No L-L League wrestlers reach quarterfinals, but 8 remain alive for PIAA Class 3A medals

HERSHEY — To say it was an unprecedented first day for Lancaster-Lebanon League wrestlers at Thursday’s PIAA Class 3A boys championships would be an understatement.

Of the 10 L-L wrestlers who began the day’s at the Giant Center, none survived to advance to the quarterfinals.

Not one.

“I was wondering if anyone got through,” said Hempfield coach Shane Mack. “A few upsets, and really close matches.”

That included state tournament medalists Seamus Mack of Hempfield and Kaedyn Williams of Manheim Township. Both fell in the round of 16.

Mack lost on a last-second takedown to Blake Reihner of District Seven’s Trinity 2-1 at 139 pounds.

PIAA Wrestling Championships day 1 — Buy Now

Manheim Twp.'s Kaedyn Williams gets rolled back on by Ridley's Curtis Nelson in their 114 pound match during the PIAA 3A Boys Wrestling Championship at the Giant Center in Hershey on Thursday March 7, 2024.
CHRIS KNIGHT | Staff Photographer

Williams was caught in a defensive fall and pinned by Ridley’s Curtis Nelson midway through the second period at 114.

Mack and Williams are among the eight from the L-L remaining in the wrestlebacks, which begin today at 2:15 p.m.

“Tomorrow’s a new day and there’s eight spots on the podium,” said Shane Mack, Seamus’ father.

2024 PIAA wrestling championships - Day 1 [photos]

The seeds, so to speak, of Williams’ stunning upset were sown Sunday at PIAA headquarters. When seeding the 114-pound bracket, Williams and Butler’s Santino Sloboda were tied for the No. 2 seed.

In a coin flip, Williams got the second seed. It would’ve been better had the flip gone to Sloboda.

As the No. 2 seed, Williams drew Nelson. Nelson appeared to be quick, scary quick, in a scoreless first period. After Williams deferred to start the second period, Nelson chose bottom.

Williams went to a crab ride from top. Nelson countered with a high bridge, putting Williams in grave danger. Four times.

Eventually, somebody was going to get burnt, either Williams would be able to get a claw ride, turn the corner and put Nelson on his back, or Nelson was going to plant Williams. At the 3:16 mark, Nelson got the fall.

It should be noted Sloboda advanced with a 12-0 win over Meadville’s Ben Fuller.

Mack and Reihner went scoreless the first four minutes as Reihner funked out of two good single leg shots by Mack. Mack, in turn, rode out Reihner in the second.

Reihner let Mack out at the start of the third period, coming close to a takedown as Mack funked out of danger. With eight seconds left off a single defended by Mack, Reihner improved his position, covering Mack’s legs for the winning points.

There were successes.

Conestoga Valley’s Abdoul Akala (172), Hempfield’s JJ Plaza (189) and Manheim Central’s Brodie Daugherty (189) won wrestle-in matches.

Akala countered a deep single leg shot by Easton’s Justin Cosover, hitting an elevator into a five-point takedown and a 7-4 lead. An escape in the third made it an 8-4 victory

Plaza scored a takedown with 19 seconds left to defeat Mifflin County’s Gavin Mickey 3-1.

Daugherty’s second-period cradle delivered three points and a lead over Jagger Vitelli of Avon Grove. He went on to pin Vitelli in 4:38.

In the round of 16, Akala lost to Council Rock South’s Bekhruz Sadriddinov 10-4. Plaza fell to Strath Haven’s Michael Spielman 3-0.

Eight seconds after having his opening takedown waved off, Daugherty was taken to his back for a fall by Jared Karabinus of Bethlehem Freedom.

Penn Manor’s Travis Clawson (114), Donegal’s Ruben Mumper (152) and Hempfield’s Kyle Deisley (152) bounced back from opening losses to remain in medal contention.

Norwin’s Landon Sidun was dominant from neutral in a 12-6 victory over Clawson in the round of 16. Clawson took it out on West Allegheny’s Caiden Harbert in the consolations, before pinning him in 1:15.

Mumper lost 11-3 to Plymouth-Whitemarsh’s Ty Borkowski in the wrestle-ins, but eliminated Wilson’s Matteo Garcia 13-7 in overtime. Mumper scored on a double at the edge with four seconds left in regulation to tie at 7-7.

Deisley lost to Harriton’s Nadav Nafshi 7-2 before scoring the final nine points to beat Neshaminy’s Beknazar Baiyshbekov 9-4.

Penn Manor’s Caden Boland (107) lost his wrestle-in match to Kennett’s Bryce Boyer, who hit a fireman’s carry takedown and earned two back points with 18 seconds left for an 8-7 victory. Boland bowed out on a 5-2 loss to Noah Young of State College.

Conestoga Valley’s Teagan Ruble fell 5-1 to Cole Gibbons of Mt. Lebanon in the wrestle-ins, then lost 9-4 to Lower Dauphin’s Clayton Koser.