Mar 6, 2025 By Jonathan Guth 3 min read

HERSHEY — It’s never easy qualifying for the quarterfinals in the PIAA Wrestling Championships, but to do it from the preliminary round is a daunting task.

That’s the scenario McGuffey’s Lucas Barr faced Thursday morning at the Giant Center in Class 2A.

Barr, a junior, pinned Midd-West’s Charley Paige in 2:55 before rallying for an 8-3 decision over Sharpsville’s Jonathon Bissell to advance to the round of eight at 139 pounds.

Barr is one victory shy of earning a spot on the podium as the top eight in the state. He wrestles Camp Hill’s Noah Doi in this morning’s quarterfinals.

“It is a very nice feeling to be one victory shy of placing in the state tournament,” Barr said. “This is my third time wrestling here, so I am ready to break through and get that spot on the podium.”

Barr trailed 3-0 after the first period, but was able to use a bar to turn Bissell for four near-fall points and a one-point lead heading into the third. Barr escaped and scored a takedown for a five-point advantage.

“As soon as I had it (the bar) in that deep and I saw his arm, I kind of knew if I pulled and drove, I would be able to turn him,” Barr said. “I felt like I was able to break his spirit in the third period after I got that takedown.”

West Greene’s Colin Whyte scored an early takedown, escaped in the second period and used two minutes of strong top wrestling in the third for a 4-1 decision over Williamson’s Luke Sottolano in the first round at 285.

Whyte, a junior, will compete in the quarterfinals against Brookville’s Gavin Hannah. The winner will not only advance to the semifinals but guarantee no less than a sixth-place finish and on the podium, which would be a first for Whyte after he was one win shy of placing last year.

“I think I wrestled well,” Whyte said. “Obviously, any win in the state tournament is a good win. I was a little nervous before my match, but I was more confident than last year. I knew if I went out and wrestled my match, I would be fine, and once I got that first takedown, my confidence grew even more.”

Fort Cherry’s Braedon Welsh lost in the first round of last year’s state tournament, but the senior and Brown University recruit didn’t allow a repeat in a 20-4 technical fall victory over Laurel’s Kolton Carlson in 3:19 at 215.

Welsh will face Towanda’s Sawyer Robinson in the quarterfinals.

Bentworth’s Owen Ivcic escaped with 57 seconds remaining and held on for a 5-4 victory in the first round at 160. The junior meets Cathedral Prep’s Brandon Byrd in the quarterfinals. Teammate Drake McClure won his preliminary bout, 1-0, but lost in the first round to fall into the second round of consolations at 133.

Burgettstown’s Darius Simmons earned an 11-5 victory over Southern Columbia’s Rowen Humphrey in the preliminary round at 107. The senior lost to undefeated Chase Karenbauer (45-0) of Grove City in the first round.

Beth-Center’s Mason Wright rallied for a win by fall in the preliminary round at 133 but lost by fall in the first round. The junior, who attends California High School, will compete in the second round of consolations.

McGuffey’s Clayton Ealy (113) and Tucker Main (121) rebounded from setbacks in the preliminaries to win their first-round consolation bouts.