WAYNESBORO – When Waynesboro Area Senior High School wrestling coach David Swink pieced together probable matchups from Thursday night’s meet against visiting West Perry, the final score he came up with was actually worse than what the Indians finished with.
Waynesboro’s lone win in a contested match during a 55-12 Mid-Penn Colonial Division loss came from senior Garrett Lowans with a first-period pin in 1:13 in the 152-pound match..
The 2022-23 season belongs to the Mustangs from Perry County. Having already beaten perennial contender Boiling Springs, West Perry dispatched Waynesboro with ease in front of a Senior Night crowd.
“We came into tonight thinking we possibly could score any points,” said Swink after the match. :That’s what we talked about before the match, they’re going to go out and try to win the District 3 championship. I think right now they’re ranked second in the district in 2A.”
The eight-team District 3 team tournament gets underway on Monday and continues through Saturday, Feb. 4. West Perry is currently ranked second behind Berks Catholic in the District 3-2A power rankings.
West Perry (13-1), which defeated Boiling Springs 27-26 on Jan. 21, was leading 33-0 when Lowans won his match. After scoring on a takedown, Lowans picked up more points on near falls before finishing off the match with the first-period pin.
Waynesboro (13-9) forfeited the 106-pound bout; West Perry forfeited the 215-pound contest.
The Mustangs won four matches by fall, three more by technical fall, one by major decision and two by decision.
Waynesboro’s Chance Atkinson fell behind 7-2 but cut into the deficit with an escape and a takedown to make it 7-5 against Adam Yoder at 126 pounds. Yoder pulled away with a pair of takedowns to win 11-6.
Jayden Rooney and Blain Puchalsky were scoreless until the third period when Puchalsky, who started on bottom in the third, scored on an escape and a takedown to win 3-0.
Waynesboro’s next match is against Greencastle-Antrim next Wednesday. The middle school contest gets started at 6 p.m. followed by varsity around 7.
The regular season continues Saturday, Feb. 4 at the Rally in the Valley hosted by Conestoga Valley High School. The season concludes with a dual meet at Shippensburg on Feb. 9.
