Storm at PAISSA duals

Confidence and determination defined the Storm wrestling team’s performance at the PAISAA Duals Tournament on Saturday, January 24, at Westtown School, as the team faced tough competition. The Storm finished sixth overall at the tournament, a result that reflected steady progress this season and provided both reassurance and motivation moving forward.

“Overall, the team is doing pretty well this season. We placed second at Gilman Duals, which was a big contrast to last year,” said George Greer ’28. “We lost in the final against the number one team in Maryland, Gilman School.” That achievement set the tone for PAISAA, even as the competition intensified.

“Going into my matches, I felt confident and that my hard work would pay off,” said Nick Rosenberry ’28, reflecting the team’s overall mindset heading into the duals. “In my matches, my neutral wrestling felt like it was working the best,” he said.

While the duals presented challenges, wrestlers pushed through during difficult moments. “The toughest moment of my match was when I got taken down, but I handled it by not giving up and by continuing to try different moves to recover,” Rosenberry said.

The team’s collective effort was highlighted by several standout matches. “Really, all of us won consecutive matches to bring the team together, but Ethan Shirk and Nick Rosenberry both had great performances against really hard opponents,” said Greer. “PAISAA was a tough environment, but we stayed focused match to match and didn’t let early losses affect how we competed.”

Ethan Shirk ’27 added, “The team’s been doing alright so far this season. We’re a little weak compared to last year’s team after losing a few solid guys.” Still, he found success individually, noting, “My handfighting, fakes, and shots were working well for me, and my teammates wrestled hard at duals, so I am happy.”

“Moving forward, we will start to focus on what the majority of the team struggled with, getting us prepared for this week,” Shirk said.

Head coach Justin Lorson  added, “The team has been trending all season, and everyone is getting more confident.” 

Assistant coach Benjamin Ogden added, “The wrestlers adjusted well throughout the duals, especially after setbacks. Their willingness to keep competing and support one another between matches is great. I was happy with their performance.”

For Rosenberry, the tournament served as a reality check and a motivator. “From competing in this meet, I learned that there’s more work to be done and my potential seeding for states,” he said. “By my performance, I’m motivated to hone in on my skills and to get as many reps in at practice as I can to prepare for competition.”

As the season continues, the PAISAA Duals marked another step forward for a team focused on growth, resilience, and preparation for what is next, which will be their next meet on Saturday, January 31.