Walt Peppelman, left, congratulates son Marshall after his third straight PIAA wrestling championship.

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(JOHN C. WHITEHEAD, The Patriot-News)

Marshall Peppelman and Kenny Courts have a lot in common.

They have wrestled together since they were kids, working out in the room and spending long hours sweating on the mat. They have the same coach in Ken Courts, Kenny’s father, and more important, they are best friends.

It’s a tight-knit bond that was developed when Peppelman was five and Kenny Courts was four, comrades with the same goals of winning a state title.

And now they are brothers in arms, draped in gold.

Peppelman and Courts completed life long dreams on the same night by giving Central Dauphin back-to-back state championships at 160 and 171 in front of 8,262 at Giant Center.

“We are such good friends and want each other to succeed,” Peppelman said. “I work out with Kenny every day, and I’m so close to him and his dad [Ken]. If not for coach Courts, I wouldn’t be where I am today.

“I’m so blessed to be around both of them, and I don’t know what I’m going to do next year without them.“

Peppelman couldn’t have started this run any better.

His opponent, West Allegheny’s Troy Reaghard did everything possible to stay away from the chiseled Rams senior, but Peppelman managed to wear his opponent down and build a 4-0 lead into the second on a first-period takedown and reversal early in the second.

Peppelman couldn’t get in too close on Reaghard, which took away the patented Central Dauphin tilts that have led to so many bonus point victories. But that didn’t stop the Cornell bound standout from ending this one on a high.

Just when it looked like this was going to be an ordinary major, Peppelman slipped in a brutal half nelson and pinned Reaghard in 3:02.

“I knew he was big on the funks, so I just wanted to be patient,” Peppelman said. “The tilts weren’t there but the half was, so I took it and stood him straight up.”

And put the finishing touches on a career that includes three straight state titles, 181 wins and more tournament victories then can be counted.

“I’ve had some great times and tough times under the lights here,” Peppelman said of the Giant Center. “But I wouldn’t trade them for anything.

“I’ve been so blessed to have great team accomplishments and great individual accomplishments. I can’t believe this. It all went so fast.”

Courts was equally impressive against an opponent that he has faced about as many times as he has faced Peppelman in the room in Cumberland Valley’s Tristan Warner.

The Rams junior took the fight to Warner early, scoring a takedown and two near fall points to end the first period 4-0.

Warner closed the gap on a pair of escapes in the second, but Courts turned a reversal to start the third and hung on for the 6-4 decision.

“I have pretty good feet, so I knew that once I got up by three points, he wasn’t going to be able beat me with only a minute left.

Continued Courts, “When I was a freshman, I got hurt and beat the guys that were in the finals. Last year, I just had a tough bracket and had a big jump from 135 to 160.

“This is unbelievable. I’ve been coming here since I was five years old, and I’m happy to be able to go out and finally win.”

Warner had no answer for Courts this season, losing three times.

“I was definitely ready for this,” Warner said. “I worked all week trying to get his left leg where he is weakest, but he did a good job.

“I guess he is just a better wrestler than me.”

The Rams fell seconds short of having three state champions, when Tyler Buckman dropped a heart-thumping 7-6 decision to McDowell Steve Spearman in three overtimes.

In what was the most entertaining bout of the day, the two traded blows like a fast-paced welter-weight championship bout./p

The two felt each other for the first two periods in a 2-2 dead-heat before opening up their repertoires in the third.

Spearman escaped and hit a double-leg takedown to take a three-point lead. Buckman stormed back with an escape and takedown to knot the match. Both wrestlers had a chance to win in regulation, but picture-perfect counters sent this one to OT.

The first overtime period provided no points, but Buckman escaped to start the second. But Spearman caught Buckman and lifted him into a takedown to take a 7-6 lead into the second 30 second period.

Buckman try to tilt Spearman twice but failed. When the buzzer sounded, the Rams senior was still pouring his heart onto the mat but in the end, he missed by inches.

“I have to hand it to Spearman,” said Buckman, who along with Spearman received a raucous ovation from the crowd. “He is a great kid and a great wrestler. He is only a sophomore, and I’m sure he will be back next year to win again.

“But looking back, I’m proud of my season, I reached most of my goals. I made it to the state finals, and I can’t be ashamed with the way I performed.”

Cumberland Valley’s Shawn Greevy settled for a runner-up finish at 130 after being pinned by Council Rock South’s Josh Dziewa in 1:28.

“I wanted to be aggressive and stay on my feet, but it didn’t work so well,” said Greevy, who finished third a year ago. “I wanted to get 100 wins but because of the injury, I wasn’t able to do that.

“But I did what I could to help the team and placed at states to years in a row. I’m pretty happy with that.”

