State College wrestling set for first trip to PIAA Class 3A dual championships since 2003
Senior wrestlers Tate McLaughlin and Clayton Leidy were each asked if they knew how long it has been that State College was last in the PIAA Class 3A dual championships.
They each responded in quick fashion: 17 years.
The year was 2003, McLaughlin and Leidy were both one year old. The Little Lions finished third that year as a squad.
“So, you’re saying we’ve got a lot of work ahead of us,” State College coach Ryan Cummins said with a laugh.
McLaughlin and Leidy are part of a six-wrestler senior class that includes Jason Dry, Josiah Lose, Michael McShea and Noah Prewitt. For McLaughlin the accomplishment this group helped lead by winning the District 6 Championship Saturday as the No. 3 seed and earning a trip to Hershey is special.
“It’s pretty awesome. We knew that it would be a big deal winning a district title,” he said. “We wanted to get up on that banner in the gym, so we grinded and we are here now.”
For someone like Leidy, it’s emotional and humbling.
“It means a lot to me. I’ve wrestled all my life,” he said. “I’ve come up through the State College wrestling program. To finally be a part of something huge for State College wrestling in my senior year, I’m very honored to be a part of that.”
For Cummins, he knows it’s not all about the seniors. However, they’ve played a big role.
“It’s a really big deal for them. They’ve worked so hard and such a great group of kids,” he said of his seniors. “They deserve everything they are getting here. They’ve got to this point, now it’s time to run with it.”
The last team to compete in the PIAA dual championships was the 2006-2007 Bellefonte team. The Red Raiders went 0-2 and were eliminated the first day.
The PIAA dual championships began in 1999 with Bald Eagle Area claiming the first-ever Class 3A title. For the most part, it was almost a lock that Centre County would be represented every year. From 1999 to 2007, a team was present, but since then it has been quiet.
Now, State College is set to take on District 7 runner-up Seneca Valley in the first round at 6 p.m. Thursday.
“I think it is really going to set the tone. It’s going to show other teams that we are here to wrestle,” McLaughlin said. “We have some really good kids. We got some younger kids coming from junior high. It’s going to inspire some of the younger guys to keep the legacy going and get after it.”
Raiders’ coach Kevin Wildrick knows what it’s like to go to the team duals at Hershey’s Giant Center for the first time. Wildrick has led his program to the dual championships the past three years now, but they hadn’t been at the duals before that.
Wildrick wasn’t initially familiar with State College’s program, but once he knew who his team was facing, he did his research. There was one word he used to express his first impressions of the Little Lions — tough.
“They seem tough from top to bottom,” Wildrick said. “Obviously, if they are winning their district, they are a tough team. Mifflin County has been there at least the last two years that we’ve been there. We wrestled them in the first round last year.”
Cummins said he knows a little bit about Seneca Valley. He expects the dual to be a challenge, but a good match.
What kind of challenge does the Raiders present?
They’ve got a 15-2 record. They’ve got two-time reigning PIAA champion Alejandro Herrera-Rondon at 132 pounds and PIAA runner-up Dylan Chappell at 120 pounds. Seneca Valley also has Chappell’s younger brother Tyler at 106 pounds, who turned some heads in the WPIAL, and Hunter Swedish, who has been a training partner of Herrera-Rondon and Dylan Chappell the past two seasons.
This means, barring no bumping occurs, Herrera-Rondon will take on the Little Lions’ Owen Woolcott. Chappell will get freshman Eric Weaver. Wildrick wouldn’t want it any other way.
“We love those kind of matchups. It just makes everybody better,” Wildrick said. “You cross your fingers and hope for no crazy injuries, but normally guys of that level aren’t doing the goofy stuff.”
According to Wildrick, they are very solid from 106-170 pounds. If he had a choice, he’d want the dual to began around 170 pounds. He knows that would help for figuring out what his team would need to do if they are losing going to the heart of their lineup.
So, what’s it going to take to get that first dual championship victory in 17 years for State College?
“I think the guys have to have a day like we did on Saturday,” Cummins said. “All the guys firing on all cylinders for the whole match. If we can do that, we’ve got a shot.”
PIAA Class 3A Dual Championships
Who: State College vs. Seneca Valley, First Round
When: 6 p.m., Thursday
Where: Giant Center, Hershey
Online: FloWrestling.org (paid subscription)
This story was originally published February 5, 2020 at 8:00 AM.
