Angelina Spachman was her best when it mattered most.

The Parkland junior wrestled well enough to place at third at both districts and regionals and to advance to last weekend’s state championships in Hershey’s Giant Center.

Then she had the best outing of her career on Pennsylvania high school wrestling’s biggest stage, taking second place last week in the 142-pound weight class to earn a PIAA silver medal.

“Going into states she was the Angie we knew all season,” said Parkland head coach Anthony Shave. “She didn’t care who was on the other side. She just went hard. All year long she would go out and there and rumble. That’s her super power. No matter who she is up against she’s going to go out there and brawl.”

Spachman opened the state tournament with an 8-3 win over Dallastown’s Avery Baldwin then pinned Abigail Dolanch (Avelia) in quarterfinals. She pulled out a 4-1 sudden victory win in semifinals to reach the state title bout where she met two-time defending state champ Zoey Haines (Gettysburg).

Haines earned her third straight state title and wrapped up a 102-win career when she pinned Spachman in the title bout.

Spachman, who wrestled at Northwestern Lehigh last season, was 39-6 in her first season as a Trojan and made her first trip to the state championships.

Parkland teammate Ella Hesener also competed in Hershey and came away with a state medal.

Hesener, who has been battling a shoulder injury all postseason, suffered an elbow injury during her first state bout, but she battled through both setbacks.

“I told her at this point in her career there’s no shame in defaulting in the eighth-place match and taking the medal,” said Shave. “She refused. That’s how tough she is.”

Hesener had already secured the eight-place medal, but she declined to forfeit her final bout and decided the end of her high school career would take place on the mat. She was pinned in the eight-place match before picking up her fourth state medal.

Hesener won her first bout last Thursday by a 21-5 technical before falling in Friday’s 100-pound quarterfinal bout. She pinned her first consolation opponent Friday then dropped a bout Saturday in the fourth round of consolations, which put her in the eighth-place match.

Hesener finishes her high school career as a two-time league champ, two-time district medalist, two-time regional champ and four-time state medalist. She became Parkland’s first girls 100-win wrestler in 2025.

Three other Parkland wrestlers competed in the tournament last weekend, with all three going 0-2 against the best competition in the state.

Sophomore Lizkarla Grullon Vasquez (190) competed at states. Shave said she’s one of the most improved wrestlers on the team this year.

After going 14-13 as a freshman, she posted a 25-13 mark this year. She finished as a District 11 runner up before taking fourth at regionals this winter.

Sophomore Lily Snook (106) also made her first trip to the state championships last weekend. After winning leagues and districts as a freshman, she didn’t place at regionals in 2024.

This season Snook took second and districts and fourth at regionals to qualify for states.

Junior Saige Rittenhouse (112) made her first trip to Hershey for the state tournament. As freshman she competed in states before it was a PIAA sport and held in conjunction with the boys tournament in Hershey.

Rittenhouse was a district and regional runner up this season to earn her place at in the state championships.

She posted a 25-11 record and after going 19-10 as a sophomore.

Those three and Spachman will look to return to Hershey next season. It’s a tough place for any wrestler to have success in their first trip. Compared to other tournaments, it’s a whole different world.

“It’s like an episode of The Twilight Zone,” said Shave. “That’s how different it is.”

With all four state qualifiers returning to the team next season, and some new talent coming up from the junior high ranks, Shave expects his team will take a step forward.

Shave was named Pennsylvania girls coach of the year after the 2023-24 season when his team crowned three state medalists. Parkland took a hit from graduation in spring and Shave was prepared for a rebuilding season this past winter.

The Trojans reloaded instead of rebuilt and exceeded their coach’s expectations. Now the team is primed to make even more noise next season.