From the wrestling mat to the fishing boat, this YAIAA athlete is angling for gold

Sometimes Wyatt Dillon just wants to relax.

That's not something many wrestlers will admit. They chose the sport because it requires intense physical dedication.

Dillon has embraced that aspect, but he also enjoys a change of pace from time to time.

Which has led the Central York senior to fishing.

"It's a great break from working out," he said. "It's a great time to just relax and have some fun."

But Dillon doesn't just fish as a hobby. He's one of the top junior bass fishermen in Pennsylvania. He's competed for the Hawghead Junior Bassmaster Community Club and finished in the top 10 in all 14 events he's participated in during high school.

He's also become one of the top wrestlers in York County. Dillon went 39-11 last year and has over 80 career wins. Having moved from Dover to Central York last year, he's a two-time state qualifier and should contend for a District 3 title this winter.

And he's used both sports to help further his education. Dillon plans to wrestle while studying at Lock Haven and recently earned a $5,000 scholarship from Hawghead Marine and Tackle for his accomplishments in fishing.

Just don't ask him to pick a favorite. Dillon hesitated when asked the question, and Lock Haven's proximity to the Susquehanna River means he'll be able to still fish on a recreational basis the next four years.

Those who know him think his time on the boat has made him better on the mat.

"When everybody else is getting worn down and tired (at the end of the season), he's still fresh," his father, Keith, said. "We didn't want him to specialize in one thing. It's always helped him to be well-rounded."

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How does competitive bass fishing work?

From a young age, Dillon gravitated toward outdoor activities like hunting and dirt biking.

He would fish for trout with his father in local creeks and ponds. They enjoyed it so much Keith bought a boat the pair would take on Lake Pinchot.

Wyatt had such a knack for it he eventually started competing in tournaments when he was 10. While some schools do have club fishing programs, Central York does not. Dillon and West York student Billy Pilgrim compete as a two-person team sponsored by Hawghead Marine and Tackle in northern York County. The tournaments are run by Pennsylvania's Bass Nation series.

Competitive bass fishing is different from casual fishing. There is no live bait like worms used to catch the fish. Instead, anglers use artificial lures and need to constantly cast them out about every 20 seconds.

The fishermen are allowed one adult captain — Keith serves as theirs — who runs the boat's main motor to get them out into the water while they control the quiet trolling motor to navigate for fish.

"It's not just sitting there watching your line," Keith Dillon said. "It's cast after cast. It's in the summer time in 90 degrees and humid. It's more taxing on the body than people realize.

"It's eight hours of grinding out there."

Scoring is based on the total weight of the biggest five fish caught by each team. Dillon said the biggest bass he's caught was close to six pounds.

He's never finished top two in a state championship to qualify for nationals but has one more chance this spring.

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Staying relaxed on the mat

As someone who enjoys being outdoors, Dillon found Lock Haven to be a perfect fit for college. He officially signed with the wrestling program Dec. 20.

The Eagles are a NCAA Division I team that is currently ranked No. 20 in the country. While Dillon will get "some help" financially from athletic scholarships, he is mostly playing for the nearly $8,000 per year tuition himself. The $5,000 scholarship he's earned from fishing will help significantly.

"A lot of parents specialize their kids in one sport. We didn't want to do that but then you have the fear that you've held him back from being exceptional at one thing," Keith said. "He's handled it well to do two things at a pretty high level."

This season has a chance to be special for both Dillon and the Central York. The Panthers have never won a YAIAA division title but are off to an undefeated start and already beat local juggernaut Spring Grove for the first time in program history.

Dillon is 7-4 at 152 pounds but has typically started slow while coming off fishing season. He started 8-4 last year and ended up earning a sectional title and winning two matches at the state tournament.

His next goals are improving on his fourth-place finish at districts and earning the first state medal of his career.

"We've put our leaders like him in positions of added stress where we need them to go above and beyond and get a (pin)," Central York head coach Eric Albright said. "That can be tough. But we've trained them so they're ready to go to Hershey in March."

If Dillon is feeling any pressure about reaching those goals, he doesn't show it. He carries himself with a laidback demeanor that his teammates envy. Returning District 3 champion Eli Long joked he would love to join Dillon on a fishing boat if he wasn't so committed to wrestling.

"I just go out there and have fun," Dillon said when asking about his mindset. "Just block everything out and do the job I came here to do."

Matt Allibone is a sports reporter for GameTimePA. He can be reached at 717-881-8221, mallibone@ydr.com or on X at @bad2theallibone.

This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: Central York wrestler Wyatt Dillon also a championship fisherman