BY CHRIS MANNINGNorthern Tier Sports Report
HERSHEY — Each time out on the mat Towanda’s Gage Evans has gotten better and better, and it culminated Friday morning with one the best wrestling performances of his career as he beat United’s Josef Garshnick, 11-3, in the blood round during the PIAA Championships Friday.
Evans opened the day with an 8-1 win over Burrell’s Julian Bertucci in the second round of consolations.
“My God, it’s been a dream since I was a little kid,” Evans said about earning a state medal. “I feel amazing.”
For Coach Bill Sexton it has been quite the journey with Evans, who was came into November practice after just being cleared from a broken leg.
“It’s very rewarding,” said Sexton. “The way the season started with him coming off the injury from football we really didn’t know what we were going to have at the beginning of the year, but he’s worked steadily. He has healed, he has gotten himself into match condition. He’s here now with the best version of himself, and he’s showing it now. He had a real tough kid in the opening round, but since then he has just gotten better and better.”
It was Garshnick scoring first in the third round of consolations match, using the underhook to get to Evans’ leg for a takedown with 10 seconds left in the first period.
“I knew he was tough,” said Evans. “I wanted to beat him on my feet, and beat him overall.”
Evans started the second on bottom, and got to his feet in order to get the escape for a 3-1 score.
Garshnick went for a throw on Evans but it was the sophomore Black Knight coming out on top for the takedown to go up 4-3.
“After that I really asked myself again, ‘how bad I really wanted it,” explained Evans. “I did what I had to do. I wanted it pretty bad, and so I got it.”
Like in the two previous rounds Evans was strong on top, barring the arm up tight but ran out of time before he could use it.
In the third Evans once again used Garshnick’s own move against him, catching him on a throw and taking him straight to his back for seven points.
“He just pressured in a lot, and I had it hooked up,” Evans explained. “Everybody told me to just let it fly, so I kind of just let it fly, and it worked out in my favor.”
Evans rode Garshnick the rest of the way to secure his medal.
In the second round of consolations match Evans fought off a single leg in the first period to keep it scoreless.
The sophomore went to work in the second period, locking up a cradle right off the whistle for three back points, and nearly pinning Bertucci.
“I knew I had that thing pretty tight,” remarked Evans. “I couldn’t feel my arms, so it felt great.”
Up 4-0 Evans held him down for much of the period but Bertucci was able to get an escape for a 4-1 score.
Evans chose down in the third but Bertucci let him up for a 5-1 score. The Black Knight sophomore got one more takedown, then rode him out for an 8-1 score.
Sexton believes Evans is getting more and more confident after each point he scores.
“He’s hitting things, he’s being aggressive, he’s not waiting,” the longtime coach said. “He had a really nice run here.”
The sophomore is glad to be on the podium after going 0-2 last season, especially after having to win three straight to do it.
“It feels good, but at the same time, I wish I was on the gold side,” he said. “But seeing that I medaled here, it feels great.”
They plan on getting some food before gearing up for tonight’s consolation round. A win here means Evans will be top six, a loss drops him into the seventh place match.
“Just keep wrestling the way he has been,” Sexton said. “We don’t know what we’re going to have yet, but we’ll see.”
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PHOTOS BY CHRIS MANNING
