Central Dauphin’s Miller Gets Scared, Hits Five-Point Move Late to Reach Regional Semifinals

HERSHEY, Pa.: Central Dauphin’s Josh Miller felt his back hit the mat as he got freight-trained by Cedar Cliff’s Cole Baer.

It was demoralizing. Not only was it in the closing stages of the second period, it put him behind 4-3 heading into the final two minutes of his District 3-AAA Championship quarterfinal bout at 113.

That wasn’t what scared Miller. It was Rams head coach Jeff Sweigard jumping off the corner chair and letting him know about his displeasure.

But, the interaction might have been the best thing for Miller at that point. It got him focused for a third-period push and a five-point move in the closing stages to cap off a 9-6 victory at Hersheypark Arena.

“I just let it push me,” said Miller, who will wrestle Daniel Boone’s Gavin Richard in Saturday’s semifinal round. “It put the nerves in me to keep going. It was scary, him yelling at me.”

Miller was laughing describing Sweigard’s tongue lashing after the match, but he also knew his coach had a good reason.

Baer, the No. 18-ranked wrestler in the state according to PA Power Wrestling, scored on the same bull-rush double three times in less than four minutes. That put Miller behind and in jeopardy of losing a winnable bout.

“It pissed me off,” Sweigard chucked afterward. “He has a freight-train double, and he was timing us. Every time Josh backed up, he would stand, and boom.

“One time is fine. Two times is no good. Three times, and it’s going to piss me off. He got doubled three times.”

Luckily, it didn’t cost Miller the match.

Baer scored early on the first double. Miller, who is ranked 23rd in the state, was fortunate to avoid back points and countered with a nifty reversal to even the match at 2 going to the second period.

Miller escaped in the second before Baer unleashed another double and took a one-point lead to the final two-minute stanza.

The wrestlers were in neutral to start the period. Baer scored again on a double, which drew Sweigard’s ire a second time and made it 6-3.

But, Miller is scrappy and kept coming after his opponent. Baer appeared to have the CD sophomore in a compromising position, but Miller used a chin whip to get Baer off balance and drop him to his back.

The move stunned Baer, who was wearing ice on his shoulder after the match. Miller scored five points and took the 9-6 decision.

“I was kind of scared, funked around, and just scrapped,” Miller said. “This is great. He’s a senior and really good wrestler.

“I was nervous going into it, and I knew it was going to be a good match. This gives me a lot of confidence moving forward.”

Said Sweigard, “He doesn’t quit. He will be getting beat 14-0, and he keeps coming. Sometimes, you’ve got to have a little bit of luck, and he fell just right and got some momentum.”