Central's Wolfgram, three others make PIAA quarters
HERSHEY - Michael Wolfgram is doing his best to block out the noise.
The Central York sophomore heavyweight has dominated most of his competition this season on his way to an undefeated record. But now that the 2017 PIAA Class 3A wrestling championships have arrived, Wolfgram isn't paying attention to the hype that's followed him all year.
The approach seems to be working.
In his first-round match on Thursday, Wolfgram earned a third-period pin over Northeastern senior Blaine Yinger to make Friday's quarterfinals. It was the third time this season Wolgram beat Yinger, and the second time he pinned him. The victory made him one of four York-Adams wrestlers to qualify for quarters.
"I was thinking about just scoring points," Wolfgram said. "I go out there to have fun and you have fun by scoring points.
"I don't look at the newspaper articles...I don't really look at that stuff. I know the (other) kids but I don't know stats and all that stuff. All I know is what I want to get."
While Wolfgram lost to Yinger twice last season and went 0-2 in his first state tournament appearance, he's determined to go on a deep run this season. To do that, he'll have to beat Montour's Roman Macek, who has only lost twice this season, on Friday.
Wolfgram admitted the large stage and his undefeated record have added pressure, but said he's trying to stay focused.
"It was a pretty hectic week because everybody at school was like, 'Are you going to win?,' " Wolfgram said. "I know not everybody in the arena is watching my match, but I just feel like everyone is."
The only other YAIAA competitor to make the quarterfinals in the 3A bracket was New Oxford 120-pounder Zurich Storm, who beat Franklin Regional's Colton Camacho, 8-2. A senior making his fourth state tournament appearance, Storm can guarantee himself his first medal by beating Council Rock North's Aidan Burke on Friday.
A number of other YAIAA wrestlers are still alive for medals in 3A, including Spring Grove junior 113-pounder Dalton Rohrbaugh. A bronze medalist last season, Rohrbaugh lost his first match Thursday but won a consolation bout to stay alive.
Spring Grove's Clay Baker (120), Red Lion's Dylan Gurreri (160), Dallastown's Bryce Shields (220) and Yinger are also still alive in the consolation bracket.
Bermudian's Clabaugh, Fleshman alive for titles
In the 2A bracket, only two York-Adams wrestlers are in the running for state titles after Thursday's opening rounds.
Bermudian Springs seniors Austin Clabaugh (126 pounds) and Noah Fleshman (195 pounds) advanced to the quarterfinals with first-round wins. Clabaugh pinned Shamokin's Devin Pietkiewicz in 1:32 before Fleshman defeated Scranton Prep's Ivan Balavage, 9-2.
Clabaugh, who is the highest-ranked 126-pounder on his side on the bracket, will face Harborcreek's Nick Ooserkamp in the quarterfinals on Friday. Fleshman will face second-ranked Anthony Walters of Bishop McCourt in his next match. The 2A quarterfinals take place at 9 a.m. Friday.
"He's great in neutral, I've watched him wrestle and his cardio's great," Fleshman said of McCourt. "I worked hard these past couple days. I know you can't improve much in two or three days but once you make it to states it's just little details. Anybody can beat anybody."
After those two, Bermudian Springs senior Ashton West (152), Delone Catholic senior Brian Shermeyer (160), Littlestown sophomore Carl Harris (170) and Bryce Perkins (285) are still alive for medals in the 2A consolation bracket. They will all wrestle in second-round consolations matches at 9 a.m. Friday.
West and Shermeyer won preliminary bouts before losing in the first round. Harris and Perkins lost their opening bouts but won in the first rounds of consolations. Harris shook off a 4-3 loss to Sharon's Nick McClimans to dominate Everett's Gavin Willis 14-4 in his next match.
"You've just got to grind through it," Harris said. "I only lost by a point, you've got to bounce back from it."
Shermeyer, who is dealing with a hamstring injury he sustained last weekend at the regional tournament, nearly advanced to the quarterfinals but lost, 4-2, in quadruple overtime to Moshannon Valley's Larry Brown. The Delone senior was clearly in pain at the end of the bout.