Class AA states updates

Class AA is done for the day, and it wasn't pretty for local wrestlers. Of the 19 wrestlers from The Tribune-Democrat's coverage area, only 10 survived the first day - nine are in the quarterfinals and one is still alive in the consolations.
I can't do a live chat from Hershey, but I'll list brief recaps of local wrestlers' matches. You can find updated brackets here.

Preliminary Round Recaps

106
Ligonier Valley's Justin Patrick didn't waste any time, as he pinned Tri Valley's Caleb Bordner in 1:11. Patrick scored a takedown 14 seconds in, then used an arm bar and a half-Nelson to turn Bordner. Patrick eventually settled into a deep half for the pin.

113
Good start for local guys. Josh Patrick scored two takedowns and a tilt to go along with three escapes in his 9-5 victory over a very good Joey Byers. Bedford's Ryan Easter scored a takedown with 14 seconds left in the first overtime period for a 3-1 victory over Pen Argyl's Matt Williams. Maybe Williams shouldn't have been so upset about not getting Easter in their PIAA dual meet here a couple weeks ago.

120
Nick Roberts scored a 13-2 major decision over Oley Valley's Joey Fick, but the two-time state champion wasn't pleased with his performance. He said he got headbutted early in the match and never felt right. He led 12-0 after two periods, but was outscored 2-1 in the third. Meyersdale's Collin Day didn't fare so well, losing 11-1 to Northeast champ Cole Walter of Mifflinburg.

126
Tough start for Central Cambria's Ben Rager. He was down 2-1 to Schuylkill Valley's Arty Walsh after one period, then got hit in a low-leg cradle and pinned in the second. I didn't see it, but Chestnut Ridge's Shane Pfaunmiller lost 8-0 to Ridgway's Corey Bush.

132
No local wrestlers.

138
Penn Cambria's Nick Szala got taken down twice in the first period by Brookville's Brock Zacherl and trailed 4-1 after Zacherl rode him out in the second period. Zacherl escaped in the third and won 5-1.

145
Forest Hills' R.J. Brydon got off to a bit of a slow start, but he picked up the pace in his 7-2 victory over Robbie Moretz of Halifax. After a scoreless first period, Brydon escaped in the second and added two takedowns for a 5-1 lead after two. Another takedown in the third set the final.

152
As he's done so often this season, Conemaugh Township's Cory Berchick overcame a slow start. He gave up the first takedown to Palmerton's Cody Grohotolski and was tied at 4 in the third period before scoring an escape, a takedown and, ultimately, a fall in 5:06. Shade's Wolf Otten didn't fare so well, as he lost 6-3

160
Forst Hills' Cody Law and Central Cambria's Tony Risaliti each advanced with victories. Law scored three first-period takedowns and another in the third for his 7-2 victory over Pequea Valley's Mitchell Ball, but the Ranger was unhappy with his performance, saying he should have been more aggressive. Risaliti scored all five of his points in the second period, then held on for a 5-4 victory over Greenville's Randy Perkins. Somerset's Michael Sutton got pinned by Tri-Valley's Sam Scheib in less than a minute.

170
United's John Blankenship is normally known for his low-scoring, defensive matches, but the Lion found his offense in an 11-3 victory over Ridgway's Jake Himes. Blankenship scored takedowns in each period and added a second-period reversal and three nearfall points in the third. Chestnut Ridge's Tyler Dibert had a much tougher time with Bethlehem Catholic's Elliot Riddick, who is the favorite to win the title. Riddick scored a 26-11 technical fall in 5:00.

182
No local wrestlers.

195
No local wrestlers.

220
Richland's John Rizzo had an eventful opening-round match in his quest for a third state championship. Rizzo gave up a first-period takedown to Joey Kaufman of Halifax, but escaped and trailed 2-1 after one. In the second, Rizzo looked like he was headed toward another fall, but Kaufman rolled through and reversed him to make it 4-1. Rizzo escaped, then added a takedown with 13 seconds remaining to tie it at 4. A third-period escape gave Rizzo his first lead and he made it stand up by holding off Kaufman's takedown attempts. Bedford's Jacob Krupa also advanced, pinning Catasauqua's Luke Garner in 1:53. Berlin Brothersvalley's Jacob Craig, who has beaten Krupa three times this season, wasn't so fortunate. He struggled with the length of Seneca's Matt Mongera in a 10-2 loss.

285
No local wrestlers.

First-Round Consolation Recaps

(I missed a lot of these matches, I was still trying to track down interviews, but I'll recap those that I did see).

120
Meyersdale's Collin Day was eliminated with a 9-2 loss to Nate Schwab of Smethport. Didn't see much of it, but I know that Schwab was up 7-1 after two periods.

126
Central Cambria's Ben Rager, who was ranked second in the state for much of the season, saw his high school career come to an end with an  8-0 loss to Charleroi's Aaron Toth. Rager was undefeated entering the Southwest Regional tournament last weekend, but was beaten twice there - by Keystone Oaks' Nick Zanetta and Toth (2-0 in the consi finals). It was tough to see Rager, who seems like a genuinely nice kid and had such high hopes, have his season end so abruptly. After a scoreless first, Rager rode Toth for most of the second before giving up a reversal and three backpoints. Toth added another takedown in the third as Rager just didn't look like himself. Chestnut Ridge's Shane Pfaunmiller also saw his career come to an end, as he was beaten 5-3 by Tri-Valley's Hunter Harner, thanks to a set of nearfall points that Harner picked up.

138
Penn Cambria's Nick Szala also had a tough ending to his high school career. I didn't get to see his 4-2 loss to Burrell's Philip Marra, but I heard there was a questionable takedown in it. Szala beat Marra 3-1 in the consolation finals last week.

152
Yet another high school career came to an end, as Wolf Otten, who was Shade's first district champ last year and first state qualifier this year - lost 6-2 to Lancaster Catholic's Stephen Loiseau. Otten was down 5-1 after two periods and could only get a stalling point off Loiseau in the third.

160
Somerset sophomore Michael Sutton saw his season come to an end with a 3-0 loss to Brookville's Brett Smith. After a scoreless first period, Smith escaped in the second and took Sutton down with 1:16 left in the period. He rode Sutton out for the remainder of that period and all of the third.

170
Chestnut Ridge's Tyler Dibert lost to Chartiers-Houston's Garrett Vulcano for the second consecutive weekend. This time it was 3-1, as Vulcano scored a second-period takedown after Dibert escaped earlier in the period. Vulcano added a third-period escape to set the final.

220
Berlin Brothersvalley's Jacob Craig became the only local wrestler to win this round, as he beat Camp Hill's Gus Bostdorf.* Craig scored a takedown and two nearfall points in the first period, then added three backpoints in the second. A third-period reversal set the final.
*--Note: I had Craig's opponent wrong when I originally posted this. I apologize.