HERSHEY - For as much as Lehighton’s Aidan Gruber and Northern Lehigh’s Matt Frame enjoyed their victories on the opening day of the PIAA Wrestling Championships, the pair also recognized their was still work to be done.

After scoring wins in the preliminary round – their first ever at the state tournament – Gruber and Frame both were looking to reset and regroup after falling in the first round on Thursday.

Gruber was pinned in the first round by Saegertown’s Hunter Robison in 1:59, while Frame was pinned in 4:51 by Wyalusing’s Nick Woodruff in the first round at 215 pounds.

It was a bump in the road. Not the end of it.

“I knew I couldn’t win them all,” said Gruber. “But just because I lost, there’s no reason I’m not going to keep doing the best that I can.”

After a 7-5 win over Chestnut Ridge’s Brock Holderbaum in his 113-pound preliminary match, the sophomore ran into a roadblock in Robison.

“He wrestled well in the time he was out on the mat,” said Indians’ head coach Floyd Brown. “He got caught in a cradle there at the end, almost made it through the period. I think if he makes it through the period, he scores some points on that kid.

“The goal was making it to the next day. Tomorrow’s a new day, and hopefully he gets a fresh start. You have to have a short memory, come back tomorrow and battle.”

Robison was the Northwest Regional champion, and entered the tournament with a 33-3 record. The senior was fifth at states last year.

“In the offseason, I’m going to have to lift weights,” said Gruber. “He was a little stronger than me. Just have to get bigger, get stronger, and have that mentality.”

Gruber will wrestle Saucon Valley’s Aiden Grogg in the second round of consolations. Grogg pinned Gruber in the district final, and posted a 12-0 victory over him last week at regionals.

“I just have to keep my head up, and keep moving forward, and try to see if I can make something work tomorrow,” said Gruber. “Just want to try to win two in a row, and get a medal.”

Frame led 3-2 after the first period in his match against Woodruff, the Northeast Regional champion, who came into states with a 35-1 record.

Woodruff got a reversal and two back points in the second period to build a 6-3 advantage, before Frame got a point when Woodruff was hit for locked hands to cut it to 6-4.

“He was throwing legs in, and I struggle with that,” said Frame. “But he deserves it, so it’s all good.

“I’m enjoying the experience. I love wrestling. It’s a great sport. Being able to wrestle for another day is definitely something I’m looking forward to, because I’m never going to be able to do it again.”

Frame rallied for a 7-6 win over Southmoreland’s Anthony Govern at 215 in his preliminary match.

Trailing 6-4 in the third period, Frame got an escape with 1:11 to go, and a takedown with 0:15 left.

“The first match was really important for me,” said Frame. “It set me up tomorrow much better than it would have if I had lost, so that was important.”

Frame will wrestle Saucon Valley’s Dante Mahaffey in his second round consolation match. Mahaffey previously topped Frame 8-3 at districts, and 7-4 at regionals.

Tigers eliminated

Northwestern’s Dalton Clymer and Lucas Miller saw their tournaments come to an end on the first day.

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,” Tigers’ 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 and (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.”

Action resumes today at 9 a.m. with quarterfinals and second round consolations. Third round consolations are set for 11:45 a.m.

The semifinals and fourth round consolations will take place at 7:30 p.m., followed by fifth round consolations at 9:30.