HERSHEY — There’s a song that says the waiting is the hardest part.
Tom Petty did not have the PIAA girls wrestling tournament in mind when he sang it, but it is nevertheless true for Moon’s Haley Smarsh.
Smarsh had no problem recording her 13th consecutive pin Thursday afternoon at Giant Center, a victory that took just 53 seconds against Chloe Meador of Northeastern, to advance into Friday’s 130-pound quarterfinals.
But having nearly a full day before wrestling in those quarterfinals? That’s excruciating.
“It’s nerve-wracking, having these four matches spread over three days,” said Smarsh.
Nineteen other WPIAL wrestlers qualified for the quarterfinals with first-round victories.
Smarsh had open support for at least one of them. After recording a first-round pin in 3:23 against Ava Dietrich of Spring Grove, Plum’s Saphia Davis received a high-five from Smarsh, her fellow competitor in the 130-pound bracket.
The 142-pound quarterfinals also will have a strong WPIAL flavor.
In the first round, Ava Golding of Kiski Area pinned Martyna Bonning of Wyoming Area in 1:23, Josephine Dollman of Norwin pinned Brylee London of Curwensville in 25 seconds and Grace Nasman of Upper St. Clair won by an 8-3 score over Shu Hyra Ali of Milton.
Derry’s Kaila Keesecker, meanwhile, won her 118-pound match 6-1, matching a victory by her brother Mason in the earlier Class 2A boys session.
Zoey Murphy of Southmoreland won her 235-pound contest 13-2 over Samara Bailey of Crestwood.
Isla Silva of Mt. Lebanon advanced with a pin against Nevaeh Colon of Wilson Area in 1:52 in the 112-pound first round. Silva is a freshman but was scarcely fazed by being in her first PIAA match.
“I just try to keep it a regular match. Not a big deal,” Silva said. “I may try to watch my next opponent a little bit and see what she does. But mostly I’ll just stay calm.”
Other Mt. Lebanon wrestlers to make the final eight included Paige Jox and Camilla Hathaway. Jox pinned Alara Quickel of Clearfield in 1:48 of her 148-pound bout, and Hathaway pinned Bailee Scott of Bellefonte in 54 seconds at 155.
Pine-Richland and Canon-MacMillian were the only other WPIAL schools with multiple wrestlers in the quarterfinals.
Aariona Strader posted a 12-3 major decision win for Pine-Richland at 124 against Valerie Bustillo of Hazelton. Giada Campanella recorded at pin in 1:18 against Maddison Miller of Honesdale at 148.
Canon-McMillan’s Marlee Solomon, who won the state title at 112 last year, won her first-round 118-pound match with a tech fall, 15-0 in 1:11, against Grace Murphy of Council Rock. Teammate Araceli Clem won 9-1 over Ava Montes of Cumberland Valley in the 100-pound bracket.
Montour’s Kristen Walzer, who recorded three pins to take the West Regional title, had a pin in 52 seconds to win her 100-pound first-round bout against Isabella Martinez of Lebanon.
Blythe Letters of Shaler defeated Peyton Schneck of Parkland, 5-0, at 106.
Anna Duncan of South Park recorded a takedown with 40 seconds left for a 2-0 victory over Chloe Stiles of United at 124.
Laurel’s Maggie Alfera won at 136 with a 15-0 tech fall against Goldie Hart of North Penn in 4:08.
At 190, Liliana Giulianelli of Peters Township won over Liz Karla Grullon-Vasquez of Parkland, 5-1.
Burgettstown’s Raya Sentipal won her 112-pound match by forfeit when her opponent missed weight.
Though out of the running for the championship bout, several other WPIAL wrestlers won an opening-round consolation match after dropping their first-round contest to stay in the hunt for a medal.
In 106, Ella Trahan of Fort Cherry pinned Wallenpaupack’s Rosa Sanclementi in 42 seconds to stay in it. Also, Malia Ramos of Canon-McMillan pinned Aliza Brambley of Bedford in 2:19.
Another member of the Big Macs, Yunuen Ayala, pinned Trinity’s Adyson Vogelsong in 4:52 to stay in the 124 consolation bracket.
At 130, Sydney Laboon of Upper St. Clair earned a tech fall against Aubrey Rebuck of Shikellamy with a 16-1, 4:28 decision.
Two more wrestlers stayed alive in 136. Avella’s Abigail Dolanch pinned Alexa Elbertson of Central Dauphin in 2:58. Also, West Greene’s Josie Mason won 7-1 over Miah Molinaro of Hazelton.
At 148, Alaya Henderson of Canon-McMillan pinned Dakota Dengler of Northern Lebanon in 2:26.
Karsyn Champion of Norwin pinned Daisy Nemes of Hamburg in 51 seconds at 155.
Three WPIAL wrestlers remain in the 170-pound consolations. Audrey Calgaro of Canon-McMillan pinned Lane Harrington of Strath Haven in 3:53, Alyssa Tresco of Kiski Area defeated Madison Rife of Central Dauphin, 5-4, and Octavia Walker of Norwin pinned Peyton Eisenhart in 2:43.
At 190, Hannah Hornick of Seneca Valley earned a major decision over Arshley Coulange of CD East 10-1.
Jenna Chapman of Albert Gallatin stayed in the 235 consolation bracket with a 4-1 win over Makenzie O’Donnell of Council Rock.
The following wrestlers lost two bouts and were eliminated: Gianna Alcalde (100) of Shaler, Trinity Moore (112) of Connellsville, Mia Scalise (118) of Ringgold, Maizy Mikeska (130) of Derry, Gabriella Dolanch (155) of Avella and Alex Gosnell (235) of North Allegheny.