YAIAA wrestling 2023-24 preview: Five storylines and 21 wrestlers to watch

The 2023-24 high school wrestling season began this past weekend. Most YAIAA teams started competition with tournaments, and league dual meets begin next week.

Here are five storylines and 21 YAIAA wrestlers to watch this winter

1. Can Central York finally win a division title?

The Panthers wrestling program has never won a York-Adams division title. That's not a typo. "It's hard to believe," head coach Eric Albright acknowledged. Indeed, wrestling is the only sport the school hasn't won a division title in. But that could end this year. Central York brings back 10 starters and a trio of district contenders from a squad that finished second to Spring Grove last season. The Panthers actually won the team race over the Rockets at the sectional championships.

Spring Grove still brings back eight starters and seems to reload on a yearly basis. Red Lion and New Oxford had winning records a year ago. South Western has a new coach with Jeremy Ault taking over for Nate Murren. Dallastown will look to bounce back in its second year under coach Dan Thoman.

But Central seems to be the clear favorite. Spring Grove hosts the Panthers on Dec. 13 in what could be an early championship match.

2. Is this the start of something special at Eastern York?

The Golden Knights won a division title for the first time in 23 years last season. It seemingly came out of nowhere after they went 3-12 the previous season. But in reality longtime coach Dan Garner and his staff had been building up the junior high program for years. It paid off as six freshmen made the starting lineup last season, and Eastern finished 20-7 and won a dual in the District 3 team tournament.

Now the Knights bring back 12 of 13 starters. Is this the start of a special run of team success? York Suburban brings back six starters including a couple of District 3's top competitors. But Eastern still has to be the favorite and will look to qualify some wrestlers for the state tournament after coming up short in that area last season.

3. Is Bermudian back to being Bermudian?

Death, taxes and Bermudian Springs winning the YAIAA Division III wrestling title. It was one of the easiest bets you could make in YAIAA sports for over a decade — with the Eagles winning 12 straight titles from 2010 to 2021. But Biglerville ended the streak in 2022 and the two teams split the crown last year as the Eagles finished 12-9.

Is this the year the Eagles get back to their dominant ways? They bring back 11 starters from last season and have plenty of depth like the great Bermudian teams of the past. But they do have some early injuries to shake off, and their wrestlers are still learning how to win after a first-round exit to Biglerville in the team tournament last season.

The Canners have graduated five starters and have a new head coach with 2016 grad Nate Newberry taking over for for Ken Haines. They will likely remain Bermudian's biggest competition in the league.

4. Will any wrestlers compete for state titles?

Biglerville's Levi Haines won a Class 2A state title in 2021, but the last York County grapplers to finish first in the state were Kennard-Dale's Chance Marsteller and Hanover's Ian Brown in 2014. Dover's Mason Leiphart in 2022 is the only York County wrestler to make the Class 3A finals since then — though Bermudian Springs' Austin Clabaugh and Chase Dull also finished second in 2017 and 2018 in Class 2A, respectively.

If a wrestler from the league is going to earn state gold this year, another Adams County grappler might be the best bet. Bermudian Springs sophomore Hayden Yacoviello-Andrus went 45-6 and took third at 127 pounds in Class 2A as a freshman.

There are two returning state medalists from York County, Central York's Eli Long (eighth place at 139 pounds) and Spring Grove's Michael Hershey (seventh at heavyweight).

5. Girls' wrestling finally becomes an official sport

It's an exciting time for one of the country's fastest-growing sports. There are 185 schools in Pennsylvania with girls' wrestling programs — well over the required mark of 100. For the first time, girls' will compete at an official PIAA championships at Hershey's Giant Center alongside the boys from March 7 to March 9.

There are six YAIAA schools with official programs — Spring Grove, South Western, Dallastown, York Suburban, Kennard-Dale and Red Lion. Gettysburg and Northern York also have teams. For those squads, this season feels both new and familiar. Some of their wrestlers competed the past couple of seasons but now have more teammates and don't have to solely train with the boys' team. For example, South Western has seven returning starters but also six new freshmen joining the program.

Girls' teams will compete in a mix of tournaments and dual meets against other schools (mostly in District 3) that have started girls' teams. Dallastown is hosting a varsity and JV tournament this Saturday that will feature 25 schools, including all of the YAIAA programs. Over 300 wrestlers are expected to participate.

