HERSHEY >> Spectators a year ago as Faith Christian earned its first-ever victory at the PIAA Team Wrestling Championships, the Lions’ fantastic freshmen group led the way in securing the program’s place at the top of the state Saturday afternoon.
“Last year the whole eighth grade class, 2026, we were here watching, we wanted to be out here really badly,” Faith’s Adam Waters said. “And then this year the freshman class getting to come and wrestle with the whole entire team, it felt really cool and it felt really great to get the state title.”
Faith Christian’s young and talented lineup did not need much time in the Class 2A final against Fort LeBoeuf to win the Lions’ first PIAA duals title. Faith collected pins in six of the first seven matches – Waters capping a run of five straight falls for a 39-0, clinching the match with six bouts remaining.
“It was all business today,” Waters said. “We got a tough warmup in, got on the mat, it was exciting, everyone kept the energy high. It was a good match for us.”
The Faith Christian wrestling team celebrates with Class 2A state title trophy after its win over Fort LeBoeuf 54-12 in the final at the PIAA Team Wrestling Championships on Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023 at the Giant Center in Hershey. (Mike Cabrey/MediaNews Group)
Faith went on to win all 11 bouts it wrestled in and celebrated state gold with a 54-12 victory over the Bison at the Giant Center.
“It feels amazing and we’re very thankful for this year’s group,” Faith Christian coach Ben Clymer said. “But I’ve had a lot of time this week to think about all the years and different people, some not a part of the program anymore that really went into the start, when it was not real good looking. And they still believe, they still had joy, they still sacrifice and just did a lot of things. So, yeah, it’s a huge culmination to be able to actually get to this point.
“The last few years have really concentrated effort from guys to want to be the best to attack offseason work, to find different clubs, practice partners, to just get better at their craft. It’s been awesome to see them grow. Now it’s awesome to culminate in our first title.”
The Lions – the first District 1 team to claim a state duals title since Upper Perkiomen won 3A in 2006 – have no seniors and only one junior on their roster but the large underclassmen contingent is already well versed in competing at the high level on the mat. Of Faith’s 11 wins in the final, seven were by freshmen.
Faith Christian’s Adam Waters grabs the leg of Fort LeBoeuf’s Conner McChesney during their 172-pound match in the PIAA Team Wrestling Championships Class 2A final on Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023 at the Giant Center in Hershey. (Mike Cabrey/MediaNews Group)
“I know us sophomores, we were here last year, we wrestled here for individual states, we felt the pressure,” Faith’s Chase Hontz said. “And then I know a bunch of the freshmen have been out at Fargo, Super 32 and we’re all been experienced to big arenas, big stages and we use that stage well. And I think we’re used to it even though we’re so young and I think that really helps.”
Individual postseason begins for Faith with it hosting the District 1/12-AA Championships Saturday, Feb. 15. The South East 2A Regional is March 3-4 at Bethlehem Freedom with the Lions looking to have several wrestlers back at Hershey for the PIAA Championships March 9-11 aiming to earn the program’s first gold at the tournament.
“I think we have a good chance to bring the bulk of the team which will help,” Clymer said. “And it’s nice to have this experience here as a team cause we’re just familiar with the building, having to re-warm yourself up each round, there’s a lot of positive things that the guys are logging having been out here this week.
“So we’re going to get better over the next two or three weeks and look forward to being back here individually.”
Faith Christian’s Arment Waltenbaugh looks to pin Fort LeBoeuf’s Noah Cuic during their 127-pound match in the PIAA Team Wrestling Championships Class 2A final on Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023 at the Giant Center in Hershey. (Mike Cabrey/MediaNews Group)
Saturday’s title match against Fort LeBoeuf began at 127 with Faith’s Arment Waltenbaugh getting a pin in 1:23. Mason Wagner followed at 133 with a 7-1 decision over JoJo Przybycien – who placed fourth at states in 126 last season – to put the Lions up 9-0.
“We came into today full of energy after that Notre Dame win (in the quarterfinals Friday) and we wanted to get the job done,” Hontz said. “I think our guys were amped up, went out there, got the pins and just got the job done.”
Hontz added Faith’s second pin at 139, extending the lead to 15-0 with a fall in 3:51.
“I was working the points and then I was like ‘I want to get this stick for the team, it would get us fired up,'” said Hontz, who is now 29-9 on the season. “And I got pretty hungry for it towards the end of the match and that’s sort of how I was thinking through that.”
Faith Christian’s Chase Hontz on top of Fort LeBoeuf’s Blake Glass during their 139-pound match in the PIAA Team Wrestling Champioships 2A final on Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023 at the Giant Center in Hershey. (Mike Cabrey/MediaNews Group)
Pins by Max Stein (145, 0:48), Cael Weidemoyer (152, 1:45) and Luke Sugalski (160, 1:19) had the Lions ahead 33-0 and gave Waters a chance to seal the win at 172 with a bonus-point victory. He provided six with his pin at 3:54.
“When the guy before you gets a pin you want to get a pin even more,” said Waters, who improved to 34-1. “And it’s exciting to be the next guy after a pin.”
A Jason Singer 5-1 decision at 189 made it 42-0 before a forfeit put Fort LeBoeuf on the scoreboard. But Mark Effendian’s 5-1 decision at 285 then a 15-0 technical fall by Kole Davidheiser in 5:04 at 107 had the Lions up 50-6.
“That’s the way they’re wired even in all the matches this weekend,” said Clymer, in his ninth season with Faith. “They want to stalk, they want to impose their will and when they know that fight’s not really coming back, they find it out quickly in that first five, 10 seconds. And if you make the mistake in not punching back and really scrapping, they’re going to get you. And that’s what was on display.
“I thought there was tremendous focus and gratitude for being in the state finals, we weren’t going to take it lightly and they beat ‘em down, man it was good.”
Faith Christian’s Gauge Botero in control of Fort LeBoeuf’s Jake Bennett during their 121-pound match in the PIAA Team Wrestling Championships Class 2A final on Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023 at the Giant Center in Hershey. (Mike Cabrey/MediaNews Group)
After another Fort LeBoeuf forfeit win, Gauge Botero capped the match with an 8-0 major decision at 121.
“We’re happy,” Hontz said. “We worked really hard in the room every day, day-in and day-out. Some days it can be tough, but we come in and we had one goal and that was team state champs. And that’s what we worked for and we got it done.”
