Mar 8, 2025 By Jonathan Guth 3 min read

By Jonathan Guth

For the Observer-Reporter

HERSHEY — Marlee Solomon knew of the tough reputation of Pennsylvania wrestling after competing in the state of California last season.

Solomon found that out first hand Friday night in the semifinals of the PIAA Girls Individual Wrestling Championships, despite winning the match by major decision, 11-0, to advance to Saturday’s final.

Solomon, a sophomore, was riding out Brashear’s Tamara Humphries on her way to the finals at 112 pounds when she took an upkick to the stomach.

The referees and coaches separated the two before the situation could escalate.

“I knew that she was very physical, so I kind of expected that kind of stuff and was ready for it, but I didn’t expect to get horse kicked to the stomach,” Solomon said.

Despite the dramatic finish, Solomon earned a spot in the finals, which are scheduled to begin at 4 p.m.

Solomon, who improved to 38-3 this season, wrestles Conneaut’s Daylee Watson for the championship.

“It is so cool to know I am so close to a state title, which would be the second one in two years for Canon-McMillan,” Solomon said. “I am also glad to see girls wrestling grow. California is bigger and has more girls, but you can see the improvement in girls wrestling in Pennsylvania.

“There is a rich tradition in wrestling for the boys program at Canon-McMillan, but we want to show everyone that the girls can be pretty special, too.”

Solomon was fifth in the California state tournament last year.

Belle Vernon’s Elijah Brown was a 6-3 winner over Ringgold’s Jake Conroy to reach the finals at 215 in Class 3A. Brown, who defeated Conroy for the third time in four meetings this season, is looking to become the first state champion in school history.

Peters Township sophomore Nicholas McGarrity dropped a 4-2 decision to Northampton’s Brayden Wenrich in the Class 3A semifinals at 107.

McGarrity, who fell to 41-5 this season and 84-9 for his career, wrestled in the consolation semifinals later on Friday evening.

“I don’t want to make any excuses or anything, but they were rolling around and in a tricky situation where, if he could have slipped an arm out, he could have reversed him, but the kid caught his arm and took it back,” Peters Township coach Derrick Evanovich said. “I was hoping for a stalemate to get called earlier before Nick got the reversal, but it’s all part of the sport.

“Nick’s goal is definitely to win it all, but we will recover, come back later and hopefully get the next best thing.”

The Big Macs’ Collier Hartman not only advanced to the semifinals and guaranteed a spot on the podium with a 10-3 victory in the quarterfinals, he also earned his 100th career win.

Hartman suffered an 11-4 setback to Latrobe’s Luke Willochell in the semifinals at 133.

In Class 2A, Fort Cherry’s Braedon Welsh (215) and West Greene’s Colin Whyte (285) lost in their semifinal bouts.

In the girls semifinals, Trinity’s Elaina Ashby (148) and Peters Township’s Liliana Giulianelli (190) were defeated in their bouts to reach the finals.