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PIAA WRESTLING: ATHENS' GALASSO LOCKS UP STATE HARDWARE WITH WRESTLEBACK WIN (17 PHOTOS) (2019-03-08)

By TIM BIRNEY
Valley Sports Report
HERSHEY - Athens senior David Galasso got off to a slow start, but finished strong for a 6-2 decision over Reynolds sophomore Cole Toy in the third round of wrestlebacks to guarantee himself a state medal in the 170-pound bracket here Friday afternoon at the PIAA, Class AA wrestling championships at the Giant Center.

Athens assistant coach Jay White said Galasso was guilty of going for the quick win.

"He got off to a little bit of a slow start," said White. "He tried to go big. He tried to win easy by going big, and you can't do that here. You have to win doing what you do, and you have to win hard by doing the basics.

"Once he got that out of his system, and started winning with the basics, instead of the home run, he did well," added White.

Toy scored a takedown midway through the one-minute first period, but Galasso quickly reversed to tie the bout at 2-2 heading to the second period.

Galasso scored another reversal with 34 seconds remaining in the second period, and added two near-fall points moments later with a cradle to take a 6-2 lead.

Toy chose bottom to start the third period, but Galasso rode him for the entire two minutes to sew up the win.

"He's a senior. I really wanted him to get a medal and he got it," said White.

"He had a group of under classmen ahead of him the last three years that beat the living daylights out of him every day," noted White. "It paid off for him.

"I'm proud of him, he works very hard," he added.

Galasso, already assured of an eighth-place medal, advances to take on Littlestown senior Carl Harris (25-3) in the first consolation round-of-4. A win there guarantees him of no worse than a sixth-place medal.

Action resumes tonight at 7:30 p.m.

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IN PHOTOS: Athens senior David Galasso. ... PHOTOS BY TIM BIRNEY.

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