PIAA GIRLS WRESTLING: ATHENS ADVANCES FIVE TO STATES; FINISHES THIRD AT CENTRAL REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS (24 PHOTOS) (2025-03-01)
Valley Sports ReportMILTON — Athens had five wrestlers qualify for the PIAA Girls Wrestling Championships, and finished third here Saturday at the Central Regional Wrestling Championships at Milton High School.
Montgomery claimed the Central Region title with 127 points, while runner-up Hughesville had 92.5 points, Athens tallied 91.5 points, Chesnut Ridge was fourth with 72 points, and Northern Bedford was fifth with 69.5 points.
The Wildcats had a pair of third-place finishers in juniors Leah Nason and Hanna Rathbun, and a trio of fourth-place finishers in senior Emma Renninger, and sophomore Abigail Wagner and Joyce Clink.
Nason, the third seed at 235 pounds, opened the day with a 13-second pin of Williamsport's Payton Pepperman, then decked sixth-seeded Ashlynn Miller of Central Mountain in 3:18 in the quarterfinals.
After a loss via first-period fall to second-seeded Jaidyn Mikulak in the semifinals, Nason bounced back in the consolation semifinals with a pin of Montgomery's Adeline Pine in 1:30.
In the third-place match, Nason trailed Crestwood's Samantha Bailey 14-4, before turning her for a fall at 4:30.
Rathbun, the ninth seed at 130 pounds, scored a 15-0 technical fall over Johnsonburg's Brooke Cantor in the opening round.
Rathbun built a quick 7-0 lead, then decked top-seeded Kaidence Ankner of Hanover at 1:50 in the quarterfinals.
In the semifinals, old foe Callie Hess scored a pair of takedowns in the first period, then held on for an 11-8 win.
In the consolation semifinals, Rathbun decked Wallenpaupack's Soleil wright in 55 seconds.
Rathbun finished off her third-place run with a pin of Shik's Ashley Rebuck in 4:06 after building a 12-0 lead.
Wagner, the third seed at 170 pounds, took the long route to fourth place.
She dropped a 4-1 decision to sixth-seeded Kendall Wagner of Central Mountain in the quarterfinals.
Abigail Wagner bounced back in the consolation quarterfinals with a pin of Wallenpaupack's Mya Statile in 1:47.
Wagner then picked up a pair of stalling points in the third period to pull out a 4-3 win over fifth-seeded Isabella Gottschall of Jersey Shore in the consolation semifinals.
In the third-place bout, Greater Nanticoke's Sierra Ripka pinned Wagner in 1:00.
Renninger, the top seed at 112 pounds, led Punxsutawney's Evelyn Neal 14-9, but was caught and pinned at 5:36 to fall into the consolation bracket.
Renninger bounced back with a pin of Keliant Hernandez De La Cruz in 1:23 in wrestlebacks, then decked Northern Bedford's Yasmin Miller in 58 seconds in the consolation quarterfinals.
In the consolation semis, Renninger built a 7-2 lead before pinning Hughesville's Ariahna Moore in 2:43 to advance to the third-place match, where she lost via first-period fall to Greater Nanticoke's Emily Kivler.
Clink, the 14th seed at 124 pounds, scored a wild 17-12 win over Northern Bedford's Emily Dennis in the opening round. Clink led 12-0 midway through the second period, and 14-2 heading into the third period.
Clink then lost via fall in 3:41 to sixth-seeded Anaiah Kolesar of NEB, who went on to win the weight class title.
Clink bounced back in the consolation quarterfinals with a 15-6 major decision over ninth-seeded Addison Daniels of Western Wayne.
In the consolation semifinals, Clink won a wild 17-12 decision over fourth-seeded Shaniece Brown of Hazelton.
Clink hit a seven-point move in the final seconds of the second period open up a 12-3 lead, but Brown closed the gap to 13-12, before an escape and takedown in the final 18 seconds.
In the third-place match, Shik's Rylee Campbell forged a 7-1 decision over Clink.
Freshman Alissa Rinebold was 0-2 at 100 pounds, senior Mary Henry was 0-2 at 106 pounds, and freshman Memphis Paul was 0-2 at 142 pounds.
The PIAA Girls Wrestling Championships are set to begin Thursday at 2 p.m. at the Giant Center in Hershey.
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IN PHOTO: Athens senior Leah Nason. IN TOP PHOTO: Athens junior Hannah Rathbun. ... PHOTOS BY CHRIS MANNING.
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