Penn State wrestling coach Cael Sanderson, center, watches the PIAA AAA preliminary matches from a suite at the Giant Center.

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(JOE HERMITT, The Patriot-News )

Penn State wrestling coach Cael Sanderson attended last weekend's PIAA Wrestling Championships for the first time. Here are some of his thoughts about the event from a Tuesday news conference in State College:

HIGH QUALITY

"It's a really impressive tournament," Sanderson said. "I didn't really get a feel for what it takes to even get to states until I got down there. The quality of every round, including the first round, is tough."

FIGHT FOR THEIR LIVES

"Some of the kids stood out," he said, "but because you had so many good kids there, it's not like you had guys going for consecutive titles throwing people around. They were fighting for their lives, too. It was good to see."

COLLEGE PROSPECTS

"A lot of kids are signed already. There were as many college coaches in the arena as there were kids in the tournament. They're there for a reason, the history. If you can do well in Pa., you can do well in college wrestling."

NOTHING LIKE IT

"I never have had the opportunity to attend that tournament. The quality of the tournament and the individuals, it's really good. I haven't seen anything like that before. The depth is what really stands out."

Tyler Buckman right, of Central Dauphin reverses Steve Spearman left, of McDowell.

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(JOHN C. WHITEHED, The Patriot-News)

It’s only 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, it’s rainy, dreary and incredibly windy, yet the string of automobile headlights lined up on Hersheypark Drive heading for Giant Center stretches from the arena’s intersection beyond the crest of the hill more than a half-mile back.
   
Had one of the six mats used during the PIAA Wrestling Championships been outside, the wind could have rolled it up and rolled it over to Hersheypark Arena, where the championships used to be conducted.
   
But it was the Class AAA semifinals these 8,000 fans wanted to see and little was going to stop them.
   
For good reason. The Triple-A semis are by far the highlight of the eight-session, three-day event. This year’s talent level was Triple-A squared.
   
Check out these champions’ college choices: Josh Dziewa to Iowa. Josh Kindig to Oklahoma State. Mitchell Port to Division I Edinboro. The Alton twins to Penn State. Marshall Peppelman to Cornell. Spencer Myers to Maryland. Evan Craig to Rider.
   
That’s a small sampling.
   
So next year, when you’re en route to the tournament and someone asks you for directions to Giant Center, the answer is simple: “Practice, practice, practice.”
   
How popular is this PIAA event, you ask? I can tell you.
   
Pennlive.com received 442,645 page views for the wrestling coverage over the three days. There were 2,300 people involved in online chats, and they sent more than 3,000 messages.
   
That shows the passion not only statewide, but one person online was in China and another in Florida.
   
However, what would a tournament that draws that much attention and was witnessed by 57,000 fans be without a complaint? I just happen to have one.
   
If you’re a wrestler and you’ve just lost a match, have the decency to shake your opponent’s hand. Look him in the eye and shake his hand. Don’t slap at his hand, don’t offer your left hand, don’t turn your back and throw your hand at his, possibly hitting it, possibly not.
   
Grow up and shake his hand. Losing a match won’t be the worst thing that will happen to you in your life.
   
Having said that, a tip of the mat to Central Dauphin’s Tyler Buckman, the 130-pound senior who lost a heartbreaking finals match to Erie McDowell sophomore Steve Spearman.
   
Buckman not only shook Spearman’s hand, he gave him a pat on the shoulder. And after the two shook the hands of the opposing coaches, Buckman stopped Spearman at the side of the mat and hugged him.
   
The fans appreciated the quality of the match, and they let them know afterward with rousing applause. They also appreciated the sportsmanship.
   
I wouldn’t call this a complaint because you’d have to be a fool to complain about Andrew Alton of Central Mountain, voted the tournament’s Outstanding Wrestler.
   
But I would have voted for heavyweight Craig of Abington Heights. He won his second title by pinning four straight opponents. He’s not yet at the already collegiate level of the Alton twins or CD’s Peppelman, but he’s getting mighty close.
   
