Luke Simcox of Central Mountain celebrates his win over Pierson Manville during their match at 145 pounds during Finals of the PIAA Wrestling Championships in Hershey. DAVE KENNEDY/For The Express

HERSHEY– Halfway through his championship bout on Saturday night in front of what was close to a sellout crowd, Central Mountain senior Luke Simcox’s headgear broke. It was the first time it happened in his career and he used one of his teammates’ headgear for the remainder of a match that went to an ultimate tiebreaker for the second time in two weeks.

With the score tied, 1-1 to finish the third period, Simcox switched from his broken, black headgear to a white one. After no score between the two besides neutral points in the second and third periods, Simcox, similarly to the Northwest Regional final, needed an escape point against State College’s Pierson Manville and to survive 20 seconds.

Simcox got the escape, and as Manville chased him around the mat for a takedown, Simcox grabbed onto Manville’s left leg, getting his opponent to his stomach for two points and a 4-1 decision victory to win his second consecutive state title.

“It’s a very good feeling. Not many kids are winning the last high school match of their career and to be able to say I ended my career with a win is a very good feeling,” Simcox said after his title win.

“It was an interesting feeling, I’ve never had that happen ever in my life, my headgear, the strap completely broke on it. I’m glad my teammates had a headgear that fit me, too,” Simcox joked. “It would be very unfortunate if nothing fit me, I don’t know what I would’ve done. It was different, for sure. I just had to wrestle through it and keep my head straight.”

Luke Simcox of Central Mountain scores a point against Pierson Manville during the ultimate tie breaker to win during their match at 145 pounds during Finals of the PIAA Wrestling Championships in Hershey. DAVE KENNEDY/For The Express

The state title is Simcox’s second consecutive title of his career, but he did it in notable fashion. After winning his first state title in the 139-pound weight class one season ago, Simcox had his eyes set on another state title once he hit atop the podium.

Not only did he finish his high school career off in memorable fashion, but the senior defeated one of the area’s–and nation’s– best at 145 pounds, not once but twice, in two weeks.

In the Class AAA Northwest Regional in Altoona on February 24, Simcox knew he was in for a treat. He and Manville went the distance, battling through handfights and attempting takedowns where both refused to go down and give up points. In that match, Simcox began on top and rode Manville to make sure he didn’t score an escape point. The soon-to-be UNC product then got up from the down position and pulled out a 1-0 win.

After Friday night’s 1-0 semifinal win, Simcox claimed the state final bout would differ from the regional final. Contrary to his belief, it was more of the same. Simcox rode again Saturday and held on for dear life until the clock ran out. When it was Manville’s turn to do the same, Simcox fought his way out and turned that into impressive reversal points which sealed the deal.

“Pierson is a very straightforward, offensive wrestler so I knew that my offense and defense had to be just as good as his,” Simcox explained. “It just came down to who wanted it a little bit more and it came down to the last few seconds which is a very close match but I live in those situations.”

Dalton Perry of Central Mountain tries to escape the grasp of Maddox Shaw of Thomas Jefferson during their match at 139 pounds during Finals of the PIAA Wrestling Championships in Hershey. DAVE KENNEDY/For The Express

‘IT HURTS’

Dalton Perry, the 139-pound junior, was on track to capture his second state title in three years, dating back to his freshman season. Perry, who faced off against familiar foe Maddox Shaw of Thomas Jefferson, lost a hard-fought 3-1 decision in sudden victory. After both had escape points in the second and third periods, the match would come down to one play. Shaw made that play of a late takedown as Perry pushed back against it but was brought down in the process.

“It sucks, it hurts but I’ll get over it and learn from it and get better and do what I need to do to improve,” Perry said after the loss.

The Penn State commit had been on the brink of winning another state title and looked the sharpest he had all season. With a major decision in his opening round bout followed by decision wins–that looked more like major decisions–gave him the momentum he needed. Perry had a 9-point major to kick off the tournament and won his next two bouts by a combined 13 points to get to the final.

The second-ever chance at a championship just didn’t pan out.

Dalton Perry of Central Mountain tries to escape the grasp of Maddox Shaw of Thomas Jefferson during their match at 139 pounds during Finals of the PIAA Wrestling Championships in Hershey. DAVE KENNEDY/For The Express

“I was controlling him on his feet and was really winning the hand fight. I didn’t get to my offense as much as I wanted to but I felt like I was in a really good spot to win that match,” Perry said. “But whatever happened, happened.”

Perry had one of the most adverse seasons of his high school careers so far, and this pain added to it. For a season that got off to a late start due to a thumb injury, hindering the start of his season to mid-December, Perry wrestled well. He racked up points, won major decisions and had 21 pins in 38 matches wrestled this season.

Perry was the District 6 title winner and a runner-up at the regional, losing to future Penn Stater Brock Weiss. It was a tough season to swallow–especially given this ending–but Perry is trying to focus on the positives.

“It was a rollercoaster, [there were] a lot of ups-and-downs this year and I think it’s just going to build character and get me to where I need to be when it counts,” Perry concluded.

Griffin Walizer saw some of the toughest competition he’s seen in his four-year wrestling career. The 152-pound bracket not only had more than a handful of state-ranked wrestlers, but they made the national list as well. Walizer didn’t let that faze him, though. He continued to wrestle even after falling in the quarterfinal round, battling to sixth place and medaling his third time in four years.

Luke Simcox of Central Mountain celebrates his State Championship during the Finals of the PIAA Wrestling Championships in Hershey. DAVE KENNEDY/For The Express

Walizer opened the tournament with a nice, 13-5 major decision but then fell to returning state champion Collin Gaj which put him in consolations. Walizer then won two consecutive decisions by two points, helping him past the blood round to medal. Walizer then fell to Altoona’s Luke Sipes for a chance to wrestle for third place and fell in a second consecutive decision to place at sixth.

“Just going out there and scrapping,” Walizer said when asked about his mentality in the tough bracket. “I had a lot of setbacks this weekend but at the end of the day, back to that mentality of knowing where I started, where I come from. I’m very grateful to still be wrestling in the Giant Center where I grew up watching state tournaments before I was able to compete. It’s a blessing to be able to wrestle here and to have a medal around my neck at the end of the day.”