Pottsville's Terrell McFarland, top, controls Strath Haven's Michael Spielman during a Class 3A round-of-16 189-pound bout at the PIAA Wrestling Championships on March 5, 2026, at the Giant Center in Hershey. (Photo by Bob Lipsky)

HERSHEY — For five minutes, Terrell McFarland did everything right.

He controlled the ties. He created openings. He scored two takedowns. He got off the bottom. And he led by four points with one minute to go.

Pottsville’s senior 189-pounder had the match going his way. Until Strath Haven’s Michael Spielman struck. In a flash, Spellman threw McFarland to his back from neutral, cinched in tight and scored the fall at 5:39 in a Class 3A round-of-16 match at the PIAA Wrestling Championships on Thursday evening at the Giant Center in Hershey.

McFarland looked sharp against Spielman, an eighth-place medalist at states last season. In the first period, McFarland grabbed a body lock, worked behind and took Spielman to the mat for the initial takedown. Spielman escaped to trail 3-1 after one period.

In the second period, Spielman escaped again, but McFarland executed a textbook trip at the edge of the mat, keeping his toes inbounds for another takedown. Spielman added another escape to cut the deficit to 6-3 after two periods.

In the third, McFarland chose bottom and cautiously got back to his feet to push his advantage to 7-3 with about a minute to go.

Suddenly, Spielman struck, and once he had McFarland in trouble on his back, there was no escape.

About an hour later, McFarland (45-3) completed a sharp, duck-under takedown with 2 seconds left in regulation to defeat Spring-Ford’s Mason Richards 4-1 and extend his season.

“The first match I thought I should have come out on top, but there were mistakes I made,” McFarland said. “You don’t always do what you want to do, and that’s what you’ve got to live with. Life doesn’t always go your way, so you’ve got to see how you come back from your mistakes and just keep working.

“My main mindset was my season is not ending this early,” McFarland added. “Day 1 is too early for me.”

Action resumes Friday with the Class 3A championship quarterfinals and second-round consolations at 2:15 p.m., followed by the third-round consolations at 4:45 p.m. After a break, Class AA, girls’ and Class 3A wrestlers will return for the championship semifinals at 7 p.m. and the fourth round of consolations at 9 p.m.

PIAA Wrestling Championships

At the Giant Center, Hershey

CLASS 3A BOYS

Thursday’s local results

Round of 16

189 — Michael Spielman (Strath Haven) pinned Terrell McFarland (Pottsville), 5:39

First-Round Consolations

189 — Terrell McFarland (Pottsville) dec. Mason Richards (Spring-Ford), 4-1

Friday’s local match

Second-Round Consolations

189 — NE-3 Terrell McFarland, Pottsville, sr., 45-3 vs. NE-5 Connor Gillahan, Bethlehem Catholic, jr., 36-11