the pieces
together,” said Lake-Lehman co-coach Tom Williams. “My hat’s off to him. he’s
been a great kid in our program for the last three years. I’m extremely happy
for him because he’s genuinely a good kid.”
Schlingman, a two-time state qualifier, took a 1-0 lead in the second
period with an escape against Saucon Valley’s Mike Beckowski in the 171-pound
consolation finals.
Beckowski tied the score at 1, then scored a takedown early in the third
period for a 3-1 lead. Schlingman answered with an escape to pull to within
3-2, but several takedown attempts during the final 30 seconds were denied by
Beckowski and Schlingman ended up on the short end, 3-2, to finish fourth in
the state.
“My goal was get here and get in the medal round,” Schlingman said. “I
wanted to prove that I can compete with anyone. I tried my best, I finished
fourth. I’m very proud.”
Schlingman finishes the season at 35-3.
Kotsko lost his opening bout of the AAA tournament, but wrestled himself
all the way back to the 135 consolation finals.
Kotsko opened Saturday’s consolation round with a 5-4 decision against
North Penn’s Gary Leatherman in the third-round consolations, assuring himself
of a state medal for the second consecutive year.
Kotsko then defeated Methacton’s John Pagnotta, who defeated Kotsko 8-6 in
overtime in the preliminary round, by a 3-2 count to move into the consolation
finals.
“It’s extremely hard wrestling all the way back here,” said Kotsko. “And it
was pretty satisfying getting a win against Pagnotta.”
In the consolation final against Oil City’s Gabe Higley, Kotsko, who
finished fifth at 140 a year ago, fell behind 1-0 in the second period, but
answered with a takedown and a 2-1 lead. Higley ended the period with an
escape and the score was tied at 2 after two periods.
Kotsko escaped to start the third for a 3-2 advantage, but Higley countered
with a takedown to regain the lead at 4-3. Kotsko escaped again to tie the
score, but Higley answered with another takedown and two back points for an
8-4 lead.
Kotsko (38-5) eventually pulled to within 9-8 late in the period, but
Higley sealed the match with a late reversal for an 11-8 decision.
Hazleton Area’s Dave Shafer, a fifth-place Class AAA finisher at 135 pounds
a year ago, saw his season come to a disappointing end by losing in the
third-round consolations at 140.
Greensburg Salem’s George Carter scored a 9-2 decision over the Hazleton
Area senior to move into the medal round. Shafer’s season ends at 37-4.
Former wrestling coach and current Meyers athletic director Bill Hilburt
was inducted into the Pennsylvania Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame
before the Class AA championship finals.
Hilburt coached the Mohawks for 17 years, compiling a 261-60-5 mark with
six WVC championships, five District 2 championships and the Northeast
Regional and PIAA Class AAA team championship in 1978.
Hilburt, a 1968 graduate of Coughlin High School and a 1972 graduate of
Lock Haven University, produced 56 district champs, 11 Northeast Regional
champs, 28 PIAA qualifiers, 10 of which were place winners. Hilburt ranks
eighth in state coaching history with nine PIAA state champions.
Hilburt was presented his