There was a moment early in Topher Tryon’s match with Pennridge’s Ryan Gallagher where things could have really gone wrong for the Unionville senior.
Gallagher locked his arms around Tryon’s upper back, setting up a potential big move. Tryon wavered for a moment before reaching back and throwing the headlock of his life.
Tryon, like many seniors, desperately wanted to end his career in Hershey, at the state tournament. When he cradled and pinned Gallagher in the second period of the Class 3A Southeast Regional fifth-place match, he gave himself the same thing 14 other local qualifiers have this week: a shot.
Conestoga’s Hayden McLellan. (Nate Heckenberger – For MediaNews Group)
The PIAA Championships start Thursday and those who wrestle on Saturday will go home with a state medal around their necks. The Class 2A tournament kicks off at 9 a.m., Thursday, at the Giant Center in Hershey. Former Church Farm wrestler, Sebastian Chiesa (121 pounds), now at Northwestern, will compete there.
Class 3A action commences at 4 p.m. The preliminaries, first round and first round of consolations will be completed Thursday. The top eight from the 20-man brackets will reach the podium, Saturday.
Oxford’s regional runner-up, Austin McMillan put into words the mentality he’ll have this week.
“I’m going in guns-blazing,” McMillan said. “I’m gonna give the best I got. It’s my last wrestling tournament in high school, so I’m excited for the wrestling to come.”
Here’s a look at all 15 locals’ draws, with state rankings from PA Power Wrestling.
Coatesville’s Andrij Szczesniuk. (Nate Heckenberger – For MediaNews Group)
Coatesville’s No. 22 Andrij Szczesniuk opens in the pigtails against Erie Cathedral Prep’s No. 27, Keegan Oler. Returning state medalist, No. 4 Dean Houser of Daniel Boone, would follow.
Kennett’s Zack Jaffe. (Nate Heckenberger – For MediaNews Group)
The first of six qualifiers from Kennett is No. 23 Zack Jaffe (121), and he starts in a pigtail against Hazleton sophomore, No. 29 Simon Zamudio. The winner gets former state runner-up and top seed, No. 1 Cael Nasdeo of Williamsport.
Fellow Kennett freshman, No. 13 Blake Boyer (127), gets Easton’s No. 12 Ben Fanelli first. Fanelli won their first matchup, 3-1, in sudden victory. Next would be top-seeded and two-time state champ, No. 1 Vinny Kilkeary of Latrobe.
Conestoga’s Miles Warkentine. (Nate Heckenberger – For MediaNews Group)
Conestoga’s No. 25 Miles Warkentine (127) earned fifth-place and has a tough pigtail against Central Dauphin’s returning state qualifier, No. 9 Liam Flanagan. Kilkeary would be next.
West Chester Henderson’s Carmen Cortese. (Nate Heckenberger – For MediaNews Group)
West Chester Henderson’s No. 8 Carmen Cortese (133) gets his third shot at a state medal, beginning with Northern York’s No. 10 Rocco Fratelli. Nazareth’s No. 4 Charlie Bunting would likely be waiting in quarterfinals.
Kennett’s Kane Lengel. (Nate Heckenberger – For MediaNews Group)
Kennett’s No. 24 Kane Lengel (133) opens his first trip against last year’s state runner-up, No. 3 Ethan Lebin of Hempfield, who is one of four returning state medalists on Lengel’s side of the bracket.
Oxford’s Austin McMillan
Seventeenth-ranked McMillan (139) drew Gettysburg’s No. 11 Gabe Pecaitis, first, for a likely shot at Bethlehem Catholic’s No. 1 Kollin Rath.
WC East’s Max Parnis. (Nate Heckenberger – For MediaNews Group)
West Chester East’s No. 9 Max Parnis (145) starts his second voyage in a pigtail against North Allegheny’s No. 22 Jayson Flener. State College’s No. 4 Asher Cunningham, an eighth-place medalist as a freshman, is next.
Kennett’s Josh Barlow. (Nate Heckenberger – For MediaNews Group)
The top two ranked kids are from the Southwest region, and Kennett’s No. 10 Josh Barlow (160) gets returning state champion, No. 2 Dylan Evans of Chartiers Valley, who is the SW runner-up. Barlow may have to do his work in the consolation bracket, and there is a path to the blood round.
Unionville’s Topher Tryon (Nate Heckenberger – For MediaNews Group)
Sixteenth-ranked Tryon’s (160) first foe is Easton’s Nolan Krazer, in the pigtails, with Council Rock No. 5 South’s Bekhruz Sadriddinov on deck.
Conestoga’s Hayden McLellan. (Nate Heckenberger – For MediaNews Group)
Thirteenth-ranked Hayden McLellan (172) was the lone regional champ from the area and Conestoga’s first since 2008. He’ll likely get Becahi’s No. 7 Luke Thomas, from the pigtail round. The winner gets either Wilson (West Lawn’s) No. 10 Blaise Eidle or State College’s No. 19 Carter Wavering.
Conestoga’s Jake Allred. (Nate Heckenberger – For MediaNews Group)
Conestoga’s third qualifier, No. 17 Jake Allred (189), gets a fellow second-time state qualifier and regional runner-up, No. 5 Brody Evans of Waynesburg Central. With a win, Jersey Shore’s third-place state medalist, No. 2 Hadyn Packer, would likely be next.
Oxford’s Jeremy McKinney. (Nate Heckenberger – For MediaNews Group)
Oxford’s No. 22 Jeremy McKinney (189) has a pigtail against Ringgold sophomore, No. 9 Jake Conroy, with top-seeded No. 1 Tucker Hogan of Daniel Boone waiting.
Kennett’s John Pardo. (Nate Heckenberger – For MediaNews Group)
Kennett’s No. 7 John Pardo (215) reached the blood round in Hershey as a sophomore and draws Northwest champ, No. 14 Mason Rebuck, who is making his state debut, as a senior. Next would likely be Waynesburg Central’s No. 4 Eli Makel.
Kennett’s Bailey Shindle. (Nate Heckenberger – For MediaNews Group)
Like Pardo, Kennett’s No. 12 Bailey Shindle (285) has a path to the podium with a first-round win. Shindle has La Salle College’s No. 16 Andrew Brennan first, with Carlisle’s three-time state qualifier, No. 3 Layton Schmick, likely next.
