BY CHRIS MANNINGNorthern Tier Sports Report
HERSHEY — Towanda’s Gage Evans kept his state medal hopes alive as he went 1-1 at the PIAA, Class AA Wrestling Championships on Thursday.
Evans fell 19-4 to St. Mary’s Greyson Meyer in the opener, but then bounced back with a 2:51 fall over Phillipsburg-Osceola’s Avery Gable in the first round of consolations.
“It felt great,” Evans said about getting his first career state win after going 0-2 at states a year ago. “It was awesome.”
He’ll get Burrell’s Julian Bertucci in the second round of consolations, and needs two more wins to get to the podium.
Meyer was able to get to Evans’ leg in the first bout, getting a single leg takedown for a 3-0 first period lead. Evans would get an escape off the restart for a 3-1 score after the opening period.
Evans got another escape to start the second to make it a 1-point bout, but Meyer was able to go single leg to double leg for his next takedown to go up 6-2. Evans got the escape for a 6-3 score.
In the final period Meyer used two takedowns, and two sets of back points to get the tech fall.
In the consolation match Gable got in on a shot but Evans was able to stuff his head to keep it scoreless after one.
“I felt confident in me,” said Evans. “My coach ran through it that I’ve got to push. His head down more, so I did that, and it worked.”
Evans was on top to start the second and immediately got in the bar, turning Gable for three back points.
On the second attempt Evans was able to flip him completely on his back for the second period fall.
“I had it pretty tight,” he said. “I definitely have gotten more than three swipes, and then I got my pin there.”
Evans did some soul searching after his first lost going into the consolations.
“I asked myself ‘how bad do I really want it,’” he remarked. “I want it pretty bad, so I kind of got to fight my way back here. It’s good to go to day two of the tournament.”
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PHOTOS BY CHRIS MANNING