And if ever there was a year to start an Outstanding Runner-up award, my vote would go to CD’s Buckman.
   
Another tip of the mat to the four District 12 (Philadelphia city schools) wrestlers who earned medals.
   
Shane Springer of La Salle College was runner-up to Dylan Alton at 152. Casey Kent of La Salle lost his first match and won five straight bouts to place third at 125. Only two other wrestlers did that, and it’s quite a feat.
   
Nick Bongard of Monsignor Bonner was sixth at 119, and Anthony White of Northeast Catholic was seventh at 140.
   
Lest you think that Saturday night marked the end of the season, think again. The season will be capped off Saturday with the Dapper Dan Classic at the Pitt Field House.
   
Joe Spisak of Boiling Springs and CD’s Peppelman are part of a Pennsylvania all-star team that will take on a team of stars from around the United States.
   
It’s a prestigious event, one which the USA has dominated as of late. This year could be different.
   
Spisak will face Jamie Clark, a three-time Ohio champion from St. Edwards with a career record of 128-8. Clark is heading for Illinois; Spisak, for Virginia.
   
Peppelman will meet Nick Sulzer, also from St. Edwards and a one-time champ who is 146-17 and headed for UVa.
   
Other matches that should be quite interesting include Andrew Alton against Joe Cozart (226-4), a four-time Florida champ headed for Iowa State; Dylan Alton against Jackson Morse (184-9), a three-time Michigan champ headed for Illinois, and Craig against Bobby Telford (116-40), a two-time Delaware champ en route to Iowa.
   
Mike Evans of Blair Academy in New Jersey by way of Cumberland Valley is on the U.S. team and is set to face Jamie Callender of Council Rock North. Evans also is headed for Iowa next season.
   
The match begins at 8 p.m. It will be preceded at 6 p.m. by a match between a team of WPIAL (Pittsburgh suburbs) all-stars and a team of New York state stars.
   
If you’re not wrestled out, the NCAA Championships begin today in Omaha, Neb. Plenty of action will be on ESPNU Friday (10:30 a.m. and 7 p.m.) and Saturday (11 a.m.), and the finals are 7:30 p.m. Saturday on ESPN.

Bethlehem Catholic's Randy Cruz, Nazareth's Zach Horan and Liberty's Anthony Marino all shed tears after losing in state finals.

Marshall Peppelman of Central Dauphin will be remembered

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(JOHN C. WHITEHEAD, The Patriot-News)

Walking out of Giant Center late Saturday night and into the bluster and drizzle, it was the perfect time to reflect on the events that occurred over the high school wrestling season.

At first, there was some anxiety taking over for longtime wrestling writer and colleague Rod Frisco, someone who has a limitless knowledge of the sport and has been a staple for 25 years.

But after a while, things settled down and I was able to get a grasp of what was going on. Along the way, the wrestling community was patient and provided great moments that won’t soon be forgotten, at least not from this side of the room.

My mind wondered to an epic dual meet between Central Mountain and Central Dauphin in the state semifinal dual that many experts rank above and beyond anything they have ever seen. That match alone sold me on team wrestling.

But by the time I reached down to open my car door, my thoughts shifted to what was witnessed on the floor of Giant Center over the last three days during the PIAA Wrestling Championships, where members of the 2009-2010 class of local wrestlers made memorable runs and solidified legacies.

It will be a long time before anyone forgets Central Dauphin’s Marshall Peppelman.

The 160-pound superstar displayed his power by standing West Allegheny’s Troy Reaghard straight up on his back like one of those buoys that bounced up and down in the ocean and pinned him in 3:02.

It was the perfect end to a career that included three straight individual state titles, six team titles, Powerade and Beast of the East championships and a district record 181 wins.

All were accomplished with a touch of class.

"I can’t name one moment out of all the success I had — the team titles, the individual titles — each is a moment all in itself," Peppelman said. "These are all memories that I can look back on that will last a lifetime."

Potential was also realized and completed in the Rams’ camp during this state tournament.

Kenny Courts came in as a highly touted freshman, got hurt and missed states and then came back to finish second last year as a sophomore. You could just sense at the beginning of this season, he was going to complete his mission.

