HESKETT NAMED WRESTLING COACHFormer Ohio State Assistant, Four-Time All-American Joins Black Knights
 
WEST POINT, N.Y.  – Joe Heskett, a four-time All-American, national champion and former U.S. World Team member who spent the past four years as an assistant at Ohio State University, has been named the head wrestling coach at Army Athletics Director Kevin Anderson announced.Heskett, a 2001 graduate of Iowa State University, replaces Chuck Barbee who resigned following his 10th season to pursue other interests.
 
“I am very excited to have one of the young talents in collegiate wrestling as our head coach,” said Anderson. “Joe comes highly recommended from Athletic Director of the Year Gene Smith of Ohio State has unmatched credentials on the mat and his passion and dedication to the sport should pay immediate dividends. He has continued to advance his career and we are confident he can lead us to wins over Navy, EIWA Championships and national qualifiers.”
 
Heskett, who won the 165-pound national championship in 2002, is the ninth head coach in program history.
 
"Life will often surprise us with outstanding opportunities,” said Heskett. “I am humbled and honored to be able to lead and represent the Army wrestling program. I am inspired by what West Point represents and I graciously accept the challenge to mentor and motivate the cadet-athletes, improve their technical and tactical skills on the mat and to beat Navy. I would like to thank my family, Kevin Anderson, the West Point search committee, specifically Associate Athletic Director Gene McIntyre for his time and energy and the entire USMA athletic department."
 
Heskett, the eighth four-time All-American at Iowa State, graduated with a degree in speech communications and a career record of 143-9.
 
He was a three-time national finalist, winning one championship and finishing second and third. Heskett captured three Big 12 Championships, won the prestigious Midlands event on three occasions and graduated third on Iowa State’s all-time wins list.
 
Following his decorated collegiate career, Heskett earned a spot on the 2007 U.S. World Team after winning the U.S. Nationals and U.S. World Team Trials. He represented the United States at the ’07 World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan with a fifth-place finish. He dropped a tough, three-period battle with a two-time world champion from Russia in the semifinals before wrestling back to finish fifth and was one of five wrestlers to qualify at his weight for the Olympics. Earlier that summer, he won a silver medal at 163 pounds at the 2007 Pan American Games.Less than a week after returning from the World Championships, Heskett was forced to retire from competitive wrestling due to an injury and joined the Ohio State staff.Hired as the volunteer assistant in 2006, Heskett was training for the Olympics while assisting in recruiting, team academic support, cultivating donor and alumni relations and other operational duties. Shortly after his competitive retirement, he was promoted to full-time assistant on Tom Ryan’s staff as the chief recruiter. In addition to his work on the mat, Heskett also assumed responsibility for practice plans, academic progress and community service initiatives.
 
During his tenure at Ohio State, Heskett helped the Buckeyes to four top-10 team finishes at the NCAA Tournament, three NCAA champions and 15 All-Americans. He played a large role in securing the nation’s top recruiting class in 2006 and helped sign a host of top prospects.
 
Heskett began his coaching career at Cal Poly University where he was the head assistant wrestling coach an also earned his master’s degree with honors in Educational Leadership with an emphasis in Athletic Administration. He assisted in all facets of the program, including fundraising, and helped the Mustangs to their highest NCAA placement in nearly 20 years.
 
Leadership and leadership training is another passion of Heskett’s. He was Iowa State’s representative at the NCAA Leadership Conference, a board member of the Children’s Body Image, a former member of the Major Ray Mendoza Leadership Fund and an Ambassador and Public Awareness Speaker for the Ohio State Medical Center. He is the founder and Chief Visionary Officer for h Leadership in Columbus, Ohio, a firm with an array of industry expertsA native of Akron, Ohio, Heskett and his wife Tara have two daughters, Olivia and Ava, and are expecting a son in late July. They will reside at West Point.

Lebanon County’s top track and field athletes will be at the county track championships at Lebanon High School on Saturday morning and afternoon.

Granted, the Lebanon County Meet can get lost in the midst of other invitationals going on, especially with leagues and districts on the horizon.

But the local athletes always seem to have a few of the league or district’s best among them. And so it is in 2010.

Elco’s Kayleigh Perry has the best time in the 3200-meter run in all of District 3 with a 5:00.90. She also has an Lancaster-Lebanon League best 11:03.2 in the 3200.

Harlee Staller of Annville-Cleona has the top long jump in the L-L with a 17-4 1/2. That is also the farthest jump in District 3 among AA schools.

