Meet PennLive’s 2020-’21 wrestling all-star team
Updated 2:18 PM; Today 1:11 PM50
PIAA Class 3A Wrestling Championship finals
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By Dustin Hockensmith | dhockensmith@pennlive.com
Nothing came easy for high school wrestlers in a season that was shortened by a pandemic, then through no shortage of obstacles in their way from safety protocols to masks and a rugged path to Giant Center for the PIAA championships. All of them deserve recognition for surviving the season, but the 45 wrestlers mentioned below did much more than that in registering standout seasons.
PennLive is honored to recognize the area’s top wrestlers with our annual all-star team, which features standouts from the Mid-Penn Conference, Schuylkill League, Tri-Valley League and Lancaster-Lebanon League. The first, second and third teams are listed below, along with our pick for wrestler of the year.
WRESTLER OF THE YEAR
Cumberland Valley’s Jake Lucas celebrates with his family in the stands after defeating Wilson’s Josh Harkless during their 215lb. bout in the PIAA Class 3A Wrestling Championships at Giant Center. March 12, 2021 Sean Simmers |ssimmers@pennlive.com - Cumberland Valley senior Jake Lucas celebrates after winning the 215-pound title at the PIAA Class 3A Wrestling Championships at Giant Center on Saturday. Sean Simmers, PennLive
Jake Lucas, Cumberland Valley: Lucas was a dominant force for the Eagles in the regular season as a captain and leader, as well as a virtually automatic source of bonus points. In the postseason, Lucas won his first state title at 220 pounds with an outstanding state tournament that he capped by beating Wilson’s Josh Harkless, 3-1, with a takedown in sudden victory in the state finals. Lucas finished with a 29-1 season record and wrapped up a standout career that included a 140-21 mark, two state medals (he placed fourth as a junior), three sectional titles and two District 3 titles. Lucas was mission-oriented and closed out his high school career on yet another high note with an 11-4 decision over the nation’s No. 13 wrestler at the Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic. Lucas is set to take his wrestling talents to the Naval Academy.
FIRST-TEAM ALL-STARS
Colt Barley, Penn Manor
Colt Barley (Penn Manor) defeats Brooks Gable (Dallastown) in the District 3 Class 3A wrestling championships at Spring Grove High School. February 27, 2021 Sean Simmers |ssimmers@pennlive.com
Nothing came cheap in Barkley’s run to a fifth-place finish at the PIAA championships. The 189-pound weight class was one of the deepest in District 3, and Barley churned through sectionals and districts with tournament wins. He had to grind through the West Super Regional after falling to Bellefonte’s Ethan Rossman in his opener, then had to do the same at the PIAA championships after losing to eventual state champ Joey Milano of Spring-Ford in his opener. Barley traveled down one of the most rugged paths possible in the postseason and emerged with the first District 3 title and the first state medal of his career. He is Cornell-bound after compiling a 97-23 record in three varsity seasons at Penn Manor.
Michael Duggan, Boiling Springs
Boiling Springs' Michael Duggan falls to Hamburg's Dalton Gimbor in their 152-pound final, at the 2021 PIAA Class AA Southeast Region Wrestling Championships at Central Dauphin High School in Harrisburg, Pa., Feb. 27, 2021. Mark Pynes | mpynes@pennlive.com
Duggan walked out of Hershey’s Giant Center with his head held high and a feeling that he had just begun unlocking the next layer of his vast potential. Still just a sophomore, Duggan won bronze at the PIAA tournament, which wasn’t the medal he wanted, but he did push forward with a more aggressive style that should have him in the running for gold over the next two seasons. Duggan finished with a 29-4 record and also logged runner-up finishes at the District 3 tournament, Southeast Regionals and the East Super Regional. The obvious next step is for Duggan to get over the hump and turn silver and bronze into gold, which will be within his grasp as a junior. Duggan left no question at the end of his run at Giant Center that his best wrestling is still ahead.
