The 1A/2A West Regional championships continue to be the top qualifying tournament in the state. There are no weak wrestlers and there are no easy matches. If a wrestler makes it to states after competing in this regional event, he has definitely earned the spot. Saturday was a day filled with great wrestling, and a few surprises.
Freshman Devan Hamrick was in one of the toughest weight classes we have ever seen at regionals. After losing Friday's quarter final match, Devan would face a Middletown wrestler who was able to win an earlier season match. Unfortunately, the result was similar this time around. Devan lost a close decision to Grossnickle and was eliminated from the tournament, ending a great freshman season.
Junior Austin Shaffer competed in the 113 pound class and was the top seeded wrestler. Austin easily won his semi final match in the morning session to earn his spot in the finals. Austin dominated the Manchester Valley wrestler on Saturday morning. In Saturday evening's finals, Austin was set to face Tim Nordan from Catoctin High School. Nordan is a senior with an impressive record. He also had no trouble earning his spot in the finals, pinning both of his opponents in the first period. The finals began at the 285 pound class and proceeded down from there. Austin's final match would be the second to last of the evening. We got to enjoy great wrestling while we waited for the 113 finals.
The match began slower than normal for Austin as both wrestlers were testing the waters. In a flurry of action, Nordan scored the first takedown and began his ride. As the period was coming to a close, Austin was able to score a reversal and ride out the clock, with the score 2-2. In the second, Nordan chose bottom and was able to earn a reversal and we felt the match slipping away. He was very strong on top and Austin was not able to escape and the second period ended 4-2. Shaffer chose neutral in the third and it was all Nordan who dominated the final period to earn the regional championship victory. Most people believe these two will meet in the state finals next Saturday evening and Shaffer has 6 days to prepare.
Junior Tanner Massey had a great weekend at 138. On Friday, he defeated a tough kid from Brunswick to earn a spot in the semis. During Saturday morning's semi finals, Tanner was caught early and gave up too many points and was unable to recover, losing the match and dropping to the consolation bracket. His next match was against Shoop from Williamsport and it was in the round know as the "qualification round". Win and you qualify for states, lose and your season is over. Shoop had defeated Massey earlier in the season and it looked like that would happen again. Tanner was down 4-0 heading into the third period and we chose neutral. Everyone knew something big had to happen or the match (and his season) was over. Massey came out aggressive and during a flurry of action was able to throw Shoop to his back and earn the win by pin, earning his place in the state tournament.
In his final match of the day fighting for third place, Massey faced a highly seeded Oakldale wrestler. The match was close and exciting throughout. Near the end of the third period, Tanner scored a reversal and took a 2 point lead with time running down. Unfortunately, Tanner got a little too excited and made a mistake, allowing the Oakdale wrestler to tie the score at the end of regulation, forcing overtime. In the extra session, during a wild flurry of action, Massey was taken down and lost the match by two, finishing the tournament in 4th place.
Senior co-captain Scott Cooper was entered at 195 and was looking to earn his first career trip to the state tournament. In the semis, Scott faced Austin Keadle from Williamsport. The two had not wrestled since last season. The match started as most of Scott's match do, with a lot of action. No one can accused Scoot of being a boring wrestler. In the first period, Keadle was able to score a takedown and pick up 2 quick backpoints to build a 4-0 lead. Throughout the match, Scott was able to battle to keep the match close and give him the opportunity to win in the third period. With Scott trailing 8-7 time running out, he got in on a deep shot and it looked like he would be able to finish the move and score the winning takedown, but at the last moment, Keadle countered and scored a takedown of his own with Scott ending on his back. Keadle won 13-7 and Cooper dropped to the consolations.
In the "qualification round", Cooper faced an Oakdale wrestler for his chance to earn his spot at Cole Fieldhouse next week. Scott had no trouble at all, winning by major decision in that round and secured his place at states. In his final match of regionals, Scott wrestled Randall for Winters Mill, a kid he pinned earlier in the season. The result was the same on Saturday, Cooper pick up the win by pin at the end of the first period to finish up in third place.
The team placed 11th at the regional tournament this weekend and have qualified three wrestlers for states. Wrestling starts at 2:30 next Friday at Cole Fieldhouse in College Park.
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