By Andy Elder
For the CDT
As the 140-pound placewinners were recognized Saturday night during the District 6 Class AA Wrestling Championships, Garrett Scott climbed to his familiar spot atop the awards podium.
That much was expected of the three-time PIAA Class AA champion from Juniata Valley High School.
But the climb to the top of that podium has been far more tumultuous than anyone expected for the Penn State recruit.
“It’s been a lot of, I don’t know what you want to call it — excitement, “Juniata Valley coach Brad Boyd said. “I didn’t want it to be this way but I think everything is straightening itself out now. He’s getting healthy. The training’s been a lot better lately.”
Before his senior season even started, Scott had to endure the rampant speculation about which college would secure his considerable talents. He ended that speculation by signing with the Nittany Lions during the NCAA’s early signing period in November.
Then, during a workout with the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club on Jan. 4, Scott shot in on a single as his opponent simultaneously raised his knee. The resulting collision broke Scott’s jaw.
“Anyone who’s going for four state titles, or even one state title, there are always obstacles you have to go over. The injury was a big obstacle, “Boyd said. “We weren’t sure he would be able to wrestle. We got him back earlier than expected. It’s been on a protective basis not to get him hurt again. When you lose training, you lose muscle tone and everything like that.”
Scott returned to the mat a little more than two weeks after the injury, wearing a protective face mask.
Then, a month later, Scott, two other 18-year-olds and one juvenile were arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia after the car they were riding in was pulled over by Pennsylvania State Police.
Boyd said Scott was riding in the car with some friends, one of whom had the paraphernalia, unbeknownst to Scott. The police were forced, Boyd said, to arrest them all.
So, was Scott just in the wrong place at the wrong time?
“That’s exactly what it was. That’s the only comment I’ll make is the wrong place at the wrong time, “Boyd said. “I said before, innocent until proven guilty. I’m sure it’s innocent.
“Right now I understand there are a lot of loose ends. There are a lot of loose ends that don’t seem right with the arrest.”
So, with all of that turmoil swirling around him, Scott hopped down off the podium Saturday night with more a look of relief than joy.
“It’s a little bit of both, “Scott said. “It’s relief that I made it through for another district title and the joy of winning another one.”
He admitted that he wrestled with the pressure of having a target on his back. That comes with being a three-time champion .
“I definitely do. I feel there’s a lot of pressure on me. I just take it one match at a time and do what I know I can do, “he said.
“There for a little while it didn’t seem like I would make it there. I was a little disappointed. I had thoughts that I wouldn’t. But now that I’m here, we’ll see what happens.”
If Scott felt that pressure during his four bouts at districts, it sure didn’t show. Much like a duck gliding across a placid pond, Scott cruised through the competition in Altoona.
He started with a 21-second fall and followed with a 15-0 technical fall in 2:21, a fall in 1:09 and then an 18-1 technical fall in 4:47 in the final. All of that happened with Scott wearing a heavily padded face mask that made breathing more difficult and limited his peripheral vision.
“I knew it would be tough being able to see and opponents putting their hand in your face. I knew all I had to do was keep hand fighting and clear the hands and I would be fine, “Scott said.
Boyd said, and Scott confirmed, that the mask will most likely come off for the PIAA Class AA Southwest Regional Tournament on March 3-4. In the intervening two weeks, Scott said he’ll likely practice with the mask on as a precaution.
For the next three weeks, through the PIAA Championships on March 9-11, wrestling will be Scott’s mask from his off-the-mat troubles.
“I know what to believe. He knows what to believe. Our school knows what to believe, “Boyd said. “As long as I know the truth and everyone around him knows the truth, then I feel a lot of rumors that were on the internet are mainly false.
“There are a lot of rumors floating around right now about Garrett Scott that people don’t know the real story about. All I have to say is, he’ll be ready, he’s going to be ready and he’s going to be there. He’ll challenge the people who are there.”
Through it all, Boyd said, he’s noticed a positive byproduct from Scott.
“He’s a kid. He’s 18 and he’s still in school. He’s going to make mistakes and he’s going to learn from them. The wrestling is wrestling. He knows what he’s out there for. He knows what he wants. The focus has been there, “he said.
“It’s building character. He’s going to learn in life that tough things come up and you have to learn how to get through them. I’ve seen a more mature Garrett in the last few weeks of practice. He knows it could slip away in a second.”
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