Feb 10, 2008 2 min read

HERSHEY, Pa. (AP) – Central Dauphin and Burrell high schools won PIAA Wrestling Team Championships titles on Saturday, the first state dual meet championships for both schools. Central Dauphin (20-1) defeated Northampton 37-21 to claim the Class AAA championship. Burrell (21-0) defeated Bermudian Springs 37-29 for the Class AA title.

Central Dauphin became the first Class AAA team from District 3 to win a state dual meet title. In March, the Rams won the team title at the PIAA individual tournament, giving Central Dauphin back-to-back championships.

Northampton (24-1) won three of the first four weight classes to take a 17-3 lead, but the Konkrete Kids, who won a state dual title in 2000, won just one bout in the last 10 weights.

The key match for Central Dauphin came at 285, the fifth bout of the night. With Northampton leading 17-3, 20-match winner Erik Schaffer jumped out to a 7-1 second-period lead over Central Dauphin sophomore Nick Stewart.

Stewart, however, hit a five-point roll late in the period to close within a point at 7-6. Schaffer extended his lead to 9-8, but Stewart executed a rolling headlock for five points and eventually won 13-11.

“It’s the first time I’ve had a huge win in a huge situation,” said Stewart, whose overall record is just under .500. “I’m just speechless.”

“That match hurt us,” Northampton head coach Terry Daubert said. “But what also hurt us was losing a lot of close matches.”

Central Dauphin won three matches by two points and won 10 of the 14 weights.

“It’s really sweet,” Central Dauphin head coach Jeff Sweigard said. “We beat some of the best teams in the state.”

Burrell knocked off two-time defending champion Reynolds 24-22 in the semifinals, then won five of the last six weights to hand District 3 champion Bermudian Springs (21-1) its only loss of the season. Pins by PIAA champion Jordan Shields at 140 pounds and Bob Speer at 152 pounds gave District 7 its first Class AA dual meet champion.

Copyright Associated Press 2008