By BRAD WYDRA
Fourth Quarter Media
HERSHEY — Gaige Garcia pinned his opponent to capture his 100th win, simultaneously elevating Southern Columbia to its second consecutive PIAA final against Reynolds after defeating Chestnut Ridge, 34-31 in the semis.
"100 wins is nice, but I got my eyes on the prize,” Garcia said of the rematch with Reynolds and a gold medal on the line.
Garcia’s pin was crucial as the six team points guaranteed the Tigers a win and a finals berth. The Tigers, who trailed at times, held a slim 28-25 lead with Garcia set to wrestle at 220. A pin meant that Chestnut Ridge wouldn’t be able to regain the lead, and allowed the Tigers to forfeit the heavyweight bout and still win as a team.
"I knew a pin would clinch the match, and that's what I was looking for,” Garcia said.
But it wasn’t just Garcia that led the Tigers into the finals.
The Tigers also got big pins from three others — Gavin Garcia (145), Shane Miller (152), Cade Line (160) — to ignite the fierce rally.
When Gavin Garcia stepped onto the mat, his team trailed 16-6. On the whistle, Gavin Garcia leapt forward to attack and set the bar high for his teammates with a pin a the one-minute mark but it was beaten by Shane Miller with a fall 46 seconds, and then again by Cade Linn, who secured the fall in 25 seconds.
Southern fell behind early when Brady Freese (106) surrendered a fall to give Chestnut Ridge a 6-0 lead.
After Michael Miner lost by decision at 138 pounds, head coach Jerry Marks praised the overall strength of the middle of his lineup, including Miller.
"I always believed in Shane Miller,” Marks said. “Shane Miller had talent and he just didn't really know he had talent."
The Tigers dropped two in a row after Linn’s win at 160 but Preston Zachman scored a major decision and put the Tigers ahead 28-25. Marks spoke of how much strength the team
gained from Zachman dropping down to 195.
Championship Semifinals
106: Kai Burkett, CR, p. Brady Freese, S, 1:31
113: Kole Biscoe, S, dec. Nathan Holderbaum, CR, 10-4
120: Ross Dull, CR, md. Garrett Krebs, S, 12-1
126: Gryphon Callihan, CR, dec. Ian Yoder, S, 2-1 TB2
132: Patrick Edmondson, S, dec. Trevor Weyandt, CR, 3-2
138: Luke Moore, CR, dec. Michael Miner, S, 9-5
145: Gavin Garcia, S, p. Baltzer Bollman, CR, 1:00
152: Shane Miller, S, p. Daniel Moore, CR, 0:46
160: Cade Linn, S, p. Seth Holderbaum, CR, 0:25
170: Jared Mcgill, CR, p. Brandon Gedman, S, 0:21
182: Austin Crouse, CR, dec. Tyler Waltman, S, 2-1
195: Preston Zachman, S, md. Brodie Harbaugh, CR, 15-7
220: Gaige Garcia, S, p. Duane Knisely, CR, 1:24
285: Dalton Seace, CR, won by forfeit