Delaware Valley’s Kate Prior, top, wrestles Kiski Area’s Alyssa Tresco in the 170-pound first round Thursday during the PIAA Girls Wrestling Championships at the Giant Center in Hershey. BOB GAETANO / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER
Hazleton Area’s Evelyn Sheer pins Saegertown’s Kaylee Stampin-Williams in the 235-pound first round Thursday during the PIAA Girls Wrestling Championships at the Giant Center in Hershey. BOB GAETANO / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER
Lackawanna Trail’s Cidney Schaffer, back, wrestles Big Spring’s Charlotte Barrick in the 100-pound consolation first round Thursday during the PIAA Girls Wrestling Championships at the Giant Center in Hershey. BOB GAETANO / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER
Abington Heights’ Hayden Manning, top, wrestles Cumberland Valley’s Emma Beaven in the 155-pound quarterfinals Friday during the PIAA Girls Wrestling Championships at the Giant Center in Hershey. JOE BARESS / STAFF PHOTO
Hazleton Area’s Evelyn Sheer, top, wrestles Crestwood’s Samara Bailey in the 235-pound consolation second round Friday during the PIAA Girls Wrestling Championships at the Giant Center in Hershey. JOE BARESS / STAFF PHOTO
Honesdale’s Saige Olver, top, wrestles Bensalem’s Payton Hinkle in the 124-pound consolation second round Friday during the PIAA Girls Wrestling Championships at the Giant Center in Hershey. JOE BARESS / STAFF PHOTO
Lackawanna Trail’s Cidney Schaffer, top, wrestles Central Dauphin’s Kate Hollinger in the 100-pound consolation second round Thursday at the PIAA Girls Wrestling Championships on Friday at the Giant Center in Hershey. JOE BARESS / STAFF PHOTO
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Delaware Valley’s Kate Prior, top, wrestles Kiski Area’s Alyssa Tresco in the 170-pound first round Thursday during the PIAA Girls Wrestling Championships at the Giant Center in Hershey. BOB GAETANO / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER
HERSHEY — Delaware Valley’s Kate Prior will return to the semifinals, while Abington Heights freshman Hayden Manning continues her stellar debut season.
The practice partners also were two of five District 2 girls wrestlers to lock down state medals Friday during the PIAA Championships at the Giant Center in Hershey.
“It’s pretty cool,” said Manning, who is ranked sixth in the state at 155 pounds according to PA Power Wrestling. “Coming in here the goal was to place at least, but I’m not satisfied yet so I’ve got to keep pushing. Always trying to get better.”
Manning opened her 155-pound quarterfinal against Cumberland Valley’s Emma Beaven (ninth is state) with a takedown and tacked on four back points for a seven-point lead.
“I think constant pressure is always the thing,” Manning said. “Once you start backing away, that’s when you start to lose. So, you’ve always got to step up to the challenge and keep pressuring.”
Beaven kept trying to put Manning in a headlock, but Manning scooted out of it for two reversals and an 11-3 major decision.
“She was definitely very strong, but I think staying calm was one of the biggest aspects of it,” Manning said. “I just needed to keep wrestling my match and don’t let her dictate it. I have to dictate everything.”
She was scheduled to face Emmaus’ Olivya Kroope (seventh in state) in the semifinals Friday night.
Prior (sixth in state) won her grudge match with Panther Valley’s Alisa Williams (15th in state), securing an 8-4 decision.
The Delaware Valley senior secured the first takedown and added another in the second period. The two wrestlers faced off twice in January, each getting a victory.
She was scheduled to face Palisades’ Bryce Snyder (first in state) in the semifinals.
More medals
Hazleton Area’s Evelyn Sheer (235), Honesdale’s Saige Olver (124) and Lackawanna Trail’s Cidney Schaffer (100) each secured consolation second-round victories to lock up a top-eight spot and a state medal.
“It feels really good,” Sheer said. “Honestly, it’s amazing that I could even wrestle here. Some people don’t make it this far, and it just shows that all the hard work I’ve been doing is paying off.”
Sheer (fifth in state) faced District 2 foe Crestwood’s Samara Bailey (eighth in state) in the consolation second round to determine who would leave Hershey with a state medal.
“It’s fun and it’s a little scary because I don’t want to be mean. I want both of us to succeed, but one of us is going to have to win,” Sheer said.
The Hazleton Area freshman raced out to a seven-point lead with a takedown and four back points. Bailey countered with a reversal in the second period, but Sheer secured a reversal of her own and five back points, as Bailey needed injury time for her left shoulder and eventually a medical forfeit.
“I just kind of scrambled. I kind of turned, worked my feet. And then I got a half in,” Sheer said.
Olver (fifth in state) became a three-time state medalist when she rallied from an early takedown and pinned Bensalem’s Payton Hinkle (ninth is state) in the second period. She placed third as a sophomore and eighth as a junior.
Schaffer (fifth in state) pinned Central Dauphin’s Kate Hollinger (fourth in state) in the third period.
Heartbreaking defeat
Nanticoke Area’s Emily Kivler (112) battled Quakertown’s Mya Pallone (seventh in state) into overtime, but lost by sudden victory in their consolation second-round match to fall one win shy of a state medal.
The Nanticoke Area sophomore lost her quarterfinal match to Easton’s Morgan Hyland (first in state), 10-0, earlier in the day.
Quarterfinals
112: Morgan Hyland (Easton Area) maj. dec. Emily Kivler (Nanticoke Area), 10-0.
155: Hayden Manning (Abington Heights) maj. dec. Emma Beaven (Cumberland Valley), 11-3.
170: Kate Prior (Delaware Valley) dec. Alisa Williams (Panther Valley), 8-4.
235: Brenda Banks (Panther Valley) pinned Evelyn Sheer (Hazleton Area), 1:36.
Consolation second round
100: Cidney Schaffer (Lackawanna Trail) pinned Kate Hollinger (Central Dauphin-G), 3:40.
112: Mya Pallone (Quakertown) pinned Emily Kivler (Nanticoke Area), 5:33.
124: Saige Olver (Honesdale) pinned Payton Hinkle (Bensalem), 2:32.
235: Evelyn Sheer (Hazleton Area) injury default Samara Bailey (Crestwood), 14-2 1:43.