Canon-Mac’s Hayman has become Class AAA’s Comeback Kid
Joe Tuscano/Observer-Reporter
Ken Hayman of Canon-McMillan keeps hold of Braden Ricchini of Council Rock South during the 126-pound quarterfinals of the PIAA Class AAA Wrestling Championships at the Giant Center in Hershey Friday. Hayman won a 5-4 decision.
Joe Tuscano/Observer-Reporter
Cole Homet of Waynesburg, right, is tangled up with Matt Maloney of Liberty during a 120-pound consolation round of the PIAA Class AAA Wrestling Championships at the Giant Center in Hershey Friday. Homet assured himself a medal with a 9-6 victory.
Joe Tuscano/Observer-Reporter
Gerrit Nijenhuis of Canon-McMillan, top, tries to turn Cade Wright of Emmaus in the 170-pound quarterfinals of the PIAA Class AAA Wrestling Championships at the Giant Center in Hershey Friday. Nijenhuis won a 10-2 decision.
HERSHEY – When Ken Hayman fell behind Braden Ricchini of Council Rock South early, there was no panic or desperation on the mat or in the coaches’ corner.
Hayman, a senior for the Big Macs, had Ricchini right where he wanted him.
Hayman has become Mr. Comeback in the PIAA Class AAA Wrestling Championships and Friday would be no different.
Hayman erupted for five straight points in the second period and erased a 2-0 deficit from the first period to win a thrilling 5-4 decision in the 126-pound quarterfinals inside the Giant Center in Hershey.
The victory not only assures Hayman of one of the eight medals in the weight class but puts him in today’s semifinals at 9 a.m., two wins away from a gold medal.
He is joined in that situation by teammate Gerrit Nijenhuis, who made it to the semifinals with an overwhelming 10-2 major decision over Caden Wright of Emmaus, a Northeast Region runner-up.
Nijenhuis, a WPIAL champion and second seed in the weight class, wrestles Max Hale of Downingtown West in the semis.
“I know I’m always in a match no matter what,” said Hayman. “Wrestling is a sport where you can be down 14-0 and one big move wins the match.”
Hayman got to this point with a spectacular comeback in the first round against Patrick Noonan of Stroudsburg. Trailing 5-1, Hayman scored the next six points – The final two came in overtime – for a 7-5 victory.
Overcoming a 5-1 deficit might not be so rare in the regular season against regular season competition. But it’s not an every day in this tournament, which features the best wrestlers in the state.
“I beat him in our first tournament, Cumberland Valley, but he wasn’t in wrestling shape yet,” said Hayman. “He was ready to go today.”
Hayman wrestles Colton Camacho of Franklin Regional, the top-seeded wrestler in the weight class. Hayman has wrestled Camacho three times this season and lost three close decisions.
“The coaches beat my ear about how I can be as good as anybody,” Hayman said. “They really helped me a lot.”
Nijenhuis was frustrated with his wrestling after a first-round victory over Anthony Hinson of Spring Grove. So he took it out on Wright, grinding him into the resilite and not allowing himself to be put in any dangerous situations.
“It’s frustrating when they try to keep the score down,” said Nijenhuis. “Today I got a guy who wanted to wrestle me.”
Nijenhuis, a junior, has finished third in the last two state tournaments, is on a collision course with two-time state champion Edmund Ruth of Susquenita Township, who sits at the top of the bracket. Nijenhuis is the second seed.
Cole Homet of Waynesburg carved out a comeback-to-remember of his own in the consolation rounds.
The 120-pound freshman was down 4-0 to Matt Maloney of Liberty in the second period before rallying. Homet scored eight of his points in the final two minutes, including three backpoints awarded at the buzzer.
“We just rolled around, scoring points and I ended up catching him,” said Homet. “I consider myself a pretty good scrambler. I wrestle kids like that at every one of my practices.”
Homet was the only Waynesburg wrestler to reach the medal rounds (third through eighth).
Belle Vernon’s Scott Jolll was beaten by defending state champion Carter Starocci of Erie Cathedral Prep, the top seed at 182 pounds and a Penn State commit, by a major decision, 16-3. He can still finish as high as third place.