Cumberland Valley 182-pounder Matt Hoare looked like another notch on the belt of Canon-McMillan state champion Cody Wiercioch.
After all, Wiercioch was coming off a near miss — he lost in a 3-2 decision — against all-world wrestler Chance Marsteller at last week’s Powerade.
But Hoare wasn’t about to give.
Trailing 2-0 heading to the second period, the Eagles senior was on top and tilted Wiercioch and put him on his back before the Big Macs senior put up the whirlybird.
“I just tried to do my best,” Hoare said. “I tried a tilt, something I’ve been doing since I was a kid. I was kind of surprised.”
So was everyone else in the Cumberland Valley Dome.
Wiercioch, who has been nursing a wrist injury and was giving up 13 pounds in the bout, had his hand wrapped and continued. He took Hoare down in the second and third period and claimed a 7-3 decision.
"I was sitting there thinking uh, oh," said Big Macs head coach Chris Mary, who earned his 200th coaching win in his team's 46-15 decision over the Eagles.
"I was more concerned about Cody's thumb and wrist. [Hoare] is a big, strong kid. He is tough, but we bump Cody up to face those guys to get used to it in case we have to do it during team states."