East Pennsboro’s Zachary Nye battled but lost a tight 5-3 decision to Selinsgrove’s Spencer Myers at 215.

Central Dauphin's Marshall Peppelman won his third straight PIAA title with a pin against West Allegheny's Troy Reaghard.

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(JOHN C. WHITEHEAD, The Patriot-News)

Results and quick recaps from each match of the PIAA Class AAA championship finals.

103 POUNDS
In an ultimate tie breaker fourth overtime, Canon McMillan's Conner Schram burst out of the grasp of Hempfield's Austin Miller to win a, let's say, 'tentative' 103-pound final. The wrestlers exchanged escapes in the first and second periods and did little from their feet on their way to a four-overtime marathon.

112 POUNDS
Derry Area's Jimmy Gulibon won his second PIAA title in as many years, putting on a clinic from his feet in a 12-5 decision over Blue Mountain's Corey Keener. Gulibon struck twice in the first period and never trailed to finish his season with a 36-1 record and state gold.

119 POUNDS
Franklin Regional's Nico Megaludis out-lasted Liberty's Anthony Marino, using constant pressure in the final period to win an 8-4 decision. Megaludis, the state champ at 112 pounds last season, scored a late takedown to put the finishing touches on the victory.

125 POUNDS
Bellefonte's Mitchell Port and Nazareth's Zachary Horan went back and forth in a match jam-packed with action. Port got the better end of some wild flurries and came away with a 6-3 win.

130 POUNDS
A wild ride from start to finish, McDowell's Steve Spearman scored an emphatic late takedown to topple Central Dauphin's Tyler Buckman 7-6 in rideout time. Buckman escaped to take a 6-5 lead, but surrendered the winning takedown and just missed turning Spearman for back points in the final seconds.

135 POUNDS
Council Rock South's Josh Dziewa finished his dominant run through the 135 bracket, making short work of Cumberland Valley's Shawn Greevy with a first-period pin. Dziewa won two matches by fall and out-scored his other two opponents 7-0 in capturing the gold.

140 POUNDS
Blue Mountain's Josh Kindig led from start to finish, disposing of Pittsburgh Central Catholic's Lorenzo Thomas in an 8-3 victory in the finals. Kindig was the gold medal winner at 135 last season and repeated at 140 with two pins and two decisions.

145 POUNDS
Central Mountain's Andrew Alton won his second straight PIAA title with a 23-8 technicall fall over West Allegheny's Aaron McKinney. Alton tore through the 145 bracket with two pins and two technicall falls, in which he totaled 50 combined points.

152 POUNDS
Dylan Alton used a quick flurry to grab an early lead and cruise to an 11-4 victory over Lasalle's Shane Springer. Dylan Alton one-upped twin brother Andrew with his third straight PIAA gold medal.

160 POUNDS
Central Dauphin's Marshall Peppelman used his signature tilt to put West Allegheny's Troy Reaghard on his back, then sunk in a deep half nelson to flatten him out in a second-period pin. The win sent Peppelman to his third straight state title.

171 POUNDS
Familiar rivals squared off in the state finals as Central Dauphin's Kenny Courts won a third straight matchup against Cumberland Valley's Tristan Warner, this time for state gold. Courts took an early 4-0 lead when he dumped Warner to his back and held on for a 6-4 win.

189 POUNDS
A second caution stall against Council Rock North's Jamie Callender gave Springfield's Andre Petroski the tying point, and after taking a 5-4 lead on an escape, Petroski re-paid the favor with a couple of stalling calls in the final minute. Callender cashed in 33 seconds into overtime, wrapping up a clean double leg and securing a 7-5 win.

215 POUNDS
Selinsgrove's Spencer Myers controlled East Pennsboro's Zach Nye from the neutral position and handed Nye his first loss of the season, 5-3. Nye was aiming to become East Penn's first gold medalist since 1978.

285 POUNDS
Abington Heights' Evan Craig battered and bruised Central Mountain's Zack Corl on his way to defending his state title with a second-period pin. Craig led 4-0 when he cranked Corl to his back with an arm bar and finished the pin at the 2:45 mark.

Cumberland Valley's Shawn Greevy controls Crestwood's Hunter McGraw during his win in their 135 lb. bout in the PIAA Class AAA quarterfinals.

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(SEAN SIMMERS, The Patriot-News)

Central Dauphin and Cumberland Valley lead the way for the midstate in tonight's PIAA Class AAA championship round. Three Rams and two Eagles are competing for gold, while East Pennsboro 215-pounder Zach Nye competes for his school's first state title since Mike Euker won gold in 1978.

