HERSHEY - Two NTL wrestlers made it to the PIAA finals while four others secured medals during the second day of wrestling Friday.
Towanda got their first finals wrestler as Towanda's Travis Chesla won in the quarterfinals and semi-finals at 189 pounds.
Chesla held off Dylan Scheibt of Schuykill Valley 1-0 with an escape. Chesla then topped Garth Latiksy of Tamaqua 7-2.
"It feels great" Chesla said about being the first state finalist in Towanda history, "I haven't had a better feeling than this."
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HERSHEY - It was an omen.
When Towanda's Travis Chesla's semi-final match was called out the lights at the Giant Center went out.
"I was psyched about it" Chesla said about the lights going out, "I thought that was actually pretty cool. As soon as I stepped on the mat the lights went off. It might have kept me cool down a little bit...It's hot out there."
Chesla has reason to be hot as his wrestling has been on fire at Hershey. He's been so good that opponents have only scored two points against him in three matches.
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TROY - The District IV champion Mansfield Tigers dominated two stretches of their PIAA Class A boys' basketball state tournament opening-round game against Pius X of District II Friday night at the Troy Commons Building. Their 9-0 lead to start the game was soon wiped out, but the Tigers' 18-8 fourth quarter edge, including a 13-5 run over the last four minutes, proved the winning margin in a 61-50 victory over the Royals from the Slate Belt region near Nazareth.
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Mansfield University standout Brenae Edwards will attempt to become the Mountaineers first women's Indoor All-American when she runs in the 5000 meters at the NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field Championship in Albuquerque, N.Mex. Saturday evening.
The race will be streamed live at www.GoMounties.com and is set to start at 7:30 p.m. EDT.
Edwards, who has been in New Mexico for a week along with coaches Steph Cadwell and Mike Rohl in order to acclimate herself to the 5,312 feet altitude, became the first Mountaineer women's runner to earn a trip to the Indoor National Championship when she finished second at the PSAC Championship with a school record time of 16:48.48.
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With Dom Avvisato on the bench in deep foul trouble, Old Forge had to find another way to attack a taller Sayre team.
Tony Goodall showed the Blue Devils the way, scoring 10 of his 15 points in the final 5:24, leading Old Forge to a 54-46 win over the Redskins in the opening round of the PIAA Class A playoffs Friday night at Marywood University.
Avvisato scored 12 of his 16 points in the first half, but a quick foul in the third and another to start the fourth left Old Forge without its foremost inside presence.
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The Kalamazoo Wings earned a 5-2 win over the Elmira Jackals at First Arena in Elmira, N.Y., jumping out to a 3-0 second-period lead and earning their second win over the Jackals in the last three games.
The K-Wings got started early. At 4:07 of the first period, Mathieu Curadeau caused a turnover, fed the puck for Patrick Asselin, who found Rick Cleaver cutting to the net, and Cleaver knocked it in for the 1-0 advantage.
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Jackals make deal
The Elmira Jackals announced Friday that they have acquired defenseman Derick Martin from the Alaska Aces in exchange for left winger Jarrett Konkle. The move occurred just hours before the ECHL's trade deadline.
"Our acquisition of Derick gives us a steady, experienced defenseman who will help us out over the next few weeks as we make our final push toward the playoffs," Jackals coach Steve Martinson said.
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Balance has been the mantra that Dunmore's girls have lived by this season, and the watchword that will have them living a little longer in the PIAA Class AA playoffs.
With Corinna Palko pouring in 22 points and Alexa Gerchman adding 13, the Bucks extended their winning streak to 19, bouncing Towanda from the state playoffs, 54-43, Friday night at Marywood University.
"If you look, at some point of the season, each one of our five starters has been our leading scorer," Dunmore coach Ben O'Brien said. "Certainly Alexa and Corinna have stepped up for us all year."
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