On the boys side, Chris Bradley of Cedar Crest has the L-L best times in both the 110 hurdles and the 300 hurdles. He has a 14.52 in the 110 and a 39.52 in the 300. Bradley was the Most Outstanding Athlete at last year’s Lebanon County Meet.

Another Falcon, Jon Jackson, is on top of the league honor roll in the 800 with a 1:58.05.

Cedar Crest has won the last 12 boys county championships. A glance at this springs performances makes the Falcons favorites again, perhaps favorites in the way the Connecticut women’s basketball team usually is.

Out of 18 events, Cedar Crest has the top performer in 13 of them. The Falcons are the top seed in 10 of 11 events on the track.

Among the top seeds on the track for Cedar Crest are Mychal Robinson in the 400 and Alex Galli in the 1600.

Not surprisingly, the Falcons are also the top seed in each of the relay races.

The one top-seeded boy on the track from elsewhere in the county is Elco’s Kyle Kessler. He comes into the meet with a 10:06.9 in the 3200.

While the boys meet seems to be lopsided in Cedar Crest’s favor, the girls meet looks more balanced.

Cedar Crest, as the largest school in the county, does have the advantage in depth. But Palmyra won last year’s team title in spite of that.

But Staller’s dominance in the jumps - she also has a county-best 36-1 3/4 in the triple jump - will help A-C considerably.

In addition to having Perry, Elco also has Sam Walmer on its side. Walmer has a 16.4 in the 100 hurdles and a 48.0 in the 300 hurdles.

Northern Lebanon’s Shannon Hernley enters with a real chance at two golds as well. She has a 101-9 in the discus and a 107-5 in the javelin.

LEBANON NOTES

- Last week, this column focused on the positives and negatives of the Lancaster-Lebanon League’s three-game-a-week schedule for baseball and softball. Mother Nature promptly provided one of the negatives with rain that forced postponements and reschedules on Monday. Four of the five Lebanon County baseball games were rescheduled for Tuesday, while four of the five softball games moved to Thursday. No official reasons for the difference in scheduling, but it would not be surprising if the pitching restrictions in baseball encouraged schools to have their teams play Tuesday-Wednesday-Friday this week. Softball, without such restrictions, can more easily handle a Wednesday-Thursday-Friday slate.

- Cedar Crest’s team tennis season came to a close on Tuesday when the Falcons fell to Donegal 3-2 in the L-L semifinals. Steven Kurban and Michael Andrews won their singles matches for the Falcons’ victories. At No. 2 Kurban downed Chris Royer 6-1, 5-7, 6-0, and at No. 3 Andrews defeated Zach Meador 6-3, 6-3. But Cedar Crest’s top player, Wes Fortna, dropped the No. 1 singles match to Pat Morgan 7-6, 6-1. Donegal swept the doubles matches in straight sets to move on to the finals.

- Dylan Killian of Annville-Cleona was named the L-L AA wrestler of the year. Killian was a state qualifier in the 140 weight class.

A scholastic track and field athlete can only win a state medal in Shippensburg in May. But the process of getting an athlete to reach his or her peak performance in May starts in March, even before the first meet begins.

In any sport, coaches generally want their athletes to play their best at the end of the regular season and through the postseason. But track and field coaches have to approach this a little differently.

A basketball or baseball team wants the team in general to be on an upward trend. If a couple athletes hit a slump late in the season, it might be balanced out by the performance of their teammates.

Track competitors, except in relays, stand alone. When postseason meets arrive, they have to be at their best individually.

Cedar Crest boys track head coach Rob Bare has been finding ways to do that for a generation of Falcon athletes. But he does not have a one-size-fits-all approach to it.

“It’s important for us to look at the team and student athletes we have,” Bare said.

One factor is the number of boys Bare has our for the team. Bare does not give away dual meets in the name of individual results.

“It depends on the depth we have too,” Bare said. “We’ll tell kids that they’ll run four different events one day, or we’ll tell them that they’ll run in just one or two events, then come back in 48 hours and work them really hard again.”

But one thing Bare does look for, year in and year out, is for his athletes to be working hard in the preseason, but not putting up top-notch performances yet.

“Some or our more talented athletes looked good [in practice on Monday], but they didn’t look dynamite yet. I like that,” Bare said. “They’re working hard, but it’s tough to look that good all year, to run, throw and jump for that long at that level...Our job is to run well, throw well and jump well in May.”