CD's Tyler Buckman continued his entertaining run through the 130-pound bracket, coming back from a 4-0 deficit to beat Easton's Mitchell Minotti 5-4. Minotti took the senior down to his back early in the second period for the 4-0 lead, but Buckman took control from there and scored the final five points of the match.

CV 135-pounder Shawn Greevy also trailed in the second period, but came back to beat Derry's Travis Shaffer 7-6. Greevy, down 6-3, reversed Shaffer at the end of the second period to cut the deficit to 6-5. After starting on bottom in the third, he scored the winning points on a reversal late in the period and rode Shaffer out the rest of the way.

CD 160-pounder Marshall Peppelman has cruised through plenty of matches throughout his accomplished career, but few matches came easier than his win in the semifinals. Would-be opponent Pat LaBuz from Hazleton Area suffered a knee injury in yesterday's quarterfinals and forfeited. Peppelman advances to face West Allegheny's Troy Reaghard in the finals.

Central Dauphin's Kenny Courts and Cumberland Valley's Tristan Warner will square off in the 171-pound finals. Courts has won a pair of decisions over Warner this season, including a 4-2 overtime victory in the District 3 championship finals. Courts pinned Downingtown East's Robbie Fitzgerald in 3:38 in today's semifinals, while Warner advanced with an 11-3 major decision over previously unbeaten Tyler Wilps of Chartiers Valley.

Nye took the same approach to his 8-5 semifinal win over Whitehall's Taray Carey as he did his previous two matches of the tournament. He was patient in the early going before pouncing on Carey late. Nye scored six points in the final period to march on to tonight's gold medal bout.

The PIAA AAA preliminary round takes place at the Giant Center.

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(JOE HERMITT, The Patriot-News)

There is little doubt after the preliminary round which Class AA district is tops in the state.
       
It’s District 4 in a landslide.
      
The Sunbury-Williamsport area is home to 25 percent of the field left in the championship bracket, owning 28 of the 112 quarterfinal spots. The quarterfinals are slated to go off at 8 a.m. this morning.
       
Benton seems to be the strongest team in the District 4 field with six wrestlers in the quarterfinals, which is also good enough to take the team championship lead with 20 points. Burrell is second with 16 points.
       
Fellow District 4 running mate Athens put three wrestlers in the finals and is fifth in the team chase with 10 points. Shamokin is tied for sixth with three wrestlers in the quarterfinals and nine points.
       
Where does District 3 rank compared to the rest of the state in Class AA: try second with 18. Schuylkill Valley helped the cause with four in contention for a state title. Juniata is second with three, followed by Boiling Springs with two.

BOO BIRDS
The first boos from the stands ripped through the Giant Center air during a 135-pound tilt between Central Mountain’s Jordan Rich and La Salle’s Joey Mazzi.
       
Mazzi trailed 5-1 in the match before locking in a headlock and taking Rich, a fourth-place finisher a year ago at 125, for an additional three near fall points to grab a 6-5 lead.
       
But before Mazzi could pin Rich, he lost Rich’s arm and the headlock turned illegal, costing Mazzi a point and tying the match at 6-6. Rich (35-2) was then awarded a caution point, first noticed by the assistant, and not the match, referee to make it 7-6. Annoyed, Mazzi decided to let up Rich and go for the takedown in the final 14 seconds.
       
Mazzi failed to get the takedown and stormed off the mat none too happy with the referee.

STATE CHAMP FALLS
Connellsville’s Nate Gaffney, the defending champion at 215, dropped a 6-2 decision to Methacton’s Brandan Clark (35-5) in the first round at the same weight.
       
Gaffney tore a ligament in his right knee earlier, but still managed to finish, much like Selinsgrove’s Spencer Myers did against Gaffney in the finals a year ago.
       
Unfortunately for the Connellsville standout, the injury was so severe that he did not return to tournament action.

MORE TOP WRESTLERS FALL
It wasn’t a good day to be a returning runner-up in Class AAA.
       
Blue Mountain’s Tyler Rauenzahn, Bradford’s Mark Havers and Cedar Cliff’s Clint Morrison, all silver medalists from last season were bounced out of the championship bracket in the first round of competition.
       
Havers, who lost to Central Dauphin’s Marshall Peppelman in the 152-pound final a year ago, was the biggest surprise of the group, dropping an 8-6 decision to Chichester’s Bobby Scheivert at 160.
       
Morrison, a runner-up at 171, was out-muscled by Cathedral Prep’s Jermaine Easter (37-5) 10-8 in an entertaining bout at 171. Easter had a big lead early, 8-2, before Morrison rallied and fell just short.
       
