However, as she had last season, Wagner relished the heightened stakes and grueling competition. Two opponents that out-seeded her – including the bracket’s top seed – came and went without knocking her down to consolations. And though she’d just miss out on a regional title when it was all said and done, she fell just one win short.

Her regional silver marked the fourth of her career – third sanctioned by PIAA. It’s another bullet point in a long list of examples showing Wagner can match up against the best the state has to offer, a list she’ll look to build on at states next week.

“I felt good today. It was nice being seeded fifth and coming out in second,” said Wagner on the run. “With regionals, districts and states, it doesn’t matter what you’re seeded. If your mindset is in the right place, you’re good to go.”

In route to facing top-seeded Kate Prior (Delaware Valley) in championship semis, Wagner saw little resistance. She opened by using an immediate takedown to secure a first-period pin over Clare Hargis (Wallenpaupack). Then, she earned her sixth straight win over No. 16 Abigail Wagner (Athens), where a nine-point second period propelled her to a 12-1 major decision.

FRANK DIMON/For The Express Central Mountain's Ashlyn Miller controls Mifflinburg's Taylor Stewart at 190 pounds.

That semifinal bout was anticipated to be the kicker, with Prior ranked No. 2 in the state entering the tournament. However, watching that match without that knowledge would’ve made that notion questionable.

From the very beginning, Wagner controlled the pace, working a takedown late in the first and never letting Prior establish her offense. Her second takedown midway through the third would be the nail in the coffin, as the Wildcat turned Prior on her back moments later to secure the pin.

When asked what helped her through those tough matchups, Wagner discussed trusting her game plan and defining strengths.

“Just sticking to my game plan,” said Wagner. “I know I’m good on my feet, so I try and keep a high-intensity pace when we’re in neutral and get them out of their comfort zone. Just keeping my hands in their face, getting them uncomfortable and being able to take my shots when I need to.”

Ultimately, Wagner succumbed to the same opponent – No. 7 Elysabeth Myers (Brockway) – that halted her quest at a district title one win short a week prior to close out her run. But it wasn’t a loss she took too much disappointment out of, and she knows where she needs to improve to give her a better shot in a potential run back.

FRANK DIMON/For The Express Competing at 155 pounds, Jersey Shore's Isabella Gottschall, left, wrestles Bellefonte's Bailee Scott.

“I know what I’ve got to work on, getting off bottom,” said Wagner. “That’s where she’s been getting me.”

Alongside Wagner, Bellefonte sophomore Bailee Scott made it two state qualifiers from the Express area, punching her first ticket to history behind a fourth place showing at 155. That featured perhaps the biggest win of her career up to this point, one against an opponent that’s had her number for multiple seasons.

After trading takedowns against No. 5 Isabelle Gottschall (Jersey Shore) through the first period, Scott took full control in the second.

Her takedown to open the stanza would be complemented by eight back points before the stanza wrapped up. Then, out of top to start the third, she’d carry Gottschall backwards out of a kneeling position before turning the Bulldog for a third-period pin.

Her goal following districts was simply to be happy with the way she wrestled at districts, and she accomplished that and more on Saturday. On top of the upset, Scott also became the first girls wrestler in Bellefonte history to reach the state tournament.

“Today, I beat someone that I’ve wrestled for three years and haven’t beaten once or made it through the second period against,” said Scott on the win. “It was actually huge. My coach ran up to me, and everybody ran up to me. It felt so good.”

“I accomplished my first goal – to be proud of myself, and my parents are proud of me. I did everything I wanted to do and more,” she added.

Outside of qualifiers, Central Mountain’s Austynn Falls was the lone area athlete to pick up a placement, taking sixth at 142. There was certainly heartbreak within that conclusion, as Falls aspired to return to states this season, but it still represented the third regional medal of her career.

Central Mountain sophomore Alana Rhodes went 2-2 in her first Central Regional appearance, and seniors Ashlyn Miller and Emma Scarborough-Perez closed out their careers one step away from states. For head coach Dylan Caprio, it was tough to see the Wildcats finish without multiple qualifiers, but he was proud of what they left out on the mat.

“Overall, I was proud of every girl’s effort,” said Caprio. “Obviously, it was kind of a tough day for us. Bringing five girls in, you hope to get all five through, at least two, three or four if things fall the right way. But that’s not how it went.”

“We talk about this sport being full of life lessons. They’ve got to learn to deal with this adversity, and I think that’s a good thing for them moving forward in life, wrestling, all that stuff,” he added.

For Bellefonte, sophomore Ella Johnsonbaugh rounded out the team’s success by going 2-2 at 142. And as their teams’ lone representatives, Bald Eagle’s Lily Spicer and Sugar Valley’s Pyper Lane left their mark on the event, with Spicer picking up a win and Lane coming close to upsetting No. 3 seed Gia Silva (Wallenpaupack) at 112.

For Wagner and Scott, action resumes Thursday afternoon for the first day of the PIAA Girls Wrestling Championships at the Giant Center in Hershey. Each is excited for the prospect, aspiring to get the most out of the coveted event.

“I feel good,” said Wagner on the prospect of building on her PIAA bronze medal from last season. “I have a lot of confidence when I go into matches, and I just want to try to keep a clear head and not really think about too much.”

“I’m looking forward to my first trip to Hershey,” said Scott. “I’ve never been to Hershey before, and I’m just looking to make myself proud. It feels good knowing that I’ve gotten this far and have two years left.”