So close, but so far away.

That describes the freshman season of West Mifflin Area wrestler Sam Sherlock.

Sherlock earned a PIAA Class AAA berth at 125 pounds, a weight class usually dominated by upperclassmen, by placing third in the WPIAL.

He traveled to Hershey with high hopes, but came home wondering "what if" after a pair of one-point losses.

Sherlock posted a 5-4 victory against Parkland's Matt Bogusz in his PIAA debut. That set up a quarterfinal match with Corey Houser, an unheralded senior from Governor Mifflin who finished third in the South Central Region.

Who knew a third-place region finisher would pull the upset of the PIAA championships by defeating returning state champ Colin Johnston of Canon-McMillan in the final? Unfortunately for him, Sherlock was not the third-place finisher who stepped to the top of the winners' platform.

"Sam had a 3-2 lead over Houser, but got called for stalling with 14 seconds left," said West Mifflin coach Tony Salopek. "Sam panicked and tried a shot with six seconds left. Houser spun around him and scored the winning takedown with two seconds left. If it wasn't for that one mistake, Sam could have been wrestling Johnston in the finals."

Sherlock dropped to the consolation bracket and lost a 3-2 decision to Crestwood's Jake O'Hara, the eventual eighth-place finisher. The loss gave him a 36-6 record for the season. He finished as one of only three WPIAL Class AAA freshmen with 30 or more wins.

"I am satisfied with my freshman season, but I could have done better," said Sherlock. "That's why I'm working so hard during the offseason, to make sure I'm the one winning those close matches."

Sherlock said he has been working out almost every day since the high school season ended.

"I've been working out at least three days a week at Rob Waller's All-American Wrestling Club," said Sherlock. "I also do a lot of running and lifting on my own."

Sherlock has made two trips to the Midwest this summer, and will make another this week.

He was named to the Pennsylvania all-star team that competed in the USA Wrestling Cadet National Duals, which took place in Kansas City, Mo., from June 21-25.

"I had an 11-3 record competing mostly at 125," Sherlock said. "I lost once in Greco-Roman and twice in freestyle, including one when I moved up to 130. It was a great experience. It allowed me to wrestle some of the kids I will be facing at Fargo."

Sherlock is referring to the USA Wrestling Cadet National Individual Championships, which will take place at North Dakota State University, beginning tomorrow. Sherlock, who will be a sophomore when the next semester begins next month, will be making his second appearance at the Fargodome.

"I had a 3-2 record at 119 pounds [last year]," said Sherlock, who only competed in freestyle. "My second loss was to Iowa's Matt McDonough, the eventual champion."

Sherlock earned his second Cadet National berth by placing second at the Pennsylvania Amateur Wrestling Federation state championships, which took place last month. He lost in the finals to North Allegheny's Joe Waltko.

"My goal is to become an All-American," said Sherlock, who must place among the top eight in his weight class to earn that status. "I've also decided to concentrate on freestyle again."

Sherlock returned last week from a week-long trip to the University of Oklahoma, where he attended a wrestling camp headed by Oklahoma coach Jack Spates and his assistant, Robbie Waller.

The camp concluded with an individual tournament.

"I went with an all-star team from Rob Waller's All-American Wrestling Club," said Sherlock. "Our team consisted of wrestlers who work out at All-American and we won the team title. I had a 13-0 record in the individual tournament."

Sherlock also got a chance to work out with Sam Hazewinkel, a four-time All-American from Oklahoma, and John Starzyk, a Sooners recruit who won three Illinois state titles.

"It was a great experience to work out with wrestlers of their caliber," said Sherlock.