PHOTO PROVIDED Montgomery's Brandt Harer poses with a banner after he secured his 200th career victory alongside his parents, coach Denny Harer and Jen. Harer became the second wrestler in Pennsylvania history to reach 200 or more wins.

Opening Tuesday’s PIAA Class AA dual against Honesdale, Montgomery coach Denny Harer and his staff knew they just had to withstand an early flurry.

At 285 pounds, Honesdale secured a pin for a 6-0 lead. Another pin at 107 gave Honesdale another six points and a 12-0 lead. But Harer knew that at 114 pounds, the Red Raiders would turn things around.

Gabe Oberheim stepped onto the mat at 114 and helped spark a run for Montgomery as the Red Raiders secured a first-round win in the state duals tournament against Honesdale, 37-26, to advance. With the win, Montgomery will wrestle against District 6 champion Bishop McCort, a 56-5 winner over General McLane on Tuesday. That dual is scheduled for 5 p.m. at the 1st Summit Arena in Johnstown on Friday.

“Just going out and doing what we do, believing in ourselves, staying in position and scoring points, and our guys did that,” Harer said about what was key for the win.

Oberheim secured a pin at 114 to narrow the deficit to 12-6 and a Liam Seeley tech fall at 121 cut it to 12-11. Carden Wagner was pinned at 127 and Honesdale secured a fall at 133 to increase the lead to 24-11. 

AJ Kroft had a huge win at 139, securing a key takedown in the final seconds to defeat Connor Scanlon, 6-3. It was even nicer for Kroft to secure a decision win over a kid who teched him earlier this season. Scanlon is a returning Northeast Class AA Regional qualifier.

“He’s getting better,” Harer said about Kroft. “He knows it’s a process of working and the results are showing.”

Kroft trailed 4-1 heading into the final two-minute period. A stalling point cut it to 4-2 before Honesdale made it a 5-2 lead again. A stalling point again allowed Kroft to cut it to 5-3 before his enormous takedown with three seconds remaining secured the win.

At 145, Brandt Harer does what he’s been doing all year and dominated his opponent en route to another tech fall victory, his 97th of his career, and the win gave Harer his 200th career victory. He became just the second wrestler in Pennsylvania history to ever win 200 or more matches.

“Seven more to break the record, that’s his goal and I’m excited to watch him do it,” Harer said. “It’s good for the program. It’s a goal he’s chasing and he’s closing the gap.”

After Harer’s tech fall win, Trace Furman picked up five points via a tech at 152 and a bout later at 160, Josh Knoebel had a pin for the Red Raiders. At 172, Montgomery’s Raiden Felix had a pin for six points and extended the lead, 36-24, and sealed the dual for the Red Raiders. Honesdale scored five points via a tech fall at 189 and at 215, Honesdale won by decision.

“We’re young up through there. From 189, a freshman, 215 we have a sophomore, heavyweight is a freshman,” Harer said of the upper weights. “When we got to 72, Raiden’s hard to pin and he ended up winning and sealed the deal.”