If the PJW Youth State Championships are designed to teach wrestlers anything, it’s how to handle adversity.
Wayensboro’s Ace Beltz and Greencastle’s Liam Dietrich both found themselves with their backs to the wall at last weekend’s PJWs, held at Petersen Events Center in Pittsburgh. Both wrestlers overcame their adversity to return home with state medals.
Beltz, a 60-pound competitor in the 8U division, lost his second match, but bounced back with four-straight wins in the consolation bracket to earn sixth place.
Dietrich was seeing gold when he won his first three matches at 120 pounds in the 10U division, but his championship dreams came to an end with a loss in the quarterfinals. Dietrich picked up the pieces with a win in the blood round of wrestlebacks on his way to a sixth-place finish.
While Beltz and Dietrich were handling business on the road, Waynesboro’s youth wrestling program was keeping the postseason rolling at home by hosting the MAWA District Tournament. It was a successful tournament for Waynesboro, as both a host and competitor. The team qualified 19 wrestlers for the MAWA Regional Tournament, and crowned champions in Keyzlin Hollimon (Bantam, 65), Brixton Hollimon (Midget, 62), Brady Myers (Intermediate, 128), Michael Brewer (Advanced, 105), and Devyn Swope (Advanced, 189).
Chambersburg qualified 12 grapplers for MAWA regionals, including champions Myles Spidell (Bantam, 56), Frank Bryan (Midget, 70), and Nathan Chambers (Intermediate, 136). Greencastle also advanced six regional qualifiers, including title-winning wrestlers Kolston Piper (Junior, 98), Ethan Allen (Junior, 108), and Jackson Polifka (Intermediate, 115).
The MAWA West Regional Tournament will be held on April 6-7 at C3 Sports & Event Center in State College.
Below is a team-by-team, tournament-by-tournament, wrestler-by-wrestler look at how teams in the Local.News coverage area performed last weekend:
WAYNESBORO
PJW Youth State Championships
8U Boys
50: Noah Swope (0-2)
Round of 64: L, by fall in 1:20 to Vincent Padilla (Pittston)
Cons. 2nd Round: L, 15-1 to Mason Lampariello (Conestoga Valley)
60: Ace Beltz (5-3, 6th place)
Round of 32: W, 9-0 over Logan Eckart (Saegertown)
Round of 16: L, by fall in 0:44 to Elijah Simonds (Bradford)
Cons. 3rd Round: W, 5-0 over Isaac Berrier (East Pennsboro)
Cons. 4th Round: W, 2-1 over Gunner Lahr (Shamokin)
Cons. 5th Round: W, 2-1 over Vincent Ciampoli (Tyrone)
Cons. Quarterfinals: W, 6-0 over Dominic Antonelli (Methacton)
Cons. Semifinals: L, 4-0 to Jackson Gates (Freedom)
5th Place: L, 5-1 to Louden Corcetti (Franklin Regional)
12U Boys
65: Eli Hind (2-2)
Round of 64: W, 4-3 over Stephen Hake (Upper Dauphin)
Round of 32: L, 12-0 to Colt Bissett (West Greene)
Cons. 2nd Round: W, 4-0 over Ronald Shellhouse (Youngsville)
Cons. 3rd Round: L, 11-0 to Alex Hellyer (Corry)
MAWA District Tournament
Bantam Division
56: Connor Geesaman (1-2)
Quarterfinals: L, by fall in 0:51 to Myles Spidell (Chambersburg)
Cons. Quarterfinals: W, 6-0 over Noah Primas (Central Dauphin East)
Cons. Semifinals: L, by fall in 0:28 to Reid Miller (Big Spring)
60: John McKendrick (0-2, 3rd place)
Round-Robin 1: L, by fall in 0:31 to Jaxon Shifler (Unattached)
Round-Robin 2: L, 4-0 to Klayton Gillum (Lonaconing)
65: Keyzlin Hollimon (2-0, 1st place)
Round-Robin 1: W, by forfeit over William Dick (Unattached)
Round-Robin 2: W, by fall in 1:53 over Karter Lawler (Unattached)
Midget Division
62: Brixton Hollimon (4-0, 1st place)
