POTTSVILLE - Tamaqua’s Nate Wickersham didn’t win gold at the PIAA Super Regional Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, but he got the next best thing - a trip to states.

Wickersham ended up with a silver medal in the East’s 2A 215-pound weight class. The senior will now load the van along with his coach Jimmy McCabe and head south down Interstate 81 in (the) quest of more wrestling glory this coming Friday.

The aptly named “Sweetest Place on Earth” - where Hershey whips up chocolate sweets - awaits Wickersham for the second straight season. But this time, he has to be considered a potential state champion, as he improved his overall season record to 22-2.

After whisking through his first two bouts with pins, Wickersham ran into Montoursville senior Dylan Bennett and dropped a 6-0 decision in the finals.

The tough and physical Bennett - who finished second at states a year ago - proved he’s tough to score against. And once you get behind, it’s hard to mount a comeback.

“He is such a good wrestler,” Wickersham said. “I got behind (4-0), but when he had the near fall that put me behind by six points, it was going to be tough to beat him. Down by four, I felt OK, but I made a mistake and he took advantage of it.”

Martz Hall hosted the first-ever Super Regional event, held because of COVID-19, and it couldn’t have started any better for Tamaqua’s top wrestler.

Wickersham was dynamite early in the day. In his first bout, he rang up a pin over freshman Ben Kline with time expiring in the second period. Wickersham seemed to be toying with the Berks Catholic wrestler after a 0-0 first period, and quickly scored in the second with an escape. Later in the period, he pounced on Kline driving him to the mat and slapped Kline’s shoulders for the pin.

“(Kline) is strong, and he knows how to defend,” said Tamaqua coach McCabe. “‘Wick’ stayed patient and he kept on pushing and pushing and it didn’t frustrate (Wickersham).”

Wickersham faced another challenge in the second bout against a dangerous and physical Zack Poust of Benton. Wickersham got out of the blocks early, though, taking a 2-0 lead on a takedown, and the advantage carried over into the second period.

Poust cut the margin, squiggling away for an escape point with 1:39 on the clock, and it was the only point he managed to gather.

In the third two-minute period, there was a stoppage of action when the time clock went out at the 1:33 mark. That happened just after Wickersham scored an escape to lead 3-1.

There was exactly a 19-minute delay until the match resumed and, in a New York City heartbeat, Wickersham pulled off a stunning pin to put him in the championship bout.

“We said by giving up no takedowns, we win this match.” said McCabe of the strategy to wrestle Poust.

Indeed, it was right on. And Wickersham held him at bay.

“I had my momentum going, I felt good and things were going good for me,” Wickersham said when asked about the delay. “I wasn’t gassed; I felt he was getting a little tired. I think it helped (Poust). I just stayed calm.”

Of course, Wickersham knew what was needed to reach Hershey.

“The goal was to win the first two and get to the (finals) and let it loose,” Wickersham said. “My goal was to go to states.”