Commodores’ Lawrence, Vikings’ Pitzer face adversity but win their semifinal bouts
Jonathan Guth | Herald-Standard
Mount Pleasant’s Dayton Pitzer works to lock up a cradle on Union City’s Gavin Henry during their semifinal bout in the 182-pound weight class on Friday in the PIAA Class AA Championships at the Giant Center in Hershey. Pitzer earned a 12-2 major decision to advance to the finals as a freshman.
Jonathan Guth | Herald-Standard
Frazier’s Thayne Lawrence has Towanda’s Cooper Mosier in trouble during their semifinal bout in the 160-pound weight class on Friday in the PIAA Class AA Wrestling Championships at the Giant Center in Hershey. Lawrence won by decision, 11-4, to advance to his second straight state final. Lawrence won the gold last season at 152.
Jonathan Guth | Herald-Standard
Mount Pleasant’s Dayton Pitzer nearly has Union City’s Gavin Henry pinned in their semifinal bout in the 182-pound weight class on Friday in the PIAA Class AA Championships at the Giant Center in Hershey. Pitzer earned a 12-2 major decision to advance to the finals as a freshman.
Jonathan Guth | Herald-Standard
Frazier’s Thayne Lawrence has his hand raised after defeating Towanda’s Cooper Mosier in the semifinals at 160 pounds on Friday in the PIAA Class AA Wrestling Championships at the Giant Center in Hershey. Lawrence won by decision, 11-4, to advance to his second straight state final. Lawrence won the gold last season at 152.
HERSHEY — Frazier’s Thayne Lawrence and Mount Pleasant’s Dayton faced some adversity in their semifinal bouts, but both overcame those hardships to qualify for the finals in their respective weights on Friday in the PIAA Class AA Wrestling Championships at the Giant Center.
Lawrence (28-3, 95-11) built up a 10-0 lead on Towanda’s Cooper Mosier (37-6) entering the third period, but Mosier threw a headlock and had the defending state champion on his back. Lawrence was able to fight off his back and only gave up two near-fall points for a 10-4 advantage. Lawrence escaped to close the scoring at 160 pounds.
“He wrestled a little different and tried to slow me down,” Lawrence said. “I got a little overconfident, shot with my elbows out and he headlocked me. It was real stupid on my part, but it is what it is. It’s been a while since I’ve been headlocked, so when that happened, I was thinking to myself about how I can get out of this. We work at practice on situations like that.
“I thought I had him pinned, but maybe the referee couldn’t see. I was glad to be able to get my turns. It is nothing against him because I understand some of that stuff is hard.”
Lawrence earned a 16-0 technical fall over Notre Dame – GP’s Derek Berlitz in the quarterfinals. He shot a single leg, and despite tremendous balance by Berlitz, was able to finish the attempt for a 2-0 lead before recording two backpoints for a 4-0 advantage after the first.
Lawrence scored a reversal in the second and added eight near-fall points for a 14-0 lead heading into the third. Lawrence scored a takedown with 1:35 left in the period for the tech fall 4:25.
“He (Berlitz) was pretty flexible, but once I got that first takedown, I started to feel pretty good,” Lawrence said. “I think top is one of my stronger positions, but I feel like I wrestle pretty good all the way around. I was hoping to wear him out.
“It is pretty cool to say I am a three-time medal winner at this tournament. It also feels good to put our school on the map. Not too many people know where Frazier is, and when I say Perryopolis, they usually ask about that, too. I hope my success can make an impact on kids in our district and more come out for wrestling.”
Pitzer (42-1) gave up a takedown 28 seconds into his match against Union City’s Gavin Henry (41-4), but came back strong for a 12-2 major decision to advance to the 182-pound final as a freshman.
“In some of my matches this year, including the regional final when I was thrown on my back, I gave up the first takedown,” Pitzer said. “I was out of position and he was able to score. It’s something I need to keep working on. I need to get a better warm-up in.”
Pitzer secured a spot in the semifinals and a guaranteed medal with an 11-0 major decision over Southern Columbia’s Tyler Waltman.
The freshman scored a takedown in the first and used an escape and takedown for a 5-0 lead heading into the third. He scored a takedown, received a point after Waltman was penalized for stalling and added three near-fall points.
“I feel like I wrestled good and controlled the match,” Pitzer said. “My coaches and I talked about getting my offense going a little bit more in the semifinals. It is exciting to know that I will place, and it is great to be part of the great tradition of wrestling at Mount Pleasant. I just want to take it one match at a time.”
Elizabeth Forward’s Ryan Michaels (42-2, 77-8) edged Benton’s Gable Strickland, 2-0, to advance to the third-place bout at 113 after suffering a 4-3 setback in the semifinals to Southern Columbia’s Cole Biscoe (46-6).
Michaels built up a 5-0 lead with a takedown and three near-fall points in the first en route to a 13-0 major decision over Mifflinburg’s Gabe Gramly in the quarterfinals.
The junior extended his lead to 7-0 advantage with another takedown in the second before using an escape, a third takedown and three backpoints in the third.
“I’m happy that I’m going to place, but I’m not doing winning yet,” Michaels said. “He had a different style than my first opponent, and I think that benefited me and I was able to take advantage and get more takedowns and turns.”
Bentworth’s Jonathan Vargo (29-8, 100-37) dropped a 3-2 decision in the 195-pound semifinals to Southern Columbia’s Gaige Garcia (46-0) and a 7-2 decision in the consolation semifinals to North Star’s Hunter Tremain (43-5) to fall into the fifth-place bout.
Vargo guaranteed himself a medal with a fall in 3:52 over Saucon Valley’s Dane Csencsits (29-9) in the quarterfinals.
Beth-Center’s Jimmy Gwyer suffered a 6-3 setback to Hamburg’s Bailey Gimbor in the second round of consolations to end his season at 40-10. The Bulldog senior had a career record of 109-61 and was a two-time state qualifier. He will attend California University of Pa.
Mount Pleasant’s Noah Teeter dropped an 11-1 major decision to Penns Valley’s Baylor Shunk to finish his freshman campaign at 36-13.