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Carson: MIfflin and Juniata preview of tomorrow’s PIAA State Wrestling Championships

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By BRIAN CARSON

HERSHEY – Six area wrestlers fought through the postseason grind and are one step closer to their goal of bringing home a medal at the PIAA Class 3A Championships at the Giant Center in Hershey.

Class 3A kicks off with pigtails and first-round action beginning at 4 p.m,

Class 3A

Mifflin County advanced five to states led by Northwest Regional champions Kyler Everly (160) and Trey Shoemaker (189). Nic Allison (106), Hunter Johnson (120), and Anson Wagner (215) join their teammates in Chocolatetown, along with Juniata regional runner-up Casey Smith (120).

Everly (34-3), seeded fourth, meets the winner of Kiski Area’s Enzo Morlacci (32-6) and Central York’s Macon Myers (27-7) in the first round. Shoemaker (36-4) begins his quest for a PIAA medal against Whitehall’s Melquan Warren (31-9).

Allison (33-3), a four-time state qualifier and eighth-place finisher in 2020, opens with Nazareth freshman Tahir Perkins (31-4), Johnson (33-9) faces Bethel Park’s Mason Kernan (38-3) in a pigtail match, while Wagner (31-7) battles Travis Armstrong (33-2) of CD East in the first round.

“Success at the state tournament is like wrestling a gorilla. You don’t quit once you are tired. You do that until the gorilla is tired, and you need to do that repeatedly over three days,” Martin said.

The five qualifiers for the Huskies bring their total of state qualifiers in program history to 42, with 18 place winners and four PIAA champions.

In the opening round, Smith (31-5) takes on Quakertown’s Mason Zeigler (40-5).

“Casey is ready. He needs to fine-tune some technique in the days leading up to the tournament. The key is not to be satisfied with just being at states,” Juniata Co-coach Adam Barrick said. “You have to be willing to give everything you have each match to get the highest medal you can. Any tournament you go in looking for the first-place medal, and if you take a loss, you pursue the next best finish.”

Smith is the Indians’ 66th state qualifier. Juniata owns 26 placers with two state champions.

PIAA Pairings

Class AAA

113:

NW-2 Nic Allison, Mifflin County, Sr. (33-3) vs. NE-2 Tahir Perkins, Nazareth, Fr. (31-4)

120:

NW-3 Hunter Johnson, Mifflin County, Jr. (33-9) vs. SW-4 Mason Kernan, Bethel Park, So. (38-3) – Pigtail

NW-2 Casey Smith, Juniata, Jr. (31-5) vs. SE-2 Mason Zeigler, Quakertown, So. (40-5)

160:

NW-1 Kyler Everly, Mifflin County, Sr. (34-3) vs. SW-4 Enzo Morlacci, Kiski Area, Sr. (32-6)-SC-3 Macon Myers, Central York, Jr. (27-7)

189:

NW-1 Trey Shoemaker, Mifflin County, Sr. (36-4) vs. NE-3 Melquan Warren, Whitehall, Jr. (31-9)

215:

NW-2 Anson Wagner, Mifflin County, Sr. (31-7) vs. SC-2 Travis Armstrong, CD East, Sr. (33-2)

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