HS Wrestling: Bears Dixon, Quick qualify for states

Mahanoy Area's Rory Dixon, right, battles Bishop McDevitt's Nicky Negron in a 160-pound third-place bout Saturday at the Class AA Southeast Regional Wrestling Championships. (Photo by Bob Lipsky)

BETHLEHEM — Schuylkill League wrestlers ran into the buzzsaw that is Faith Christian, Bishop McDevitt, Berks Catholic and the rest of District 3 on Saturday at the Class AA Southeast Regional Wrestling Championships at Bethlehem Freedom High School.

Those powerhouses dominated the draw, but 10 local wrestlers left Joseph J. McIntyre Gymnasium as regional placewinners.

Unfortunately for the local contingent, just two of them will continue on to states.

Both of them are from Mahanoy Area: Sophomore Rory Dixon (160) placed fourth and junior teammate Kyler Quick (189) finished fifth.

Tri-Valley had three sixth-place finishers in Owen Wolfgang (107), Noah Hanlon (145) and Hunter Updegrave (172). Also taking sixth were North Schuylkill’s Cadyn McGraw (215) and Williams Valley’s Camron Green (285).

Pine Grove’s Austin Martin (160) took seventh, while Williams Valley’s Colin Crisswell (160) and Pine Grove’s Robbie Schaeffer (215) placed eighth.

The top five placewinners in each weight class advance to the PIAA Wrestling Championships on March 6-8 at the Giant Center in Hershey.

Dixon (31-9) lost his first match of the tournament but rolled off four straight consolation victories to advance. He thumped Halifax’s Curtis Conrad 18-9 to clinch his ticket to Hershey. In the bronze-medal bout, Bishop McDevitt’s Nicky Negron topped Dixon 2-0.

Dixon has had to persevere through numerous injuries to earn his spot in the state bracket.

“Amazing. It’s a great feeling,” Dixon said. “Last year I wasn’t able to do it. I tore my meniscus, and I’m back here this year and reached my goal.”

Dixon said he’s been to states as a fan, but this time he will be on the mats on the floor of the Giant Center.

“As a fan, yes. As a wrestler, no,” Dixon said. “It’s incredible down there. I’m so excited to be a participant and be a wrestler down there now.”

Quick (34-13) also lost in the round of 16, then posted three straight consolation wins. In the fifth-place bout, Quick escaped with about 10 seconds left to nip Berks Catholic’s Juan Eduardo Franco 5-4.

Quick qualified for states for the second straight season.

“It’s amazing. I worked hard all year long,” Quick said.

And about that last flurry that produced the escape for the winning point?

“It was scary,” Quick said. “I had to keep hustling. If you make a mistake, just hustle after that. Good things come from that.”