HERSHEY — Colin Pasone was having flashbacks from a year ago near the end of his first bout of the PIAA Class 2A Championships on Thursday morning.
The 120-pounder was holding a lead against Bronson Garber from Upper Dauphin in the third period just like last year. But unlike the 2016 quarterfinals when Garber locked in a cradle and got a pin, Pasone escaped then got a takedown and defeated the No. 1 ranked wrestler in the state by PA Power Wrestling, 7-3 to win his first-round match for the second straight year.
“One match at a time. It doesn’t matter what happens. This is my last time down here, my last time wrestling; let it all fly,” said Pasone, who is a three-time state qualifier but has yet to medal. “Beating him and being where I should be in my own mind it just gives me a whole lot of confidence for the rest of this weekend.
“I’m looking for a medal right now, that’s all. I only wrestle in the winter, that’s it. Most of these guys down here, they wrestle all year long and are true wrestlers. I’m part-time and knowing that, I just want to medal, whatever comes after that is just a bonus.”
Pasone, a senior, started the third period on bottom holding a 4-3 lead. Garber, the No. 3 seed from the Southeast Regional who was hit with just his second loss of the season, tried to turn Pasone and lock in the cradle yet again. But this time, Pasone was prepared.
“I felt the cradle coming and I had it blocked, but I started having flashbacks so I got a new start and knew I had to get out right now,” the Mohawk said. “The adrenaline just kept going and that (the thought of last year’s scenario) was in then right out.”
Pasone was the lone Wyoming Valley Conference wrestler of the four Class 2A participants to win in the first round on Thursday and advance to the quarterfinals. He will see John Wheeler of Northwestern in Friday’s quarterfinals, which will start at 9 a.m. But all four athletes from the conference wrestling in the 2A tournament are still in medal contention. Lake-Lehman’s RJ Driscoll (132) and Bob Lipski (145), and Hanover Area’s DJ Erickson (138) all went 1 for 1 on Thursday and are wrestling in the consolation round.
Erickson won his pigtail bout over Kennard-Dale’s Nick Bradley winning by fall in 3:27 tying up a headlock. But the sophomore then faced a two-time state finalist in Max Murin from Central Cambria and was pinned in the first period. Erickson got a bye in the first consolation round and will wrestle in Friday’s second round of consolations against Zach Kelly from Northern Lebanon.
Driscoll and Lipski both fell in their first-round bouts. Driscoll tied his match with Caleb Dowling from St. Joseph’s Academy at 4-4 with six seconds left. But Dowling pulled out a four-point move in the remaining time to pick up an 8-4 victory in the 132-pound bracket.
Lipski had problems against Kody Komara from Freedom Area getting in an 8-1 hole after the second period and couldn’t dig out of it losing 9-2.
In the first consolation round, the Black Knights athletes avoided elimination with wins. Driscoll pinned Farhan Musrial from Susquehanna Township in 41 seconds to stay in medal contention and get that elusive first win at the state tournament. But the two-time state qualifier admitted it took some time to get past his first loss on Friday.
“I had to remember that I had another match and I can’t dwell on that loss because I know if I did I wouldn’t have the opportunity to wrestle (Friday),” Driscoll said. “It’s a huge relief (to win). It feels like the weight on my shoulders has been relieved.”
Lipski picked up career win No. 100 in the consolation round defeating Challen Cornette from Marion Center, 7-4 with six points in the third period, including a go-ahead escape with 30 seconds remaining and a takedown with 2 seconds left.
The wrestlers in the consolations need two more wins on Friday to grab a state medal.
“I guess it’s cooler than normal. It felt great especially since it was a tough match and I pulled it out at the end,” Lipski said about getting the milestone win at Giant Center. “I have to wrestle a lot better and tougher (to win a medal). Anybody can beat anyone down here. So I just gotta wrestle my best and whatever happens happens.”
After going 3-0 in the preliminary round, District 2 went 1-8 in the first round with Pasone being the only winner. But the group rebounded from that, and all nine state qualifiers from the district will be wrestling on Friday.
Also from District 2, Scranton Prep’s Bruce Parola (170) and Western Wayne’s Cole Fuller (220) won their prelim match before falling in the first round. Valley View’s Brett Uhrin (138), Honesdale’s Alec Dragos (182) and Prep’s Ivan Balavage (195) also represented D2 in Class 2A and lost in the first championship round. Uhrin, Parola and Fuller had a bye in the first consolation round, while Dragos and Balavage won consolation round matches.
Colin Pason of Meyers, top, was a 7-3 winner over Bronson Garber of Upper Dauphin during their 120-pound match in the opening rounds of the Class 2A PIAA Wrestling Championships in Hershey Thursday morning.
