Connect with us

Wrestling

Column: Good, but not great, state tourney should spark locals from CM

Maybe it’s a product of the recent success the Ches-Mont League has had on the mats, but this year’s PIAA tournament felt a little underwhelming, at least locally.

Sure, the Ches-Mont placed a record-total six medalists. The highest to climb the podium were from Delco, with Hunter Catka (285 pounds) winning his second state title and Ryan Catka (195) taking third for Sun Valley.

Locally, a quartet survived the meat grinder that is the Pennsylvania state wrestling tournament, but there could have been more.

First, let’s start with the good. Downingtown West’s Chase Mielnik (fourth at 220), Max Hale (fifth, 182), Coatesville’s Nate Lucier (sixth, 120) and West Chester Henderson’s Sammy McMonagle (seventh, 126) accomplished something that 12 other wrestlers in each of their brackets would’ve loved to have done.

Downingtown West’s Chase Mielnik hugs his dad, Pete Mielnik, after clinching his first state medal. The Whippet senior took fourth at 220 pounds. (Nate Heckenberger – For MediaNews Group)

Winning a medal in this state is a feat that should be revered, and as time goes by, the hindsight of such achievements tends to dissolve any feelings of discontent with one’s spot on the podium.

It wasn’t long ago when it felt like a heroic, underdog triumph when an area wrestler reached the state semifinals, let alone contended for a title. 

Heck, my first year of covering wrestling in 2006, no one from the Ches-Mont placed, and a year later, Downingtown West’s Pat May was Wrestler of the Year after taking eighth.

Kennett’s Trent Kochersperger made his first trip to states, as a junior, but was two wins shy of a medal. (Nate Heckenberger – For MediaNews Group)

Times have changed, and the Ches-Mont has produced four state champions — Coatesville’s Mike Boykin (220), West’s Doug Zapf (106) and Catka (twice) — since 2014, with another pair of runner-ups. 

The league’s 16 medals the past three seasons are as much as it had in the seven years prior.

The flip side of that, is now the bar has been raised, and it was never higher than when seven from the Ches-Mont won Southeast Regional titles, and two finished second, a little over a week ago. 

There were chances to really capitalize, this weekend, and outside of Church Farm’s Emmanuel Lawal, who reached the Class 2A state finals at 285 pounds after placing third at regionals, many of the 15-man contingent left thinking, “what if?”

Church Farm’s Emmanuel Lawal rides out Meyersdale’s Jalen Stephens for a 1-0 win in the 285-pound semifinal. (Nate Heckenberger – For MediaNews Group)

The difference between those who do or don’t place at states is razor thin sometimes.

What if Downingtown East’s Keanu Manuel (106) was the one who came up with the takedown in sudden victory against Greater Latrobe’s Vinnie Kilkeary, who went to win the state title. 

What if Henderson’s Killian Delaney (120) could’ve found the offense to get past Carlisle’s Rafael Portilla in overtime of his blood round bout?

What if Kennett’s Trent Kochersperger (132) could’ve finished one of his numerous shots against Red Land’s very defensive Bryce Brennan in the first round?

Downingtown East’s Keanu Manuel lays, distraught, after being eliminated by Northampton’s Carson Wagner, in the blood round. (Nate Heckenberger – For MediaNews Group)

What ifs don’t do anyone much good when dwelled upon, but they can ignite motivation for the future. That’s my hope for those who were disappointed with this year’s tournament, that this experience is a setup for the redemptive part of the story they tell, one day.

I’d be lying if I told you I don’t feel for the kids who don’t win, having seen them work so hard, cut so much weight, sacrifice so much during the season. 

Eight medals graduate with this senior class, ten if you count former Unionville wrestler, Tyler Mousaw. 

The flame on the torch swells more now because of these seniors, and those returning next year should have ample fuel in the motivational tanks to keep it blazing.

For Manuel and teammates Ryan Loraw (113) and Matt Romanelli (170) and Oxford’s Cannon Hershey (106), Downingtown West’s Dom Findora (113), Lucier, West Chester Rustin’s Jimmy King (120) and Alex Pratzner (145), McMonagle and Kochersperger, this trip to Hershey does not have to define their careers. 

Oxford’s Cannon Hershey qualified for states for the first time as a sophomore. (Nate Heckenberger – For MediaNews Group)

As brutal as this sport can be, an occasional devourer of dreams, the prospect of overcoming has to outweigh the notion of relenting. 

Twelve, fifteen years ago, if a Ches-Mont wrestler whiffed on a goal, nobody blinked. That was the norm. The stakes have been raised in Chester County, and that’s a good thing.

It’s good that it hurts. It should. 

Eat a burger. Scratch that, eat a few burgers. 

Get back on the horse and get better. Because as bad it may have felt whenever one’s season ended, it’ll feel that much more rewarding when it all pays off.

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