Wilson's wrestlers finish season with strong showing at PIAA Wrestling Championships

Source: Reading Eagle
Author: Brian Rippey

HERSHEY - Wilson senior Jimmy Garcia left the Giant Center Saturday with his second state medal and the school record for career wins.

The medal he earned for finishing seventh at 133 pounds in the Class 3A PIAA Wrestling Championships will be a lifelong memory. His school record is likely to become a distant memory.

Sophomore McKaden Speece is primed to shatter Garcia's mark of 162 wins. Speece earned his 100th career win with a 10-1 major decision Pennridge's Quinn McBride to place fifth at 127 and cap a 54-6 season.

"I'm looking to get 200 in my career," Speece said. "It's definitely doable. We have a long schedule and I'm looking to win everything next year."

Thanks to seniors such as Garcia and Ryan McMillan, Speece got to wrestle extra matches in the District 3 and PIAA team tournaments. McMillan became the third Wilson wrestler to win a medal Saturday, placing eighth at 215. He finished his career with his first state medal and 152 wins after going 53-7 this season.

"Obviously I wanted to win it all," McMillan said, "but finally getting that medal after four years felt really nice. I felt like I've been on that level for the past three years and I was finally able to get up there."

Garcia, who finished 53-6, moved up one spot on the podium after placing eighth at 121 last year. He capped his high school career with a 4-2 decision over Central Dauphin's C.J. Ferree.

"It was pretty cool," Garcia said. "I'm definitely glad to end it on a win, and I'm looking forward to the next four years at Franklin & Marshall."

Garcia opened the tournament Thursday with a loss to Boyertown's Gavin Sheridan, who finished fifth. Garcia battled back with three straight close wins in the consolations to earn a return trip to the podium.

"I didn't have the easiest path to place," Garcia said. "But I came back, I won a couple of matches in overtime, I had a hard-fought tournament."

Garcia, McMillan and a few other seniors helped Wilson extend its dual meet season and win the Southeast Regional Class 3A title.

Despite those upcoming graduation losses, Speece trusts that the Bulldogs can continue their team success and get him enough matches to reach 200 wins.

"I'm pretty confident we can," Speece said. "You've got to be confident in yourself and your teammates."

Juniors Blaise Eidle and Matteo Garcia, state qualifiers who didn't win medals this season, also will return. Eidle, with 133 career wins, is poised to surpass Jimmy Garcia's school record next year before Speece gets his shot in 2026.