Mars Junior Jake Richardson Looks To Make History in Southwest Regional Finals

Last season’s ending left a sour taste in Jake Richardson’s mouth. In his sophomore season he lost in the consolation round and failed to place top four and earn a spot in Hershey.

A year later and the Mars junior is on the cusp of history in the Southwest Regional finals. If Richardson is able to capture the 160 pound title on Saturday night it would be the first in program history.

“It would be really big for our program” stated Richardson.

“Everyone at school, they’ve been cheering me on and getting hyped up to be the first one in history, so that’s what I’m going for.”

Coming in ranked #13 in the State by PA Power Wrestling Richardson took out PIAA State Medalist and #4 ranked Ty McGeary (West Allegheny) in the semifinals. It was a match he had been preparing for over the last several months. The two wrestled in the MAC Tournament finals in early January with McGeary winning a tight (4-3) bout. This time around – it wasn’t even close.

“I was hoping to get him in the semifinals and that’s what I got. For the past month, month and a half, that is literally all I have been training for.

I’ve been envisioning it in my mind. I kept thinking I was going to toss him in the first period and pin him.”

He nearly did that fifty seconds into the match taking McGeary down and getting him to his back to go up (5-0) early. He grabbed another point with an escape in the second period but McGeary answered with a takedown of his own to cut Richardson’s lead to (6-2) after a quick escape. 

In the third period McGeary took bottom which would end up being the wrong move. Ahead (7-2) Richardson was comfortable but wanted to keep pushing the pace.

“To start the third period I said to myself, let’s get this. I wanted to make that hole even bigger.”

That is preciously what Richardson did picking up a full set of back points, followed quickly by another two, closing out the dominant performance (12-2). 

The win over McGeary not only qualified him for his first PIAA State Championship, but took all the pressure off. 

“All the pressure is gone – I’m so pumped. I have been waiting for this for so long” a smiling Richardson said.

In the finals he will have another tall task in #3 Jack Blumer (Kiski Area) who qualified for his second straight PIAA State Tournament with a fall over Colby Morris (Waynesburg Central) in the semifinals. The two have never faced each other.

“Now that the pressure is off I will go back, take a break, come back and wrestle hard.”