A wrestler from Bucks County came out on top at a major championship match, with a teammate coming in second amongst the competition. Bill Rudick wrote about the for the PA Prep Live.

Collin Gaj of Quakertown High School captured gold at 145 pounds at the PIAA-3A Championships before a packed house at the Giant Center in Hershey on Saturday. Gaj beat the two-time state champion Mac Church of Waynesburg to capture the title. He also earned a spot in the finale with a 5-4 win over Matt Repos of Central Dauphin.

This victory makes Gaj the first Panther to ever reach the top of the podium.

“This is a year-round effort for Collin,” said Quakertown coach Kurt Handel. “He wrestled all summer, traveling all over the country. He came within seconds of reaching national finals in Fargo, and came away with a third place finish. He wants the competition.”

For Gaj, his win was the ultimate goal.

“This is the kind of match I wanted, and wanted to win,” he said. “I want to be the best, and to be the best you’ve got to beat the best.”

Meanwhile, other local competitors, Quakertown’s Mason Ziegler and Owen J Roberts’ Dillon Bechtold, failed in their championship bouts and had to settle for runners-up places.

Read more about Collin Gaj in the PA Prep Live.

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