Millionaires have 7 wrestlers competing in Northwest Class AAA regional
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Inside their own gym, Williamsport’s wrestling team saw plenty of success at the Magic Dome at Saturday’s District 4-9 Class AAA tournament.
Three Millionaires competed for gold, and another four wrestled for third place.
And in the end, it translated to an impressive seven wrestlers qualifying for this week’s Northwest Class AAA regional tournament in Altoona.
"I think it’s looking good. We’re pretty young so to have all those guys move on," Williamsport sophomore Collin Nasdeo said. "There’s a couple of things we all have to improve, but it’s looking good so far."
Nasdeo was one of two Millionaires to win gold on Saturday, doing so at 114 pounds while teammate Lauger Waldman won gold at 107 as Williamsport opened the finals with back-to-back champions. The Millionaires’ Nariq Burks competed at 189 pounds against Selinsgrove’s Tucker Teats in an incredible match, but came up just shy of winning his first gold medal.
Burks finished with silver for a second conecutive year.
Williamsport’s Nathan Lundy picked up a third-place finish at 145 as he outlasted Shikellamy’s Maximus Irving to secure a 5-2 decision win, controlling the entire third period to earn the win. Jackson Raker was another third-place finisher for Williamsport as he beat Selinsrove’s Luke Smith by decision at 172, 11-1. Tadd Ungard picked up a 6-2 decision over Shikellamy’s Derek Brubaker at 139 and at 285, Williamsport’s Hasin Cobb was pinned in the second period to DuBois’ Ja’reese Stowe in 2 minutes, 11 seconds.
All in all, Saturday proved to be a great performance by the Millionaires.
"The talent’s definitely there. We just have to get it out," Burks said of the Millionaires having seven qualifiers. "The beginning of the season we weren’t doing so hot, lost a couple guys, but at end of season we worked hard and now we got guys going to regionals. So it’s pretty good."
The Millionaires had five wrestlers reach the medal rounds at regionals last year, both Nasdeo and Burks among them. The two both finished sixth in their respective weights. That experience at regionals should only be beneficial for the two as well given they know the type of competition they’re going to be seeing and know what it will take to advance and get to the state tournament in two weeks.
WaNasdeo noted that he and his teammates thrive off one another’s success. If one wrestler is doing well at one weight, the others notice step up their own matches.
It’s a domino effect, and a good one for Williamsport.
"I think winning is contagious, especially our 107 pounder (Lauger Waldman). We wwork out in the room every single day," Nasdeo said. "Seeing him win and get a big pin, it motivates me like ‘OK I’m going to get out there and win too.’"
Nasdeo and Burks both are eyeing high spots on the podium at the regionals, and no doubt the other five regional qualifiers from Williamsport want to have a nice run to keep their individual postseason runs going as well.