One of the keys for Bare is to keep an athlete’s head up in the first half of the season if a throw is still a few feet short of that athlete’s expectations. But usually, Bare said, the Falcons are able to keep their eyes on the prize.

“If the student-athlete buys into the philosophy, it works really well,” Bare said. “For the athletes we’ve been working with for the last 15 years, the vast majority of them did buy into it.”

Among the former Cedar Crest athletes who flourished under this patient approach was Thomas Jordan.

“He was one of the better throwers in the country [in 2003], but he was playing second fiddle to Brad Zimmerman from Warwick,” Bare said. “At the Penn Relays, Zimmerman won it, but Thomas had the second, third and fourth best throws of the meet.”

Those consistent throws were a good omen for Jordan, who finished the year by winning the Lancaster-Lebanon, District 3 and PIAA gold medals with meet records that still stand.

Another Falcon who had his best performance on the biggest stage was Tobias Robinson, who was a 300-meter hurdle silver medalist at the 2006 District 3 Meet, was seeded fifth at states and went on to win the PIAA gold.

"His kind of happened in the last week of the season," Bare said.

Other state champions Bare has coached include Jaren Hayes (2002, 100) and Pete Habegger (2004, long jump).

The first track meets in Lebanon County will be held on March 29th.

LEBANON COUNTY NOTES

- Maddie Hoch provided the lone state gold medal for Lebanon County this winter when she won the PIAA Class AAA girls 500-yard freestyle at Bucknell University with a 4:51.03. It was one of three medals Hoch claimed at the state meet. She also won the 200 freestyle and was part of the Falcons’ 400 freestyle relay team. Hoch, a freshman, had won the 500 freestyle at the District 3 Meet as well.

- Lebanon Catholic’s run at state gold came to an end in last Friday’s quarterfinals, which they lost to Greenwood 45-30. In the Class A playoffs, districts and states combined, the Beavers were 0-2 against the Wildcats, and 5-0 against everyone else.

- Dylan Killian of Annville-Cleona was the only Lebanon County wrestler to compete in the PIAA wrestling tournament. Though he lost his first two matches there in the Class AA 140 competition, Killian still finished the season with a 35-10 record and a District 3 silver medal.

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.

Tyler Buckman vs. Steve Spearman was the event's top match

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(JOHN C. WHITEHEAD, The Patriot-News)

1.  WILDCATS REVENGE: After falling short in the team championships, it only seems fitting that Central Mountain win the team title in the PIAA Individual Wrestling Championships. The Wildcats were led by Andrew and Dylan Alton, who won titles at 145 and 152, but also had two other placers to break Central Dauphin’s streak of six straight team titles.

2.  CRAIG IS KING HOSS: When you look at Abington Heights’ Evan Craig, you see a big guy who looks like he doesn’t have much athletic ability. Ah, that is the first mistake. Craig has that and more, proving it by pinning every one of his opponents on the way to a second straight state title at 285.

3.  BEST IN SHOW: If the Class AAA and Class AA finals were the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, the match between Central Dauphin’s Tyler Buckman and McDowell’s Steve Spearman was the top entry — by far. It had twists, turns, suspense and drama all wrapped into one, and the crowd showed appreciation with a postmatch ovation.

4.  NICE GUYS FINISH FIRST: Boiling Springs’ Joe Spisak is a friendly and respectful kid that keeps his nose clean and works hard. He is the poster child for what this sport is really about, and it was good to see him get rewarded for his four years of tireless work with a state title.

5.  LEGACY CEMENTED: It isn’t often that you catch a glimpse of someone so developed and so accomplished at their craft that they are in a class of their own. But Central Dauphin’s Marshall Peppelman getting his arm raised after a pin in the finals for a third straight state title seemed like an appropriate ending.

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.

Athens’ David White looked like he was a sure runner-up finisher in the 112-pound weight class.
    
There was no doing anything with human tarantula Randy Cruz of Bethlehem Catholic riding on top with a 2-0 lead. But then White got a break.
    
Cruz chose bottom to start the third and was let up for a 3-0 lead. White knew what he was doing, taking down the Golden Hawks sophomore with 14 seconds left and rolling him over for three neaer-fall points.
    
Seconds later, White (45-3) was getting his hand raised high in front of the Giant Center crowd, becoming the sixth state champion in school history. He is the first since Derrick Morgan reached the top of the podium in 2002.

