HERSHEY — After a busy day of wrestling at Giant Center in Hershey on Thursday, two of the 7 area wrestlers were victorious and advanced to the PIAA Championship quarterfinals.

Both were in the girls competition — Olivia Kearns of Shippensburg scored a pin at 118 pounds, while Chambersburg’s Aulana Stanton built a big lead and hung on for a 10-8 decision at 170. Both will wrestle in the quarterfinals Friday at 11:45 a.m.

Aulana Stanton

The other two girls who competed Thursday — Chambersburg’s Jessica Li and Reagan Evans — suffered a pair of losses and were eliminated.

All three of the boys in Class AAA were beaten in the first round — Chambersburg’s Jaccob Stoner and Deakon Snavely and Shippensburg’s Braden Boardman.

Chambersburg girls coach Josh Sherman said, “The girls tournament is even more legit this year — there was a lot of very tough wrestling. And all three of our girls looked small compared to their opponents.”

Stanton got off to an excellent start against Lane Harrington of Strath Haven, getting to a leg and finishing for a takedown early. Harrington escaped, but again Stanton pounced, securing a headlock for a takedown and nearly a pin. Harrington reversed to make the score 10-3 after one period.

In the second, Harrington notched a takedown to pull within 10-6. Stanton chose bottom for the third and Harrington was able to control her with arm bars and a half, but could only turn her once for 2 points, giving Stanton a 2-point margin for the win.

“That was a good girl she beat — she had placed fourth in the state the last two years,” Sherman said. “But Aulana wrestled a really good match — when she had opportunities, she scored. That girl found out that Aulana is hard to turn because she’s double-jointed in both shoulders.”

Kearns, who placed fifth last year, tore into Rachel Shoemaker of Crestwood for a takedown and 4 nearfall points, then lost one point for an illegal hold. But using bars, she quickly put up another 4-point nearfall, and then a pin at 1:48.

Friday, Kearns (26-1) will face Kaila Keesecker of Derry (27-9) in the quarters, while Stanton (35-3) takes on Elysabeth Myers of Brockway (27-2).

Li was stuck in the first round in 1:57 by Jenna Houseknecht of Montgomery, and in the consolations she lost by technical fall to Grace Nesbitt of Neshaminy.

Evans faced Sayona Harris-Haye of Greater Johnstown and was locked in a scoreless match until Harris-Haye got in on a single near the edge of the mat and took Evans down to her back for a fall in 1:58. Godie Hart of North Penn then ended Evans’ tournament with a pin in 2:33, although Evans had a 4-point nearfall before she got reversed to her back.

Sherman said, “Reagan put the girl on her back and she tried to pin her with three different pinning combinations, but the girl just had too much horsepower to hold her down. And Reagan is a pinner.”

On the boys side, Boardman had the only close bout in the first round. He gave up a takedown late in the first when his shot was countered and Trinity’s Jackson Hoy eventually slid behind. An escape in the second made it 4-0.

In the third, Boardman switched for a reversal, then let Hoy up for a 5-2 deficit. Despite Boardman taking every shot except one over the last 2 periods, and consistently getting in on Hoy’s legs, he could not get through Hoy’s defenses, and the only stalling calls came in the final 30 seconds to make the final 5-3.

At 189, Jaccob Stoner of Chambersburg ran into Justin Cosover of Easton and suffered a 19-3 tech fall, with Cosover leading 7-0 after one period.

The Trojans’ Deakon Snavely also hit a tough customer in his first-round bout, taking a 15-3 major decision defeat from Kaleb Dumin of Boyertown. Snavely did score a takedown in the third period for his points.

Boardman lost an 8-4 decision to Zane Gardner of Donegal in the consolations to end his freshman season.

While Stoner, a senior, was defeated 9-2 by David Clayton of Quakertown in his first consolation match and was eliminated, Snavely, a freshman, was able to beat Will White of Cedar Cliff for the second time this season in the consolations (2-1 the first time).

Snavely led 1-0 in the second when he caught White’s leg at the knee, pulled it into a semi-cradle to a half, took him down and decked him in 2:24. Snavely (27-13) will face Cael Ott of Penn Trafford (20-7) in the next round Friday.

Trojan coach Craig Hight said, “Deakon was sick yesterday, so it showed a lot for him to get a win here. He’s probably the strongest 14-year-old kid I’ve ever met in my life – he just pulled that leg right up.

“Stoner had two good kids today, but in his second match, the other kid won a couple of 50-50 situations. Jaccob had a great career with us.”

NOTE: Waynesboro senior Steven Howard had qualified at 133 pounds, but he was a scratch because of an ijury suffered in practice.

PIAA Wrestling Championships
Thursday’s Results
GIRLS
First Round
106 — Jenna Houseknecht (Montgomery) p Jessica Li (Chambersburg), 1:57
118 — Olivia Kearns (Shippensburg) p Rachel Shoemaker (Crestwood), 1:48
136 — Sayona Harris-Haye (Greater Johnstown) p Reagan Evans (Chbg), 1:58
170 — Aulana Stanton (Chbg) d Lane Harrington (Strath Haven), 10-8
Consolation First Round
106 — Grace Nesbitt (Neshaminy) tf Li (Chbg), 17-1, 3:58
136 — Godie Hart (North Penn) p Evans (Chbg), 2:33
———-
BOYS CLASS 3A
First Round
114 — Jackson Hoy (Trinity, Dist. 7) d Braden Boardman (Ship), 5-3
189 — Justin Cosover (Easton) tf Jaccob Stoner (Chbg), 19-3, 5:55
215 — Kaleb Dumin (Boyertown) md Deakon Snavely (Chbg), 15-3
Consolation First Round
114 — Zane Gardner (Donegal) d Boardman (Ship), 8-4
189 — David Clayton (Quakertown) d Stoner (Chbg), 9-2
215 — Snavely (Chbg) p Will White (Cedar Cliff), 2:24