On August 17, 2025, the high school wrestling team, including boys and girls, traveled to Dorney Park for the tournament Pins in the Park. This event brought together teams from all over including clubs and many schools. It gave the day to the HASD wrestlers to show off their hard work on the mats and enjoy the rest of the day in the park. For some, it was the first competition of the summer and a valuable opportunity to prepare for the upcoming season.
The Hamburg teams had many highlights throughout the tournament. Laura Nemes, the girls wrestling coach, praised the efforts of her wrestlers, saying, “I’ve seen outstanding highlights with all my girls. Jocelynn Sprentall walked out with her first wins at a big tournament. Koa Binder’s first matches were definitely amazing, especially making it toward the semifinals. Chelsey Oviedo, even though she didn’t walk away with wins, has definitely improved from last season to now. Daisy Nemes went against some tough opponents and made it all the way to second place.” Laura added that the team’s summer practices and drills helped prepare them for success.
On the boys side, Coach Brad Losito noted both accomplishments and areas for growth. “Jared Hilt rebounded well after losses with a couple of quick pins, and Kyle Warner was good and aggressive,” he said. “The team performed okay, but there’s a lot of room for improvement.” Still, Brad showed pride for the team’s effort, adding, “I’m very proud of them, it’s a testament to their offseason work. We practiced twice a week and lifted to prepare.”
Several wrestlers placed in their divisions: Raydan Duke (2nd, Jr High 155), Kyle Warner (4th, HS 107), Daisy Nemes (2nd, HS 162), and Jared Hilt (4th, HS 175). Girls Coach Laura noted the significance of these accomplishments, especially for an offseason event, saying, “Fun tournaments like this don’t count toward records, so it gives wrestlers the chance to try new things, build the team, and gain experience without the pressure of season rankings.” Coach Brad agreed, adding that the tournament offered bonding opportunities, “Spending the day with your teammates, cheering them on really brings them all together.”
For the wrestlers, the experience was as memorable outside the mat as it was during the tournament. Preston Jones reflected, saying, “It felt different, I’m not used to wrestling grown men.” Kyle Warner described it as, “A pretty fun experience wrestling again after a while.” Other than the matches, the athletes enjoy the rest of the day on rides. Preston said his favorite moment was “going on rides and winning,” while Coach Laura shared, “It was cool to see how the girls acted outside of the mat and to see their personalities.”
Overall summary of the event, Coach Brad described Pins in the Park as “Fun and very well run.” With great performances, and experience gained HASD Wrestling left Dorney Park ready to carry this experience into the season ahead.
