Jersey Shore’s Brock Weiss, Hadyn Packer snap a 42-year streak by placing top-3 at states
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Jersey Shore's Brock Weiss and Hadyn Packer brought an end to a 42-year streak Saturday afternoon.
The lone Bulldogs who competed in Hershey this past weekend were the first Jersey Shore wrestlers to both finish top-three in their respective brackets since Steve Litzelman and Dave Potter each placed first in 1980.
Weiss (120 pounds) capped off a sensational sophomore season by finishing second overall. Packer--a junior--managed to his 100th victory of his career and finish third. It was a weekend to remember for the orange and black faithful who made the trip to support the two Bulldogs.
Weiss went on a tear before eventually reaching the PIAA Class AA finals in the 120 bracket. The sophomore knocked off both last year's seventh and third-place finishers en route to becoming the first Bulldog to reach the finals since Joe Loffredo in 2008. Weiss ended the season with a record of 42-5.
"Brock comes from behind, he's a really good wrestler and always believes in himself. You can't ask for a harder working kid," Jersey Shore coach Crock Herman said about Weiss.
Jersey Shore's silver medalist kicked off his postseason tournament-finale with a shutout victory over Reynolds' Chase Bell. Weiss used a 7-0 win to reach the quarterfinals where he met the 2021 seventh-place finisher, Adam Schweitzer. The Notre Dame-GP scrapper held a lead late over Weiss, it wasn't until the Jersey Shore sophomore attacked with five seconds left that gave Weiss his first lead of the match. Weiss' clutch move gave him a, 6-4, win and booked a trip to the semifinals.
Chris Vargo, last year's third-place finisher from Bentworth, was up next for Weiss. Similar to the quarterfinals, Jersey Shore's scrappy sophomore came up big when it mattered most. Weiss used a late takedown to doom Vargo and advance to the finals.
"I knew I needed to get a takedown and get out to win the match, so I just put my mind to it and did it," Weiss said after his semifinal match.
Weiss' season ultimately came to an end after falling to, now, to-time state champion Jaden Pepe of Wyoming Area in the finals. Weiss now holds a career record of 73-11 to go with 37 pins and has cemented himself as one of the most electrifying wrestlers in all of the state.
While Weis is known for his electrifying moves and speed on the mat, his teammate Packer is known for the junior's strength. Packer used his solid frame and eye-opening athleticism to finish third in the 189-pound bracket.
Packer did more than grabbing a silver medal, he picked up a monumental win in the consolation round of 16. After Packer collected his second of four pins this past weekend--this one over Trinity's Tucker Paynter--he pointed to the Jersey Shore fan base sitting inside the Giant center.
It was win No. 100 for Packer who entered the tournament two shy of the milestone.
"I mean I've been looking forward to that moment since I stepped on the mat my freshman year. To get it that way, knowing I'm on the podium now, 100th win. That was the win I was looking forward to all my life," Packer said after his win over Paynter.
The junior went on to battle all the way back through the consolation bracket and avenge a loss he suffered earlier in the tournament. Following Packer's loss to Patrick Cutchember in the Round of 16, he rattled off three victories via fall to reach the third-place bout. That's where he met Cutchember in a rematch. Packer won, 3-1, in sudden victory to earn third.
"I can't take any credit away from Patrick, He's a great wrestler. I was looking forward to wrestling him again, it's a great victory to have this late in the tournament," Packer said following his third-place finish.