A close call
Canon-McMillan has one of the more impressive winning streaks in the WPIAL, and it has nothing to do with the state tournament.
The Big Macs have not lost a section dual meet since 2001, when West Allegheny defeated them. That's 14 seasons of winning section dual meets. During that span, the Big macs won five state team titles.
But in Wednesday night's dual meet against Waynesburg, the Big Macs were teetering. With one bout remaining, C-M sent out a wrestler in Jared Hladycz, who was in his first season of wrestling. That's right, never wrestled in middle school or the youth leagues. Hladycz was wrestling Brandon Arnold, who also was in his first season as a wrestler. No middle school. No youth league.
Hladycz pinned Arnold to give Canon-McMillan a 29-24 victory in Waynesburg's gymnasium.
What struck me most about this match is that two historically successful programs relied on such inexperience in their lineups.
That's not to denigrate the outcome or the accomplishment. Hladycz was not only overjoyed, he was astonished when told that Canon-McMillan even had this streak.
In a way, that was the beautiful part of it.
The Big Macs have not lost a section dual meet since 2001, when West Allegheny defeated them. That's 14 seasons of winning section dual meets. During that span, the Big macs won five state team titles.
But in Wednesday night's dual meet against Waynesburg, the Big Macs were teetering. With one bout remaining, C-M sent out a wrestler in Jared Hladycz, who was in his first season of wrestling. That's right, never wrestled in middle school or the youth leagues. Hladycz was wrestling Brandon Arnold, who also was in his first season as a wrestler. No middle school. No youth league.
Hladycz pinned Arnold to give Canon-McMillan a 29-24 victory in Waynesburg's gymnasium.
What struck me most about this match is that two historically successful programs relied on such inexperience in their lineups.
That's not to denigrate the outcome or the accomplishment. Hladycz was not only overjoyed, he was astonished when told that Canon-McMillan even had this streak.
In a way, that was the beautiful part of it.
posted by Joe Tuscano at
11:27 PM
2 Comments:
Jared is a tremendous young man. He is modest and truly kind, with great strength and some mad wrestling skills.
The coaches and kids love him and it is no wonder. What a an amazing story!
Congrats are in order to my brother. Jared is the most determined person I've ever met in my life, he's the hardest working person I've ever met in my life and he'd do anything for his team. He truly deserved this win!! Way to go lil bro!
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