Quakertown’s Collin Gaj came into his high school wrestling career looking to end each season at the top of the podium four times at the PIAA Championships.
But that goal was dashed with a loss in the 2021 132-pound state quarterfinals and Gaj finishing his freshman campaign with a four-place finish.
Gaj, however, stayed positive and adjusted his sights on claiming three golds during his time as a Panthers.
“It definitely crosses my mind that’s something I’ll never have that people do have on me,” said Gaj at the South East 3A Regional Championships. “But not a lot of people have three. So that’s just a lot of times in life you don’t get what you want whether it’s wrestling or just work or school. You just got to kind of learn to adapt and move on.”
Quakertown’s Collin Gaj won the Class 3A 145-pound State Championship Saturday night
Gaj is a third of the way to completing his new task after a brilliant performance as a sophomore, the 2022-2023 The Reporter/Times Herald/Montgomery Media Wrestling Athlete of the Year completing an undefeated season with the state title at 145 pounds.
“My goal one in high school was to be a four-time state champ but last year goals do get crushed sometimes and that’s all right,” said Gaj after claiming the regional title. “But sometimes you just have to look at next best thing and that’s three state championships so that’s the plan.”
Gaj posted a record of 49-0, was named Most Outstanding Wrestler at both the District 1-3A East and South East Regional tournament then became the first Quakertown wrestler since 2005 – and fourth in program history – to win a state title when he bested two-time PIAA champ Mac Church of Waynesburg Central in the 145 final by a 7-1 decision.
“Mac Church is a great competitor, and I wish him all the best at Virginia Tech,” said Gaj to papreplive.com after the final. “But this is the kind of match I wanted, and wanted to win. I want to be the best, and to be the best you’ve got to beat the best.”
Quakertown’s Collin Gaj. (Nate Heckenberger – For MediaNews Group)
Along with his individual success, Gaj – 94-7 in his high school career – helped Quakertown win the Suburban One League Liberty Division title, take first at the South East Regional and tie for sixth place at the PIAA Championships. The Panthers also were third at District 1-3A East and took first at District 1-3A Duals to qualify for the state team tournament
Gaj claimed the 145-pound title at Wilke-Barre Area’s X-Calibur tournament with a 5-2 decision over Ryan Ford of Bergen Catholic (N.J.) on Dec. 18. He then took first at the Bethlehem Holiday Wrestling Classic, earning wins via pin the first three rounds before besting Emmaus’ Marco Albanese by 14-4 major decision in the 145 final Dec. 29.
At the Escape the Rock tournament in January, a pin then two decisions advanced Gaj to the 145 final where he defeated Julian George of Christian Brothers Academy (N.J.) by a 6-2 decision.
Gaj started the individual postseason earning Most Outstanding Wrestler at the District 1-3A East Tournament, claiming his second district title by pinning Neshaminy’s Beknazar Baiyshbekov in 1:16 in the final.
Quakertown’s Collin Gaj has his hand raised after his 18-8 major decison over Sun Valley’s Brandon Carr in the 145-pound final at the South East 3A Regional Tournament on Saturday, March 4, 2023 at Souderton. (Mike Cabrey/MediaNews Group)
Another Most Outstanding Wrestling award came a week later at the South East Regional, Gaj pinning his first three opponents to capture a second regional gold with an 18-8 major decision in the final over Sun Valley’s Brandon Carr.
“When you have success it’s easy not to change stuff. When things are going great you don’t really change a lot, when you’re losing you start rethinking everything,” said Gaj after winning the regional title. “I like to keep everything pretty consistent with my diet, my training, my headspace, my sleep, just throughout the season whether we have a match Wednesday we train right through the match, don’t really take it too lightly because at the end of the day you’re working for this postseason.
One of six Quakertown wrestlers to qualify for the PIAA-3A Championships, Gaj began his run at Hershey with a 5-1 decision of Bethlehem Catholic’s Charlie Scanlan then in the quarterfinals earned an 11-2 major decision over Nico Taddy of West Allegheny.
Facing Central Dauphin’s Matt Repos – who placed second at 132 in 2021 – for a spot in the state final, Gaj built a 4-1 lead then held for a 5-3 victory.
Against Church, a Virginia Tech commit making his fourth PIAA final – having won as a freshman at 106 in 2020 and a junior at 132 in 2022 – Gaj went up 3-1 then collected a takedown late in the third period to secure the state title with a 5-1 decision.
