HUGHESVILLE — Hughesville 127-pounder Billy Travis is having an up-and-down season in just his second year of wrestling. The sophomore knows first-hand just how tough it can be wrestling as an inexperienced wrestler in a rugged district in the one of the nation’s best wrestling states.
On Wednesday, Travis had the chance to make his mark on the Spartan season. His weight was drawn to start the team’s District 4 Class AA District Duals tournament first-round match against Canton. And he made quite the impression.

Travis was dominant from his feet, scoring six takedowns en route to a major decision win over Canton’s Henry Proseus as Hughesville beat Canton, 57-10. 

“The big thing in our room is to maximize your potential, whatever that potential is, whether you’re whether you’re a 40-match winner or a four-match winner, maximize your abilities,” Hughesville coach Troy Charles said. “Billy is a second-year wrestler, filling a spot in the lineup, which is not always easy to do, and you know, he was excited to get out there and start the night. I’m just super proud of him.”

Travis scored at will, notching six takedowns and at least one in all three periods.  That set the tone for Hughesville, who dominated Canton from neutral the entire match. 

Canton forfeited both 133 and 139, and Warrior Tommy Preston took on Hughesville Kile Hartman at 145. 

Preston notched the first takedown of the match just over a minute into the opening period, and led after the first frame, 3-1. But Hartman escaped to start the second period, got a takedown and rode out the rest of the period to lead 5-3. Hartman scored another takedown in the third period to and won, 8-3, to extend the Hughesville lead to 19-0. 

At 152, Spartan Keegan Smith took on Carson Rockwell. Smith hit a 7-point move early in the first period, taking Rockwell from feet to back. Rockwell was able to fight off his back and survive the period, but was unable to muster much offense in the match, and Smith extended the Canton lead to 23-0 after a 10-2 major decision. 

Hughesville’s Mason Mordan pinned Canton’s Manuel Halbfoerster was pinned by Mason Mordan in 28 seconds, and the Warriors forfeited at 172 to put Hughesville up 35-0, setting up one of the most anticipated matches of the evening. 

Canton’s Leland Pepper and Hughesville’s Wyatt Gavitt, two wrestlers that have their sights set on serious postseason success this year, squared off at 189lb. Once again, a Canton wrestler found themselves in a big hole early, as Gavitt took Pepper to his back with 30 seconds left in the first period for a takedown and four nearfall points before Pepper escaped just a few seconds before the end of the period.

Then in the third period, Gavitt hit a headlock for another takedown and set of swipes, clinching a 16-1 technical fall. 

Canton forfeited 215 and 285, and Hughesville’s Ethan Woodrig took on Canton’s Levi Vermilya at 107. Woodrig dominated the match from his feet, and won via a 19-3 technical fall. 

Canton received technical fall wins from both Carson Castle and Levi Vermilya from to finish the dual.

With the win, Hughesville advances to the Saturday tournament portion of District 4 Class AA Duals for the first time since 2014. That’s something they’ve been working towards for quite a while. 

“That’s kind of been our goal for a little while, and we’ve struggled to get over the hump. Tonight, it was nice to see that happen in a big way,” Charles said. “I have this group of seniors coming through. and I’m super fortunate to be able to coach them, and I’m happy that I get to coach them a little bit longer as a team. That’s a special group. This is a once in probably a lifetime group that’s coming through.”

Hughesville, the second seed, will take on Williamson, the seventh seed, in the quarterfinals on Saturday at Milton beginning at 11 a.m.

The final eight teams will duke it out in a modified double-elimination tournament with a true second place awarded. The top two finishers will advance to the state tournament at Altoona next Friday, while the third-place team will advance to the play-in round.

Hughesville 57, Canton 10

127: William Travis (H) maj. dec. Henry Proseus, 18-10. 133: Chase Shaner (H) by forfeit. 139: Wesley Harvey (H) by forfeit. 145: Kile Hartman (H) dec. Tommy Preston, 8-3. 152: Keagan Smith (H) maj. dec. Carson Rockwell, 1-2. 160: Mason Mordan (H) pinned Manuel Halbfoerster, 0:28. 172: Conor Knight (H) by forfeit. 189: Wyatt Gavitt (H) tech fall Leland Pepper, 16-1, 4:34. 215: Luke Stutzman (H) by forfeit. 285: Colton Woolever (H) by forfeit. 107: Ethan Wodrig (H) tech fall Levi Vermilya, 19-3, 5:41. 114: Carson Castle (C) tech fall Jarret Whitmoyer, 22-4, 3:45. 121: Lyle Vermilya (C) tech fall Casey Mook, 16-0, 5:10.