HERSHEY >> Like the 1980 US men’s hockey team, when it knocked off the Soviet Union, the job for Faith Christian Academy is not finished.
In this instance, the Lions needed two more wins after getting past Notre Dame Green Pond, 28-26, in the Class 2A PIAA Duals quarterfinals.
Faith, ranked No. 1 in the state by PA Power Rankings, drew the No. 2 Crusaders in the afternoon, Friday, and then took out Berks Catholic, 40-15, in the evening’s semifinals at the Giant Center in Hershey.
The Lions will wrestle for the state championship against Fort LeBoeuf, Saturday at 1 p.m.
Faith Christian Academy’s Adam Waters celebrates a pin against Notre Dame Green Pond. (Nate Heckenberger – For MediaNews Group)
“If you want to be a champion you have to be at your best late,” Faith coach Ben Clymer said after the Notre Dame win. “That’s how we want to continue building our mindset. Quite honestly that match I think we struggled to breathe sometimes. Now that that’s done, guys will really let loose and I really think that’ll be a positive thing.”
Against Notre Dame, Faith made moves right from the jump, bumping Cael Weidemoyer to 160 pounds, where he won a decision. Adam Waters (172 pounds) pinned, and following a loss by technical fall at 189, the Lions got another decision from Mark Effendian (215).
From there, the Crusaders went on a mini-run, thanks to a pair of forfeits by Faith and an upset loss at 107. Faith’s Kole Davidheiser (107) gave up three near-fall points when he thought he had managed a reversal, but the call was not made and Tanner Berkenstock ended up snagging a 7-6 win.
Faith Christian Academy’s Mason Wagner controls Notre Dame Green Pond’s Tanner McQueen in a 3-0 win. (Nate Heckenberger – For MediaNews Group)
“We’re building up our teammates all the time, win, lose or draw,” Faith sophomore Max Stein said. “We have a saying at school, ‘even if,’ so even if our 107 lost, who cares, we have to win the next one and the next one and get the job done.”
Wins by Gauge Botero (121), Arment Waltenbaugh (127) and Mason Wagner (133) gave the Lions a five-point lead, but Notre Dame stole it back with a pair of decisions. That left the match in the hands of Stein, who got the job done with an in-control 4-2 win.
Faith Christian Academy’s Max Stein. (Nate Heckenberger – For MediaNews Group)
“It’s really special,” Stein said. “It was definitely a team effort. Everybody stepped up and bumped around and I knew I had to get my job done.”
In the semis, Berks led 15-7 after five, but the Lions won the final nine bouts to run away with it and get within one win of claiming their first state championship.
“We’re keeping our training in our minds and we know we can do it,” Stein said. “We’ve been thinking about being state champs and we know we can be.”
Faith Christian Academy’s Gauge Botero nears a fall against Notre Dame Green Pond. (Nate Heckenberger – For MediaNews Group)
Pennridge bounced back from a disappointing loss on day one to upend Cumberland Valley, 35-33, and then Spring-Ford in a District 1-3A Duals finals rematch, 30-21. The Rams will wrestle Central Dauphin Saturday at 9 a.m.
“It’s huge for this group,” Pennridge coach Brian Kuhns said. “We told them last night, good teams overcome adversity. You never know how a team is going to bounce back, but I’m so happy for this group. It’s been a year of firsts. First district title, first time here in Hershey and now first win in Hershey. It feels like we’re in a good spot right now.”
Pennridge’s Chase Washington. (Nate Heckenberger – For MediaNews Group)
Much like Thursday night’s loss to Hempfield, the Cumberland Valley dual swung around 107 pounds. This time, though, Pennridge benefited.
Up 19-15 with six bouts to go, Pennridge accepted a forfeit at 107 and Cumberland Valley bumped one of its stars, Phil Montes, to 114. The Rams sent out Cole Coffin, who led most of the match before pinning him in the third period.
“I don’t know what their game plan was but I just went out and got to my attacks and got the cradle,” Coffin said.
Pennridge’s Cole Coffin secures a takedown against Cumberland Valley’s Phil Montes. (Nate Heckenberger – For MediaNews Group)
Kuhns echoed Coffin’s confusion.
“I was really shocked,” Kuhns said. “We were excited to get Colby out there and get that bad taste out of his mouth, but that didn’t happen but it worked out in our favor.”
Pennridge’s Talan Hogan uses a cradle for a pin against Cumberland Valley. (Nate Heckenberger – For MediaNews Group)
In the second round of consolations, Pennridge beat Spring-Ford for the second time in a week.
Talan Hogan (172), Ryan Rowe (189), Chase Washington (215), Riley Cullen (285) and Colby Martinelli (107) built up a 21-3 lead after six, and wins by Quinn McBride (121) and Sam Kuhns (139) clinched it with two to go.
Pennridge’s Ryan Gallagher. (Nate Heckenberger – For MediaNews Group)
La Salle College was eliminated after a 29-22 loss to Delaware Valley. Matt Wiley (152), Cormac Morrissey (160), Dylan Clair (172), Jackson Hersh (107), Dominic Parenti (121) and Noah Ruibal (139) picked up wins for the Explorers.
“We wrestled Del Val a couple years ago in the COVID year and had to take a bus up their way,” La Salle coach Ben Courtney said. “You can look up the results, they were pretty ugly. To be here, wrestling some matches at the Giant Center, and to keep (Del Val) within one match, it shows how hard our guys are working to get better.”
