A pair of local grapplers qualified for the Keystone State Championships at the Bryce Jordan Center this weekend. Colby Ruark of Elk Lake won his final four matches to take bronze at 192 pounds, While Lucas Brooks punched his ticket with a fifth place finish at 90 pounds.

The Keystone State Northeast Qualifier was held March 9 at Kalahari Resorts and Conventions in the Pocono's. With the top seven place winners moving onto the Keystone State Championships.

Ruark wrestled at 192 pounds in the 13-14 year old division, Ruark was pinned in his first match by the eventual champion, Christian Stiehler of Pocono Mountain West.

Dropping to the consolation bracket, Ruark would make his impressive run of four straight victories to capture his third place medal.

First Ruark flattened Malcolm Tagba of Bloomsburg in 2:28 in his first round consolation match. Ruark scored 10 points in the first period, then secured the pin after a takedown in the second.

In the consolation quarterfinals Ruark notched the only points of the match with a first period takedown, winning by a final of 3-0 over Sullivan County's David Lentz.

Ruark scored a takedown 23 seconds into his consolation semifinal match, controlling the match for the duration, defeating Jackson Wilver of Montgomery 7-0.

Ruark again scored early in his third place bout against Wallenpaupack's Evan Tarantino, registering another first period takedown. Tarantino got two back points in the second, but Ruark held on for the heart pumping 3-2 decision.

Ruark was the aggressor in his final four bouts as he was able to take control of all four matches with first period takedowns. The Elk Lake freshman is excited about getting to the state tournament.

"I am very happy for the opportunity to wrestle at states," Ruark stated. I also asked him about being aggressive in his consolations bouts.

Ruark responded, "I feel like after my first loss at the qualifier, I knew I needed to step up my game and get more aggressive, be more confident and no matter the outcome just wrestle."

Brooks wrestled in the 9-10 age group at 90 pounds for Elk Lake. He was pinned by Matteo Danise of Nazareth in his first match of the tournament.

In his first consolation match against Troy's Joshua Mueller, things were tied up 0-0 after the first period. Brooks was in the top position to start the second period, turning Mueller to his back and pinning him at the 2:23 mark.

Brooks would drop a hard fought 3-1 decision to Blake Vehoski of Wyoming Valley West in the consolation semifinal.

However Brooks would finish his tournament on a high note however, dominating the fifth place bout verse Branlin Reinaker of Danville, on his way to the 5-0 decision.

Brooks will begin wrestling at 8:00 A.M. on Saturday in State College, while Ruark will have to wait til 2:00 pm to get his tournament started.