As for Rauenzahn, second at 119 last year, his loss wasn’t terribly surprising; he fell 11-7 to McDowell sophomore Steve Spearman, who boasts a spotless 39-0 mark at 130.
       
Morrison and Rauenzahn managed to win consolations, while Havers took an early two and out exit.

NO COMPLAINTS
This was the first year the PIAA held the state pairings until the Sunday before competition, and the process seemed to work out well.
       
"It's been a non-isuue," PIAA assistant executive director Mark Byers said. "We had one e-mail messaging complaining that one of the weights should have been re-drawn, but that was an anonymous message.  Otherwise, we had no complaints."
       
Byers said it's likely that the PIAA will retain the process.
       
"We'll review it at the wrestling steering committe [next month] and barring any changes, we'll likely proceed with this method in the future," byers said.

MEAT IN THE SEATS
Attendance for Thursday's sessions were 5,775 for Class AA and 6,909 for Class AAA for first-day total of 12,684, a bit off the PIAA's normal first-day numbers.

Whether it is the regular season, the District 3 Championships or the PIAA Wrestling Championships, Bo knows one thing.

Winning.

Bo Candelaria wasted little time in showing that he isn’t about to lay over for Central Mountain’s Andrew Alton or anyone else in the 145-pound weight class for that matter, when he carved out a picture-perfect 16-1 over Council Rock South’s Tim Riley in the first round of Class AAA competition.

“Everything is working for me right now,” Candelaria said. “There are always some pre-state butterflies coming in; your eyes get big but once you blink and get that first match in, you are into it.

“This is my time to feel strong. I’m not going to back down now.”/p

The Blue Raiders senior (30-3) rests in the top-heavy side of the 145-bracket, with weight favorite Alton and Nazareth’s Ryan Krecker (34-4), who Candelaria will face in the quarterfinals, which start at 1 p.m.

It should be noted that Krecker decisioned Candelaria 7-2 at Beast of the East in mid-December. But he can expect to see a different wrestler this time around.

“I’m in better shape, and I’m more aggressive than when we wrestled the first time,” Candelaria said. “The last time, I wrestled his way. This time, I’m going show him the way I wrestle.”

A win, and Candelaria will likely hit Alton, the state champion at 140 last year, in the semifinals.

“I don’t mind that those guys are on my side of the bracket,’ Candelaria said. “I’m here to win gold and wrestle the best whether it is in the first round or the finals.”

The local Mid-Penn contingent showed its worth on the state stage by advancing 13 of 23 wrestlers into the Class AAA quarterfinals. Five more wrestlers are still alive in the consolations.

Cumberland Valley’s Travis Friend is in his last high school season and is looking to make it count.

He got off to a good start by punishing Ringgold’s Neal Rands and then pinning him in 3:12 to advance to the quarterfinals against St. Marys Sean Sadosky (34-0).

“Districts is done and over with,” said Friend (23-1), who lost to East Pennsboro’s Zachary Nye in the District 3 final. “There is no pressure on me. I like where I am in the bracket and just want to take it one match at a time and make it on the medal stand.

“This is my last time season, and I want to go out on a good note.”

Central Dauphin’s Marshall Peppelman (160) and Kenny Courts (171) are also looking to put an exclamation point on the season.

The two ripped off quick pins, spending a combined 1:31 on the mat in advancing to today’s quarters.

Others local wrestlers remaining in the championship hunt are Cedar Cliff’s Christopher Vassar (103), Big Spring’s Dereck Enders (112), Central Dauphin’s Tyler Buckman (130), Cumberland Valley’s Shawn Greevy (135), Carlisle’s Jayshon Wilson (152), Big Spring’s Luke Etter (160), Cumberland Valley’s Tristan Warner (171), East Pennsboro’s Zachary Nye (215) and Susquehanna Twp.’s Averee Robinson (285).

ristan Warner of Cumberland Valley listens to his coach during an injury timeout. Warner defeated James Nicholson of Upper Moreland 12-2.

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(JOHN C. WHITEHEAD, The Patriot-News)

The preliminary round of the PIAA Class AAA wrestling tournament is in the books, and 13 local wrestlers are still in the hunt for state titles.

103 pounds
Chris Vassar, Cedar Cliff: Vassar patiently out-worked Clearfield's Christian Stone in their all-freshmen preliminary bout, 1-0 in overtime. He advanced to face Liberty's Anthony Cabrera in tomorrow's quarterfinals.

112 pounds
Dereck Enders, Big Spring: Enders started slow against a tough first-round opponent in Upper St. Clair's Mackenzie McGuire, but finished strong in a 9-4 defeat. Down 4-2 midway through the second period, Enders scored the final seven points of the match.

