Four Class 3A wrestlers from the Berks Wrestling League reached the quarterfinals after the first day of the PIAA Wrestling Championships at Hershey Giant Center, and the fifth remained in medal contention.
Daniel Boone’s Tucker Hogan and Dean Houser, and Wilson’s Jimmy Garcia and Blaise Eidle won first-round matches to advance to Friday’s quarterfinals, which begin at 2:15 P.M.
In addition, Wilson’s McKaden Speece stayed alive with a victory in the first round of consolations.
Hogan (41-0), a junior, won by technical fall over Ringgold’s Jake Conroy in 3:05 (18-2) at 189 pounds.
“I felt good,” said Hogan, who has won sectional and District 3 titles this season. “I just wanted to keep scoring points and keep on my attack and keep everything in place.”
Hogan, who finished third at 172 pounds last year, will face Whitehall’’s Melquan Warren (31-5) in the quarterfinals.
Houser (38-6), a junior, pinned Coatesville’s Andrij Szczesniuk in two minutes at 121 pounds.
“I came in really confident, trying to continue the momentum from last week,” said Houser, a sectional and District 3 champ this season. “I know what I have to get done this week, and that’s winning a state championship.”
Houser, who earned a sixth-place medal last season at 106 pounds, will face Northampton freshmen Trey Wagner (32-8) in the quarterfinals.
Also at 121 pounds, Garcia (45-9), a junior, defeated Pennridge’s Quinn McBride 5-4 in the first round.
“I went a little defensive in the first period and really had to focus up and focus on my posture and not get carried away by states,” he said. “I tried to ignore the scoreboard and take it a point at a time.”
Garcia, who has finished second to Houser in the section and district tournaments, is making his second straight appearance in states. He will meet Williamsport’s Cael Nasdeo (32-5) in the quarterfinals. Nasdo, a senior who has committed to Penn State, finished sixth last year at 113 pounds and second at 106 in 2021.
Eidle (51-8), a sophomore, beat State College’s Carter Weaverling 5-1 at 172 pounds. He will face Bethlehem Catholic’s Luke Thomas (26-9) in the quarterfinals.
Speece, a freshman, lost to Ridley’s Curtis Nelson 10-5 in the first round at 107 pounds, then pinned Spring-Ford’s Gus Smith in 4:56 in the first round of consolations.
He will take on Council Rock South’s Connor Lenahan (41-11) in the second round of consolations, which also begin at 2:15 p.m.
The third round of consolations begin at 5 p.m.
Source: Berkshire mont
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