Pottsville's Terrell McFarland, right, squares off against Bethlehem Catholic's Connor Gillahan in a Class 3A 189-pound second-round consolation bout at the PIAA Wrestling Championships on March 6, 2026, at the Giant Center in Hershey. (Photo by Bob Lipsky)

HERSHEY — It wasn’t meant to be.

Pottsville senior Terrell McFarland wrestled as well as he could — at an extremely high level — but it wasn’t enough to earn a Class 3A medal at the PIAA Wrestling Championships at the Giant Center. Pennsylvania wrestling is so tough and so deep that any slight mistake can cost a wrestler the match.

That’s what happened to McFarland in a loaded 189-pound bracket.

In his opener Thursday, he led 7-3 midway through the third period before one miscue got him thrown to his back for a pin. After a last-second takedown gave McFarland a consolation win, he dropped an 8-7 decision Friday to Bethlehem Catholic’s Connor Gillahan in the second round of consolations.

Again, one slight bobble made the difference, as Gillahan scored a three-point takedown and two-point near fall in the second period to build a 6-0 lead. McFarland rallied with a reversal and a takedown to cut the deficit to 8-5 after two periods. He added an escape and a stall point against Gillahan in the third period but couldn’t score the decisive takedown.

“I came in this year not holding any grudges against the past, just keep going on in life,” said McFarland, who has dealt with numerous injuries and disappointments on the mat throughout his career. “I didn’t do too bad. I didn’t get exactly what I wanted to get, but that’s already in the past. I can’t change that. Overall, I did what I wanted; I just made some mistakes.”

It seems like a majority of wrestlers enter the state tournament banged up and taped up — knees and shoulders at the top of the list. McFarland sustained an arm injury down the stretch that hampered him, but he didn’t make any excuses.

Despite the disappointment at states, McFarland put together a season and a career that rank him among the all-time wrestling greats at Pottsville High.

For the season, McFarland posted a 45-4 record. He notched the 100th win and 100th pin of his career and became a four-time Schuylkill League Tournament champion. McFarland added bronze medals at the District 11 and Northeast Regional Championships. He’s a four-time district medalist and a three-time regional medalist.

McFarland went 141-19 in his career, an .881 winning percentage. That win total ranks fourth all-time at Pottsville, behind brother Parrish McFarland (146-30), Nick Onea (145-44) and Luke Gardner (144-28).

McFarland’s 102 career falls ranks only behind Parrish McFarland’s 107.

Terrell McFarland also couldn’t wrestle 15-20 matches his freshman season due to a hip injury that limited him to a 20-4 record.

“I’m going to miss it a lot,” Terrell McFarland said. “You make a lot of memories in the four years of high school that you have, whether it’s at hotels, at tournaments or just goofing off with your friends.”

McFarland said he’s still working on his future plans and if college wrestling will be a part of it. He definitely will continue to compete in Greco-Roman and perhaps Freestyle wrestling, too.

“No matter what, keep pushing forward,” McFarland said. “Life always goes on. Life isn’t going to stop just because you mess up.”

The tournament concludes Saturday with the consolation bouts for third, fifth and seventh places at 11:30 a.m. and the championship finals for all three divisions — AA boys, girls and 3A boys — on three mats at 4 p.m.

PIAA Wrestling Championships

At the Giant Center, Hershey

CLASS 3A BOYS

Friday’s local results

Second-Round Consolations

189 — Connor Gillahan (Bethlehem Catholic) dec. Terrell McFarland (Pottsville), 8-7

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