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South Williamsport's wrestling team came up with a pair of milestones across town in Williamsport's gym over the past couple weeks. For the first time in several years, the Mounties are sending multiple wrestlers to the PIAA Class AA individual state tournament.
Seniors Bobby Gardner (126 pounds) and Landon Lorson (189) both placed within the top four in their respective brackets at the Class AA Northeast Regional, punching their tickets to the Giant Center in Hershey.
The last time multiple South Williamsport wrestlers qualified for the state tournament was when Brian Gerber and Eric Caschera both did so in 2006.
"I find it awesome that it's our final ride and we get to go to Hershey together," Gardner said on making the trip with Lorson.
Gardner earned his 128th win by pinning Mount Carmel's Brady Wolkoski in the District 4 Class AA tournament's preliminary round. The win set a new program record, which Gardner since extended to 134 ahead of the opening round at states.
Having taken sixth place in the state last year, Gardner is eager to get back to business at the Giant Center. Ranked No. 3 among all 126-pounders in Class AA, he has the opportunity to stand taller at the closing ceremonies.
"I'm excited to be there ready to wrestle and place as high as I can atop the podium," Gardner said. "And, watch (Lorson) get his 100th. He's at 99 right now."
Lorson earned his 99th career win after taking a 4-1 decision over Lackawanna Trail's Seth Ross in the Northeast Regional's consolation semifinals. Lorson's win over Ross didn't just bring him within range of joining the 100-club, but it also clinched the senior's first trip to the individual state tournament.
"It was kind of surreal," Lorson said. "After the win, I was super pumped up and I was super tired, because I couldn't wrap my head around the emotions."
With a loss to Wyoming's Connor Wrobleski in the third-place bout, Lorson hopes to hit triple digits in the win column before he closes the book on his varsity career.
Muncy's top-ranked junior Scott Johnson has defeated Gardner twice this postseason. In the Central Sectional title match, Johnson took a 3-0 decision over Gardner. This past weekend in the Northeast Regional semifinals, the two met once more. Johnson came out with another win, though Gardner cut the margin to a one-point finish. While Johnson is on the opposite side of the state bracket from Gardner, round three of the postseason between the two may come around on the big stage.
But with a tighter contest the second time around, Gardner saw some improvement on the mat.
"I found myself attacking a lot more," Gardner said. "I feel like I controlled the match, it was just that one point we let him up when we thought we could score."
Gardner will face fifth-ranked Charlie Robson of Conwell-Egan on opening day of the state tournament. Lorson will take on Central Columbia's Ethan Kubat.
Also on Lorson's side of the bracket is Montoursville's Isaac Cory, who knocked Lorson into the consolation bracket at regionals. Cory, who lost the Central Sectional title to Jersey Shore's Hadyn Packer, defeated the latter in the past two meetings since.
"Those two guys, they can battle with anyone in the state," Lorson said on Cory and Packer. "I just have to keep battling week after week, improving and closing the gap. Like I said, those guys are two of the best in the state."
Though the two have their own separate goals, Lorson and Gardner both put an exclamation point on South Williamsport's already notable 2021-22 campaign.
The Mounties opened their season by securing a team title at the Darren Klingerman Invitational in Bloomsburg. They also won their home Mountaineer tournament where Gardner and Lorson, as well as Kaden Shay, Kayvan Shams, Jackson Swinehart and Ryan Casella all won out their weights.
With its first team titles since 1978, and first set of wrestlers heading to the individual tournament since 2006, South Williamsport's two seniors look to go the distance and cap off a memorable season on the biggest stage in Pennsylvania.
"It's just exciting to see what this program can do in the next coming years. I think it sets a precedent that future teams will also have," Lorson said. "We're not going to be the once-in-a-while teammates that go. I feel we'll have that in future years."