DAVE KENNEDY/ Sun-Gazette Hughesville’s Chase Shaner, right, wrestles Montoursville’s Blaize Vogel during their 133-pound match at the Central Sectional tournament two weekends ago. This past Saturday at districts, Shaner became the Spartans’ all-time win leader at 137 and counting.

It wasn’t until Williamsport’s PA announcer said the milestone over the microphone on Saturday at Williamsport’s Magic Dome that Hughesville senior Chase Shaner had any idea what he accomplished.

After Shaner defeated Warrior Run’s Caden Snyder in dominating fashion by tech fall, 17-2, in 1:45, it was announced that the victory gave Shaner 136 for his career, which meant he was the program’s all-time wins leader.

Shaner knew he was approaching history, but once he stepped on the mat earlier int he day on Saturday, the milestone was at the back of his mind as he wanted to simply keep his season going and reach regionals.

“I don’t know if it set in yet, but I didn’t even realize I had it when I first went out there,” Shaner said. “It’s just something about getting to my offense and keep scoring points and let the wrestling take care of itself.”

Shaner wound up winning one more match on Saturday and defeated Towanda’s Gage Evans in the third-place final at the District 4 Class AA championships by decision in a tight battle, 7-3, to secure bronze and ensure a trip to this weekend’s Class AA Northeast Regional tournament.

Shaner’s at 137 and counting at the top of the win mountain. Shaner moved past Hughesville’s Luke Gorg for the all-time wins mark. He’s one of just four Hughesville wrestlers to ever reach 130 wins alongside Kyle Barnes (130) and Zach Fry (130) as well. Hughesville has 18 100-win wrestlers in its program’s long history, as teammate Keagan Smith joined the 100-win club earlier this winter.

“I’s a proud moment to have your name in the high school you went to school at,” Shaner said of his name going up on the wins banner. “I knew I was going to get it this year, just had to keep working towards it.”

Shaner’s having an outstanding year this season and his .800 win percentage this year is the highest of his career. Shaner’s 36-9 and if he secures two more wins at regionals, he’ll match his single-season win mark of 38 which he set each of the last two years.

Shaner’s one of six Spartans to qualify for this year’s Class AA Northeast Regional tournament. He’ll be joined this weekend by Keagan Smith (152, fourth at districts), Mason Mordan (160, fourth at districts), Kile Hartman (145, sixth at districts), Wyatt Gavitt (172, seventh at districts) and Luke Stutzman (215, seventh at districts).

“It hasn’t been like that in the past, so it’s a good change to have a lot of people coming with us,” Shaner said on the six qualifiers. “It gets you more excited for the next week when you know you have more guys going with you.”

This is Shaner’s third trip to the regional tournament and he’s hoping to make it three straigiht trips to the state tournament as well. Shaner took third each of the last three District 4 touranments and took fourth at regionals as a sophomore and bronze last winter.

Of the six wrestlers Hughesville is sending to regionals, only three have ever competed at this level before in Shaner, Smith and Hartman, and Shaner is the lone wrestler who’s tasted what it’s like to wrestle at Hershey.

On Day 1 of districts, Shaner majored Line Mountain’s Bradyn Schadel to advance to the semifinals before suffering a loss to Mifflinburgs Ben Straub which sent him to the consolations.

But Shaner kept fighting, not wanting to miss out on another deep run.

“Just staying in good position and scoring a lot of points and getting to my offense,” Shaner said as to what was key to take bronze.

The Spartan also noted that being on his feet is the strongest part of his game when he wrestles.

“When I get to my offense on my feet I’m hard to stop,” Shaner said. “I try to get to my offense, my feet, as much as I can and score more points when I can.”

Shaner holds the wins record now at Hughesville, but he likely is going to add a handful more wins to that record before this winter wraps up.