Trio of local wrestling standouts advance at state championships
By Dan Palm
MVI Sports
A trio of local wrestlers are still looking for gold after advancing to championships matches Friday at the PIAA Wrestling Championships in Hershey.
Frazier’s two-time state champion Thayne Lawrence and Ryan Michaels of Elizabeth Forward are in today’s Class 2A finals at 160 and 120 pounds, respectively. Belle Vernon Area’s Cole Weightman begins today in the Class 3A 220-pound semifinals.
Lawrence (24-0), a Lehigh recruit, is trying to become the 60th wrestler to win three or more Pennsylvania state titles.
He battled through a tough quarterfinal match Friday, beating Southern Columbia’s Gavin Garcia, 4-2. The semifinal match was a different story as Lawrence won by technical fall, 18-1, over Gage Musser of Commodore Perry.
“I felt Thayne was a little sluggish in his quarterfinal match but in the semifinal he came out on fire,” said Frazier coach Buck Watkins. “I could see when he was on top working the cradle, the kid was hurting and wanted to go over. Being aggressive on top is not just riding hard but looking to turn. Thayne has wrestled fundamentally sound all weekend.”
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