Photo by Michael Goss
By Dom Reed

HERSHEY – Mifflin County had three wrestlers compete in night one of the PIAA State Championships at the Giant Center in Hershey Andrew Alexander started out the night for his squad against Norte Dame Green Pond Cael Miller. He would jump out to an early lead earning an early takedown. Alexander would come so close to getting the takedown but would come up short. Alexander wouldn’t give up as he would continue to battle.  He would earn a take down as time expired to come up on the short end 4-3. Alexander would get a second crack at it when he would take on 41-10 Micael Johnson were he would find himself on the winning end coming out victorious 10-4 to go 1-1 on the night. He will wrestle again on Friday.

MIfflin County’s Avery Aurand saw himself fall to 41-5 star-studded Abdoul Akala by an 8-1 decision. Aurand was out of sorts early only putting up one point. That point would come from an escape.

Aurand would also another chance later in the evening as he would go on to defeat Mason Marolo from Hazelton 16-7 where he trailed 3-1 and won big.

Huskies big man Peyton Kearns still has high hopes of a state title he would come away with a gritty 1-0 win in his heavyweight match against Gavin Grell. That one point would come via the escape that would be good enough. Grell had oppurtinities to escape but Kearns would deny Grell three times in the match.

Mifflin County is still alive for all three guys going into day two with Kearns having his eyes on a State title.