Round of 16: W, by fall in 3:00 over Bennett Mull (Chambersburg)
Quarterfinals: W, 14-4 over Thoryn McGuire (Unattached)
Semifinals: W, 1-0 over Ty’Rae Norris (Unattached)
Final: W, 5-3 over Knox Bryan (Chambersburg)
70: Easton Heimbuch (3-1, 2nd place)
Round of 16: W, 10-0 over Ellis Snook (Boiling Springs)
Quarterfinals: W, by fall in 0:31 over Lincoln Smith (James Buchanan)
Semifinals: W, 4-2 over Zekiel Ramos (Shippensburg)
Final: L, by fall in 0:42 to Frank Bryan (Chambersburg)
70: Caiden Fann (2-2, 4th place)
Quarterfinals: W, 11-1 over Carson Weatherly (Biglerville)
Semifinals: L, 9-0 to Frank Bryan (Chambersburg)
Cons. Semifinals: W, by fall in 0:47 over Kace Gillum (Lonaconing)
3rd Place: L, 3-2 (SV) to Reed Edmiston (Unattached)
70: Charlie McKendrick (1-2)
Round of 16: L, 13-2 to Frank Bryan (Chambersburg)
Cons. 1st Round: W, by fall in 0:19 over Lincoln Smith (James Buchanan)
Cons. Quarterfinals: L, by fall in 1:25 to Kace Gillum (Lonaconing)
75: Alonso Chavez (1-2)
Quarterfinals: L, by fall in 1:16 to Jasen Unger (Unattached)
Cons. Quarterfinals: W, by fall in 0:32 over Troy Hewitt III (Fairfield)
Cons. Semifinals: L, by fall in 1:49 over Declan Murray (Unattached)
Junior Division
62: Freedom Young (1-1, 2nd place)
Semifinals: W, by fall in 0:57 over Kayden Turner (Tuscarora)
Final: L, by fall in 0:41 to Hunter McDonough (Cecil County)
86: Zayn Hoxie (0-2)
Quarterfinals: L, by fall in 1:35 to Trey Alouise (Bermudian Springs)
Cons. Semifinals: L, 8-0 to Jaxon Baker (Southwestern)
91: Ryan Clopper (2-1, 2nd place)
Quarterfinals: W, by forfeit over Kii Montanaro (Berkeley Springs)
Semifinals: W, by fall in 1:48 over Cais Sines (Southern)
Final: L, by fall in 0:26 to Edward McKendree (Unattached)
Intermediate Division
110: Brayden Heimbuch (3-1, 2nd place)
Round-Robin 1: W, 4-1 over Benjamin Appenzellar (Shippensburg)
Round-Robin 2: L, by fall in 0:51 to Tristin Cruz (Northern)
Round-Robin 3: W, by forfeit over Carter Shaffer (Unattached)
Round-Robin 4: W, by fall in 0:52 over Blake Crawford (Unattached)
128: Brady Myers (4-0, 1st place)
Round-Robin 1: W, 9-0 over Trajan Anderson (Shippensburg)
Round-Robin 2: W, by fall in 0:31 over Dale Hetrick (Berkeley County)
Round-Robin 3: W, by fall in 0:23 over Macy Clopper (Waynesboro)
Round-Robin 4: W, by fall in 0:51 over Vincenzo Mazzamuto (South Middleton)
128: Macy Clopper (0-4)
Round-Robin 1: L, by fall in 1:14 to Dale Hetrick (Berkeley County)
Round-Robin 2: L, by fall in 0:23 to Brady Myers (Waynesboro)
Round-Robin 3: L, by fall in 1:05 to Vincenzo Mazzamuto (South Middleton)
Round-Robin 4: L, by fall in 0:22 to Trajan Anderson (Shippensburg)
Advanced Division
105: Michael Brewer (0-0, 1st place)
115: Samuel Young (1-1, 2nd place)
Semifinals: W, 12-6 over Chance Zimmerman (Greencastle-Antrim)
Final: L, by fall in 1:10 to Jacob Carrozza (Unattached)
140: Colton Biser (1-1, 3rd place)
Semifinals: L, by fall in 3:28 to Ethan Shirk (Unattached)
3rd Place: W, by fall in 0:20 over Johnathan High (Unattached)
160: Chase Mumma (1-2, 4th place)
Quarterfinals: L, by fall in 0:40 to Victor Marks-Jenkins (MPSSAA)
Cons. Semifinals: W, by fall in 2:15 over JayVon Clark (Hedgesville)
3rd Place: L, 8-2 to Yovany Rodriguez (Cumberland Valley)
171: Camm Knox (1-1, 2nd place)
Round-Robin 1: L, 7-2 to Christopher Dugan (Biglerville)
Round-Robin 2: W, by fall in 0:47 over Ayden Visocsky (Littlestown)
189: Devyn Swope (2-0, 1st place)
Round-Robin 1: W, 10-8 (SV) over Pkay KC (Cumberland Valley)
