Norristown's Springer was a gracious loser
The arena was dead, a rare lull during championship weekend. It wouldn't be buzzing again for another half-hour, and hardly a wrestler was in sight.
The arena was dead, a rare lull during championship weekend. It wouldn't be buzzing again for another half-hour, and hardly a wrestler was in sight.
Except for Shane Springer.
Nearly two hours before his championship bout Saturday, the Norristown High senior took a pensive stroll around the four mats adorning the Giant Center floor. Time to think, reflect - to get ready for the biggest match of his life.
Two hundred and twenty-four wrestlers set out to win individual state wrestling championships this past weekend in Hershey. Springer came closer than most, advancing to the final round of the 170-pound draw before falling one match short for the second time in his historic high school career.
Springer, who spent three years at La Salle before returning home to Norristown as a senior, ends his varsity run with two PIAA Class AAA silver medals, four district crowns, three Southeast Regional titles, three state medals overall, and a record of 186-23, just 13 wins short of the state's all-time mark of 199.
Perhaps his most dazzling achievement is the number 139. That's how many career pins he collected. It's the most ever in Pennsylvania high school wrestling history.
On Saturday, however, when Springer fell by a score of 7-4 to Canon-McMillan's Cody Wiercioch, the record was little consolation. Springer said he entered the finals with no nerves. He was determined to win the title he missed out on as a 152-pound sophomore. He fell just short.
"Most people won't have the career I just had," Springer said. ". . . Twenty-eight other kids [this year] have what I don't - a gold medal. Some kids get two, three, or four. I only wanted one."
No, Springer won't have a gold medal to gaze at for the rest of his life. Though it may be hard to swallow, Springer does it about as well as anybody. He accepted the loss with great poise. In fact, he smiled, and warmly answered questions about a heartbreaking defeat with candor and thoughtfulness.
Springer will wrestle in college, perhaps Division I, perhaps D-II - he isn't sure yet. The loss that ended his career will sting for some time. But perhaps one day, when Springer has occasion to reflect, it won't be just about one match, but instead what was a remarkable - and championship-worthy - career.
Stress free, the way to be
In its sixth year of existence, West Chester Rustin, which has dominated the Ches-Mont League in wrestling for the last three years, had its first two medalists at the state tournament.
Senior Corey McQuiston, a three-time regional champion making his fourth appearance in the PIAA tourney, finally came away with some hardware, taking eighth at 120 pounds.
But it was his teammate, senior 182-pounder Tyler Wood, who stole the show with a surprising bronze-medal run in his PIAA debut, finishing the season with a 40-7 record.
Wood went into the event ranked ninth in the state by the PA Power Rankings. He did better than his ranking by simply embracing the moment. Wood proved his mettle in handling what is often an overwhelming atmosphere at the state tournament, which takes place in a large arena full of fanfare - unlike anything else Wood had ever seen before.
"I just felt like there wasn't as much pressure, because I made it [here]," Wood said. "With no pressure, I felt like I could wrestle better."
Said Rustin coach Brad Harkins: "[Tyler's] mental approach this weekend was unbelievable. He just came up here to wrestle. He had no nerves. . . . I was very proud of his effort."