Bryce Enders, Halifax
Trent Schultheis (Freedom Area) defeats Bryce Enders (Halifax)during their 189lb. bout in the PIAA Class 2A Wrestling Championships at Giant Center. March 12, 2021 Sean Simmers |ssimmers@pennlive.com
The postseason threw quite a bit at Enders, but he kept plowing forward through a loss in the District 3 finals and the extra tournament at the East Super Regional to claim his first state medal. Enders rolled to a Southeast Regional title, then placed third at super regionals by beating an opponent in Line Mountain’s Jacob Feese who had beaten him by a 7-3 decision earlier in the year. Enders’ power and his physical style made him a force in a rugged 189-pound weight class where he saw many of the same faces at regionals, super regionals and states. Enders didn’t back away from any of those challenges and finished with a 28-6 record and a fifth-place finish at the PIAA tournament.
Dominic Flatt, Solanco
Tyler Chappell, Seneca Valley, defeats Dom Flatt, Solanco, in the 106-pound final at the West Super Region PIAA, class AAA Wrestling Championships in Altoona, Pa., Mar. 6, 2021. Mark Pynes | mpynes@pennlive.com
Flatt’s career transformation was impressive, as he steadily climbed from a freshman who went 10-16 at 106 pounds to a senior who went 22-7 and placed fourth in the state at 106. A little dose of bad luck kept Flatt from the top of the podium at both sectionals and districts -- he lost to state champion Kaedyn Williams in the finals on both occasions -- but those setbacks did nothing to take away from the season Flatt had and the way he wrestled in the postseason. He was especially good at the West Super Regional, where he beat state finalist Cael Nasdeo of Williamsport in the semifinals on his way to a runner-up showing. He dropped an uncharacteristic 12-0 major decision to Nasdeo in the PIAA semifinals, but wrestled back for fourth and closed his career with a spot on the state podium.
Trey Kibe, Mifflin County
Luca Augustine (Waynesburg) battles Trey Kibe (Mifflin County),during their 172lb. bout in the PIAA Class 3A Wrestling Championships at Giant Center. March 12, 2021 Sean Simmers |ssimmers@pennlive.com
Kibe made it back to the state finals at 172 pounds as a senior, but he came a step shy of winning his second PIAA gold medal with a 3-2 loss to Waynesburg’s Luca Augustine in the championship match. Kibe went for a headlock in the final seconds, but Augustine popped loose for the winning takedown to hand Kibe his only loss of the season (23-1). The silver medal still served as an exclamation point at the end of a career that stands as one of the best in the Mid-Penn over that stretch. Kibe went 139-14, won four District 6 titles, three regional championships and three state medals. Kibe was a state champ as a sophomore, then placed fourth as a junior and third this season. He is set to continue his wrestling career at Virginia Tech.
Aiden Lewis, Cedar Cliff
Aiden Lewis, Cedar Cliff, wrestles Jacob VanDee, Cathedral Prep in the 113-pound consy-semi's at the West Super Region PIAA, class AAA Wrestling Championships in Altoona, Pa., Mar. 6, 2021. Mark Pynes | mpynes@pennlive.com
Few wrestlers across the state had a tougher postseason draw than Lewis, who lost to Manheim Township’s Kamdyn Williams in the District 3 semifinals and came up short of the PIAA tournament with losses to returning state champion Vincent Kilkeary of Greater Latrobe and to Cathedral Prep’s Jacob VanDee, who went on to win the 113-pound state title. Lewis was a factor in all three of those losses and was, without question, one of the best pound-for-pound wrestlers in District 3. Lewis was a state runner-up as a junior and a fourth-place finisher as a sophomore, and he finished his standout career with a 121-29 record. Lewis will continue his career at Bucknell.
Josh Miller, Central Dauphin
Josh Miller (Central Dauphin) defeats Caden Dobbins (Dallastown) in the District 3 Class 3A wrestling championships at Spring Grove High School. February 27, 2021 Sean Simmers |ssimmers@pennlive.com
Miller missed the opportunity to build on a fifth-place showing at the state tournament, but he got a second shot at ending his career on a high note as the Rams made a run to the PIAA team wrestling championship finals. Miller walked away from the West Super Regional in Altoona disappointed that he didn’t wrestle the way he wanted, which was enough to keep him out of the top-4 in a loaded 138-pound weight class. Prior to that, Miller rolled to his second straight District 3 title, and he later pinned Bethlehem Catholic three-time state medalist Matt Mayer to help lift the Rams to an upset win in the PIAA team wrestling quarterfinals. The Air Force commit went 26-4 as a senior and wrapped up his career with a 141-35 record.
