It could be a big weekend in Hershey for the Keesecker and Kolesar families.
They are the first brother/sister duos to compete in the PIAA wrestling championships, which begin Thursday at Giant Center. The tournament runs through Saturday.
Mason Keesecker and Kaila Keesecker are from Derry, and Asher Kolesar and Anaiah Kolesar are from Northern Bradford.
The brother and sister combos are hoping for gold. They also want to have fun.
Mason Keesecker, a freshman, will be competing in the Class 2A 107-pound weight class, while Kaila Keesecker, a sophomore, is competing in the girls 118-pound weight class.
Mason was a WPIAL champion and PIAA Southwest Regional runner-up. He played a key role in helping Derry win its first WPIAL team title.
“I am looking forward to the tournament and having my sister there,” Mason Keesecker said. “I must wrestle free, get to my attack and go out and have fun.”
Kaila added: “I am excited that we made it together. I wanted to do it with him. I look up to him in wrestling.”
Mason Keesecker (44-8) finished second to Chestnut Ridge freshman Kooper Deputy at the Southwest Regional.
He said he is looking forward to competing at the Giant Center.
Derry coach Troy Dolan Jr. said he does not think the big stage will bother his freshman.
“The state tournament is a lot different than Powerade, Super 32 and Fargo,” Dolan said. “But they all have worked hard, and they want to get on the podium. I want them to go out and have fun and be aggressive.”
Mason Keesecker added: “We wrestled on plenty of big stages, and those have prepared us for this. It shows I am ready. I want to win a state title.”
Kaila Keesecker (29-10) wants to finish top three or as state champion.
“I worked harder this season,” Keesecker said after failing to qualify for states as a freshman. “My brother and the Olsons (Cam and Ewan) push me a lot to be better.
“Ewan told me to have fun and hang out with your teammates.”
The Keeseckers began wrestling at an early age. Mason was 4, and Kaila was 6.
“I was going to practice and working out,” Kaila Keesecker said. “I decided to give it a shot. It was a good decision.”
Kaila is a two-time WPIAL runner-up and placed second at the PIAA West Regional to Canon-McMillan junior Marlee Solomon.
Kaila will meet Quakertown’s Mackenzie Gappa in her first match.
Mason Keesecker, who will face St. Marys’ Max Jovenetti in the first round, hopes to enjoy the experience.
“It has been an amazing season and a lot of fun,” he said. “This is a special team. Everyone wants to win, and everyone wants to do good. The coaches have done a good job to push.
“The coach tells us not to worry about anything at states, just go out and have fun.”
Dolan said he and his staff have all they could to prepare the team for the state tournament.
Derry is taking eight boys and two girls to Hershey.
Joining the Keeseckers are Patrick Bulger (114), Cam Olson (133), Ryan McNeal (139), William McNeal (145), Ewan Olson (160), Mason Horwat (172), Brady Brown (189) and Maizy Mikeska (130).
“I am not totally surprised about our success,” Dolan said. “The goal was to get them to state tournament and compete.
“I told them they must expect a grind and battle. We are in a difficult state and difficult classification. We did our best to get them prepared throughout the season.”