Schuylkill Valley’s Colin Shober wrapped up his career in style in front of a sizeable Class AA final crowd.
   
The soon-to-be Northwestern freshman had five takedowns in an 11-4 status-quo 140-pound victory over Juniata’s Seth Beitz. It was his 194th career victory, extending his Pennsylvania record for most wins by a Class AA wrestler. The overall wins record of 199 is held by Upper Perkiomen’s Zack Kemmerer.
   
Shober, who has been beaten once in the last two years, was Schuylkill Valley’s fourth champion. He also won the state title at 135 a year ago. Peter Horst (1987) and Jake Stork (1998) were the other champs for the Berks school.

Big Spring's Dereck Enders controls Delaware Valley's C.J. Singer in their 112 lb. bout in the quarterfinal round of AAA State wrestling finals at Giant Center.

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(SEAN SIMMERS, The Patriot-News)

• PIAA Class AAA wrestling photo gallery

If you were one of the other 15 wrestlers positioned in the Class AAA 112-pound bracket, you had a tough time scouting Dereck Enders 112 matches.
   
There just weren’t many.
   
Throughout the season, the Big Spring junior predominantly competed at 119 and had a smattering of bouts at 125 and 112. So unless the rest of the field visited the District 3 Championships, the Enders-file at 112 was small.
   
They all know him now.
   
Enders used the skills he gained at the heavier weights to his advantage and blew into today’s Class AAA semifinal round by scoring a rough-and-tumble 4-2 quarterfinal decision over Delaware Valley’s C.J. Palmer.
   
“I think [112] fits me better,” Enders said. “Everyone at 119 is a head taller than me. Being at 119 has made me stronger and quicker.
   
“It feels so good, real good to make the semifinals. It still hasn’t sunk in yet.”
   
Enders (32-4) showed his speed early in the first period when he took down Palmer to sprint out to a 2-0 lead. But there was no extending the advantage in the first period.
   
The lanky Palmer used his height and reach to his benefit. He wiggled free early in the second to cut the gap in half and went on the offensive, trying to score on the much shorter and stockier Enders.
   
Enders chose down to start the third and ripped his arms and hips through, turning a reversal to take a 4-1 lead. But Palmer followed up with an escape and went on the attack.
   
“He was long and was able to get in on me, he just didn’t finish,” Enders said. “Coach [Kemal Pegram] always tells me that the best offense is a good defense and that if you have good offense, you have good defense.”
   
Enders needed all of it.
   
Down by two, Palmer picked up the pace and tied Enders up with 10 seconds left. But before he could gain total control for a takedown, the buzzer sounded and another local wrestler was in the semifinals.
   
“It was a close call,” Enders said. “It was close, but I kept the whizzer and was able to hold on the last 10 seconds. It felt like a long time.“
   
Up next, returning state champion Jimmy Guilbon, of Derry, in this morning‘s 8 a.m. semifinal round.
   
“He’s just another wrestler,” Enders said. “I’m going to go after him. There have been a lot of upsets, and I’m going to go out and give it my all.”
   
Middletown’s Bo Candelaria gave it his all and came out with a hard-fought 2-1 overtime victory over Nazareth’s Ryan Krecker, who beat Candelaria earlier this year 7-2.
   
This time was different. Candelaria showed great defense and kept his opponent off balance with each wrestler scoring an escape to end regulation tied at one.
   
After a scoreless first two overtime periods, Krecker let the stronger Candelaria up in the third and couldn’t manage a takedown to drop the decision and send Candelaria into a semifinal tilt with Central Mountain stud Andrew Alton.
   
“I’m satisfied with the win, but I’m not finished yet,” Candelaria (31-3) said. “I have Alton tomorrow and that is my prize.
   
“I haven’t seen him wrestle, so I’m going to wrestle my game and do what I’ve done well all year.”
   
East Pennsboro’s Zachary Nye (215) and Susquehanna Twp.’s Averee Robinson (285) also cracked the semifinals.
   
Nye (38-0) racked up the 100th win of his career in beating Methacton’s Brandan Clark 3-0. Meanwhile, Robinson (36-2) earned a semifinal bout with Central Mountain’s Zach Corl (38-5) by decking Clearfield’s Andre Buck 7-4.
   
Still alive for medals in the consolation bracket are Cedar Cliff’s Christopher Vassar (103), Carlisle’s Jayshon Wilson (152) and Cumberland Valley’s Travis Friend (215).

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."