Matt Repos, Central Dauphin
Matt Repos, Central Dauphin, wrestles Tyler Kasak, Bethlehem Catholic, in a 126-pound quarterfinal, at the 2021 PIAA, Class 3A Wrestling Championships at the Giant Center hosts, Hershey, Pa., Mar. 13, 2021. Mark Pynes | mpynes@pennlive.com
Repos is now 2-for-2 winning state medals in his young career as a centerpiece of coach Jeff Sweigard’s lineup. After placing fourth as a freshman at 106 pounds, Repos answered the bell in his move up the CD lineup and brought home a seventh-place finish as a sophomore at 126. Repos went 27-6 and worked through brutal brackets at both the West Super Regional and the PIAA tournament, and he did it as one of the smaller wrestlers at the weight. Three of Repos’ six losses this season came to wrestlers who had won state titles, and he walked away with sectional and district titles. Repos made his reign over District 3 crystal clear by not surrendering a point until he got to the West Super Regional.
Riley Robell, Bishop McDevitt
Riley Robell, Bishop McDevitt, wins the 285-pound championship 3-0 over Bermudian Springs' Hogan Swenski, at the 2021 PIAA Class AA Southeast Region Wrestling Championships at Central Dauphin High School in Harrisburg, Pa., Feb. 27, 2021. Mark Pynes | mpynes@pennlive.com
Robell made the big leap from 182 to 285 pounds as a sophomore, and he quickly emerged as one of the state’s most electric heavyweights. He showed all the athleticism and quickness that made him a state qualifier at 182 pounds, only this time in a 250-pound frame that caused problems for every opponent he faced. Robell navigated an unbeaten regular season, then won sectional, district, regional and super regional titles before falling to Brookville’s Nathan Taylor in the state finals. Robell will next set his sights on a big junior season on the football field, but plans to wrestle in the major offseason tournaments and could enter next season ranked No. 1 in the state.
Dylan Rodenhaber, Red Land
Dylan Rodenhaber (Red Land) controls Layton Schmick (Carlisle) during their 285lb. bout in the District 3 Class 3A wrestling sectionals at Mechanicsburg. February 20, 2021 Sean Simmers |ssimmers@pennlive.com
Rodenhaber’s senior season began with his team taking a 14-day hiatus for a positive COVID test, and it ended in crushing fashion as he suffered a major knee injury in the elimination round at the West Super Regional in Altoona. Between the two setbacks, Rodenhaber was dominant at both 220 and 285 pounds and was in the midst of a nice postseason run at 285 when his knee got caught under him as he and Hampton’s Dawson Dietz landed with a thud at the Super Regional. Rodenhaber wrestled a string of crisp matches to win his first District 3 title, and he got his Super Regional started with a smooth 5-1 win over a state-ranked foe in Clearfield’s Oliver Billotte. Rodenhaber also missed the postseason as a junior because of a knee injury and finished his career with a 74-28 record. He was 20-3 as a senior and qualified for his second PIAA tournament.
Karl Shindledecker, Chambersburg
Karl Shindledecker (Chambersburg) during the National Anthem during the PIAA Class 3A Wrestling Championships at Giant Center. March 12, 2021 Sean Simmers |ssimmers@pennlive.com
Shindledecker didn’t just return to the form that sparked a stunning run through the PIAA tournament as a freshman in 2019. He took his wrestling to another level and earned the respect of competitors across the state for his length, his takedown defense and a new, improved approach with his offense. Shindledecker finished with a 23-2 record and won sectional and district titles at 120 pounds, and he twice stood toe-to-toe with state champ Mac Church of Waynesburg in matches that ultimately went Church’s way in the Super Regional and PIAA finals. But Shindledecker got his career right back on track after a brutal draw at the District 3 championships the year before ended his postseason run a match shy of qualifying for states. Shindledecker, who ha a 79-23 career record, will be back for another go at PIAA gold as a senior next season.
