Derry Township, Dauphin County – Saturday is the day, that every wrestler in Pennsylvania dreams about. The final day of the PIAA state tournament. You want to be on the center mat at the Giant Center because that means your are wrestling for gold in the toughest high school tournament in the country.
What a scene at the giant center, this event so big it is streamed world wide .
Biglerville's Levi Haines, got the action started at 106 in the "AA" session. The freshman ran out of real estate down as he tried to secure a late take down. A tough 5-4 decision loss, as he claims the silver medal.
At 126 pounds, Bishop McDevitt's Chase Shields was fired up for his bout. In the second period, Chase was able to take the lead with an escape but Brock McMillen of Glendale answered with a take down barely on the edge, and he would hold on for the 3-2 decision as the senior Shields takes home second place.
Pequea Valley's Gabe Miller came in undefeated on the year 43-0 at 145. The four time state qualifier faced one of the top wrestlers out of the eastern half of the state in Andrew Cerniglia in the final. Cerniglia scored quick off the whistle and never looked back. Miller doesn't get to 44-0 but a silver medal will propel him into his college career at the University of Pennsylvania.
In "AAA" the crowd was fired up for the 160 pound match-up between Lower Dauphin's Clayton Ulrey and Mifflin County's Trey Kibe. These two would trade take downs, but the third period Kibe was able to gain the upper hand as he claimed gold with a decision.
An all District III final took place at 195, Northern York's Kyle Swartz and Cedar Cliff's Donovon Ball. This was the fourth meeting between these two rivals this year. The familiarity showed, as they traded take down after take down. Ball was able to secure a two with 15 seconds left in the third to force extra time. In the extra period as time was winding down, Swartz was able to secure the winning two as the horn sounds to claim a state title.
