Graphic courtesy of PA Power Wrestling.
The COVID-19 pandemic was (and still) is devastating in so many ways. It brought all sports and many other aspects of our daily life to a screeching halt. The wrestling world was not immune to this sudden and prolonged stoppage.
From March to December 2020, the sport was struggling mightily, and opportunities to get on the mat to scrap were limited.
With increasingly strict pandemic-related protocols and procedures in place across the country for the majority of 2020, the wrestling community had to get creative and collaborative.
To bring wrestling to fans, athletes, and coaches alike, the wrestling world had to turn to media outlets, non-profits, RTCs, and streaming services to put together standalone events to keep the wrestling community afloat.
While it is impossible to thank and acknowledge every entity for their respective contributions appropriately, the following deserve credit: FloWrestling, Rokfin, PA Power Wrestling, FloWrestling, Nittany Lion Wrestling Club, Pittsburgh Wrestling Club, the Hawkeye Wrestling Club, Beat the Streets – Chicago, Wrestle Like A Girl, and so many others. They all went above and beyond to put on events for athletes and fans alike. These entities deserve a shout-out of sorts.
These outlets helped organize, run, and ultimately stream live wrestling events during a turbulent time – a time when there was very little sport (not just wrestling) played, seen on TV, or even streamed at all.
Now in April 2021, it would appear that we have weathered the preverbal storm and are on the mend to some degree. As far as the return to wrestling is concerned, many states successfully held high schools seasons, albeit condensed ones, crowning team, and individual state champions along the way. At the college level, we saw most Division I teams and conferences complete the shortened sprint that was a three-month season. Most importantly, we witnessed an entire postseason of conference tournaments and the 2021 NCAA Championship in St. Louis. On the interactional circuit, we are just a week removed from one of the biggest showcases on the international calendar, the 2021 Olympic Trials in Fort Worth.
Standalone cards were first created from desperation to get wrestlers some time on the mats, but it would appear that these types of showcases and RTC-hosted, media-hosted, and non-profit-hosted scrap sessions are here to stay. They will help to grow the sport further in the post-COVID era.
Ultimately, events like these are what help promote, develop, and popularize an otherwise niche sport. Simply put, the more exposure the sport receives, the better.
One such organization joining the event hosting party is PA Power Wrestling, a Pennsylvania-based wrestling media company dedicated to providing amateur wrestling coverage in the Keystone State.
This Saturday, April 10, PA Power hosted the Redemption Dual at C3 Sports in State College, Pennsylvania. The card, which lives up to its "Redemption" moniker, is dedicated to giving some of Pennsylvania's best wrestlers a "shot a redemption" after their respective 2021 seasons ended in a less-than-ideal or heartbreaking fashion.
Despite the fact that the event will not feature any PIAA state champs, it will feature a top-tier card complete with some matchups of two nationally- ranked competitors. It will also feature some of Pennsylvania's best uncommitted prospects. Additionally, wrestlers will come from Class-2A, Class-3A, and the prep circuit with a multiple standouts from the powerhouse Wyoming Seminary program.
As strange as it is to type these words, as much as the COVID-19 pandemic has been so traumatic and devastating not only to sport, but also to society at-large, it did result in creative and collaborative solutions for providing access and opportunity to the sport during a time when it was largely inaccessible.
In hindsight, this aforementioned growth and advancement wrestling has seen during this global pandemic will likely continue paying dividends long after coronavirus concludes. That fact alone is something to be thankful for, even in these troubling times.
Bout Results
220: Nate Wickersham inj. def. over Josh Harkless
177: Ben Haubert fall over Regan Louhney
133: Luke Sim Cox dec. Gabe Gramly, 3-0
143: Jude Swisher maj. dec. Dom Federici, 12-3
118: Zach Jacaruso dec. Coen Bainey, 72
157: Erik Gibson dec. Dalton Gimbor, 8-7
143: Conner Harer dec. Eric Alderfer, 4-0
185: Cole Rees dec. Sammy Starr, 5-1
110: Keira Koehler dec. Maddie Packer, 6-0
285: Riley Robell dec. Bill McChesney, 2-0
114: Hunter Robison dec. Carson Wagner, 7-3
152: Nate Higley dec. Ty Linsenbigler, 7-4
165: Cole Spencer maj. dec. Bailey Gimbor, 9-1
103: Bo Bassett fall over Davis Motyka
125: Mason Gibson fall over Brennen Cernus
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