Russel native and Cathedral Prep senior, Brandon Byrd, wrestled to fourth at 160 pounds in the PIAA state championships on Saturday. Photo submitted to the Times Observer

HERSHEY — Brandon Byrd, the son of Rich and Lori Pascuzzi, earned a fourth-place medal in the 160-pound class of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association state wrestling championship over the weekend in Hershey.

Byrd, who lives in Russell, is a senior at Cathedral Prep high school in Erie where he has attended since the seventh grade. He began wrestling at the age of 5 and grew up wrestling for the Eisenhower and Corry youth programs as well as the Bad Karma, Kinzua wrestling and Rambler wrestling clubs.

“It was just the right fit for him,” Lori Pascuzzi said about Byrd attending Cathedral Prep. “The opportunities that he has had at Prep have been worth the sacrifices he has had to make.”

Byrd has kept busy besides wrestling, he has participated in Prep’s box village program, junior achievement and JROTC. He, along with several classmates, will travel to Spain and Italy this spring. In his spare time he has managed to be part of two school plays.

No stranger to hard work, he started his senior year as the 16th ranked wrestler in his weight class, he worked his way up to No. 6 and then finished 4th at the state finals.

“Has been a dream come true,” Pascuzzi said about the experience for Byrd. “Brandon wanted to earn a medal, not just get there, how he did is really a testament to all of his hard work.”

Byrd has colleges interested in him for wrestling and furthering his education or possibly pursuing a career in the military. For this hard working young man he will be successful at whatever he chooses.