Connect with us

Wrestling

Pope John Paul II’s Collins making history at states

HERSHEY — He’s making more and more history every time he steps on a wrestling mat.

But before the weekend is over, Michael Collins is bent on bringing his high school career to a monumental end.

In his first two matches Friday, Collins further cemented his place atop the Pope John Paul II program’s record books. Winning both — albeit under different circumstances — the senior 182-pounder achieved more greatness during the PIAA Championships’ Class AA action at the Giant Center.

A third-period pin of Cambridge Springs’ Hunter Cox made Collins, the program’s first state-level qualifier, the first to win a match at this level. And a close decision of E.L. Meyers’ T.J. Cistrunk insured Collins will have a medal to bring home from Hershey.

A bronze one, quite possibly. With his 3-2 decision of Jefferson Morgan’s Bill Bowlen during the AA evening session, the Golden Panther senior (34-3) will wrestle for third place Saturday against Bermudian Springs’ Colton Dull.

“Placing at states … that was my goal,’ Collins said.

That accomplishment did not come without some drama in the early going. Collins wrestled Cistrunk (32-6) through a scoreless first period, then went up by a 3-1 count in the second.

The score stayed that way through a contentious third period, neither wrestler able to alter the score. Collins had an injury stoppage with about 30 seconds remaining, but he overcame it to secure a spot in the medal round.

“When the match was on the line,’ he said, ” … once I had the (second-period) escape, I knew I had the match. I knew I could beat him on my feet.’

Following Collins’ Thursday opener with Bowlen — a 4-3 loss to the Southwest second seed — PJP assistant coach Selden Staples scoped out bouts involving Cox and Cistrunk. Staples’ expressed confidence in his ability to win against both wrestlers went a long way toward Collins’ mental focus for Friday.

“The coaches’ input is everything to me,’ he said. “It’s really nice to have coaches who care.’

“I think, watching all the guys, we knew what was going to work,’ PJP head coach Jared Every added. “We had plans in place.’

Collins was in complete control of his bout with Cox (34-14), the fourth seed from the Norwest Region. He scored a first-period takedown, reversed Cox from a second-period bottom start and went on to build a 13-point lead heading into the third.

“I just went out and wrestled,’ Collins said. “I just put my mind to it.’

Collins needed only 36 seconds in the third frame to get the slap on Cox, using a cradle to get the history-making state-level win.

“I thought it was a pretty good match,’ Every said. “When he pins in a dominating performance like that, it gets his confidence up.’

Collins’ next opponent was Lehighton’s Connor Frey. Their fourth-round consolation bout went into overtime — that after he forced a 1-1 tie with his escape off the bottom to start the third period — before Collins executed a double-leg takedown with 31 seconds left for his margin of victory.

That set Collins up for a rematch with Bowlen, who was nipped by Franklin’s Dakota Geer in their semifinal 1-0. They wrestled all even through the first two periods, going into the third with a 2-2 score.

But an escape from the bottom with 1:08 left in the bout gave Collins his margin of victory … one he protected through their foot-fighting the rest of the way.

“I was more aggressive this time, not as timid,’ he said. “The second time against him, I knew what to expect.

“This is great. The weekend was completely beyond what I could have imagined. It doesn’t get better than this.’

Short of the highest-possible medal, that is.

“He’s far from done,’ Every said. “We’re excited for him, and very proud.’

