KUNES ADVANCES IN STATE TOURNAMENT

By Joe Walker

HERSHEY – Central Mountain sophomore Aiden Kunes advanced in the consolations at the boys PIAA Class AAA State Tournament with a 2-0 decision over South Central runner-up Jackson Orrell (39-8) of Red Lion. 

The first period ended scoreless and in the second period Jackson chose the neutral position and again neither wrestler could get a takedown. In the final period, Kunes chose the down position and reversed Orrell with 1:28 to go in the bout. Kunes then did a nice job of riding Orrell out to come away with the 2-0 win. 

Kunes (38-11) now moves into the third round of consolations where he will face Northeast regional third place finisher Mason Whitney (44-5) of Abington Heights. Whitney placed seventh in last year’s state tournament and is 82-13 coming into the bout with Kunes. 

Whitney dropped a 6-0 decision to last year’s state runner-up Aiden Herndon (37-4) of Cedar Cliff in the championship quarterfinals. Ironically, Kunes had pinned Herndon in the Mid Winter Mayhem Tournament, but that doesn’t matter at Hershey. A win by Kunes over Whitney will assure Kunes of a state place finish