Lance Urbas, State College
Lance Urbas, State College, bottom, wrestles Dominic Falcome, Easton, in the 172-pound quarterfinal round at the 2021 PIAA, Class 3A Wrestling Championships at the Giant Center, Hershey, Pa., Mar. 13, 2021. Mark Pynes | mpynes@pennlive.com
Urbas’ steady career progression landed him on the state podium for the first time as a senior. He also showed that he could have some very good wrestling still ahead of him as he links up with older brother Cole at the University of Pennsylvania next year. Urbas was one of the Mid-Penn Commonwealth’s top performers all season, and he saved a couple of his best performances for last at the PIAA championships. Urbas lost his opener to Easton three-time medalist Dominic Falcone but wrestled back to place fourth at 172 pounds with a 3-1 win over Nazareth’s Sonny Sasso and a 5-3 victory over Kiski Area’s Sammy Starr, who beat him by a 12-2 major decision at the West Super Regional. Urbas went 21-6 as a senior and finished his State College career with a 76-20 record.
Kaedyn Williams, Manheim Twp.
Kaedyn Williams (Manheim Township) defeats Cael Nasdeo (Williamsport),during their 106 lb. bout in the PIAA Class 3A Wrestling Championships at Giant Center. March 12, 2021 Sean Simmers |
Williams was outstanding as a freshman and showed a veteran’s comfort level in tight matches in his run to a 106-pound state title. Williams avenged a loss to Seneca Valley’s Tyler Chappell with a 2-1 win in tiebreakers in the PIAA semifinals and beat a strong opponent in Williamsport’s Cael Nasdeo by a 3-0 decision to cap a 27-1 season with PIAA gold. Williams labored through an illness at the West Super Regional the week before to secure a third-place finish and the opportunity to make a run to the top of the podium in Hershey. Along the way, he and his twin brother, Kamdyn, established themselves as forces who could both contend for multiple state titles.
Kamdyn Williams, Manheim Twp.
Kamdyn Williams, Manheim Township, defeats Vincent Kilkeary, Greater Latrobe, 9-7, in the 113-pound final at the West Super Region PIAA, class AAA Wrestling Championships in Altoona, Pa., Mar. 6, 2021. Mark Pynes | mpynes@pennlive.com
To say Williams’ outstanding freshman season ended in disappointing fashion would be a gross understatement. The 113-pounder entered the PIAA tournament as arguably the favorite to win a state title, but he missed weight in Hershey and was ineligible to compete. That doesn’t change the season Williams had prior to that setback with a 20-0 record and sectional, regional and super regional titles. Williams knocked off a returning state finals in Cedar Cliff’s Aiden Lewis in the District 3 semifinals, and at the West Super Regional he beat eventual state champ Jacob VanDee of Cathedral Prep in the semifinals and Greater Latrobe state champ Vincent Kilkeary in the finals. Williams will look to get back on a path toward PIAA gold as a sophomore in 2022.
SECOND-TEAM
Gabe Belga, Cumberland Valley
Bryce Buckman, Central Dauphin
Noah Clawson, Carlisle
Ryan Garvick, Central Dauphin
Griffin Gonzalez, Lebanon
Eric Howe, Lancaster Catholic
Deven Jackson, West Perry
Pierson Manville, State College
Mason McLendon, Susquenita
Kyle Miller, Cumberland Valley
Brad Morrison, West Perry
Tate Nichter, Chambersburg
Layton Schmick, Carlisle
Sean Smith, Carlisle
Dustin Swanson, Garden Soot
Nolen Zeigler, West Perry
THIRD-TEAM
Nic Allison, Mifflin County
Isaiah Auman, Cedar Cliff
Dominic Caldwell, Susquenita
Andrew Christie, Bishop McDevitt
Eli Crum, Boiling Springs
Christian Doi, Camp Hill
Rocco Fratelli, Northern
Dom Frontino, Shippensburg
Sean Getty, Camp Hill
Kobin Karper, Boiling Springs
Carson Manville, State College
Makoa Neibel, Trinity
Tucker Paynter, Trinity
Timmy Smith, Central Dauphin
Colton Zimmerman, Carlisle
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