He did, beating Cumberland Valley’s Tristan Warner in the final — not an easy task — to give the Rams back-to-back gold medals at 160 and 171.

"It’s been an amazing ride," the lightning-quick Courts said. "I’ve worked so hard since last year’s loss, especially on improving on the bottom, and it feels great to get something that I’ve worked so hard for."

And no one will forget CD’s Tyler Buckman and his unbelievable match against McDowell’s Steve Spearman in the 130-pound final. It was easily the best match of all the finals, Class AA or Class AAA.

Watching Buckman on the mat is fun any time. Whether he is leading or trailing, this guy can pull athletic moves that just captivate and wow a crowd.

"It’s been a pleasure coaching these kids," CD head coach Jeff Sweigard said. "They earned everything they got. Besides all the medals, they go out and work hard.

"They came up through the program together. They do the extra training, the extra lifting and they are all buddies and get a long."

But this season wasn’t just about Central Dauphin and its wrestlers. Not by a long shot.

How about Cumberland Valley’s Shawn Greevy? Was there a wrestler that showed more guts and moxie this season than this guy, coming back from an ugly knee injury in December to get a silver medal at 135?

No way.

The Eagles’ Warner should be commended for his efforts. He lived in Courts’ shadow most of the season and kept racking up impressive wins. He never wilted under pressure and if not for Courts, he would be the one celebrating a state championship.

A new star also stepped to the forefront this season in the form of East Pennsboro’s Zachary Nye.

Some speculated —- we took a wait-and-see attitude —- that he feasted on Capital Division competition and didn’t have the chops to hold up against the heavy hitters in Class AAA.

Wrong.

Fact is, Nye is legit. His speed and his tactical wrestling ability netted him a silver at states. One more offensive flurry or counter, and he beats Selinsgrove’s Spencer Myers for the gold.

"It was a goal, and is really everyone’s goal, to win a state title," Nye said. "But my expectations weren’t exactly to be a state runner-up.

"I’m proud of what I did this year. I’m disappointed with the end, but happy with the season."

Don’t worry, Zach, you will be in the hunt next season. And no doubt it will be fun to watch.

A special thanks also goes out to Boiling Springs’ Joe Spisak. This kid is classy and took some tough defeats in three seasons before reaching the top of the podium on Saturday afternoon at 130.

No one deserved it more.

The regular season was also dotted with great team matches. Big Spring and Mechanicsburg, Mechanicsburg and Chambersburg and Big Spring and Mechanicsburg again. See the trend here? That young Wildcats squad is going to be a handful during the 2010-2011 season.

Stay tuned.

Central Dauphin to Cumberland Valley, Middletown to Mechanicsburg and all the wrestlers in between, it was a great season.

And I can’t wait for the next one.

• Class AA championship photo gallery

Two schools managed to land their first state champions during the Class AA finals of the PIAA wrestling championships.

Junior Nick Carr (32-2) gave South Fayette its first gold, when he defeated Sharon's Jordan Moss 6-3 in the 145-pound final.

Nursing a 4-3 lead, Carr used Moss' momentum coming forward with seconds left and slid around for a takedown at the buzzer. Carr placed sixth a year ago at 145.

Freshman Cody Wiercioch looked impressive throughout the tournament and became Charleroi's first state champion.

Wiercioch, a two-time Junior Olympic champion, controlled his 152-pound finals match throughout the six-minute distance to down Bethlehem Catholic's Kyle Dehaut in an 8-3 decision.

Gold wasn't the only thing Wiercioch (38-1) accomplished in his first season of high school wrestling. He also was the first Southwest champion in school history and set the record for most consecutive wins by a Charleroi wrestler.

Join The Patriot-News from the Giant Center in Hershey for the third and final day of the PIAA wrestling championships. Action starts with Class AAA semifinals and consolations at 8 a.m., then continues with the AA championship and consolation finals this afternoon, and Class AAA finals at 8 p.m. tonight.

