The toughest part of the season is arguably the postseason, where the best of the best are stacked against each other with many onlookers. The Newport boys’ wrestling team took on this challenge over the past month.
The team began in the PIAA District III Class AA team duals, where they faced Littlestown in the first round on Jan. 28. They would be stopped in their tracks, 25-44, but this would not conclude the season for many wrestlers.
Here, at 121 pounds, junior Marek Polcha won by major decision, 13-2 over Xander Insley. In the 152-pound bout, senior Lane Wright won by decision, 4-1, over Waylon Shearer. Lastly, at 160 pounds and 215 pounds, respectively, sophomore Braxtan Kerr pinned Cooper Hershey, and Kaj Miller pinned Jacob Frock in a speedy fourteen seconds.
Next for the Buffaloes, the PIAA District III Class AA Section I individual tournament at Susquenita on Feb. 14. Though each wrestler wrestles for himself, a team score is still recorded. In the end, Newport placed fifth, behind Big Spring yet ahead of Halifax Area.
Here, Wright and Miller both placed first in their weight class, respectively, alongside senior Trevin Arnold, who placed fifth in the 172-pound bracket, and sophomore Christopher Imler, who placed fourth in the 133-pound bout.
Sectionals took them into the next weekend, where the PIAA District III Class AA individual tournament happened at Central Dauphin East. As a team, under the same point system as sectionals, placed eighth behind Bermudian Springs yet ahead of Hamburg Area.
In the 215-pound championship bout, Miller pinned his opponent from Biglerville at 2:39 to continue his season. Wright placed third in the 152-pound bracket with a win by decision over his opponent from Biglerville as well. Lastly, Kerr at 160 pounds won by major decision over his Littlestown opponent.
Miller continued to the Southeast Regional Class AA individual tournament at Warwick Area. Newport, as a team, placed 17th behind Pine Grove Area yet ahead of Delone Catholic.
Miller placed third in his respective weight class bracket with a pin at 1:44 in his match. Wright fell in the fifth-place match to a tough Bishop McDevitt opponent. Kerr won by decision over his Conwell-Egan opponent.
The last stop in the schedule is the GIANT Center in Hershey for the PIAA State Class AA individual championships from Mar. 5 to Mar. 7. Miller fought his way here. See State wrestling coverage HERE.