130 pounds
Tyler Buckman, Central Dauphin: Buckman had his hands full with Haverford's Luke Bilyeu, but scored an early takedown and made it stand with a smothering defense.

135 pounds
Shawn Greevy, Cumberland Valley: Greevy grabbed control with an early takedown and led from start to finish, beating State College's Adam Powers 6-3.

145 pounds
Bo Candelaria, Middletown: Before the buzzer sounded on the first period, Candelaria had executed three tilts and taken a 12-1 lead on Council Rock South's Tim Riley. Less than a minute later, Candelaria sealed the deal on a 16-1 technical fall.

152 pounds
Jayshon Wilson, Carlisle: Wilson struck first and kept attacking until the final buzzer in a 5-2 win over Blue Mountain's Travis Moyer. A big challenge lies ahead for Wilson in unbeaten Dylan Alton, last year's state champ at 145.

160 pounds
Marshall Peppelman, Central Dauphin: Peppelman's first-round win has become the norm for him this season: takedown, tilt, 36-second pin over Spring-Ford's Matt Krueger. The senior is looking for his third PIAA title.

Luke Etter, Big Spring: Etter, a third-place finisher at the District 3 tournament, started on a strong note with a 7-3 victory over Upper Moreland's John Bolich. Etter faces Hazleton Area's Pat LaBuz in tomorrow's quarterfinals.

171 pounds
Kenny Courts, Central Dauphin: Courts stayed unbeaten (39-0) and began his quest for PIAA gold with a first-period pin against Nick Lynch from Hatboro. Courts faces Coughlin's Josh Popple in tomorrow's quarterfinals.

Tristan Warner, Cumberland Valley: Warner posted a major decision against Upper Moreland's James Nicholson, winning 12-2 to set up a quarterfinal date with Hazleton Area's Jared Kay.

215 pounds
Zach Nye, East Pennsboro: Nye was impressive in a first-round pin against Blue Mountain's Brook Gosch, shutting him out before putting him on his back at the 5:43 mark. Nye also benefitted from the first-round loss of defending state championship Nate Gaffney, who would have been the junior's opponent in the quarterfinals.

Travis Friend, Cumberland Valley: Friend made short work of Ringgold's Neal Rands, registering a pin midway through the second period. He faces unbeaten Sean Sadosky (34-0) from St. Mary's in the quarters.

285 pounds
Averee Robinson, Susquehanna Twp.: Robinson cruised through his first-round bout with Penn Trafford's Zach Baker and tacked on a late takedown in an 11-4 victory. He faces Clearfield's Andre Buck, also an 11-4 winner, in the quarterfinals.

East Pennsboro 215-pounder Zach Nye was a beneficiary of a tumultuous opening day at the PIAA Class AAA tournament for some of the state's best returning wrestlers. One reigning champ, Connellsville 215-pounder Nate Gaffney, and three runners-up, Cedar Cliff's Clint Morrison, Blue Mountain's Tyler Rauenzahn and Bradford's Mark Havers, all lost their opening bouts.

Nye dismantled Blue Mountain's Brook Gosch, eventually pinning him with 17 seconds left and moving on to tomorrow's quarterfinals. His would-be opponent was Gaffney, who was beaten handily 6-2 by Methacton's Brandan Clark and knocked out of the tournament after suffering a torn ligament in his right ankle.

As icing on the cake, the upset victory was Clark's 100th career win.

Morrison lost 10-8 in a high-scoring affair to Cathedral Prep's Jermaine Easter. Morrison trailed for most of the match, but gave himself a chance to win late in the third period. Easter countered Morrison's attempt for a go-ahead takedown and scored one of his own to seal the victory.

Rauenzahn's loss to McDowell's Steve Spearman wasn't an upset - Spearman is a perfect 38-0 and coming off a third-place finish in last year's state tournament. Spearman, a sophomore, won by decision, 11-7.

Havers lost to Central Dauphin's Marshall Peppelman in the 152-pound final last year, but was quicker to bow out this time around. Chichester's Bobby Scheivert scored an overtime takedown to win 8-6 and advance to face Parkland's Wade Rivera in the 160-pound quarterfinals.

Central Dauphin's Kenny Courts, drags Cumberland Valley's Tristan Warner, to the mat during their 171 pound match in the District 3 Wrestling Championships.

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(CHRIS KNIGHT, The Patriot-News)

Four weeks ago, state wrestling fans were whipped into anticipation mode for the next three days.
   
Who wouldn’t be after seeing Central Dauphin clip Central Mountain 35-34 in the PIAA Class AAA Team Championships semifinals. You could just sense that these two mat behemoths would go at it again in the individual brackets during the PIAA Championships at Giant Center.
   
