The Norwin Knight wrestlers flew through their season this year, with six individuals reaching the PIAA state regionals on March 7-9, where freshman Landon Sidun captured a gold medal at 114, senior Nathan Campbell placed fifth at 189, and sophomore Josephine Dollman placed fifth at 142. Sidun was Norwin’s second-ever PIAA 3A state champion along with Kurtis Phipps now at Bucknell and is a top-ranked wrestler at 114 in the country. Josephine Dollman was Norwin’s first-ever girls’ PIAA medalist for wrestling.
“What motivates me is trying to be the best I can be,” said Landon Sidun. “I like to see how far I can go, and I wouldn’t want to do it if I was just like everyone else, I want to be different. When I won the gold medal, it was really cool and it’s kind of like everything that we did all year paid off. It showed that all the work mattered.”
After the team finished out their WPIAL season, individual wrestlers Nathan Campbell and Landon Sidun advanced to PIAA brackets for the boys and Lady Knight wrestlers Josephine Dollman, Karsyn Champion, Octavia Walker, and Abigail Hewitt, advanced to the PIAA State Regionals in Hershey. They advanced from the WPIAL tournament, where Nathan Campbell and Landon Sidun placed second in their brackets, Josephine Dollman and Karsyn Champion placed first, Octavia Walker placed second, and Abigail Hewitt placed fourth. This performance was one of the most impressive in Norwin wrestling history, with four state qualifiers for the girls and two for the boys.
At the state PIAA tournament at Hershey, freshman Karsyn Champion, who has only been wrestling since October, made it past the first round in one of the hardest weight classes to succeed in, 170. Junior Abigail Hewitt and freshman Octavia Walker came short of their goals but still fought hard. On the other hand, Josephine Dollman was the first-ever girls PIAA state-medalist for wrestling at Norwin, placing fifth. Landon Sidun placed first at 114, the first-ever Norwin Wrestler to place first at the state PIAA tournament.
“Campbell and Sidun were able to get so far because they bought in to our system, bought in to our work ethic and the got the rewards of that work,” Coach Kyle Martin said. “Aiden Pham had a great season as well and just found himself in one of the toughest weight classes in the state. Landon became Norwin’s second-ever State Champion wrestler largely due to his buy in to our system all year. On Saturday, he won a state title and Monday was back on the mat working out!”
History was made at the PIAA tournament with three placers and six people who made it to states in general, and everyone involved is very proud of themselves and excited for what is to come.
“I feel all the hours spent in practice plays a big part in how far I’ve come,” freshman Karsyn Champion said. “Not only am I going to all the Norwin practices, but also going to multiple practices a day. To get all the extra hours in and to make sure all the hours turn into something great.”
Sophomore Josephine Dollman competed in one of the most difficult weights in the PIAA at 142. Dollman was the first girl from Norwin to place at the PIAA and plans to work harder and pave the way for other girls to follow.
“I had come off of an injury in early December and one of my first tournaments back I had to forfeit due to pain,” Dollman said. “I talked it out with one of our coaches and took some time to just practice. When I competed again I ran through my bracket and realized I had what it takes to place at states.”
While Dollman, Sidun, Walker, Champion, and Hewitt will be preparing for next season at Norwin, senior Nathan Campbell will be preparing to go to the Naval Academy and wrestle for the Navy Wrestling Team after high school.
“I had a goal of placing at states and I worked every day to achieve that goal,” Campbell said. “I am looking forward to Wrestling at the Naval Academy for the Navy Wrestling Team.”
