Tired of ads? Subscribers enjoy a distraction-free reading experience.
Click here to subscribe today or Login.

HERSHEY — When it’s 2 p.m. on Saturday for the start of the finals of the PIAA Class 2A Championships, and 8 p.m. for the beginning of the 3A last round, many wrestling fans around the state will tune into PCN to watch the action from Giant Center.

But no wrestling will be found. Instead, there will be government-related programming. For the first time since 1998, the PIAA Wrestling Championships will not be shown on the cable network.

The PIAA signed an exclusive rights deal with FloWrestling – a wrestling only website that carries dozens of live events yearly – to show the state tournament. In fact, Flo has been showing every bout live from Hershey throughout the whole tournament.

While that’s considered a good thing for the sport because Flo is worldwide and not just limited to Pennsylvania residents, it comes at a cost. A subscription to FloWrestling is $12.50 per month and a subscription is required. The PIAA and Flo are in a four-year agreement.

PCN still carries PIAA Championships for other sports, but wrestling is the only one that the network will not be showing this school year.

D2 all-star meet planned

Numerous things have been done this wrestling season to grow interest in the sport in the area.

The next idea is a District 2 Wrestling All-Star Classic pitting top seniors in Class 2A vs. seniors in Class 3A from the Lackawanna League and Wyoming Valley Conference. The meet will be held on Saturday, March 16 at 1 p.m. at Hanover Area High School.

There will be 11 weight classes – 126, 132, 138, 145, 152, 160, 170, 182, 195, 220 and 285 – with a five-pound weight allowance, and the match will be broadcast by Service Electric Channel 2. The event is also open to female wrestlers in the district if there are any that could be matched up.

The event is also the same weekend at the Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic (formerly known as the Dapper Dan), which pits Pennsylvania state champions vs. USA. In the event that one of the seniors selected for the D2 meet is also selected for the PWC, a replacement will be found.

“This is something that we have been wanting to do for a long time and with the wealth of talent in this senior class I feel it would be a shame not to showcase it one last time and help grow the sport of wrestling in our area,” Hanover Area coach Mike Griffith said. “Almost every other sport in this area has an all star event. I think it is time we also showcase the senior class talent.”

Icons in the corner

All over the Wyoming Valley Conference, state qualifiers and placewinners are showing up to help out head coaches in the room.

Especially this year where fourth-place state medalist Kyle Krasavage joined his alma mater at Wyoming Valley West to help out.

Perhaps the most notable names from the past were in the Lake-Lehman wrestling room. That’s where alums Shane Stark, Mike Tereska and Rocky Bonomo joined the staff. Stark was a two-time state qualifier, including a third-place finish. Tereska was a state qualifier for the team, and Bonomo was a state champion among many other accolades as well as being a pastor at Sweet Valley Church of Christ.

“All my coaches are great,” Black Knights head coach Jay Konigus said. “They all have a specialty to what they show. Tereska’s a cradle guy. Stark, he’s our strength coach. He’s the young guy that gets in there and mixes it up with the kids.

“Rock’s fun to have around. He’s a full-time pastor. So we go to tournaments all week then go to Rock’s church every Sunday. It’s like having a motivational speaker every Sunday. That helps a lot.”

Dallas’ Steven Newell and the rest of the WVC’s senior standouts are candidates to compete in the new District 2 Wrestling All-Star Classic on March 16 at Hanover Area.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/web1_Newell-4.jpg.optimal.jpgDallas’ Steven Newell and the rest of the WVC’s senior standouts are candidates to compete in the new District 2 Wrestling All-Star Classic on March 16 at Hanover Area. Ed Boardman | For Times Leader

By Dave Rosengrant

For Times Leader