'I'm a pioneer:' Female wrestlers reflect on the journey as sport nears official status

YAIAA wrestlers to watch in 2023-24

Justin Adams, York Suburban, sr.

He went 34-6 and took sixth at the District 3 Class 3A tournament at 107 pounds. He has 70 career wins and has opened this season at 114 pounds.

Tyler Adams, York Suburban, sr.

Adams went 35-4 last year and won a District 3 Class 3A title at 127 pounds. He came one win short of a state medal. The Navy commit has 90 careers wins and has started this season at 139 pounds.

Chase Amspacher, Spring Grove, so.

Amspacher went 23-14 and took second at the sectional tournament at 160 pounds as a freshman.

Davina Crump, South Western, sr.

Crump went 17-3 and took third at 190 pounds at the MyHouse Girls State Championships last season.

Reece Daniels, Bermudian Springs, jr.

Daniels went 29-12 and took fourth at the District 3 Class 2A tournament at 133 pounds last season. He has 51 career wins after two seasons.

Carter Davis, Central York, sr.

Davis went 35-8 last season and won his second sectional title. He finished fifth at the District 3 tournament at 152 pounds while competing with a fractured hand. The former state qualifier has 79 career wins and has opened this season at 160 pounds.

Wyatt Dillon, Central York, sr.

The Lock Haven commit went 39-11 and qualified for Class 3A states with a fourth-place finish at districts last season. Dillon has 79 career wins and has opened this season at 152 pounds.

Isaiah Feeney, Dallastown, sr.

Feeney went 35-6 last season and took second at the sectional tournament at 172 pounds. He has 76 career wins and has opened this season still at 172 pounds.

Natalie Handy, South Western, sr.

Handy went 15-1 and won a state silver medal at 100 pounds at the MyHouse Girls State Championships last season.

Kayla Henderson, South Western, sr.

Henderson went 14-2 and took second in the state at 235 pounds at the MyHouse Girls State Championships last season.

Michael Hershey, Spring Grove, sr.

The Maryland football commit went 42-7 last season and won a seventh-place Class 3A state medal at heavyweight. He has 68 career wins.

Elijah Hewitt, Northeastern, jr.

Hewitt went 32-8 last season and won a sectional title and took fourth at the District 3 Class 3A tournament at 121 pounds. He qualified for the state tournament. He enters this season at 127 pounds.

Harris Kears, Central York, jr.

Kears went 30-12 last season and took third at sectionals at 107 pounds. He's bumped up to 114 pounds to start this season.

Eli Leiphart, Dover, sr.

The senior went 18-9 but took second at the sectional tournament at 114 pounds. He's bumped up to 127 pounds.

Eli Long, Central York, sr.

Long went 39-11 last year and captured a District 3 Class 3A title at 139 pounds. He finished eighth at the state tournament. He has 87 career wins and enters this season at 145 pounds.

Cameron Mingee, Littlestown, sr.

Mingee went 35-8 last season and qualified for Class 2A states for the second straight year after a fifth-place finish at regionals. He competed at 139 pounds last year but enters this season at 152.

Joey Ney, Biglerville, sr.

Ney went 36-15 last season and qualified for Class 2A states at 145 pounds by taking sixth at regionals. He has 74 career wins and started this season at 152 pounds.

Jackson Orrell, Red Lion, jr.

Orrell went 23-9 and won took second at the sectional tournament at 121 pounds last season.

Tanner Rock, Littlestown, jr.

Rock went 35-7, won a sectional title and took third at the District 3 Class 2A tournament last season. He's remained at 172 pounds this year.

Cole Staker, Eastern York, so.

Perhaps the top wrestler from Eastern York's loaded but young roster. He went 26-10 and won a sectional title while taking sixth at the District 3 Class 2A tournament at 189 pounds last season.

Hayden Yacoviello-Andrus, Bermudian Springs, so.

The notorious HYA went 45-6 and took third in the state in Class 2A at 127 pounds last season. He enters his sophomore season at 133 pounds and will hope to win his first District 3 title and make another run at a state title.

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: YAIAA wrestling 2023-24: Five storylines and 21 wrestlers to watch