Northern Lebanon wrestler ties state career victories record

HARRISBURG — The milestone accomplishment by Northern Lebanon wrestler Aaron Seidel at Central Dauphin East on Saturday had been expected for almost a year.

Ever since Seidel claimed his third straight PIAA title with his 150th career win last March, discussion of tying or setting the Pennsylvania state record for career wins started in earnest.

It was only fitting that Seidel picked up the win that tied him with Zack Kemmerer of Upper Perkiomen — both now have 199 career W’s — in another championship bout, this one a victory in the District Three Class 2A 133-pound final.

Saturday’s pin of Delone Catholic’s Gavin Green in 1:53 gave Seidel his fourth district gold medal, but neither the collection of golds nor having his name on top of the career wins list particularly impressed Seidel.

“I don’t want to be cocky, but I’m not going to enjoy very much until I get my ultimate goal,” Seidel said, referring to his aim of becoming the 15th wrestler in Pennsylvania history to win four state championships.

Seidel (50-1) recorded a takedown 30 seconds into Saturday’s championship bout. Though Green (41-5) escaped 10 seconds later, Seidel took him down a second time with 45 seconds left in the first period and never let him get away again.

While others have talked about his 50 wins this season, tying the career wins record and other accomplishments, Seidel said his team’s coaching staff has helped keep him focused on the next bout all winter.

“The past couple of weeks, it’s all been about doing every little thing right,” said Seidel, who will do his NCAA Division I wrestling at Virginia Tech. “I’m just trying to stay focused on every little thing, from my diet to everything in each practice, and not do anything stupid.

High School Wrestling

Northern Lebanon's Aaron Seidel representing his hometown with hard work and gold medals [video]

JEFF REINHART | Sports Writer

In the quarterfinals, Seidel won with a 27-second pin against Devon Englehart of Annville-Cleona. That victory broke Seidel out of a tie for the second-place spot all-time with Mason Beckman of Reynolds, who won 196 matches. Seidel picked up another fall in the semifinals, this one in 1:24 against Zane Crouse of Bishop McDevitt.

He will have his first chance to take sole possession of the record at next weekend’s Southeast Regional. The top six wrestlers in each weight class qualified for the regional.

The Vikings had another district champion at CD East and another wrestler in the finals.

At 114, Sam Wolford took the gold medal after posting a 7-0 victory over Jordan Manyette of Trinity. Wolford (48-3) took control early with a takedown in the middle of the first period. A reversal and a couple nearfall points in the second period meant Wolford could last out a scoreless third period.

Wolford began his day with a 21-6 technical fall in the quarterfinals over Colt Clelan of Big Spring in 1:14. In the semis, he earned a 10-3 decision over Izaya Schickley of Halifax.

At 127, the Vikings’ Karter Adams picked up a silver medal after dropping a 4-1 decision to Greyson Music of Bishop McDevitt. After a scoreless first, Music (37-6) recorded an escape in the second and added a takedown with 15 seconds left in the frame. Adams (41-9) finally got an escape points in the final seconds of the third period but did not score again.

In the quarterfinals, Adams had a tech fall at the end of the first period with a 18-2 lead over George Miller of Camp Hill. In the semis, Adams added another tech fall, this one a 15-0 result over Cole Schisler of Bermudian Springs in 3:49.

Northern Lebanon finished third in the team standings with 131.5 points. Bishop McDevitt was first with 235.5 and Berks Catholic was second with 173.

Two other Lancaster-Lebanon League wrestlers won silver medals.

Pequea Valley’s Cole Byler finished second in 145. The only point of his championship match against Daniel Brady of Hamburg was on an escape with 1:45 left in the second period. Brady (37-4) was able to keep Byler (32-4) from matching with an escape for the whole third period.

Byler started with a 16-1 technical fall victory over Cord Hetrick of Big Spring in 2:19 of the quarterfinals. He followed that with a 9-5 decision over Easton Comp of Bishop McDevitt in the semifinals.

Lancaster Catholic’s Zachary Dresch had an uphill battle the whole six minutes against Littlestown’s Tanner Rock (41-1), who won the 189-pound gold in a 15-2 major decision.

Dresch (28-10) made it to the finals after earning first-period pins in the quarterfinals and semifinals. Dresch pinned Quin DeCavalcante of Camp Hill and Landon Taylor of Biglerville in 1:52 and 1:18 respectively.