Led by Hempfield’s Austin Miller (103) and Jordan Miller (152), five Lancaster County wrestlers advanced to the quarterfinals of the PIAA Class AAA wrestling tournament.
Joining the Millers are Penn Manor’s Andrew Eshleman (140), Elizabethtown’s Shane Rosenberry (189) and Warwick’s Antonio Giorgio (215).
They are joined by Black Knights’ heavyweight Matt Ruhl, a late addition to the field, who remains alive in the wrestlebacks.
Austin Miller beat Indian Valley’s Kaleb Loht 10-6. Jordan Miller outlasted Wade Rivera of Parkland, 3-2 in double overtime.
Scoring from neutral, where he normally does not, Eshleman downed Quakertown’s Eric Koch, 7-2.
Rosenberry decisively dominated Blue Mountain’s Brook Gosch, scoring three takedowns, two 3-point nearfalls on cradles and adding an escape for a 13-0 major decision victory.
For the first time this season, Giorgio found himself trailing in a match as Wyoming Valley West’s Dave Ryncavage took a 2-0 lead, one minute in. It was short-lived success as Giorgio reversed to tie the match with six seconds left, then reversed 30 seconds into the second to take the lead. He then turked Ryncavage to the mat, pinning at the 3:00 mark.
Less than a week removed from surgery to repair his broken nose, Ruhl joined the field at 285 in place of Susquehanna Township’s Averee Robinson, stricken from the tournament on academic deficiencies.
Ruhl’s reward was a first-round, technical fall loss to Abington Heights’ Evan Craig, but he rallied in his first consolation to blank Lewistown’s Stephen King, 7-0.
Solanco’ Dan Neff got caught and pinned in a headlock by Matt Rappo of Council Rock South in his first match. Wrestling back, Connellsville’s Jake Swink turned a single-leg shot into a takedown and cradle, the decisive move in Swink’s 9-6 victory.
He was one of three locals to go home after the first day.
Donegal’s Neal Sweigart, like Ruhl, a late invitee to the proceedings, lost 14-4 to Erie Prep’s Nick Milano at 171, then fell 7-1 to Penncrest’s Jim Resnick.
Cocalico’s Kyle Ueberroth never got started offensively at 215, falling 7-4 to Jeremiah Karpency of Albert Gallatin and 4-1 to Glenn Barnes of Central Mountain
