KENNETT SQUARE >> Thursday was supposed to be a celebration unlike any the Jaffe family had ever experienced.
With the first PIAA girls wrestling championships taking place, history is being made, and it will be the first time Kennett senior Haylie Jaffe and sophomore Zack Jaffe compete at states together at the Giant Center.
It was meant to be a family crescendo, with Haylie expected to win her first “official” championship, while Zack fought for his first state medal.
Tragically their father, Josh Jaffe, passed away after a heart attack just six days before what surely would’ve been one of his proudest moments. And for Haylie and Zack, it left little time to come to grips with their new reality, all while readying themselves to compete on the big stage.
“I know it’s probably going to hit me hard but I’ve been preparing for my opponent I’m probably going to see in the finals and have been for the past month or two,” Haylie said. “I know my father really would’ve wanted me to go out and wrestle my best for him so that’s what I’m going to do this weekend.”
Haylie has won three girls state titles, but none were sanctioned by the PIAA. When girls wrestling became a varsity sport in Pennsylvania last offseason, her goal immediately became winning a PIAA championship.
The girls tournament will start Thursday at 2 p.m., with the first round of action. That’ll be sandwiched by the Class 2A boys tournament, which kicks off at 9 a.m., with the preliminaries, first round and first round of consolations. The Class 3A boys tournament commences at 4 p.m., with the same rounds as 2A.
Haylie (136 pounds) has yet to compete without her father, while Zack (127) managed to qualify for states last weekend, after 36 of the most stressful and painful hours of his life.
“That’s why I stepped on the mat this weekend, because I wanted to honor my dad,” said Zack. “Even though every single point was hard for me to get this weekend. I could barely move my feet, but I just wrestled for him.”
During such a tough time, the Jaffe siblings will hardly be alone. They’re two of seven Blue Demons who qualified for the two tournaments and any cliche of sports teams being a family have taken on a whole new meaning.
“It hard for a lot of us,” Kennett sophomore Blake Boyer said. “All six of (the boys) were really close to big Jaffe so it hit us hard, too. Just trying to get over the mental block and focusing on wrestling and after wrestling, being there for whatever they need.”
Naturally that will look different for everyone. There is certainly no handbook for navigating trauma as a teenager, but existing in a sport where everyone understands the amount of literal blood, sweat and tears that are demanded breeds a special kind of brotherhood.
After Zack’s semifinal loss to Pennridge’s Quinn McBride in Saturday’s 3A Southeast Regional tournament, the two embraced while the crowd stood and gave an ovation. Zack said McBride even went in a back hallway and prayed with him and encouraged him to do his best.
Later, when Zack defeated Quakertown’s Isaac Williams to clinch his second trip to states, all the emotions finally overwhelmed as he thought of the man who was so pivotal in him getting there.
“When I think of my dad I think of a family man,” Zack said. “Someone who always took care of me and my sister. He loved me and Haylie deeply. He did everything he could for us. He was a single father for many years and I’m sure it was hard on him but his main focus was me and her.”
Haylie and Zack have had minimal contact with their mother since they were toddlers, and relied on Josh to get them where he knew they could be.
“I’m so grateful that he was in my life and that he made me the person I am today,” Hailey said. “I would not be the person I am without him.”
No matter how hard it will be, the duo knows the mission remains the same.
“For me it’s still the same goals but with more motivation because I know that’s what he would’ve wanted,” Haylie said. “I think I’ll be locked in. Of course my dad is always in the back of my mind, but I’m only going to use that for fuel and motivation to make him proud.”
The Jaffes won’t be the only siblings heading to states from the Ches-Mont League. Kennett’s Bryce (107) and Blake (139) Boyer, Avon Grove’s Emma (130) and Kaitlynn (155) Arnold, and Jameson (142) and Brecken (133) Strickland giving Sun Valley will also be there.
Also competing for Kennett are Kane Lengel (145), Michael Pepe (160) and John Pardo (285), who’s the lone returning state medalist from the league, taking third as a junior.
Avon Grove also has Christian Ford (133) and Jagger Vitelli (189) competing on the boys’ side.
Downingtown West is sending five. Chase Sigle (114), Jordan Barry (145) and Troy Mack (215) will compete in the boys tournament while Sarah Pearson (130) and Sienna Landrum (142) are with the girls.
Coatesville’s Andrij Szczesniuk (121) and Gabriellę Costa (136) arę headed to Hershey, as are Downingtown East’s Felix Mason (215) and Adham Abouraya (285).
Conestoga’s Miles Warkentine (127), Oxford’s Jon Smith (160) and Unionville’s Brady Kelly (215) will also compete.
Having the girls tournament squeezed in to an already-tight three day window will undoubtedly evoke reactions on both sides, but make no mistake, it is a momentous occurrence, especially to those girls who’ve waited for a postseason of their own.
“It means a lot,” said Kaitlynn Arnold, with tears in her eyes after the regional tournament. “We worked our butts off wrestling with the guys. It really proves that even though we got our butts kicked by the guys, it’s important to still show up and not quit. I owe a big thanks to all our coaches and all the guys for pushing us because if not for them we wouldn’t be here.”
