Northwestern’s Dalton Clymer and Lucas Miller both made their first trip to the state wrestling championships last weekend. And both Tigers saw their tournaments come to an end on their first day competition at the Giant Center in Hershey.

Clymer fell to Grove City’s Hunter Hohman 9-4 in the first round of consolations at 152 pounds, while Miller dropped a 5-2 decision to John Wagner of Reynolds in his 172-pound match.

Hohman led 7-0 entering the third period before Clymer mounted a comeback.

Clymer got a takedown and two back points midway through the third period to cut the deficit to 7-4.

“He got himself back in the match,” Tiger head coach Jim Moll said of Clymer. “He just didn’t have it at the end.”

Hohman hung tough, and got another reversal with 0:21 left to seal it.

Clymer suffered a 3-2 loss to Eisenhower’s Gannon Jaquay in his 152-pound preliminary match.

Clymer got the first takedown to take a 2-0 lead in the first period.

Jaquay responded with an escape and takedown in the second period.

After winning a district title a year ago, Clymer advanced past regionals to states for the first time this year.

“You hope that it gives him a little bit of motivation for next year, a little bit of hunger,” said Moll. “You’re out here once, you’re used to it. Maybe next time it’s a little bit different for him. Getting the experience in is important. Hopefully, we can build on that for next year.”

Miller fell 1-0 in his preliminary match at 172 pounds against Bald Eagle’s Caleb Close, who used an escape in the third period to seal the win.

In his consolation match, Wagner got three near fall points near the end of the second period to go ahead 3-0.

After a Wagner escape, Miller cut it to 4-2 with a takedown with 0:55 left.

But Wagner got another escape, and hung on for the win.

“His goal was to get out here, and he checked that box,” said Moll. “Next goal is to get a win here. He wrestled much better in the second match than the first match.

“Hopefully, it opens his eyes to how good of a wrestler he is, and next year he comes in with the confidence that he’s top three, and not just here. Sometimes you have to lose some of these matches to learn that you’re there, and you can win them. Hopefully that’s what this was for him.”