HARRISBURG – More than a dozen high school state wrestling champions were recognized on the Pennsylvania Senate floor today as part of High School Wrestling Day at the State Capitol, according to Senator Scott Martin (R-Lancaster).
As part of the event, wrestlers who earned gold at the 2024 Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) state wrestling championship competition held in Hershey in March were invited to be recognized by the state Senate for their athletic achievements.
Senator Martin noted this was the first year state championships were sanctioned by the PIAA for girls’ wrestling, which is the fastest-growing high school sport in the country.
“Earning a state championship in wrestling requires years of practice and hard work, both on the mat and in the gym,” said Martin, who was a PIAA and National Heavyweight wrestling champion at Lancaster Catholic High School. “All these exceptional young athletes deserve recognition for their accomplishments, and I am proud that so many of them were able to make the trip to Harrisburg to be honored by the Senate of Pennsylvania.”
Wrestlers honored on the Senate floor today included:
- Joey Bachmann, Faith Christian (constituent of Senator Maria Collett);
- Brenda Banks, Panther Valley (constituent of Senator David G. Argall);
- Keanu Dillard, Bethlehem Catholic (constituent of Senator Lisa Boscola);
- Jaxen Forrest, Bishop McCort (constituent of Senator Wayne Langerholc, Jr.);
- Jordyn Fouse, Bishop McCort (constituent of Senator Pat Stefano);
- Zoey Haines, Gettysburg (constituent of Senator Doug Mastriano);
- Julia Horger, Conwell-Egan (constituent of Senator Frank Farry);
- Sean Kinney, Nazareth (constituent of Senator Lisa Boscola);
- Aubre Krazer, Easton (constituent of Senator Lisa Boscola);
- Violette Lasure, Chestnut Ridge (constituent of Senator Pat Stefano);
- Andrew McMonagle, Huntingdon (constituent of Senator Judy Ward);
- Reagan Milheim, Warrior Run (Constituent of Senator Lynda Schlegel Culver);
- Tahir Parkins, Nazareth (Constituent of Senator Lisa Boscola);
- Landon Sidun, Norwin (constituent of Senator Kim Ward);
- Luke Simcox, Central Mountain (constituent of Senator Cris Dush);
- Trey Wagner, Northampton (constituent of Senator Nick Miller);
- Adam Waters, Faith Christian (constituent of Senator Tracy Pennycuick);
- Savannah Witt, Palisades (constituent of Senator Jarrett Coleman).
Also honored on the Senate floor was McCaskey High School’s Journie Rodriguez, who has been a pioneer of the sport in Pennsylvania. McCaskey was the first high school in the state to sponsor a girls’ wrestling program.
At a girls’ wrestling event last year, Senator Martin promised Rodriguez that if she won the state championship this year, the two of them would sign a pair of poster-sized prints of a photo of them together: one for Rodriguez, and one to hang in the Senator’s Capitol Office.
Martin made good on his promise today (see attached photos).
CONTACT: Jason Thompson