But even in the following minute’s most painful moments, the silver platter never tempted him. Instead, he’d push himself off the mat, jumping in place a few times to indicate to trainers and his coaches that he was good to go.

With 15 seconds left in injury time, he was given the go ahead. Removing any semblance of a grimace from his expression as he snapping his head gear back on, he was met with resounding applause, not just from the Montoursville faithful but from most who were tuned into the match.

“That’s not the way I was raised, to stay down and win like that,” said Wentzel. “I think you gain a lot more respect getting up and going at it ten times harder.”

“I was scared and wanted to make sure he was okay. But once he was given confirmation and him and I (talked), it was 100-percent, ‘Get up, let’s get back at this,'” said head coach Matt Yonkin on the moment. “It showed a lot of toughness, a lot of character and he got a lot of respect from me by getting up and getting back to work.”

Gage Wentzel, Montoursville controls the action against Carmine Lenzi, Berks Catholic during the PIAA Wrestling Championships in Hershey. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

With adrenaline replacing any additional nerves that remained prior to the slam, Wentzel would take the momentous moment a step further, shedding Singer’s grip out of bottom and wrapping around the Faith Christian sophomore for a reversal.

The move wouldn’t trigger an unlikely comeback, as Singer responded before holding firm to complete the 12-3 major decision. But it was another aspect of the match and run in general for the Montoursville junior to be proud about as he headed for the podium having decidedly earned silver while earning respect from the entire Giant Center.

“I’m just ten times more thankful to be honest with you,” said Wentzel on being able to finish the match strong. “There’s so many things you’ve got to appreciate, and I’m happy that I’m still healthy and was able to get up and go even though I was down.”

Like his previous PIAA run, which saw him jump up a slot by taking fourth, Wentzel was able to take things one step further as a junior, coming one win short of the primary goal.

As a sophomore, he had clinched a step up on the podium by overcoming one of his most consistent obstacles in Warrior Run phenom Cameron Milheim. This year, he breached another barrier in Clearfield’s Brady Collins to advance to the final, defeating an opponent that had previously kept him from PIAA bronze and held an 0-3 record over him.

Even in his final loss, he showed a lack of intimidation, working as the match’s initiator and only faltering in moments where he briefly overextended. It’s an effort, coupled with the run to get to that point, that he and his coach were proud of, one they’ll look to build on moving forward.

“I thought he was fantastic, super proud of him,” said Yonkin on Wentzel at the conclusion of his run.

“That semifinal match (against Collins), he showed a lot of toughness and grit, stayed after it and got the late takedown to secure the win and get to the finals tonight. Thought he was the aggressor (against Singer), all the points he gave up were off him initiating the action. Super proud of that.”

Through three seasons, Wentzel has effectively built off a strong start to his career every step of the way and heads into his senior season with three state medals and 139 career wins. With one step left in his steady rise to the top, the goal is clear for his last hoorah.

“I want to win state gold. It would mean a lot to me and the people around me,” said Wentzel. “This year’s over, and I’m ready to keep improving for next year. It’s been great opportunity, and I got a taste of it. I want to do it again.”

FINISHED BUSINESS

While the conclusion to his Montoursville career was tumultuous, a testament to years of hardships that required tremendous patience to overcome, David Kennedy’s closing moments as a Warrior saw him standing in the fifth-place spot on the Giant Center podium.

In his previous three stints at the event, Kennedy hadn’t managed to crack that milestone, with his run as a junior being thwarted by a spider bite. But he never let those shortcomings cause him to hesitate in his pursuit of greatness, continuing to better himself from the start of his career to his last hoorah.

His final run saw him make it all the way to championship semifinals, where he fell in a hard-fought bout against eventual state champ Joey Bachmann (Faith Christian). Even in defeat, the progress he made – both physically and mentally – and can’t be understated. Neither can his impact on the team.

Kennedy finished his career with a 159-41 record and 92 career pins, winning back-to-back sectional and District 4 titles and also earning a regional title as a junior. As he closes out his final chapter and rides off into the sunset, he’ll be sorely missed by the team.

“I’m glad he got his state medal, but I don’t want to see him go,” said Yonkin on Kennedy. “Love the kid. He’s been a leader, a role model, a mentor, a coach, a friend to everybody on the team for four years. He’s been a true model of what you want.”