PITTSBURGH, Pa.: Even Spencer Lee, winner of two Junior World Freestyle Championships and an NCAA title, gets rattled. You can’t blame him. Lee admitted Friday night that when Oklahoma State’s Nick Piccininni stuck him in a dual meet a month ago, it was tough to get over. Of course, it’s the first time he had [...]
PITTSBURGH, Pa.: Lehigh’s Jordan Wood didn’t complain about the injury he suffered in last year’s NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. Most would have, especially considering the circumstances. Not Wood, that’s just not in his DNA as a person. See, Wood dislocated his thumb and was forced to injury default before reaching All-American status. It was [...]
PITTSBURGH, Pa.: Michael Kemerer looked a little out of place Thursday afternoon at Pittsburgh’s PPG Paints Arena (Photo Credit Hawkeye Sports). The Iowa wrestler was standing behind the 100-level seating area. Fans were milling around before the second round of the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, and Kemerer was in street clothes. That’s not how [...]
PITTSBURGH, Pa.: Becoming an All-American wrestler isn’t just about physical stature and talent. You need a good mental game. Lock Haven’s Kyle Shoop wasn’t ready in his first two appearance in the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. Now that he is here a third time, he looks like the complete package as a competitor and [...]
Former Pittsburgh area wrestler Te'Shan Campbell advances to the NCAA Championships Round of 16 PITTSBURGH, Pa.: Te’Shan Campbell put his ankle bands on, walked to the edge of the mat, took a knee, and prayed before his opening-round match in the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. It’s a ritual for Campbell. Not only is [...]
HERSHEY, Pa.: Canon-McMillan stud Gerrit Nijenhuis knew he was on a collision course with Susquehanna Twp. star Edmond Ruth. This is the match high-school wrestling fans have been talking about since December. Ruth moving up to Class 3A, and two nationally-ranked competitors projected to meet for state gold. It was only a matter of time. [...]
HERSHEY, Pa.: Franklin Regional’s Carter Dibert knew everything he needed to about Seneca Valley’s Dylan Chappell. Not only are the two wrestlers friends, they are practice partners. That’s both good and bad when you are staring across the mat at each other with a state championship on the line at Hershey’s Giant Center. A week [...]
HERSHEY, Pa.: Mount Pleasant’s Dayton Pitzer had a modest goal when he entered his first year of high school wrestling. You really couldn’t blame him. It’s not easy being a freshman in this game, and adding the weight of more self-imposed expectations doesn’t make it any easier. Then, Pitzer changed his mind. He was putting [...]
HERSHEY, Pa.: There was some obvious tension between Notre Dame-Green Pond’s Andrew Cerniglia and Pequea Valley’s Gabe Miller during the Parade of Champions Saturday afternoon at Hershey’s Giant Center. The handshake was less than cordial. Of course, it’s understandable. Miller stormed back from an early deficit and pinned Cerniglia in the Regional final a week [...]
HERSHEY, Pa.: Forest Hills is building something special in its wrestling room. Especially in the lower weight classes. That was evident during this year’s PIAA Championships at Hershey’s Giant Center. And the leader of the Rangers pack was Jackson Arrington. The Rangers freshman avenged an early-season loss to Southern Columbia freshman Kole Biscoe thanks to [...]