At the 61st annual Pennsylvania Junior Wrestling State Championships, yet another chapter was written in the long and storied history of the tournament.

In this year’s iteration, Youngsville’s Collin Havers was able to write his name in the chapter as the lone place winner from Warren County.

Havers placed eighth at 147 pounds as he became the first placewinner in the junior high division for Youngsville since 2010 when Jaykup Durlin placed seventh at 187 pounds.

Havers’ path to the podium was not an easy one by any means. He opened his tournament by pinning Penn Trafford’s Tristan Dinzeo in 3:20. Havers then received a medical forfeit from Peters Township’s Anthony Kioalicas to reach the quarterfinals.

Submitted photo Collin Havers, middle, is flanked by his coaches, Logan McDonald, left, and Tim Suydan.

After a 13-0 major decision loss to Altoona’s Colt Sipes in the quarterfinals, Havers found himself in a do-or-die consolation match with a spot on the podium on the line. Havers battled Chambersburg’s Nathan Chambers to a 4-4 tie at the end of regulation and the sudden-victory period. Havers chose bottom and managed to escape with less than five seconds left in the first rideout period. This meant that Havers would have to hold his opponent down for the full 30 seconds in the second rideout period to win the match. Stifling Chambers’ numerous attempts at a reversal, Havers held Chambers down for the entire period to be declared the winner and be guaranteed a finish in the top eight.

Havers dropped a heartbreaking 5-4 decision to DuBois’ Lance Davidson to drop to the seventh/eighth place match where he met Huntingdon’s Luke Mykut. A first period takedown and second period escape proved to be the difference in the 4-0 loss as Havers finished eighth.

At 110 pounds, Jacob Battko opened his tournament with Whitehall’s Dionte Wheeler. Battko fought the Area XIV champion right until the bitter end as he lost by 20-5 technical fall. In his consolation bout, Battko tangled with Cochranton’s Abe Ly. Ly powered through three takedowns as he posted a 9-1 win over Battko.

Wrestling in the girls 119-pound division was Khloe Rulander. Rulander opened her tournament with a loss to Avon Grove’s Eliana Juarez. Rulander then had a thrilling match with Laurel’s Molly Keck. Rulander found herself behind 8-3 after two periods. Rulander scored a takedown 18 seconds into the third period before letting Keck up and taking her down once more. Rulander then turned Keck to her back and picked up the fall at the 3:28mark to move on. Rulander would go on to drop a heartbreaking 1-0 match to Derry’s Angelina Calabrace to end her tournament.

At 132 pounds was Tucker Sanford. Sanford, battling through an illness, opened his tournament with a loss to Southern Columbia’s Gavin Trometter. Sanford battled back with a convincing 14-1 major decision over Franklin’s Brian Hart. Sanford then went on to lose 16-11 in sudden victory to Clearfield’s Gavhin Leskovansky to conclude his tournament.

Brenton Myers fought hard at 140 pounds. Myers opened his tournament with Upper Perkiomen’s Chase Gillahan. Myers fought off multiple pinning combinations by Gillahan before surrendering the fall in 2:55. Myers then squared off with Hempfield’s Archer Lindeman. Myers largely stymied Lindeman’s attempts to turn him before Lindeman locked up a tight cradle to earn the win.

At 172 pounds was Ryker Chase who, like several of his teammates, was making his second consecutive trip to the state tournament. Chase dropped his opening match by fall to Athen’s Mason Callear. In his consolation bout, Chase faced South Western’s Logan Eline-Wilt. Eline-Wilt picked up a feet to back takedown on Chase. Chase had the wherewithal to get out of bounds and avoid the pin. Eline-Wilt later sank a deep half nelson to pick up the pin and end Chase’s tournament.

“This tournament is no joke,” said junior high coach Tim Suydan, “It seems like at least once a year I see a former state finalist not reach the podium at this tournament. The depth of talent at this tournament is truly unbelievable. Collin battled his rear end off all weekend in a very difficult bracket. He had to dig deep in his match with Chambers, but he found a way to win. Tucker unfortunately started getting sick Thursday and it seemed to hamper him a bit. Despite that, he pushed on and did what he could and fought hard. Jake, Ryker and Brenton were just getting over the flu as well so their prep work wasn’t quite what they had hoped for, but they each gave it everything they had. Khloe had a really good showing for herself. She was very nervous her first match, but after some encouragement from Logan and I, her parents, and teammates she finally opened up and wrestled to her fullest capabilities during her second and third matches. I was happy with how the kids wrestled this weekend all things considered. Even after they started to get knocked out of the tournament, they were still following each other from mat to mat, sitting in the front row, cheering their teammate on. As a coach, that’s the stuff you live for.”