The Pennsylvania Junior Wrestling Junior High State Championships took place right here at the Cambria County War Memorial over the weekend. Hundreds of people showed up to the event.
The tournament has been around since 1963 and bolsters the local economy. An estimated three thousand people filter through the area over the span of the competition.
“It’s great for the community," said George LeGrand, Tournament Chairman. "We fill the hotels. We fill the restaurants and we’re glad that we can do it. We fight hard to keep it here, we have to bid it every two years and we’ve been lucky enough that now we’re going to be here throughout 2027.”
The event provides an opportunity for local junior wrestlers to show their abilities and compete in a very demanding and competitive environment.
“These are the best junior high wrestler in Pennsylvania," said LeGrand. "We have fourteen areas in Pennsylvania and we have area tournaments and then we bring the top four from each of those areas so that gives us fifty-six wrestlers. So, you have the fifty-six best wrestlers from Pennsylvania coming here and we pair them down to the best eight. To get a medal here it’s a big accomplishment and to get a gold medal is a huge accomplishment.”
Organizers highlight that wrestling is one of the most accessible sports for kids as it doesn’t require as much space or equipment as other athletics.
“A lot of schools have wrestling that don’t have football and basketball because wrestling doesn’t take a lot of space a lot of time or things so a lot of local kids you’ll see these kids that they go to college," said LeGrand. "We have wrestlers come through here that we see not only go to college and be successful they go on to be professional.”
Haley Smarsh is a 13-year-old Wrestler from the Moon Area School District and has been training for over eight years. She won last year’s state championships.
“It’s not an easy sport," said Smarsh. "You have to put a lot of time and work into it It’s not like a thing where you can just show up to some practices a week. You have to be there every single day and you have to participate. Like no off days you always have to be there.”
Tanner Guenot is also a wrestler that has been training for eight years. He emphasizes how demanding wrestling but also the incredible amount of discipline it teaches young people.
“Wrestling helps you a lot throughout life," said Guenot. "Not only in just the sport but it’s great for you. It teaches you hard work and how to be consistent.”
Follow the Pennsylvania Junior Wrestling page for further updates.
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