HERSHEY - Tanner McHugh wanted to show that last year wasn't a coincidence.

Caleb Clymer wanted to demonstrate that he's healthy.

And Ryan Farber wanted to leave no doubt that he's ready.

The trio of Times News wrestlers checked all the boxes in opening the PIAA Championships with first round victories in the Class 2A tournament Thursday.

After McHugh's eighth place finish last year, the Tamaqua senior opened his run at another medal with a 5-4 decision over Ridgway's Lukas McClain in the 132-pound bracket.

"I feel good," said McHugh. "I knew I had to come in here and get a good warm-up in. Everybody here is good. I knew that last year, and I just wanted to come in and prove myself and that last year wasn't just a fluke, and I'm the real deal. So I feel great right now."

Despite being forced to forfeit his final three matches at last season's state tournament due to a hip injury, Clymer still placed sixth.

The Northwestern junior has been 100 percent this season, and it showed in an 8-4 first round win over Wyalusing's Josh Haley in his 152-pound bout.

"Well, everything hurt last year. It was a pain," Clymer said when asked of what's different this time around. "This year, it's a lot better. I would have liked to hit, it's not really like a switch, but you kind of go to stand up, and you almost mule kick that leg and kick him (Haley) off of you. I couldn't do that last year. If I would have done that, I would have just broken it.

"So that's just one move that I can hit now that I couldn't hit last year. So my movement's a little bit better. I feel a little bit smoother with my movement, it's not as robotic."

Farber, who also placed sixth at last year's PIAA Championships, has been dominant this postseason. The Northern Lehigh senior, coming off district and regional championships in back-to-back weeks, kept the roll going with a 10-4 decision against Iroquois' Joe Galvin his 160-pound contest.

"I felt like I wrestled a pretty good match," said Farber. "I was able to score a good amount of points. I felt sharp. I felt good. I scored on top and in every position. So overall, I'm pretty happy with my performance."

McHugh was tested. After building a 3-0 lead, McClain cut the deficit to 3-2 with an escape and a penalty point.

But McHugh never let it get any closer.

"It's good to get a full match in to get the wind up," said McHugh. "It's good to have those close matches because from here on out, there probably won't be many pins or large margin (of victory) matches.

"It's good to just get that good wind in. I just have to stay posed in those close matches. Even here, or at any tournament, there's kids that have that huge lead and they start slowing themselves down and then they're losing. So you just have to stay composed. I knew it could get tied up. But I just had to keep working on my shots and I just couldn't shut down."

Despite a fairly convincing win, Clymer knows he still has plenty to work on coming back for Friday's quarterfinals.

"I wrestled a solid three periods, but I was a little sloppy when he (Haley) got that takedown on me," said Clymer. "We were on the edge and I stopped (wrestling), which is a rookie mistake. And he capitalized very nicely on it. It was a nice shot.

"But to get three periods in and wrestle hard, it definitely … I got that first match out of my system. Nerves are still there but for the most part I've calmed down. We're out here and it was a good match to have on the first day."

After working through regionals by winning several close bouts, Farber was pleased to open the state tournament with a convincing victory, a trend he hopes will continue.

"If I control the pace of the match, the intensity of the match, I know I can beat anyone," said Farber. "I don't think anyone can keep up with my motor. So as long as I keep going, going, going, no one can beat me."

Three other area wrestlers are still alive in the consolation bracket.

Northwestern's Baily Wehr bounced back from 6-3 loss to Line Mountain's Cole Hauck in the first round by picking up an 8-0 major decision against Beth-Center's Jimmy Gwyer in the 120-pound bracket.

At 182 pounds, Palmerton's Jared Mooney rebounded from a 10-2 setback against Burrell's Anthony Marra in the first round. Mooney pinned Juniata's Garrett Gabel in 2:50 in the consolation bracket to stay alive.

"It was just big to get my confidence back after losing," said Mooney. "My self-esteem was down. But to just get a win like that … I'm motivated again, to keep going."

Northern Lehigh's Jason Schaffer fell 5-1 to North East's Jeffrey Kraemer in a 285-pound first round contest. But the Bulldogs' senior came back with a 3-1 overtime victory against Chartiers-Houston's Trey Lober to move on.

While six are still chasing a medal either in the quarterfinals or consolation bracket, the tournament ended for three other area grapplers Thursday.

Northwestern's Colin Rex lost his 132-pound preliminary bout, 6-0 to Line Mountain's Collin Klinger, and was eliminated following a 6-4 loss to Benton's Colton Babcock in a first round consolation match.

At 145 pounds, the Tigers' Jackson Bernhard dropped his preliminary bout, 9-5 to Line Mountain's Kenny Boyer. The Northwestern freshman was eliminated after an 8-5 setback in the consolation round to Milton's Logan Bennett.

Panther Valley's Hunter Kennedy came up short against Coudersport's Gage Arnold, 3-2, in his 160-pound first round match, The Panthers' junior was eliminated with a 5-0 loss to Penn Cambria's Derek Brown in the consolation bracket.

Action resumes Friday with quarterfinals and second round consolation matches at 9 a.m.