Too bad it didn’t turn out that way.
   
Oh, Central Mountain did its part. The Wildcats will bring eight wrestlers to Hershey, five of whom were Northwest Region champions, while the Rams stumbled a bit at districts and qualified only four wrestlers. In other words, the team championship will probably be heading north to District 6.
   
So instead of focusing on a monster team showdown — there is no reason to — it would be more prudent to shift gears and focus on the best weights in class.
   
And there are plenty.
   
The crown jewel of Class AAA bracketology is the 171-pound weight. There are arguably six or seven wrestlers in this group who could end up at the top of the podium Saturday night.
   
“People are going to remember who comes out on top at 171,” Cumberland Valley hammer Tristan Warner said. “The weight is pretty strong top to bottom, but I think I’m up to the challenge. I’m looking forward to it.”
   
Warner (35-2) is a strong contender, as his only losses this season have come at the hands of Central Dauphin’s Kenny Courts (38-0), the last of which was a 4-2 overtime barn burner in the district final.
   
Courts, who took silver a year ago at 160, has already beaten four of his competitors at 171 and has a Beast of the East crown, which came with a victory over Warner in the final, making him the favorite.
   
But in order to earn best in class honors, he will have to run a gauntlet of talent that would like nothing more than to knock off a Central Dauphin wrestler on the way to gold.
   
Chartiers Valley’s Tyler Wilps (37-0) is undefeated and on a quarterfinal collision course with Central Mountain’s Dylan Caprio (35-5). Butler’s Cole Baxter (36-1), if nothing else one of the toughest names in wrestling, has made the leap from 145 and could meet Courts in a quarterfinal tilt.
   
As for Warner, if he can win his first-round match against Upper Moreland’s James Nicholson, he likely will face Hazleton’s Jared Kay (36-5), who bounced him out of the tournament last year, in the quarters.
   
“He beat me 1-0 last year,” said Warner, who will wrestle at Old Dominion next year. “He kept me from a medal and, if I win there, I will probably meet Wilps in the semifinals. There are no weak matches.
   
“I just have to bring my A game and get through one match at a time.”
   
If there is a close second as far as a tough weight class, it comes at 135, where seven competitors have four losses or less.
   
Heading the list is Council Rock South’s Josh Dziewa (35-1), whose only loss this season came at the hands of Central Mountain’s Andrew Alton 10-6. Other heavy hitters are Central Mountain’s Jordan Rich (34-2), Boyertown’s Alex Pellicciotti (41-4), La Salle’s Joey Mazzi (44-3), who will meet Rich in the first round, and Cumberland Valley’s Shawn Greevy (20-2).
   
One of the best finals in Class AAA could come at 125, where Nazareth’s Zachary Horan (35-1) and Bellefonte’s Mitchell Port (41-0) are on opposite ends of the bracket. And if that doesn’t trip your trigger, you can tune in to see if Central Mountain 152-pounder Dylan Alton (41-0) and Central Dauphin’s Marshall Peppelman (46-0) can make it three titles in a row.
   
The Class AA brackets aren’t as deep as their Class AAA counterparts, but there are plenty of notables that bode well for the fan shelling out money at the ticket window.
   
The best weight of the bunch could be 135. Sure, Wyomissing’s Nick Hodgkins (33-1), the defending 130-pound champion, is lurking, but Tyrone’s A.J. Schopp (38-0), Montoursville’s Luke Frey (30-0) and Ridgway’s Garet Pisani (34-2) are by no means pushovers.
   
Six returning champions will be vying to duplicate last year’s feat in Class AA, two of whom are on course to meet in the finals at 160. Benton’s Eric Hess (37-2) won at 145, while Coudersport’s Dirk Cowburn (45-1) was the 152-pound champ.
   
If you are looking for a team race, you’ve got it in Class AA.
   
Schuylkill Valley heads the list of entries with eight, followed by Pen Argyl, Benton and Burrell, each with six. Shady Side Academy and Reynolds boast five.
   
That means there will be an emphasis on winning a title, giving the advantage to Schuylkill Valley with defending 135 champ Colin Shober at 140. But don’t discount Shade Side Academy, which has three returning placers, including 2007 champion Frank Martellotti at 130, and Burrell, a team that has four returning place winners.

Central Dauphin's Marshall Peppelman works an arm bar on Spring Grove's Logen Wisner during their 160-pound match in the District 3 Wrestling Championships.

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(CHRIS KNIGHT, The Patriot-News)

To an outsider, it might seem easy being Central Dauphin’s Marshall Peppelman.
   
He’s in tiptop shape, chiseled out of granite. He’s a 160-pound locomotive who has run over countless opponents, leaving them bewildered and out of sorts on his way to being a two-time defending state champion.
   
