Chambersburg defeated Hempfield 32-31 at the PIAA Team Wrestling Championships on Friday evening. It was the 100th career victory for coach Matt Mentzer (to the right of the sign in blue shirt).

HERSHEY — The Chambersburg wrestling team continues to break new ground for the program.

Zach Evans and Jaccob Stoner returned a day after missing a match because of sickness — both went 2-0 — and several other Trojans posted stellar performances as Chambersburg went 2-0 on Friday in the consolation rounds of the PIAA Team Wrestling Championships at Giant Center.

The Trojans beat Erie Cathedral Prep 39-20 in the first round of consolations, then nipped Hempfield Area (of District 7), 32-31 in the second round.

Jaccob Stoner

Chambersburg (21-4) returns to the mat Saturday morning at 9 when it takes on Waynesburg Central (5-4) in a third-round consy match. The Trojans have already guaranteed themselves a finish in the top eight in the state in Class 3A.

“The kids wrestled their butts off today,” said Chambersburg coach Matt Mentzer, who also recorded the 100th dual victory of his career. “There was a lot of guts shown today by a lot of our kids.”

In the morning match, the Trojans trailed Erie Cathedral Prep 8-6 after three bouts, and Stoner, a freshman, found himself down 10-6 after two periods to Clay Mallory at 172. But Stoner started the third period on top and turned Mallory for a fall in 4:17 to kick-start his team.

Mentzer said, “The kid was too sick to wrestle yesterday, but he got a ride here this morning and then went 2-0. He was losing the whole way, but we saw their kid getting tired and Jaccob kept working and found an opening.”

Zach Sherman

After that the Trojans won five consecutive bouts to run up a 33-8 lead. Aiden Hight (189) and Evans (215) scored pins, Avery Kuhns (285) won by forfeit and Ben Hoover (107) and Zach Sherman (114) each took 4-0 decisions.

“Hoover and Sherm were the better kid in both and they both were in control the whole way,” Mentzer said.

Also getting wins for Chambersburg were Tyler Frye (145) in the opening bout, and Luke Mentzer, a decision at 127.

A lot had to happen right in the second match, and for the most part, it did, in the victory over Hempfield.

But Logan Mickey won the biggest bout for the Trojans, securing a pin in 2:24 over Logan Williams at 139 to give his team an insurmountable lead (32-19) with two bouts to go (which Chambersburg forfeited).

Mentzer said, “That was probably the most aggressive I’ve seen Logan wrestle all year — off the first whistle until the fall. He was looking to score points (he had 3 takedowns) and he was looking for a pin.

“I don’t think he knew the situation — that a pin would clinch it for us — but we all knew, and he allowed us to close it out.”

Stoner (2-0 decision), Hight (11-1 major), Evans (4-2 decision) and Kuhns (forfeit) staked Chambersburg to a 16-6 lead after five bouts. Sherman scored a 9-0 major, but Hempfield had pulled to within 20-14 when it decided to give a forfeit to Luke Mentzer at 127 and bump its next few wrestlers up a weight.

“I was scratching my head,” coach Mentzer said. “I figured they’d want their best kid (PIAA runner-up Ethan Lebin) on Luke.”

Instead, Lebin defeated Ashton Romberger, 21-6, for a five-point technical fall, and that set the stage for Mickey.

The fact that Romberger held Lebin to a tech fall (and so did Hoover at 107 vs. Lucas Kapusta) made a big difference in the team score.

Mentzer said, “The way it turned out, those guys each saved us a point. Hoover fought off his back at the end of his match. Ashton wrestled Lebin tough, and if not for a five-point move late, it would have only been a major.”

Chambersburg, which was ranked No. 11 before the tournament began, is now 3-1 in PIAA matches this year.

“We’re just letting the kids enjoy this,” Mentzer said. “We’re wrestling in the state tournament in the best wrestling state in the country. These kids have earned this and it’s a nice payback for them.”

On his 100th win, Mentzer said, “This is a special group, not only because I’m coaching my son, but because I had a bunch of these kids in my fifth-grade class and it makes it extra sweet that they made this happen.”

Chambersburg 39, Erie Cathedral Prep 20
145 — Tyler Frye (C) p Xavier Dombkowski, N/A (6-0)
152 — Bo Martucci (ECP) tf Judge Rieck, 15-0, 3:55 (6-5)
160 — Jaden Crockett (ECP) d Ivan Mixell, 12-7 (6-8)
172 — Jaccob Stoner (C) p Clay Mallory, 4:17 (12-8)
189 — Aiden Hight (C) p Isaiah Harrick, 2:31 (18-8)
215 — Zach Evans (C) p Max Spaulding, 0:24 (24-8)
285 — Avery Kuhns (C) won by forfeit (30-8)
107 — Ben Hoover (C) d Aiden Carter, 4-0 (33-8)
114 — Zach Sherman (C) d Amir Johnson, 4-0 (36-8)
121 — Keagan Oler (ECP) d Rylan Carter, 5-4 (36-11)
127 — Luke Mentzer (C) d Andrew Gammon, 9-3 (39-11)
133 — Sam Staab (ECP) d Ashton Romberger, 6-4 (36-14)
139 — Brandon Boyd (ECP) p Logan Mickey, 2:50 (39-20)

Chambersburg 32, Hempfield Area 31
160 — Lucas Kapusta (H) p Mixell, 0:54 (0-6)
172 — Stoner (C) d Pierce Turner, 2-0 (3-6)
189 — Hight (C) md Ryan Steffey, 11-1 (7-6)
215 — Evans (C) d Elijah Binzkonsky, 4-2 (10-6)
285 — Kuhns (C) won by forfeit (16-6)
107 — Nico Kapusta (H) tf Hoover, 17-2, 5:41 (16-11)
114 — Sherman (C) md Ty King, 9-0 (20-11)
121 — Owen Caracciolo (H) d Carter, 8-6 (20-14)
127 — Mentzer (C) won by forfeit (26-14)
133 — Ethan Lebin (H) tf Romberger, 21-6, 5:00 (26-19)
139 — Mickey (C) p Logan Williams, 2:24 (32-19)
145 — Eli Carr (H) won by forfeit (32-25)
152 — Charlie Mesich (H) won by forfeit (32-31)