Bracket links:

• Class AAA winners
• Class AAA consolation
• Class AA winners
• Class AA consolation

Kenny Courts of Central Dauphin pins Josh Popple of Coughlin in today's Class AAA quarterfinals.

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(JOHN C. WHITEHEAD, The Patriot-News)

• Class AAA quarterfinals photo gallery

Over the past five seasons, everything has gone pretty well for the Cumberland Valley and Central Dauphin wrestling teams.
   
That changed a little bit over the past three months.
   
Graduation and injuries turned the normally dominant Eagles into a beatable team. That became more evident than when Wilson went into the CV Dome and bounced the Eagles out of team districts.
   
As for the Rams, their impenetrable armor was nicked a bit at districts when they only advanced four wrestlers to this weekend’s state tournament.
   
But now that the Class AAA portion of the PIAA Wrestling Championships is in high gear, the Eagles and Rams are back on top of their game, occupying five spots in tomorrow morning’s semifinal round, which begins at 8 a.m.
   
The Eagles Shawn Greevy led the Eagles contingent with a breath-taking 9-6 rally over Crestwood spunky senior Hunter McGraw in a match that the CV senior trailed 6-1 in the first period.
   
"This win really helped a lot with my confidence," Greevy said. "It showed that I can get down and have enough heart to come back. It shows that I can come back and score points and win the match."
   
Greevy’s epic Giant Center comeback started with an escape and takedown to close the first period, bringing the margin to 6-4. One minute later, the deficit was erased when the Eagles star escaped and hit another takedown to take a 7-6 lead heading to the third.
   
There, Greevy (22-2), who suffered a knee injury in December, put the finishing touches on the match with a textbook Russian that had many purists gleaming.
   
"I didn’t expect anything less than the state semifinals at the beginning of the season," Greevy said. "After I hurt my knee, I didn’t know how long I was going to be out. I was going to take one match at a time and hope everything fell into place.
   
"Now that I already have a medal, I’m not going to be anxious and just do what I have to do to win the match."
   
There was plenty of anxiety coming into this year’s championships for the Rams, who normally are the team doling out headaches.
   
But Tyler Buckman (36-4) squashed some of the uneasiness, when he mustered a 6-4 overtime decision over Pittsburgh Central Catholic’s Tyler Zymroz, in one of the most entertaining matches of the tournament so far.
   
Buckman looked like a sure consolation candidate trailing 4-2 with nine seconds left, but the CD senior slipped a reverse to tie the match with one second left.
   
In the overtime period, Buckman was the aggressor and hit a double-leg takedown with 31 seconds showing on the clock to end it.
   
"Once I got to my feet and reached down and got one of his legs up, I looked at the clock and turned it into a double-leg to tie it," Buckman said. "I just kept the momentum and knew I had it in overtime.
   
"Me and Marshall [Peppelman] talked at the beginning year, and our goal was to win state titles, me getting my first and his third. We pushed each other and didn’t want to lose whether it was lifting or running."
   
Peppelman (160) and Kenny Courts (171) also advanced to the semifinals for the Rams.
   
Tristan Warner (37-2) avenged last year’s season-ending loss to Hazelton’s Jared Kay by beating Kay in the quarterfinals 1-0 to give the Eagles their second semifinalist.
   
This was a defensive struggle that saw Warner ride Kay out in the second period before escaping in the third for a 1-0 decision.
   
"I knew it was going to come down to who could ride who out; it was the same as last year," Warner said. "I was pretty confident that I could get out in the third period, but I wasn’t sure I could hold him down.
   
"This is huge for me. He beat me last year, and it is a great feeling to place at states. This takes the pressure off and now I can see how high on the podium I go."

See complete results for this morning's quarterfinal round.

See complete results for this morning's consolation round.

Join The Patriot-News for Day 2 of the PIAA Wrestling Championships at Giant Center in Hershey. Action starts at 8 a.m. with AA quarterfinals and ends with a 9 p.m. round of AA consolations.

Bracket links:

• Class AAA winners
• Class AAA consolation
• Class AA winners
• Class AA consolation