Peppelman’s family is comfortable, enjoying the benefits of his father being a successful orthopedic surgeon. He will attend Cornell of the Ivy League in the fall.
   
Any of the above could be the reason Peppelman has gotten booed. Maybe all of them; who knows?
   
“It’s never fun being booed, ever,” Peppelman said. “Even though I can say that I’ve gotten thicker skinned, it gets to me at times.
   
“It hurts, especially last year when I wrestled [Bryce] Busler and beat him 7-2. I mean, he was the second-best wrestler in the state at the time, and I couldn’t understand how I could wrestle someone that many times and people not have respect for the rivalry.”
   
Peppelman (46-0) has received solid advice from Rams head coach Jeff Sweigard, who is no stranger to jeers since CD has marched to six straight state titles. Sweigard has helped his star wrestler adopt the philosophy of “I have big shoulders, and I can take this on.”
   
His mother has also helped with the quirky slogan, “Fake it until you make it,” which has given her son the strength to shrug off any cat-calls from naysayers.
   
“It bothers me to hear any of my kids booed, but especially him,” Sweigard said. “It bothers me because if they only knew the time that he puts in behind the scenes. ... I just want to look around and say ‘why?’
   
“He’s going to Cornell. He’s not a problem discipline wise. He’s probably only missed one or two practices in four years. He’s in the room every day. I can count on him. He’s a leader, and the kids look up to him.”
   
See, it’s not so easy.
   
The Peppelman file is the most impressive District 3 has ever seen. He’s earned three district titles, a state runner-up finish as a 130-pound freshman, two state titles and the District 3-AAA wins record of 177-7, which surpasses the 172 by his brother, Walter.
   
If he can win the 160-pound championship at this weekend’s PIAA Wrestling Championships, which begin Thursday at Giant Center, he will be only the second District 3 wrestler to win three state titles. South Western’s Joey Wildasin (1988-90) accomplished the feat.
   
Numbers like that don’t come through talent alone. They certainly don’t come through luck. It takes hours of hard work and determination.
   
“My freshman year, I came in at 130 and it was a big jump,” Peppelman said. “I knew I was going to wrestle a bunch of seniors, guys that were physically mature and done growing. The physicality of wrestling an 18-year-old grown man as a 15-year-old kid was the biggest thing for me.
   
“After my freshman year, when I ended up losing in the state finals, I looked at it and realized that I was the best underclassman in the bracket and that next year there was only one more step to take. We kept training because my goal was to be a state champion and win it as many times as I possibly could.”
   
There is no shortage of work ethic.
   
Peppelman works out twice a day. He is in the Central Dauphin wrestling room, one of the toughest in the state, from 3 to 5:30 p.m. Then at 6:30, he is off to the renowned Peppelman Barn, which sits on his family’s property, for another 90-minute session.
   
That doesn’t include the summer workouts, the extra running and the extra lifting needed to be the best in the state at his weight.
   
“Our family got into wrestling early and just fell in love with it,” Peppelman said. “Coach [Ken] Courts has been such a huge part, and it really started as a little slice in our basement with me, Walter, Kenny [Courts], Tony [Dallago], [Kenny] Stank and [Simon] Rice going at it.
   
“We realized that we needed a bigger spot, so we moved it a little further down on the property and built something bigger. We are fortunate that Antonio [Giorgio], Joe [Spisak] and a bunch of good guys come down. It is a good atmosphere. We all really benefit from it, and we have all become really close in the process.”
   
But not all of Peppelman’s success is because of technique. There is a certain attitude that needs to be in place. That of a winner, someone who wants no part of losing.
   
“He is a fierce competitor,” said Walter Peppelman, who wrestles at Harvard but is home this season because of an elbow injury. “There is nobody who walks out on the mat that wants to win more than him.
   
“Two practices a day and lifting, it’s hard to find someone that works that hard.”
   
It would be easy for Marshall Peppelman to hold himself in higher regard than his teammates or other wrestlers. That isn’t the case. Peppelman is a student of wrestling. He is always looking to perfect his craft and pass it along to others in the CD room.
   
“His personality is great for the team,” Sweigard said. “He doesn’t want to be treated any different than anyone else. I yell at him as much as anyone else. We have to jump on him at times to push him through those tough times, but he is very coachable.”
   
And very confident.
   
Peppelman will need that swagger to carve his way through a 160-pound bracket that features seven wrestlers with three losses or fewer.
   
“When I go out on the mat, I think about all the work and time I put into it,” Peppelman said. “It’s not my past accomplishments. I think back to all the practices, the work in the room, the work over the summer and the work these last three days.
   
