PIAA Team Wrestling: Faith Christian’s Nick Singer blessed for his opportunity

Faith Christian’s Nick Singer is embracing his role this season as a freshman.

HERSHEY — Nick Singer lost multiple wrestle-offs this season in the Faith Christian wrestling room. At the end of each competition, the freshman was the one mopping up the mats.

“It’s neat to see his unmistakable love of Christ,” Lions coach Ben Clymer said. “A lot of times as a freshman, you try to fit in. He loves his Lord and Savior, and loves everything he does, whether he is in the lineup or losing a wrestle-off. His demeanor stays the same.”

Singer, a back-up anywhere from 152 to 189, got a chance Friday afternoon to compete in the PIAA Class 2A team tournament quarterfinals. The freshman embraced the opportunity and produced a 5-2 victory over Notre Dame-Green Pond’s returning state qualifier Keegan Ramsay at 189.

It was part of seven consecutive wins by the Lions in a 43-18 victory, which lacked the drama of last year’s 28-26 Faith Christian win.

Faith Christian then overcame an early deficit in Friday night’s semifinals to beat District 3 champion Bishop McDevitt 43-24. In that match, junior Chase Hontz won his 100th career match with a 3-2 decision over Ryan Lawler at 145 pounds.

Hontz joins teammates Gauge Botero and Max Stein in this year’s 100-victory club.

Ayden Smith (114) and Michael Hurd (133) got forfeits and Tanner Berkenstock a pin at 127 for the Crusaders. The Lions won everything else the quarterfinals, including Singer who is 16-8 this season.

He lost a wrestle-off at the beginning of the season to Max Stein at 152, then bumped up to fill in for the injured Cael Weidemoyer at 160.

Singer beat former Faith Christian state medalist Luke Sugalski in last month’s Coal Cracker tournament third-place match, then picked up a pin the following week in a dual meet against St. Mary’s Ryken (Maryland).

He was in a 2-2 match Friday with Ramsay until getting an escape and a takedown midway through the third period to secure the win.

Brother Jason Singer finished off the dual with a 6-0 victory at 215.

“He’s always helping me,” Nick Singer said of his brother. “He’s hard on me sometimes. He beats me up a little bit. It’s a cool thing to have him here and my coaches. I love my coaches.”

Singer is as content as any back-up in any sport because he does not define himself by wrestling.

“I love Faith Christian,” he said. “It’s a great place for me to be closer to God. Whether I got this opportunity to compete today or not does not change who I am. If I didn’t wrestle, I would be the same person cheering and preparing my teammates. It’s all good.”

Notre Dame-GP stayed alive by beating West Perry 39-18 in Friday’s second-round consolations. It wrestles Clearfield/Warrior Run in Saturday’s third-round consolations at 9 a.m.

Fourth-round consolations are at 11. Finals and consolation finals are at 1 p.m.

Morning Call reporter Tom Housenick can be reached at 610-820-6651 or at [email protected]

PIAA Team Wrestling Championships

Friday at Hershey’s Giant Center

CLASS 2A SEMIFINALS

Faith Christian 43, Bishop McDevitt 24

107: Joey Bachmann (FCA) pinned Braiden Lotier, 2:34

114: Zane Crouse (BM) pinned Clayton Waltenbaugh, 3:14

121: Gauge Botero (FCA) by forfeit

127: Greyson Music (BM) pinned Dominic Reynolds, 1:07

133: Liam Lawler (BM) by forfeit

139: Camden Baum (BM) dec. Arment Waltenbaugh, 3-2

145: Chase Hontz (FCA) maj. dec. Easton Comp, 13-4

152: Max Stein (FCA) dec. Ryan Lawler, 3-2

160: Cael Weidemoyer (FCA) pinned Nicky Negron, 0:58

172: Cody Wagner (FCA) pinned Ryan Lengal, 2:14

189: Adam Waters (FCA) pinned Jaire Rawlinson, 0:39

215: Lucas Lawler (BM) dec. Jason Singer, 1-0

285: Mark Effendian (FCA) pinned Jack Dawson, 1:01

Other semifinal

Bishop McCort 64, Chestnut Ridge 6

QUARTERFINALS

Faith Christian 43, Notre Dame-GP 18

285: Mark Effendian (FCA) dec. Gino Guerrisi, 3-0

107: Joey Bachmann (FCA) tech. fall Jacob Volpe, 22-5, 5:59

114:  Ayden Smith (NDGP) by forfeit

121: Gauge Botero (FCA) pinned Cooper Feltman, 2:35

127: Tanner Berkenstock (NDGP) pinned Dominic Reynolds, 2:47

133: Michael Hurd (NDGP) by forfeit

139: Arment Waltenbaugh (FCA) pinned Gavyn Kelton (NDGP), 1:12

145: Chase Hontz (FCA) tech. fall Nino Morici, 23-8, 5:20

152: Max Stein (FCA) tech. fall Josh Ludlow, 21-6, 6:00

160: Cael Weidemoyer (FCA) dec. Dominic Sumpolec, 2-0

172: Adam Waters (FCA) maj. dec. Joey LaPenna, 13-0

189: Nick Singer (FCA) dec. Keegan Ramsay, 5-2

215: Jason Singer (FCA) dec. Connor Smalley, 6-0

Other Class 2A quarterfinals

Bishop McCort 51, Burrell 15

Chestnut Ridge 37, Fort LeBoeuf 36

Bishop McDevitt 35, Clearfield 21

SECOND-ROUND CONSOLATIONS

Notre Dame-GP 39, West Perry 18

107: Jacob Volpe (NDGP) pinned Hayden Quaker, 0:45

114: Ayden Smith (NDGP) tech. fall Evan Shepard, 18-3, 4:29

121: Cooper Feltman (NDGP) pinned Josh Foster, 1:23

127: Jackson Rush (WP) dec. Tanner Berkenstock 5-3

133: Gavyn Kelton (NDGP) maj. dec. Aden Shepard, 12-1

139: Blain Puchalsky (WP) pinned Jared Gonzalez, 2:02

145: Nino Morici (NDGP) dec. Adam Yoder, 7-4

152: Jenson Hockenberry-Folk (WP) dec. Nathan Thomas, 3-0

160: Domini Sumpolec (NDGP) pinned Cooper Nace, 0:19

172: Ty Morrison (WP) dec. Keegan Ramsay, 4-2 SV

189: Tucker Seidel (WP) dec. Joey LaPenna, 3-0

215: Connor Smalley (NDGP) by forfeit

285: Gino Guerrisi (NDGP) dec. Quade Boden, 4-3

Other Class 2A consolations

Warrior Run 29, Clearfield 24

Montoursville 31, Fort LeBoeuf 30

Reynolds 39, Burrell 24

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