McGill takes third in national tourney

   Jared McGill continues to prove he belongs among the best wrestlers in Pennsylvania, and the entire nation.
   McGill's latest achievement is a third-place medal at the NHSCA Junior Nationals this weekend in Virginia Beach. The Chestnut Ridge star has now finished third at 170 pounds in each of the past two years.
   He finished the event off this morning with an 8-2 decision over Troy Fisher of Kansas in the third-place bout. That avenged a 4-2 loss to Fisher in the quarterfinals. Fisher is a Kansas state champion from one of that state's top programs, Goddard High School, and is being recruited by Oklahoma State among others.
   Today's win over Fisher came after another eye-opening victory for McGill, a 6-5 consolation triumph over Susquehanna Township's Edmond Ruth, who won his second straight PIAA Class AA title two weeks ago at 170. Ruth also won the 160-pound bracket at the Sophomore Nationals last March.
   Not only did McGill beat Ruth, he had to rally from a 5-1 deficit to do so, which included the winning points in the final 20 seconds of the bout. The two were at different weights in the Pennsylvania postseason. As mentioned, Ruth became a two-time champ, while McGill competed at 160 and placed third in Hershey for his third state medal.
   "I felt like I had an awesome tournament," he said. "I beat some tough kids this weekend. I feel like I stepped up my game and redeemed myself from a tough quarterfinal match. Beating that same kid for third place feels great."
   Everett's Garret Cornell, third in the state at 126 earlier this month, also went to the Junior Nationals and posted a 4-2 record at that same weight.