Unbeknownst to spectators outside the program, Gardner had suffered a hip labral tear at Bald Eagle’s first tournament appearance of the season (King of the Mountain), an injury that takes months to recover from and arguably should’ve ended his season then and there. For months, the then-junior battled through it.

But eventually, it became too much to handle.

Under doctors’ advisement, Gardner begrudgingly called it quits just before districts, effectively halting his breakout season in its tracks just before he could see the fruits of his labor pay off. It was a conclusion that – though obviously disappointing – added fuel to the fire as he prepared for the runback.

“I didn’t really like that. I mean, obviously, everybody wants to go out there and wrestle and compete,” said Gardner on the abrupt conclusion to his junior season. “That’s just been my motivation for this year. I missed that opportunity, and I don’t want to miss it again.”

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Bald Eagle senior Gage Gardner walks off the mat after winning at 285 pounds during Day One of the District 6 Class AA wrestling championships on Friday at Altoona.

That motivation has been put to good use.

Though there have been ups and downs coming off a game-changing injury, the Bald Eagle senior managed to match his regular-season success as a junior. And come time for postseason, Gardner had maintained his health and proven ready to go, kicking it off with a fourth place showing at the District 6 Class AA wrestling championships – his highest placement at the event.

The accolade itself was special, as Gardner weathered a tough bracket and granted himself his first shot at regionals since his freshman campaign. And it was made all-the-more surreal by the simple fact that he was there, working alongside his longtime teammates and coaches as the team battled its way to third overall.

“Honestly, it means the world,” said Gardner on being back at the event.

“I love wrestling. It’s been my favorite sport since I was five years old. Never want to quit doing it, but it’s got to come to an end eventually. I’m just glad I get to take a shot at states and try to make something happen.”

TIM WEIGHT/For the ExpressBald Eagle senior Gage Gardner wrestles at 285 pounds during Day One of the District 6 Class AA wrestling championships on Friday at Altoona.

Seeded No. 5 entering the tournament at 285, Gardner would have his hands full when it came to building off his career-best placement – previously fifth.

Two state-title contenders – No. 2 Caleb Rodriguez (Bishop McCort) and No. 4 Daniel Williams (Glendale) – stood at either end of the bracket, with multiple returning district medalists filling out the other top seeds. And as is the case with any bracket, one slip-up under heightened stakes can mean the end of your season.

For Gardner, two matches would define his run. After kicking things off with a sub-minute pin, he’d be pushed to his limit in his remaining four bouts, scraping out a win in two of them to clinch his highest district placement.

In a Day One quarterfinal bout against two-time District 6 medalist Kelton Bonnell (Juniata) – seeded No. 4, Gardner rode a late first-period takedown to victory, edging out Bonnell by 4-1 decision.

And in another tight match in consolation semifinals against three-time District 6 medalist Michael Wano (River Valley), he’d survive another thriller. With the score deadlocked at 1-1 deep in the third period, Wano landed a single-legged shot that could’ve decided the match, one which got Gardner off-balance as he pushed him backwards.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Bald Eagle senior Gage Gardner gets his hand raised after a win at 285 pounds during Day One of the District 6 Class AA wrestling championships on Friday at Altoona.

Instead, the Eagle patiently got his left leg back on the mat, immediately worked in a single-legged shot of his own and began wrapping around him while grabbing a hold of Wano’s ankle. With that leverage, he was able to secure a takedown just a few seconds before the buzzer sounded, briefly turning Wano for four extra points in the 8-1 decision.

“It’s a lot of just what we’ve prepared for year-round,” said Gardner when discussing his success at the event.

“The goal is always to peak at this time of year. It’s when we know we’re going to get the best competition. I trusted my coaches, my staff; I just got after it every week to prepare.”

As it stands, the senior has yet to pick up a win at the next stage, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have lofty goals moving forward. He isn’t just looking to succeed at regionals. He’s hoping to climb the mountain all the way to its highest pinnacle – a state title.

In pursuit of that goal, Gardner has already tested the waters when it comes to the biggest obstacles that would potentially stand in his way. He gave Bishop McCort’s Caleb Rodriguez – a returning PIAA bronze medalist – a decent three minutes in Saturday’s championship semifinals before falling by pin, a performance he hopes to build on in future matchups.

TIM WEIGHT/For the ExpressBald Eagle senior Gage Gardner wrestles at 285 pounds during Day One of the District 6 Class AA wrestling championships on Friday at Altoona.

“We’ve wrestled each other a lot. He’s really good,” said Gardner on the matchup. “He keeps getting better, and I’ve got to continue to get better with him and just try to overtake him in some way.”

“The mindset has been to come in and win a state title. That was my goal last year. Kind of got robbed of that opportunity, so that fuels the fire in his own way,” he added when discussing his goals.

On top of vying for his first regional medal two weekends from now, Gardner could also surpass another milestone throughout the tournament. The senior stands just four career wins away from 100 and will look to pass that threshold as he vies for his first PIAA bid.