Boyer takes over new-look Midd-West

Things will look a lot different for the Midd-West boys wrestling program this season, but new coach Tye Boyer will apply the same love he has for the sport as he has in recent seasons as an assistant.

After spending four years as an assistant coach on the Mustangs’ staff, Boyer will lead a program that’s replacing its all-time wins leader in Matthew Smith. Despite graduating Smith, Midd-West is seeking to compete in a Heartland Athletic Conference-Division II that includes a loaded Montoursville team that’s coming off a banner 2024-25 season.

Boyer won a PIAA bronze medal for Indian Valley in District 6 during his senior year in 2009. Boyer then continued his wrestling career at the collegiate level at Elizabethtown.

“I wanted an opportunity to spread my knowledge and love of the sport throughout the Midd-West wrestling program,” Boyer, who’s leading an entirely new coaching staff, said. “Also, I appreciate having the chance to mentor student athletes and be a positive influence in their lives.”

Smith, who’s now wrestling at the Division I level at Clarion, left Middleburg with 161 wins and back-to-back fourth-place state medals during his junior and senior seasons.

Charley Paige, who went to Hershey with Smith last season, will return for his senior year. Paige finished 2-2 in his first trip to the Giant Center. Aside from Paige, regional qualifiers Mason Kerstetter and Lane Yount, and district qualifier Evan Maneval will also return for Midd-West.

Last season, Midd-West competed in the District 4 Class 2A dual tournament for the first time in 10 years. After they knocked off Lewisburg in the first round, the Mustangs dropped bouts to Line Mountain and Towanda to end their dual postseason.

Although the four other local HAC-II teams — Milton, Mount Carmel, Shamokin and Danville — aren’t returning any state qualifiers, they are looking to break that ceiling this season.

Milton is a bit more experienced this year despite dealing with some injuries during the fall sports season. The Black Panthers are returning nine starters, including senior Ty Locke. Locke, a senior who will compete at 133 pounds this season, qualified for regionals in each of his first two seasons before being eliminated in districts last year.

The Black Panthers will also be returning district qualifiers Aiden Twigg (133), Jordan Sassaman (139) and Gavin Whitenight (145). Senior Chase Lytle, who will compete at 160, is another experienced wrestler for Milton.

Mount Carmel has missed out on the last three district dual tournaments, but coach Sean McCollum is confident his group can make it this year. Lukas Carpenter and Brayden Mirarck, who both qualified for districts last year, will lead the Red Tornadoes once again.

Aside from Carpenter and Mirarck, McCollum expects Keegan Brown, Thomas Berezovskie, Gavin Kotzo, Evan Jones, Alex Lamas and Chance Swatski to be key contributors this year. Brown, a junior, is returning from an injury that kept him off the mats last season. Additionally, freshman Dominick Lentini, who won a Pennsylvania Junior Wrestling state championship last year, could make an impact at heavyweight.

Shamokin graduated two-time regional qualifier Chase Pensyl, who’s currently on the James Madison football team. Robert Whitmer, Shamokin’s other district qualifier from last year, is back at heavyweight.

Danville returns a pair of district qualifiers in juniors Kayvion Seabrook and Aiden George.

Montoursville is returning a slew of wrestlers from a team that placed sixth in the Class 2A standings at states. The Warriors also captured District 4 and Northeast Regional tournament titles.

The Warriors’ most notable returnee is three-time state medalist and West Virginia recruit Gage Wentzel, who lost in the 172 final last season. Montoursville’s other wrestlers with state-tournament experience are Teli Bobotas, Branden Eisenhour and Hayden Harvey.

Central Columbia is also competing in the HAC-II. The Blue Jays return a regional qualifier at 285 in Clayton Whitenight.