The 2021-2022 wrestling season ended for three of Emmaus’ best grapplers last week at the PIAA Individual Wrestling Championships held at Giant Center in Hershey, Pa.

Nick Velde (138), Jared Groller (215) and Trevor Gitksi (285) battled against some of the best wrestlers Pennsylvania has to offer in their high school swan songs.

Velde and Gitski won their preliminary matches to advance the tournament’s championship first round. Velde dismissed Garnet Valley’s Daniel Husain, 3-1. Gitski dismantled Perkiomen Valley’s Cole Euker in a 9-1 major decision victory. The championship ride came to a crashing halt when both young men were pinned in their next matches - Velde at 2:19 by State College’s Pierson Manville, and Gitski in 1:09 by Gettysburg’s Trevor Gallagher.

The consolation second round was no better for either Velde or Gitsk as both were dismissed from tournament competition. Velde lost a major decision to Manheim Township’s Aliazer Alicea 0-8, and Gitski was pinned in 4:06 by Butler’s Jacob Pomykata.

Groller lost his preliminary battle to Council Rock North’s Aden Roe in a 0-15 technical fall at the 3:36 mark. It didn’t get any better in the consolation first round for Groller, as he lost in a 4-19 technical fall at 3:07 to Wilson West Lawn’s Ryan McMillan.

Each wrestler had fine seasons and careers - Velde earned a 33-8 record in ‘21-’22, ending his high school career with an 85-36 mark. Had his junior season not been shortened because of COVID, Velde would have likely joined the list of 100-win Hornets. Groller, who also would have had a shot at the century mark if not for the pandemic, went 30-9 this year and finished his Hornet career at 76-34. Gitski ended this year at 30-12 and 49-25 overall.