HERSHEY — Ridgway’s Logen McClain assured himself of a medal at the PIAA wrestling championships on Friday at the Giant Center.
In Class AA action, McClain wrestled three matches on Friday and will be back on the mat today, looking for a 7th-place medal with a win. Medals are awarded through 8th place. He will be the first Elkers’ wrestler to medal at states since 2012.
Friday, in his morning quarterfinal match, McLain was pinned in 2:48 by unbeaten Max Murin of Central Cambria in their 138-pound match, dropping him into the consolations. In his third-round consolation match, McClain posted a 6-1 decision over Chase Komara from Freedom.
McClain came back Friday night for a 4th-round consolation match, but lost to Alex Caldwell from Ligonier Valley by pin at 4:40 of the match, dropping him into a battle for the 7th-place medal with a win in his 2 p.m. match today
Also in Friday’s quarterfinals, Coudersport’s Gage Arnold lost a heartbreaking 1-0 decision to Larry Brown from Moshannon Valley in their 160-pound match to drop into the consolation bracket.
In his third round consolation match, Arnold was handed his second loss by Jacob Carpenter from Shamokin who won by a 7-2 decision.
Ridgway’s Kyle Bush, posted an 8-2 decision in his second-round consolation match at 113 pounds against Z.J. Ward from Freedom. However, in his third-round consolation match, Bush came out on the short end of a 5-4 decision to Ritchie Markulics from Notre Dame-Green Pond, giving him his second loss in the championships.
A third Elker wrestler in action on Friday, Colton McClain was decisioned by Dawson Otis from Wyalusing Valley, 2-1, in their 285-pound second round consolation match. The loss was McClain’s second in the competition.
Bradford High’s Tyler Thompson was handed his second defeat in the second-round consolations. Charlie Beatty from Marion Center decisioned Thompson, 9-5, in their 132-pound match.
“It wasn’t for lack of wrestling,” said Jamey Miller, Bradford coach. “After his first match, where Tyler was a little flat, he settled down and just wrestled unbelievably well.”
Thompson, a junior, finished the season with a record of 34-9.
Port Allegany’s Jake Kallenborn was handed his second loss in his second-round consolation match at 160 pounds. Colin Fegley from Mahanoy Area won by a 5-4 decision over the Gator wrestler.
Aiden Hulings from Kane was handed his second loss in the tournament by Josh Haley from Wyalusing Valley in their 152-pound second round consolation match. Haley won by pin in 2:44.
The lone Class AAA wrestler from the local area, St. Marys’ Tyler Dilley, posted a 7-1 decision over Colton Camacho from Franklin Regional in their second round consolation match at 120 pounds on Friday.
However, Dilley’s medal hopes were ended in his third-round consolation match later in the day when he lost by technical fall (15-0) to Chris Wright from Central Dauphin.