Round-Robin 2: W, by fall in 2:31 over Cameron Fauth (Dallastown)
Open Divison
142: Laken Rouzer (0-2, 2nd place)
Round-Robin 1: L, 4-0 to Cody Crawford (Unattached)
Round-Robin 2: L, 3-2 to Cody Crawford (Unattached)
150: Kaden Rouzer (1-1, 2nd place)
Semifinals: W, by fall in 1:47 over Logan Vance (Unattached)
Final: L, 7-1 to Dustin Rook (Unattached)
150: Bodie Rouzer (1-1, 3rd place)
Semifinals: L, 7-3 to Dustin Rook (Unattached)
3rd Place: W, by fall in 1:44 over Logan Vance (Unattached)
177: Nicholas DiLandro (0-2, 4th place)
Semifinals: L, 2-0 to Tyler Fitzkee (East Berlin)
3rd Place: L, 4-0 to Trent Gross (Washington County)
Ruckus on the Rails
Midget Division
62: Dylan Roberts (0-2)
Round of 16: L, by fall in 0:30 to Aiden Dahlheimer (Zero Wrestling)
Cons. 2nd Round: L, 10-2 to Ryder Seidman (Headhunters WC)
67: Caiden Fann (4-1, 3rd place)
Round of 16: W, 7-0 over Wyatt Miller (New Oxford)
Quarterfinals: W, 9-0 over Henry Otto (Warhawks Wrestling)
Semifinals: L, 4-3 to Joseph Rhodes (Nova WC)
Cons. Semifinals: W, by fall in 2:51 over Liam Jenkins (Catoctin)
3rd Place: W, 15-3 over Easton Heimbuch (Waynesboro)
67: Easton Heimbuch (2-2, 4th place)
Quarterfinals: W, by fall in 0:47 over Liam Jenkins (Catoctin)
Semifinals: L, by fall in 2:14 to James Otto (Warhawks Wrestling)
Cons. Semifinals: W, by fall in 0:35 over Jayce Oden (Catoctin)
3rd Place: L, 15-3 to Caiden Fann (Waynesboro)
110: Brayden Heimbuch (0-2)
Quarterfinals: L, by forfeit to Zebulon Bolden (South Bowie)
Cons. Quarterfinals: L, by forfeit to Jackson Caraballo (Lion’s Den Wrestling Club)
GREENCASTLE
PJW Youth State Championships
10U Boys
120: Liam Dietrich (5-3, 6th place)
Round of 64: W, 2-0 (SV) over Layton Lucas (West Branch)
Round of 32: W, 4-0 over Xander Garcia (Hopewell)
Round of 16: W, 2-0 over Travis Shearer (Lakeview)
Quarterfinals: L, 7-4 to Ezra Davis (Northern Tioga)
Cons. 5th Round: W, 2-1 over Colman Shannon (Southmoreland)
Cons. Quarterfinals: W, 7-1 over Allen Metzger (Biglerville)
Cons. Semifinals: L, by fall in 0:38 to Jake Buynovsky (Exeter Township)
5th Place: L, 2-0 to Blake Knoebel (Southern Columbia)
MAWA District Tournament
Junior Division
98: Kolston Piper (2-0, 1st place)
Semifinals: W, 11-0 over Colton Ogburn (Unattached)
Final: W, by fall in 0:33 over Jude Castner (Unattached)
108: Ethan Allen (2-0, 1st place)
Semifinals: W, by fall in 0:40 over Jaxon Roberts (Unnattached)
Final: W, by fall in 0:48 over Kaiden Kash (Belle Vernon)
Intermediate Division
115: Jackson Polifka (2-0, 1st place)
Semifinals: W, 16-4 over Liam Snook (Boiling Springs)
Final: W, 5-0 over Silas Robertson (Greencastle-Antrim)
115: Silas Robertson (1-1, 2nd place)
Semifinals: W, 15-0 (2:46) over Graysen Strobel (Unattached)
Final: L, 5-0 to Jackson Polifka (Greencastle-Antrim)
Advanced Division
115: Chance Zimmerman (0-2, 4th place)
Semifinals: L, 12-6 to Samuel Young (Waynesboro)
3rd Place: L, 10-5 to Cody Seabolt (Chambersburg)
125: Aidan Crouse (2-1, 2nd place)
Quarterfinals: W, by fall in 2:00 over Kamden Stover (Unattached)
Semifinals: W, 10-0 over Ky’Nelle Brown (Unattached)
Final: L, by fall in 2:38 to Colt Wasmer (Unattached)
Open Division
220: Wesley Medina (1-2)
Round of 16: W, by fall in 2:43 over Zach Devotie (Unattached)
Quarterfinals: L, by fall in 2:21 to Aiden Smith (Unattached)
Cons. 1st Round: L, by fall in 0:23 to Ricky Hamilton (Southern Garrett)
CHAMBERSBURG
PJW Youth State Championships
8U Boys
90: Archer Hight (3-2)
