Big Macs’ Collins, Dreshman celebrate in different ways
HERSHEY — If the results of the matches Brayden Collins and Lee Dreshman competed in Friday night in the PIAA Class 3A Wrestling Championships at the Giant Center were based solely on the reaction of the two, then it would be a simple task in identifying that Collins won, but Dreshman is a different story.
Collins’ decision in sudden victory guaranteed he would place in the top eight at 215 pounds, and the Canon-McMillan junior didn’t hide his enthusiasm, while Dreshman walked off the mat like he lost instead of clinching a spot in the final at 107.
Dreshman’s 5-3 decision over Council Rock South’s Quinn Bagnell in the semifinals punched his ticket to the finals against Sun Valley’s Jacob Carr.
“When I got that first takedown, it was a confidence booster,” Dreshman said. “The tradition of wrestling at Canon-McMillan is amazing, and they are one of the best wrestling teams in the state.”
The triumph not only ensured Collins would place, but he also won his 100th-career match. Collins improved to 45-14 this season and 100-44 overall.
“It is such a great feeling to get my 100th win at Hershey,” Collins said.
Collins’ victory was impressive enough with him reaching the century club, but the fact that he rallied from a 4-0 deficit in the third period to overcome last year’s state runner-up Cooper Roscosky of Kiski adds to the accomplishment.
After a scoreless first period, Roscosky escaped in the second and scored a takedown in the third for a four-point lead with 1:27 remaining in regulation.
Collins escaped to cut the deficit to three before he sent the bout into sudden victory with a takedown in the finals seconds. Roscosky shot in the one-minute overtime, but Collins scored off the attempt with 39 seconds remaining and the Big Mac faithful erupted in jubilation.
“With 10 seconds left, I had to get the takedown to tie it, and I was able to with a second left,” Collins said. “It was a great feeling, but I had to get one more.”
Roscosky had defeated Collins twice this year by scores of 7-1 and 4-0, but the third time proved to be the charm for Collins.
“I had a feeling that I could get the job done and beat him,” Collins said. “I practiced hard all week, and came in with the mindset that I’m going to place and nobody was going to stop me.”
Collins wrestled in the fourth round of consolations in the final round of matches Friday night, but the result wasn’t available at press time. Regardless of what happened, Collins will proudly wear his medal as he will be awarded anywhere from third to eighth place in the toughest state for wrestling in the country.
“I know I am going to place, so I am going to let it fly,” Collins said. “This is a dream come true.”
Dreshman and teammate Collier Hartman will be on the podium tomorrow evening.
Dreshman, a freshman, will look to become the 46th state champion in the history of the Canonsburg/Canon-McMillan program.
Dreshman is the Big Macs’ first state finalist since Andrew Binni (127) and Matt Furman (172) in 2023. Gerrit Nijenhuis won his second of two state championships in 2020 at 182.
“Hopefully, I can get it done and win a state title,” Dreshman said. “I haven’t really had many nerves in my first three matches up here. I attribute that to us wrestling such a tough schedule all over the state, and even the country.”
Hartman (139) dropped a 4-0 decision in the quarterfinals to Cedar Cliff’s Aiden Herndon, but battled back to win his bout in the third round of consolations by technical fall, 18-3, in 3:07 to earn a spot on the podium for the second straight season. Hartman, a senior who will continue his academic and wrestling careers at the Naval Academy, placed fourth in the state last season at 133.
Defending state champion Elijah Brown of Belle Vernon breezed through his quarterfinal bout at 215 with a 15-0 technical fall in 44 seconds over Sawyer Ermigiotti of Pennridge.
Brown, a senior and Penn State commit, improved to 44-1 this season and 171-20 for his career. Brown’s win in the round of eight broke the program record of career victories that Zach Hartman set in 2018.
“I talked about the record with my coaches, but it’s not something I really put up on my wall to achieve,” Brown said. “It is a great feeling, but I always figured if I wrestled well, the wins will come.”
Brown’s semifinal bout wasn’t completed in time for print, but he guaranteed a spot on the podium for the second straight season. Brown won the first state title for wrestling in Belle Vernon history last year, and is the odds-on-favorite for a second championship.