Autumn Waite matched her finish from last year’s state championships, taking fourth place in consecutive years.

“It feels amazing. The competition was hard, I had to wrestle my best,” she said when asked about her efforts.

Waite, wrestling in the girls 8-and-under, 57-pound division, put together a gutsy effort to end the day on the podium in fourth place. She started the tournament quickly, with a 16-second pin over Skylah Green of Dallas before dropping her quarterfinal-round bout to Jocelyn Hack of Hughesville by fall. But Waite showed her dominance in the consolation bracket, posting two more first-period pins over Natalie Lord of Wilkes-Barre and Harper Downey of Avella, and a 2-1 decision over Rue Mascaro of Tredyffrin/Eastown to reach the consolation finals. Waite would have the opportunity to avenge her earlier loss to Jack in the third-place bout.

The two grapplers battled back and forth, trading scores throughout. Hack recorded the first takedown, but Waite got the reversal with just one second left in the period to tie the match 2-2 heading into the second period. Choosing bottom, Hack quickly escaped, but Waite secured the takedown and rode out the period to enter the final stanza with a 4-3 lead. Building on that momentum, Waite chose neutral and quickly secured another takedown and two nearfall points to go up 8-3. However, Hack put together a series of unanswered points, with a reversal and two nearfall points to cut the lead to one. And, with just a few seconds left in the bout Hack locked up a head and arm to record three nearfall points as time expired to edge Waite 10-8.

Submitted Photo Waite stands on the podium after her fourth-place finish in the 8-and-under 57-pound division.

“Her drive and determination are envious,” said her father and coach, Paul Waite. “There were multiple times throughout the tournament she found herself in a bad position but refused to give up. As a family, we couldn’t be prouder.”

Wesley Wilcox, wrestling in the 11 &12 160-pound weight class for the Knights, was just one win shy of reaching the podium. Wilcox dropped his first-round bout to move into the consolation bracket, where he put together a string of three pins, before dropping a tough 2-0 decision in the blood round to Grayson Gnall of Salisbury, the eventual third-place finisher. Look for Wilcox to bolster the Knights’ junior high wrestling team next year.

Also representing the Eisenhower youth wrestling team at the state championships were Caleb Fralick (9&10, 65-pounds, 1-2), Alivia Glotz (girls 11&12, 78-pounds, 0-2), Lane Morrison (11&12, 70-pounds, 0-2), and Thanye Gourley (11&12, 100-pounds, 1-2).

Representing the Eisenhower youth wrestling team at the Keystone State Championships on March 17 at the Kovalchick Convention and Athletic Complex in Indiana, Pennsylvania were Connor Ash (8 &under, 50-pounds, 0-2), Thayne Gourley (11&12, 100-pounds, 0-2), and Bryndalyn Lindell, (Girls Junior High, 105-pounds, 1-2).