Kai Burkett was a quiet, family-loving star on the state power Chestnut Ridge High School wrestling team. He had just begun his senior year at Ridge and was looking forward to — barring a cancellation or interruption as a result of COVID-19 — adding to his illustrious wrestling resume ...
Commentary Making a move that had been long overdue, the PIAA Board of Control recently voted to reduce the number of weight classes for varsity wrestling events from 14 down to 13, effective in the 2020-21 season. The 14th weight class was added back in the 2002-03 season with the idea of affording more wrestlers the opportunity to compete at different weights, but in the past two decades, numbers in many wrestling programs at schools throughout the state have generally been dwindling. Wrestling is a difficult and demanding sport, and it’s equally difficult for many high school ...
Glendale junior 132-pounder Brock McMillen and Bedford senior 138-pounder Kaden Cassidy would make for a heck of a 1-2 punch if they wrestled in the same lineup. McMillen captured his second state title at the PIAA Class 2A Championships less than a year after discovering he had a heart issue. Cassidy followed minutes later by winning his first state gold medal. After turning in their respective banner seasons, McMillen and Cassidy have been named Co-Wrestlers of the Year on the 37th annual Mirror All-Star Team. It’s the second straight year McMillen has garnered the honor, sharing ...
Winning a state title is very tough to do in Pennsylvania, which is considered the best state in the country in wrestling. Bedford senior 138-pounder Kaden Cassidy and Glendale 132-pounder Brock McMillen not only won Class 2A state titles but they also accomplished their respective feats in rare fashion. Cassidy defeated Saegertown’s Kenny Kiser, 10-6, in the finals to finish the season 38-0. He is one of two Class 2A wrestlers and six overall to finish unbeaten this season. “Not many people do that,” Cassidy said. “Winning states is nice, but going undefeated is even better. ...
Glendale coach Billy Dubler says he’s not too proud to admit that he steals coaching and practice methods from other successful programs. So, when he heard last year that Chestnut Ridge wrestlers yell the name of the team they want to beat in a dual meet or finish ahead of at a tournament while they’re running sprints, Dubler jumped at the chance to use it with his team. “I was like ‘Man, that’s a great idea.’ You’re not thinking about how bad you feel. Psychologically, you’re thinking about the other team you want to beat, and you’re screaming their name,” ...
We know about Glendale’s Brock McMillen’s heart problems and how he’s had to overcome adversity this season en route to a second state title. He’s an inspiration to many, but there were two other inspirational wrestlers who had to arguably overcome more adversity than McMillen. Fans at the Giant Center were pulling for West Perry sophomore Deven Jackson and Canton’s Timmy Ward. Jackson is a double leg amputee who remarkably placed fourth at 106 pounds in Class 2A. According to reports, Jackson lost both of his legs at 8 years old due to complications from ...