NOTES: Collins and the rest of the Class AA medal qualifiers will be back in action Saturday with finals at 2 p.m. The Parade of Champions will precede the bouts at 1:45 p.m.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

More in Wrestling

situs slot gacor provider terbaik agen toto slot terpercaya 2023 agen toto togel terpercaya 2023 situs toto togel pasaran resmi terbaik bandar toto macau pasaran resmi toto togel bandar toto slot gacor 4d 2023 bo togel online pasaran terlengkap sepanjang masa bo toto slot terlengkap sepanjang masa situs toto togel 2023 bet 100 perak daftar toto slot dan toto togel 2023 bermain toto togel dengan bet hanya 100 perak daftar toto slot bonus new member terpercaya bermain toto slot pelayanan 24 jam nonstop situs toto togel terpercaya situs toto togel online terbaik winsortoto winsortoto winsortoto winsortoto winsortoto winsortoto unsurtoto unsurtoto unsurtoto winsortoto winsortoto winsortoto rasa4d rasa4d rasa4d gampangtoto gampangtoto gampangtoto winsortoto unsurtoto gampangtoto rasa4d bungtoto bandar toto togel terbesar hadiah 4d 10 juta daftar winsortoto situs toto terbaik winsortoto situs toto slot gacor dengan toto togel terbaik winsortoto situs toto terpercaya bet 100 perak winsortoto agen toto togel dan situs toto slot 4d winsortoto situs toto togel online deposit 10rb winsortoto situs toto togel online resmi hadiah 4d 10 juta winsortoto agen toto togel online terpercaya winsortoto agen toto slot dan situs toto togel resmi winsortoto situs toto togel 4d terpercaya winsortoto bandar toto togel dan toto slot winsortoto situs toto togel online resmi terbesar winsortoto situs toto togel dan agen toto slot terpercaya winsortoto situs toto terpercaya beragam bonus winsortoto situs toto terpercaya toto togel dan toto slot gacor winsortoto situs togel online dan slot online terpercaya winsortoto situs togel online hadiah terbesar winsortoto agen toto togel bonus harian terbesar winsortoto agen togel online terlengkap bet 100 perak winsortoto situs toto togel 4d dan toto slot 4d terbaik winsortoto situs toto togel dan toto slot terpercaya winsortoto bandar toto togel online terpercaya 2023 winsortoto agen toto togel 4d dan toto slot 4d winsortoto agen toto togel online banyak bonus terbesar winsortoto situs toto terpercaya bonus new member winsortoto situs togel online resmi terpercaya pasaran terlengkap winsortoto situs toto togel online 4d terpercaya situs toto togel deposit pulsa tanpa potongan winsortoto situs toto slot pasti slot gacor winsortoto situs toto slot dan toto togel hadiah terbaik winsortoto situs toto terpercaya permainan resmi dan terpercaya winsortoto situs toto resmi bonus new member 100rb tanpa potongan winsortoto toto slot gacor dan togel online resmi terpercaya winsortoto situs toto toge online terpercaya di Indonesia winsortoto toto togel online bonus new member terbesar winsortoto agen toto togel resmi hadiah 4d 10 juta terpercaya winsortoto toto togel online hadiah 4d 10 juta bet 100 winsortoto situs togel online terlengkap dan terpercaya winsortoto situs togel online resmi dan toto slot gacor winsortoto situs toto togel dan agen toto slot gacor winsortoto situs toto togel permainan toto togel dan toto slot winsortoto situs toto terpercaya bonus menarik winsortoto situs toto togel online terpercaya winsortoto bandar toto togel dan toto slot terpercaya winsortoto situs toto togel online terlengkap dan terpercaya winsortoto situs toto togel online winsortoto situs toto terpercaya togel online dan slot online resmi winsortoto situs toto dengan permainan togel 4d dan slot 4d winsortoto situs toto terpercaya permainan togel online terlengkap winsortoto situs toto togel terpercaya permainan resmi winsortoto situs toto togel resmi bet 100 perak tanpa potongan winsortoto agen toto togel dan situs toto resmi winsortoto toto togel dan toto slot terpercaya dan terbaik winsortoto unsurtoto gampangtoto bungtoto rasa4d titi4d ltdtoto bobatoto bobatoto situs toto togel slot situs bandar toto togel slot terpercaya titi4d titi4d login titi4d daftar titi4d slot titi4d togel situs titi4d titi4d login titi4d daftar titi4d titi4d togel titi4d slot situs titi4d agen titi4d bandar titi4d