A 5-for-7 performance in the second round of consolations brings the YAIAA medal count from the PIAA Class AAA Wrestling Championships to six for the three-day event, very easily the toughest scholastic championships there are in PA.
Leading the way were seniors Tanner Bidelspach of Spring Grove and Keith Dahlheimer of Red Lion.
Bidelspach extracted a bit of revenge by totally controlling his 7-1 victory over Central Dauphin's Kevin Gooding. The Rocket 112-pounder connected for three takedowns and stayed out of the dangerous tilts the Ram sophomore has become known for. The win turns around their result from the District 3 Championships where Gooding knocked off Bidelspach, getting five points enroute to a 8-4 win.
At 285, Dahlheimer clinched his second PIAA medal with an 11-4 thumping of Upper Perk's Jared Bennett. Outsized as usual, the Lion wrestler stayed in good position and constantly capitalized on Bennett's takedown attempts, slipping behind the District 1 wrestler repeatedly.
Other locals to clinch medals were New Oxford's Jordan Conaway (103), South Western's Cameron Throckmorton (119), and Dallastown's Jon Childress (125).
All six remaining wrestlers will be back in action Saturday morning at 8 a.m. to determine just how high they'll be placing.
Two YAIAA wrestlers - South Western junior Drew Rebling and Kennard-Dale senior Nick Page - lost one-oint heartbreakers in second-round consolation matches to end their excellent seasons.
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