Round of 32: W, by fall in 1:24 over Luke Jackson (Kiski Area)
Round of 16: L, 5-4 to Lincoln Barninger (Penn Manor)
Cons. 3rd Round: W, by fall in 2:49 over Gerald Kurtz Jr. (Garden Spot)
Cons. 4th Round: W, 12-3 over RJ Esbensen (Methacton)
Cons. 5th Round: L, 8-4 to Braxton Myrlie (Butler)
110: Samuel Stoner (2-2)
Round of 32: W, by fall in 0:56 over Corbin Chelton (Corry)
Round of 16: L, by fall in 1:45 to Aiden Rafferty (Brookville)
Cons. 2nd Round: W, by fall in 0:47 over Carter Uber (Lakeview)
Cons. 3rd Round: L, by fall in 2:26 to Cole Organiscak (Bentworth)
10U Boys
95: Gabriel Creamer (3-2)
Round of 32: L, 6-3 to Gabriel Gallo (Owen J Roberts)
Cons. 2nd Round: W, 10-3 over Cayden Carannante (Southern Lehigh)
Cons. 3rd Round: W, 3-0 over Bentley Howe (Clearfield)
Cons. 4th Round: W, 4-0 over Bryar Beckstein (Greenville)
Cons. 5th Round: L, 12-1 to Michael Wengrzynek (Northwest)
MAWA District Tournament
Bantam Division
44: Colt Bryan (2-1, 2nd place)
Quarterfinals: W, by fall in 0:24 over Aadric Peters (Bedford)
Semifinals: W, by fall in 1:56 over Noah Ammons (Unattached)
Final: L, 4-2 to Eli Stohl (Unattached)
56: Myles Spidell (3-0, 1st place)
Quarterfinals: W, by fall in 0:51 over Connor Geesaman (Waynesboro)
Semifinals: W, by fall in 0:27 over Gage Diehl (Unattached)
Final: W, 6-5 over Camden Rich (Berkeley Springs)
56: Deacon Spidell (1-2, 4th place)
Quarterfinals: L, by fall in 1:37 to Reid Miller (Big Spring)
Cons. Semifinals: W, by fall in 0:18 over Gage Diehl (Unattached)
3rd Place: L, by fall in 0:41 to Reid Miller (Big Spring)
Midget Division
58: Brodie Johnson (0-2)
Quarterfinals: L, 11-0 to Zaiden Sentz (Unattached)
Cons. Quarterfinals: L, by fall in 0:22 to Bentley Hite (Hedgesville)
62: Knox Bryan (3-1, 2nd place)
Round of 16: W, 6-0 over Wyatt Miller (New Oxford)
Quarterfinals: W, 3-0 over King Davis (Harrisburg)
Semifinals: W, 14-0 over Richard Eubank (Hedgesville)
Final: L, 5-3 to Brixton Hollimon (Waynesboro)
62: Bennett Mull (0-2)
Round of 16: L, by fall in 3:00 to Brixton Hollimon (Waynesboro)
Cons. 1st Round: L, 5-4 to Parker Carrozza (Unattached)
70: Frank Bryan (4-0, 1st place)
Round of 16: W, 13-2 over Charlie McKendrick (Waynesboro)
Quarterfinals: W, 5-0 over Reed Edmiston (Unattached)
Semifinals: W, 9-0 over Caiden Fann (Waynesboro)
Final: W, by fall in 0:42 over Easton Heimbuch (Waynesboro)
Intermediate Division
75: Grayson Mull (0-2, 2nd place)
Round-Robin 1: L, 9-0 to Zavier Ramos (Shippensburg)
Round-Robin 2: L, by fall in 0:45 to Zavier Ramos (Shippensburg)
95: Hunter Johnson (1-1, 2nd place)
Round-Robin 1: L, 8-0 to Logan Ardinger (Unattached)
Round-Robin 2: W, by fall in 0:37 over Keith Johann (Berkeley County)
105: Isaac Brambley (1-1, 2nd place)
Round-Robin 1: W, 16-1 (4:30) over William Bakner (Eastern York)
Round-Robin 2: L, 3-0 to Landon Lill (Unattached)
136: Nathan Chambers (2-0, 1st place)
Round-Robin 1: W, 19-2 (3:00) over Grant Weller (Chambersburg)
Round-Robin 2: W, by fall in 2:50 over Braxton Joines (Dallastown)
136: Grant Weller (0-2, 3rd place)
Round-Robin 1: L, 19-2 (3:00) to Nathan Chambers (Chambersburg)
Round-Robin 2: L, by fall in 0:12 to Braxton Joines (Dallastown)
175: Gavin Seabolt (0-2, 3rd place)
Round-Robin 1: L, by fall in 4:07 to Jackson Hummer (Delone Catholic)
Round-Robin 2: L, by fall in 0:48 to Lemuel Ramos (New Oxford)
Advanced Division
115: Cody Seabolt (1-1, 3rd place)
Semifinals: L, 8-6 (SV) Jacob Carrozza (Unattached)
3rd Place: W, 10-5 over Chance Zimmerman (Greencastle-Antrim)
