Click here to subscribe today or Login.
HERSHEY — For the first time this century, and perhaps for the first time in decades, the Wyoming Valley Conference will have 15 participants in the PIAA Wrestling Championships, which begin this morning at Hershey’s Giant Center.
It’s quite an accomplishment since for the better of the last decade, the number has struggled to reach double digits. And when the eight Lackawanna League participants are added, the number of 23 is quite astonishing for District 2, which hasn’t been noted as being exactly a powerful district in the state.
The last time the WVC had numbers into the teens at the state event was in 2007 and two state champs were crowned.
“”I think getting around, working together, getting good kids on good kids during the season, preseason, practices, I think is starting to pay off,” Meyers coach Ron Swingle said.
Sure the fourth state qualifier from each Northeast Regional aided these numbers slightly, but just four of the WVC’s state qualifiers advanced by taking fourth place, and three of them were in Class 3A where powerful Bethlehem Catholic bumped up to the classification and advanced 11 grapplers to the PIAA Championships. That means the fourth-place finishers in 3A would’ve taken third regardless if Becahi had remained in Class 2A.
Speaking of Class 2A, there are seven WVC grapplers participating in states marking the most state qualifiers from the conference in the classification since it sent eight in 2003, another remarkable stat.
“You can twist that however you want to twist it, but I think the kids have been working hard this year,” Swingle added. “I think we’re getting them through because our kids did a lot of work this offseason. There’s nothing magic about getting there. Opening up another spot didn’t make it easy. You still have to win the matches, you still have to get there.”
If there is one drawback to the large numbers it is that nine of the conference’s 15 state participants are wrestling in the event for the first time. That can be good or bad.
Just look at last year for example. Three first-time state qualifiers earned medals, while four of the five other first-timers left the Giant Center without a victory.
There are more success stories of first-time state qualifiers as well. As recently as 2007, three first-time state participants reached the state finals with two of them, Hazleton Area’s Nate Eachus and Lake-Lehman’s Scott Davis, bringing home the gold.
Hazleton Area’s Chris Lasecki (113 pounds) and Derek Spachman (182), Meyers’ Colin Pasone (106) and TJ Cistrunk (182), Crestwood’s Dan Ritz (138), Wyoming Valley West’s Jimmy Wright (120), Pittston Area’s Jake Vaxmonsky (220), GAR’s Zac Faust (195) and Lake-Lehman’s RJ Driscoll (120) are all newbies to the state tournament.
On the other hand, there are scenarios all across the state where four-time state qualifiers participating in their final season go home empty-handed.
Dallas’ Ryan Monk (285) is the lone returning state medalist from a year ago, while Wyoming Area’s Charlie Johnson (126), Hazleton Area’s Jimmy Hoffman (126), Wyoming Valley West’s Cody Cordes (160), Lake-Lehman’s Derek Dragon (170) and GAR’s Saul Wilkins are all second-time state qualifiers.
It’s all about a wrestler’s mentality said Crestwood coach Gary Siegel, who will be sitting in Ritz’ corner this weekend.
“All these guys are at the same level so what it comes down to is mental toughness,” he said. “Wrestling is 80 percent mental. Even Ritzy corrected me and said ‘I think it’s 95 percent mental.’ So that’s the difference between winning and losing.”
Last year Wilkins went on a phenomenal run as a first-year wrestler in the postseason. Could this season’s version of that be Spachman? He’s already been quite a success story this postseason nearly coming out of nowhere to take third at the Class 3A Northeast Regional and reach states as the District 2 Class 3A runner-up.
A four-year wrestler, Spachman said his hard work in the offseason was key to his new-found success this season, but his coach Keith Maurer has a different view.
“He’s always been a good wrestler, I think he’s just run into some bad luck last year and the years before that,” Maurer said. “I think he knew he’s a senior and knows this is it. There’s no turning back and that motivated him.”
Wrestling not phased
There was a prediction for up to seven inches of snow in the Hershey/Harrisburg area for Wednesday night and Thursday morning, but that will not change Thursday’s schedule.
PIAA officials confirmed on Wednesday during the workout session that there will not be a delay of any sorts due to inclement weather and wrestling will begin at 9 a.m. today.
The Hershey Bears have a home game on Sunday at 5 p.m. so the Giant Center will need to be ready for that contest.