In the end, Smith walked away with a second-place medal after falling, 7-5.

It wasn’t how Smith wanted that match to end on Saturday, but the standout Spartan admitted afterwards it was the first time this year he felt that he didn’t perform up to his own standards.

Smith is a senior and he’s giving everything he has for this final ride in a Hughesville singlet.

“I think being my senior year I’m just out there to let it all fly. I really want to win as many matches as I can and just show everybody who I am as a wrestler before I’m gone,” Smith said on Saturday. “This is my first match this year that I really felt that I didn’t perform to my own standards. I’m really looking forward to having an opportunity to get that back.”

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Hughesville's Keagan Smith wrestles at 152 pounds during a recent home match.

Smith has been wrestling outstanding this year and is closing in on a 100-win milestone. After Saturday, Smith sits at 19-2 for the year and has won 12 of his bouts by fall. He’s also currently at 96 wins and counting.

Prior to Saturday, the last wrestler to beat Smith was Brockway’s Parker Pisarchick, a returning Class AA state qualifier who took fourth at the Northwest Class AA Regional last winter. Piraschick beat Smith by decision, 5-1.

While Smith’s resume is impressive — nearly 100 wins, 39 career falls, four postseason medals — one thing has eluded the Spartan and that’s a trip to the state meet.

Last year, Smith took fifth at the District 4 tournament to get to regionals, but didn’t place and didn’t get to advance to Hershey.

He’s hoping this year is finally the year he gets to the state tournament.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Hughesville's Keagan Smith wrestles at 152 pounds during a recent home match.

“I feel like I’ve been denied states a few times over the course of my career and I’d really like to see Hershey this year,” Smith said with a smile. “I think I’m doing the right things, I just got to find it in my head and flip that mental switch to take that jump to get to states.”

Smith is currently ranked No. 14 at 152 pounds.

Smith noted that Saturday’s final against Andrews was a mental fight from the beginning.

“I think it was just a mental battle. It was just the unwillingness to commit to those shots. I had a lot of opportunities to score, I just didn’t take him,” Smith noted. “He was definitely doing majority of the work on his feet. In the end he just wanted it more there and I wasn’t really getting out there and doing what I usually do on my feet.”

Smith’s biggest strength is that he considers himself athletic on the mat and has a lot of energy from start to finish.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Hughesville's Keagan Smith wrestles at 152 pounds during a recent home match.

“I think I can definitely out-pace most of these guys,” Smith said. “And wrestling from my feet, I’ve heard that it’s pretty grueling to wrestle (against me).”

As any opponent who’s stepped on the mat with Smith, and likely they’ll come to that same agreement.