Gettysburg Times: 013009 - "The Canners Are Going To Hershey"

BY SCOT ANDREW PITZER
Times Staff Writer

Midway through the second match of a District 3-AA Team Championship double-header Thursday night, the Biglerville Canner wrestling team suddenly found themselves in an unenviable position.
The home team trailed the Wyomissing Spartans by five points, 21-16, with seven bouts remaining.
“It was terrible. Emotionally, it was tough wrestling twice in one night,” said Biglerville Coach Bob Gano, whose team beat Brandywine Heights 44-24 two hours earlier. “We needed a spark.”
An unlikely hero delivered.
Seldom used sophomore Kevin Nichols was inserted into the lineup at 145-pounds to face Mike Priest, a senior with 19 victories and 12 falls.
Nichols muscled Priest onto his back and notched a fall at the 1:44 mark.
The pin ignited the Canner Dome crowd, and fueled a 46-24 win over Wyomissing.
“Winning a match like that is what you dream about,” said Nichols, who was hugged by virtually everyone on the Canner bench following his fall. “It was the turning point of the match.”
Biglerville won five out of the next six bouts, thanks to solid efforts from senior captains Nick Asper (152), Nic Lieberum (160), Logan Bobo (171) and Brett Smyers (285).
“We love wrestling at home,” said Asper, whose 9-2 decision over Julio Arrendondo at 152-pounds increased Biglerville’s lead to 25-21.
“The fans give us a great advantage with their energy and enthusiasm. You saw it here after Nichols’ pin,” said Asper. “We hope that they come to Hershey with us and make it feel like another home match.”
The double-header victory propelled the Canners onto Hershey on Saturday, where they’ll square off with rival Bermudian Springs in the championship semi-finals, with a ticket to the State Tournament at stake.
“We knew that our seniors had to pick it up and get it done,” Asper said regarding the Wyomissing match. “We wanted to go to Hershey. We’ve been working toward that goal all year.”
The first match between Biglerville and Brandywine Heights began at 5:30 p.m., while the second round match with Wyomissing started at 7:30.
Biglerville was originally scheduled to wrestle Tuesday night against Brandywine Heights at home, but inclement weather postponed the contest to Wednesday night. That match was also postponed, again due to weather.
Every other team in the district tournament wrestled their first round matches Tuesday, except for Biglerville (seeded #2) and Brandywine Heights (seeded #15).
“We were supposed to wrestle Tuesday and then Wednesday, and then all of a sudden, my worst nightmare came true,” said Gano. “The kids persevered.”
Biglerville and Bermudian Springs square off at 11:30 a.m. Saturday at the Milton Hershey Spartan Center, with the winner advancing to the District 3-AA Team Championship finals, and an automatic birth into the State Tournament.
The Canners upended the Eagles in their regular season showdown Saturday night in Biglerville, 30-27.
Scot Pitzer is a Times Staff Reporter.

Biglerville 44, Brandywine Heights 24
285 - Smyers (BIG) p. Hendley, 2:16
103 - Hernandez (BIG) fft.
112 - L. Gardner (BIG). p. McCrea, 1:44
119 - D. Bower (BIG) p. Stanley, 1:52
125 - Yocco (BH) p. Kozlowski, 1:11
130 - Herman (BH) dec. Leiphart, 8-3
135 - J. Gardner (BIG) dec. Leiby, 5-3
140 - DeLong (BH) p. Kint, 3:34
145 - Calafati (BH) dec. Asper, 5-3
152 - Lieberum (BIG) dec. Boyer, 7-1
160 - Stoudt (BH) fft.
171 - Bobo (BIG) fft
189 - Smith (BIG) md. Xander, 19-6
215 - Thomas (BIG) md. Burns, 9-0

Biglerville 46, Wyomissing 24
103 - Hernandez (B) p. Rank; 1:32
112 - L. Gardner (B) p. Molinaro; 1:40
119 - Walsh (W) tf. Bower, 18-2; 4:00
125 - Leiphart (B) md. Brown, 8-0
130 - Hodgkins (W) p. J. Gardner, 3:46
135 - Helm (W) p. Camara, 1:15
140 - Gaylor (W) md. Kint, 16-5
145 - Nichols (B) p. Priest, 1:44
152 - Asper (B) dec. Julio Arrendondo, 9-2.
160 - Lieberum (B) p. Gordon, 3:21
171 - Bobo (B) dec. Antoine, 3-0
189 - Thomas (B) p. Garman, 2:11
215 - Rank (W) dec. Smith, 4-3
285 - Smyers (B) p. Justin Arrendondo, 0:54