Waynesboro’s wrestling squad will be having a hands-on meeting with one of the top grappling programs in the state when it ventures to Adams County on Saturday to take on the Gettysburg Warriors.
The Tribe will be heavy underdogs in a meet that starts with a girls dual, and ends with a boys match. Waynesboro will undoubtedly face adversity on Saturday, but the night also presents an opportunity for the Tribe to make an impression against a premier program.
We’ve selected this clash as our Match of the Week.
Waynesboro has a number of battle-hardened wrestlers who have high aspirations for the postseason, but even they will have their work cut out for them against a nasty Gettysburg lineup chock-full of regional and state qualifiers. Buckle up.
In the weeks and months to come throughout the high school sports season, we plan on spotlighting multiple teams and sports with our Martch of the Week. Any big upcoming contests we should know about? Send suggestions to Andy Sandrik via email at [email protected].
Waynesboro at Gettysburg
Start time: Saturday, 6 p.m., at Gettysburg
Records: Waynesboro’s boys are 1-15, while the girls check in at 3-10. The Gettysburg boys roll in at 15-1, while the Warrior girls enter with an 11-1 record.
Last meeting: Gettysburg won last year’s boys match by a 63-4 score. This will be the first meeting between the girls teams.
Meet the Tribe: Waynesboro’s boys lineup features five wrestlers with winning records, including Anthony Ausherman, Steven Howard, Wyatt Lowans, Brady Myers, and Tyler Rooney … The 215-pound Ausherman, a regional runner-up and state qualifier last winter, is 24-4 with 14 pins … Howard, a one-time regional qualifier, wrestles at 133-139 and sports a 22-4 record with three falls … Lowans, a regional qualifier at 160, is 7-3 with six falls this season … Myers (15-10 at 172) and Rooney (14-7 at 189) will both be aiming to snipe wins from Gettysburg … A number of other Waynesboro grapplers could see the mat, including Michael Brewer (1-8 at 107), Brennan Hollar (4-17 at 114), Wade Rogers (2-11 at 121), Braeden Wesoloski (0-8 at 121-127), Riley Sanders (1-13 at 127), Christopher Walker (1-6 at 127), Sam Young (4-16 at 133-139), Levi Barr (1-1 at 145), Camden Stover (1-6 at 145), Ethan Tweed (0-2 at 145), Colton Biser (6-15 at 145-152), Chase Mumma (3-10 at 152-160), Ayden Strausbuagh (2-6 at 160), Aiden Carbaugh (0-1 at 189), and Lucas Mummert (7-13 at 285) … Waynesboro owns one dual win this season, which came by a 54-22 score over Kutztown on Dec. 6 … On the girls side, Waynesboro will be looking for two-time regional qualifier Annabelle Tracey to set the tone. Tracey, a competitor at 155-170 pounds, is 17-5 with 15 falls this season and is three wins away from reaching 50 for her career … Senior 124-pounder Miley Smetzer is a two-time regional and one-time state qualifier. This season she is 11-7 with nine pins … Rylei Young, a sixth-place section finisher at 148 pounds last season, recently picked up her 25th career win. Young is 11-5 with eight falls this winter … Waynesboro lightweights Lily Medina (3-7 at 100), Aubrey Rinebolt (6-7 at 112), Keeley Pryor (6-12 at 118) will set the table for Smetzer at 124, while Lexus Mower (6-10), Sara Lohman (2-8), and Lily Kahl (3-14) give the Maidens a few options at 130-136 … Alli Shockey has compiled a 9-10 record with seven falls at 142 pounds … The Maidens own three dual victories, which have come over Greencastle-Antrim (36-17), Schuylkill Valley (42-30), and Shippensburg (36-17).
Meet the Warriors: From top to bottom, Gettysburg’s lineup is loaded with state and regional qualifiers … The Warriors are spearheaded by a couple of PIAA medalists in William Yordy and Myles Grossman … Yordy, who competes at 127-133 pounds, is 26-4 with seven falls this winter. Last season Yordy captured sixth place at 3A states at 121 pounds … Grossman, 13-0 with eight pins, is a two-time regional champion who finished sixth in the state at 139 last season … Gettysburg has a couple of hard-hitting lightweights in Jayden Black (114 pounds, 20-8, 11 falls) and Aiden Black (120-127 pounds, 21-9, 7 falls), both of whom were regional qualifiers last winter … The Warriors lineup gets no easier when it move up in weight, as evidenced by the grappling of Isaiah P. Jackson (139), Blake Haines (152-160), and Reid Grossman (160-172) … Jackson, a two-time state qualifier, is 24-7 with 10 falls this season … Haines, 18-9 with 14 falls, is a two-time regional qualifier, while Reid Grossman (19-6, 11 falls) is a two-time section champion … At the upperweights Gettysburg is anchored by three big men: Reid Whitmoyer (189), Keegan McGrew (215-285), and Nolan Reinert (215-285) … Whitmoyer (17-13, 11 falls) and McGrew (24-5, 10 falls) both own impressive records, while Reinert (20-0, 12 falls) is a regional placewinner who is off to an undefeated start this winter … Gettysburg, a winner of seven-straight matches, checks in at No. 5 in the District 3-3A power rankings … The Warriors have lost just once, by a 41-20 score to Connellsville at the Gettysburg Duals on Jan. 10 … Since that loss Gettysburg has been on a tear, with only one of its opponents managing to score more than 12 points … The Warriors are just as dangerous on the girls side, with state qualifiers Ella Nevada (124) and Isabella Garrett (136-142) paving the way … Nevada (22-5, 18 falls) took third in the region and qualified for states as a freshman last season … Garrett (18-6, 15 falls) is a two-time region qualifier who took third at the tourney last year on her way to qualifying for states … Denise Ponce, who is 20-7 with eight falls at 112-118, is a two-time regional qualifier … Another regional qualifier, Myah Coleman, is 20-5 with 16 falls this season … Gettysburg has a number of other hammers in the lineup, including Samantha Campbell (21-3 at 100-106), Taylor Keckler (16-3 at 106-112), Fallon Jackson (22-4 at 170), and Ava Christianson (12-9 at 190-235) … The Warriors, on a three-match winning streak, are ranked No. 3 in the District 3 power rankings … Gettysburg has lost just once this season, to Parkland by a 46-20 score at the Cumberland Valley Duals on Jan. 11.
Sandrik’s pick: Gettysburg boys by 45; Gettysburg girls by 30.
