Hungry for more: Schmick goes 2-2 at state wrestling championships

Jarrett Wilson, Editor-in-chief|March 14, 2022

TIME+FOR+A+BREATHER%3A+Layton+Schmick+chats+with+coach+Jake+Wilson+after+one+of+his+rounds+at+the+PIAA+state+wrestling+championships+%28March+11-12%29.++Schmick+recorded+32+pins+this+season%2C+beating+the+Carlisle+record+for+most+pins+in+a+season+%2825%29+set+by+Ian+Shannon+in+2013.

Kristal Smith/CASD athletic department

TIME FOR A BREATHER: Layton Schmick chats with coach Jake Wilson after one of his rounds at the PIAA state wrestling championships (March 11-12). Schmick recorded 32 pins this season, beating the Carlisle record for most pins in a season (25) set by Ian Shannon in 2013.

Junior Layton Schmick finished off a historic wrestling season late Friday night in the GIANT Center, where he finished his PIAA state championship run with a 2-2 record on the weekend, losing to both the eventual second and third place finishers by a combined 2 points.

“What I took away from the weekend is that I’m still one of the best heavyweights in the state, even though I still have room to grow mentally and physically,” Schmick said.

Schmick will be the second-highest-ranked returning wrestler at the heavyweight division in the PIAA next season, ranked only behind Nazareth sophomore and state champ Sean Kinney.

“Layton had a historic season, both regular and postseason, and I know that, in time, he will see that despite not getting a medal,” Coach Joe Wilson said.

This season he proved that he should be listed among the names of the elite athletes in the sport by tying Carlisle’s single-season win record of 41 and shattering the single-season pin record by 7.

As successful as his season was, the heavyweight superstar already has his eyes set on his goals for next season.

DECISIONS: Layton Schmick plans his next move in his round against Easton’s Matt Cruise. (Kristal Smith/CASD athletic department)

“I want to be in the state finals and our team to make it to team states,” Schmick said.

If Schmick is able to, he would become only the second Carlisle wrestler ever to do so. 

“I got work to do this offseason,” Schmick said. “ There’s a lot of offseason tournaments and practices that I’ll do that will help me reach my goals.”

Wilson believes in Schmick.

“Looking at next season the goal will be to make the State Finals and get a shot at returning champion Sean Kinney,” Wilson said. “I know that [Schmick] has what it takes to be our first State Champion.”

Schmick will start his senior campaign at the DKI Invitational at Bloomsburg High School next season as he sits only 18 wins away from 100 career wins.

“It feels great to accomplish what I did,” Schmick said. “It means a lot to me to have a great season  because there are a lot of people that put time in with me to make me great and I feel I need to do it for them.”

Layton’s not the only one with a successful season–stay tuned for an article about our first HS girls state medalist, Katelyn Coldren (coming later this week).