PIAA GIRLS WRESTLING: ATHENS' RATHBUN, NASON FINISH CAREERS WITH PINS, 7TH-PLACE PIAA STATE MEDALS (16 PHOTOS) (March 7, 2026)

Valley Sports Report
HERSHEY — Athens seniors Hanna Rathbun and Leah Nason both ended their high school careers with pins and seventh-place finishes Saturday afternoon at the PIAA Girls Wrestling Championships here at the Giant Center.

"It's awesome to see them both end with wins," said Athens coach Donnie Barrett.

"The goal when you get here it to get a medal, then when you win in the blood round, it's to finish as high as you can," he noted. "They were both in a position where the highest they could finish was seventh and that's exactly what they did.

"I couldn't be happier for them," added Barrett. "Winning your last match is a huge thing, I'm very proud of them."

"It feels really good to end with a win," said Nason. "I wanted to end my season on a win, and to do it at States with a pin and get a medal is special."

Rathbun was just having fun.

"I really wasn't too worried about winning the rest of my matches once I knew I had a state medal, I really just wanted to have fun, and end my career on a good note.

"I'm really proud of myself," she said. "It's something I've wanted and have been working for my whole life, so to know I did it in my last year feels pretty good."

Rathbun squared off with Upper St. Clair Sydney Laboon in the seventh-place match of the 130-pound bracket, and erased a 5-0 deficit with a fall at 1:55.

Laboon scored a takedown midway through the first period, then after choosing bottom to start the second, recorded a reversal to increase her advantage to 5-0 with 1:35 remaining in the period.

With 1:16 remaining, Rathbun hooked Laboon in a headlock and flipped her to her back for a reversal, then finished off the fall 11 seconds later.

"In the tunnel before the match, we discussed the game plan: 'Don't force anything, don't panic, and don't take any bad shots. One-minute first period, you have to get after it.'

"She goes out, panics, takes a bad shot, and we're down 3-0," said Barrett.

"She got her composure back, ended up with a headlock in a flurry, and got the pin," added Barrett. It was great ... way to keep wrestling."

"I took a really bad shot," said Rathbun. "I was a little bit stressed going into this match, so I kind of rushed it.

"There was a little bit of a scramble after her reversal, I pulled a headlock and turned her," added Rathbun. 

Nason led 5-0 when she turned Allen senior Karla Montes for the fall at 4:46 in the seventh-place match of the 235-pound bracket.

After a scoreless first minute, Nason scored a takedown midway through the second period, and tacked on a point when Montes was banged for a technical violation to lead 4-0 heading into the final two minutes.

Nason, who chose top to start the third period, rode Montes for nearly the entire period before turning her for the pin with just 14 seconds remaining.

Nason said the first minute of the match was a feeling-out process.

"The first period I was trying to push the tempo and tire her out, and that's what I think I did," she said. "I wanted to get a feel for her, then I could plan my next two periods after that."

Once the third period rolled around, Nason knew she was in good shape.

"Top is my specialty, it's where I'm at my best," she said.

"I can usually break them down and turn them, but if need be I can just ride them out to keep the points in my favor," added Nason.

Barrett was pleased with Nason's performance.

"We've been working on hand-fighting, heavy hands, heavy snaps, and for her to keep moving on her feet," he said. "She did well with that.

"Once the coin toss went our way, it was over," noted Barrett. "She is great on top. She has great core pressure and does all the right stuff — drives off her feet, keeps her hips settled; and that match showed it all. 

"It was a perfect match," he added.

Rathbun (38-7 in 2025-26 and 120-29 for her career) and Nason (29-6 and 71-36) will graduate as four-time state qualifiers and the program's first-ever state medalists. Nason was also a three-time District 4 champ.

"It's really bitter-sweet for both of us," said Nason. "I started wrestling as a freshman, and (Hanna) started way before that ... for the past four years we've been together.

"As seniors, it was nice to see her get a medal, and it's a really nice for both of us to end our careers with wins at the Giant Center in Hershey," added Nason.

Barrett believes the duo has set the stage for Athens girls wrestling for years to come.

"We've talking about this all week," he said. "We're going to give the girls a little bit of a break, then we'll keep this going all summer.

"We had four here this year, but two are seniors. We have two I know will be back, but we should have six or seven here next year. 

This is a great start and great momentum for what we're trying to do," added Barrett. "The future is bright."

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IN PHOTO 1: Athens senior Leah Nason. IN TOP PHOTO: Athens senior Hanna Rathbun. ... PHOTOS BY LANCE LARCOM and CHRIS MANNING.

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