Wagner Makes Way to States Medal Podium

By Joe Walker

HERSHEY- Bucktail sophomore Kendall Wagner continues to make history, as the Central Mountain Lady Wildcat has made it to the medal podium in the PIAA Girls State wrestling championships. Wagner is now guaranteed to finish no lower than eighth place and the chance to finish even higher. 

Things did not go the Lady Wildcats way in the quarterfinal round, as she dropped a tough 3-1 decision to southeast region fourth place finisher Maya Kreiger (Jr, 23-12) of Bensalem. Kreiger recorded the first takedown and led 2-0 after one period. Kreiger scored the only point in the second period with an escape to lead 3-0 heading in the third period. 

Wagner chose the neutral position to start the final period, but was struggling to get in on Kreiger for a takedown. Kreiger did give up a penalty point for stalling and then Wagner had to take her second injury timeout. Since it was the second timeout, Kreiger got to choose which position to restart and she chose the down position with 39 seconds left in the bout. 

Wagner almost rolled Kreiger twice in those final seconds, but could not and thus dropped a hard fought 3-1 decision and fell down into the consolation second round, where she was to face Central region fourth place finisher Abigail Wagner (Fr, 23-11) of Athens, who Wagner had pinned in the regional semifinals. 

In the medal deciding bout, Wagner used a four point second period and a third period escape to come away with a solid 5-0 decision and earned herself a medal. In the second period, Wagner received a penalty point for interlocking hands and then escaped and added a takedown with two seconds left in the period for the 4-0 lead. 

The Lady Wildcat sophomore now moves into the consolation quarterfinals, where she will meet south central region runner-up Aambur Brletich (24-8) of Northern York. A win puts Wagner in the consolation semifinals and if she suffers a loss she will wrestle for seventh place. 

In other local girls action, Bald Eagle Area junior Grace Crestani will place now worse than eighth, as she will join the Lady Wildcats Wagner in tonight’s consolation quarterfinals. Crestani was pinned in 1:00 by west region champion Natalie Rush (Jr, 33-2) of Canon-MacMillan in the championship quarterfinals. 

Crestani then rebounded with a fall in 2:00 over southeast fourth place finisher Vida Torres (Sr, 14-10) at the 2:00 mark in the second round of consolations. In the consolation quarterfinals, Crestani will face Southeast region third place finisher Bryce Snyder (So, 18-6) of Palisades. 

The Lady Eagles Eden Eveleth (106), lost her first round consolation bout by fall to Clementine O’Brien (Fr, 32-8) of Hempfield and was eliminated. Angelina Grieb won her first round consolation bout by fall, but dropped her second round consolation bout by a fall in 2:16 to Williamsport standout Marissa Rumsey (31-2) and was eliminated as well. Eveleth finished her season with a 23-8 record, while Grieb ended the season with 13-5 record.

The lone Jersey Shore Lady Bulldog, Isabella Gotshall was eliminated, as she was pinned by south central third place finisher Aaliyah Armstrong (Fr, 24-4) of Central Dauphin in the consolation second round. Gotschall got into the consi second round by pinning Kailynn Purdy (Jr, 8-7) of Hickory in the consi first round. Gotschall concludes her freshman season with a 17-6 record. 

Tonight’s consolation girls quarterfinals are set to be wrestled at 9:00 pm, following the championship semifinals which are set for 7:00 pm. The boys Class AA and AAA will be wrestled at the same times as the girls tonight.