The Winter sports season officially began back in early November, but for the Emmaus wrestling team, the preparation started long before that.
“We started our off-season training and lifting program the Monday after the state tournament last year,” said head coach Jim Best. “All of the guys that are competing this weekend started that Monday, including Emilio Albanese who placed at the state meet.”
If you’re a wrestler in Pennsylvania, arguably the best state in the country, it takes that kind of hard work and dedication to reach your ultimate goal.
That goal? “Chocolatetown USA.”
A school-record five Hornets will begin their journey at the Giant Center in Hershey this afternoon as the PIAA Class 3A State Tournament gets underway.
The five – senior Jesse Scott, juniors Jared Max and Xayden Sallit along with sophomores Emilio Albanese and Teagan Caciolo – received a rousing send off at the high school yesterday as parents and fans gathered to wish the wrestlers the best of luck amid the windy and rainy conditions.
All of the hard work, the lifting, the training by all five is done.
Now, it’s go time.
“Our preparation hasn’t changed a bit; the recipe has worked up until this point in time, so we continued it right into this week,” said Best at practice on Tuesday. “Based on what we’ve seen in practice, the guys are ready. They understand that every match is going to be a tough out in this tournament and I think they are ready for the competition.”
Albanese (35-6) will be making a return trip back to Hershey after placing fourth in the state a year ago. His first-round match will be against either Kane Kline of Elco (37-9) or Gus Smith of Spring-Ford (36-10).
The 114-pound weight class is loaded with Hatboro Horsham sophomore Dom Morrison being the top seed (42-1), Albanese the No. 2 seed, Central Dauphin junior Thunder Beard, No. 3, and Hempfield junior Nico Kapusta, No. 4.
For Scott (31-13 @160), getting to Hershey has always been the goal. After placing fifth at regionals and missing out by one spot a year ago, the senior heads into the state tournament with a lot of momentum after his runner-up finish at the Northeast Tournament last week.
“I’ve been going out to Hershey since I started wrestling in first grade,” said Scott earlier this week. “I remember being a little kid and telling my parents one day I’m going to be out here. Last year I fell short and knowing now that I’ve made it, I’m super thankful and it’s a really exciting feeling.”
Scott will open up the tournament taking on West Chester Rustin sophomore A.J. Corp (31-5). The top two seeds at 160 are Quakertown sophomore Collin Gaj (40-0) and Altoona senior Luke Sipes (39-4) who Scott could face in the quarterfinals.
At 107, Max (35-9) will also be making his first appearance at Hershey after placing fourth at regionals. He will be in a pigtail round match against Spring Grove junior Ezra Henning (32-7). A victory would advance Max to the next round to face the No. 1 seed, Peters Township sophomore Nicholas McGarrity who’s 40-4 on the season.
Also appearing for the first time will be Caciolo (32-12 @ 121) and Sallit (35-11 @ 172).
Caciolo will open up the tournament against Greater Latrobe senior Leo Joseph (36-5), while Sallit will have a pigtail round match vs Methacton senior Matty Shumaker (39-4).
With only having one wrestler – Albanese – reach and medal at Hershey a year ago, Best has high expectations for his group of five that will be competing.
“We expect five medals,” said the Hornets second year coach. ” We expect all of the guys to medal in the top eight. We’re realistic knowing that in each one of those brackets there are some really good wrestlers that might be a level or two above where maybe we are at in some of those weight classes, but we expect all five guys to be competing on Saturday which means that they would be in the medal rounds.”
For updates on the state tournament, follow @Emmaussports.com on ‘X’ and Emmaus wrestling on facebook.