Mar 7, 2025
Photo for the Mirror by Chris Wechtenhiser Northern Bedford’s Raegan Snider, top, holds down Norwin’s Karsyn Champion after scorig a takedown in the opening period of their 155-pound first round bout Tursday in Hershey. Snuder won 6-2 to reach today’s quarterfinals.
HERSHEY — Northern Bedford senior Raegan Snider felt healthier on Thursday than she did last Saturday at the Central Regional Tournament.
Snider earned a 6-2 win over Norwin’s Karsyn Champion at 155 pounds in the first round of the second girls PIAA Championships on the first day at the Giant Center.
Less than a week ago, Snider was sick in her stomach. She was able to reach the regional finals against Chestnut Ridge freshman star Juliet Alt, but she used all of her injury timeouts because she was throwing up and injury-defaulted.
“Last week, I was ready to go,” Snider said. “I even missed a field trip because I went to practice. Then I woke up Saturday morning, and I felt so sick to my stomach. I knew it wasn’t just nerves. I threw up about five times on Saturday.
“My parents didn’t want me to wrestle my finals match, but I wanted to try at least just to see. It’s my senior year. I feel much better this week.”
Snider started to feel better Monday or Tuesday after getting an IV to rehydrate her. On Thursday, Snider took Champion down in the first period, but she gave up a reversal in the second period.
The score remained 3-2 until she powered behind Champion with 49 seconds left in the bout. Snider rode the rest of the way for the win.
“It feels good to get the first round done,” Snider said. “I wasn’t as dominant as I wanted to be, but a win is a win. I wasn’t freaking out, but I felt like I was a little nervous because it was the first round. Not them I’m expected to win this year, but it’s my last year and I want to get a state title.
“I was never down, but I didn’t like how close it was. To get that last takedown, I felt a lot better.”
“I think there’s still a little bit of sickness,” Northern Bedford coach Zach Clark said. “I think we’re getting rid of it. I think we’re at the end of it. I think there is a little bit there that’s causing a little bit of weakness, little bit of tiredness, but we’re going to keep battling through it.”
Snider (28-5) will wrestle Avon Grove’s Kaitlynn Arnold in the quarterfinals. Arnold (7-4), a Southeast Regional fourth-placer, advanced with an 11-6 upset win over Gettysburg’s South-Central champ Adrianna Bowling (22-3).
Snider, a returning state third-placer, has her eye on the finals, where she could get another shot at Alt (28-2), who pinned Hickory’s Trinity Webster in 2:24. Alt wrestle’s 26-1 Olivya Kroop of Emmaus in the quarterfinals.
“I hope it’s me and Juliet again,” she said. “I’d say it’s about a 95 percent chance. There would have to be a big upset for one of us to not make it.”
Wrestling resumes for the girls at 11:45 a.m. on Friday with the quarterfinals. The second round of consolations will follow. The semifinals are at 7 p.m. Thursday, and a third round of consolations will follow.
It was a rough preliminary round for the other two Northern Bedford wrestlers, Kaylee Ebersole and Ava Helsel.
Regional 100-pound champion Kaylee Ebersole lost by technical fall to Parkland’s Ella Hesener, 21-5, but she rebounded in the consolations to pin Shaler Area’s Blythe Letters in 2:47.
Ebersole (23-7) will wrestle a quarterfinal loser today.
Helsel, the regional third-placer at 112, was pinned by Easton’s Morgan Hyland in 1:34 in the first round. She stayed alive by taking Canon-McMillan’s Malia Ramos down in overtime to win, 4-1.
Helsel will also wrestle at quarterfinal loser.
“I’m going to be honest. I think all of our girls were a little flat today,” Clark said. “I’m not sure it was nerves or having to sit around and wait all day. Hopefully we come back tomorrow being a little more energized.”
Chestnut Ridge returning state champion Violette Lasure, sister of Alt, opened with a 38-second pin at 148. Bedford’s Mylah Steinbuch (235) advanced to the quarterfinals with a pin of Canon-McMillan’s London Ellis in 48 seconds.
Philipsburg-Osceola’s Charli Hunt (136) earned a 10-2 major decision of Boiling Springs’ Amanda Delavan.
Ridge’s Kalea Day (136), and Bedford’s Noelle Murray (190) were eliminated.
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