“It’s only four matches, but I feel I have worked harder than everyone in that bracket, and it would mean a lot for me to finish out on top. I’ve been so blessed to have all the team state titles and all the individual titles that I really just want to end it on a positive note.”

Every team needs a front man, someone who carries the torch.

When the East Pennsboro wrestling team was forced into Class AAA competition --- a mere eight kids over the Class AA limit --- to face heavy hitters from the likes of Central Dauphin and Cumberland Valley, head coach Todd Klucker knew he needed someone to jumpstart this program and put it on the map.

The Panthers found there man in Zachary Nye.

This 215-pound thumper embraced the role. He improved his skills enough in two seasons to not only compete against the best, but beat the best. No longer is Nye an unknown; he is a champion.

Nye was tenacious in securing a hard-fought and entertaining 7-1 decision over Cumberland Valley’s Travis Friend to earn the 215-pound gold in the District 3-AAA Championships, giving the Panthers their first district champion in only two seasons fighting against the big boys.

“This is awesome,” Klucker said. “There are a lot of good guys that have supported our team, but he is the face of the program.

“He knows how to win. He is a tough kid and incredibly smart. He gets great grades and is the nicest kid you want to be around. I don’t think there is a mean bone in his body.”

After beating Central Dauphin’s Kyle Wolfe last week at sectionals, Nye had the confidence to go with his aggressiveness. He never backed off in this tournament as evidenced by his three falls before he reached the finals.

Once there, you could sense that he was going to continue to apply the pressure to Friend..

Nye had a takedown in the first and another in the second to go along with an escape for a 5-0 lead. After Friend escaped to start the third, the Panthers junior went into lockdown mode and didn’t allow another point.

For good measure, he shot late and scored another takedown just before the buzzer as the East Pennsboro faithful erupted in Hersheypark Arena stands.

“Central Dauphin and Cumberland Valley are such good wrestling schools,” said Nye, who is East Pennsboro’s 15th district champion overall. “They really made me work so much harder.

“My first couple matches, I was more off and not as aggressive. I was definitely not trying to lose. But knowing he [Friend] was aggressive, I had to stay aggressive. I was definitely more prepared for that match.”

It showed.

And with it, Nye pushed his record to 35-0, should have a good slot at states and has achieved instant stardom in the halls of East Pennsboro.

“I hoped I would win districts, but I didn’t expect it,” said Nye, who has 98 career wins. “My goal this year was to win districts, place at states and reach 100 wins.”

One down, two to go.

Susquehanna Twp.’s Averee Robinson also reached his goal of proving that Susquehanna Twp. Wrestlers can compete at a high level.

Robinson capped Mid-Penn dominance at the top of the podium --- the conference had eight gold medals in 14 weight classes --- by slipping by Conestoga Valley’s Cole Dillman 2-1 in three overtimes at 285.

“I’m proud to represent the school,” Robinson, a sophomore said. “Daniel King also had a good showing, and we showed that Susquehanna Twp. has good wrestling.”

You will get no argument from a battered Dillman, who gave up an escape in the second overtime period and couldn’t get out of Robinson’s clutches in the third.

“My goal was to come and be a district champ,” said Robinson, who was pinned in last year’s final by Keith Dahlheimer. “I’m so happy about this. Now I want to get on the podium at states.”

Carlisle’s Jayshon Wilson moved up to 152 for the postseason and walked out with a second-straight district championship.

Wilson dominated the second period against Mechanicsburg’s Zach Thomson, racking up nine points on his way to a 13-7 decision.

“I didn’t feel I could cut weight and be comfortable,” said Wilson, who wrestled at 145, 152 and 160 this season. “I’m happy with my conditioning. It’s a lot better than last year.

“It feels good to win my second district title. No one at the school has ever done it.”

Big Spring’s Dereck Enders won the 112-pound title in an 8-3 decision over Cumberland Valley’s Jon Brigham.

“Wrestling 119 this year helped a lot,” Enders said. “It helped me get ready for the lighter kids. Plus, it is always helps getting your butt kicked a few times.”

State kingpin Central Dauphin got a pair of championships from Marshall Peppelman (160) and Kenny Courts (171), who outlasted Cumberland Valley’s Tristan Warner 4-2 in overtime after hitting a takedown 32 seconds in.

But it wasn’t a good day for the Rams, who won the team title but only advanced four wrestlers to states.

“It was a frustrating day,” CD coach Jeff Sweigard said. “It was kind of like getting your teeth kicked in.

"I think we wrestled tired today. But we got four kids to states and won the team title. That isn’t bad, and we didn’t even wrestle great. We have to take a positive out of this and learn from it.”