Parkland Wrestler Todora Earns State Medal

Sophomore Braden Todora secures sixth-place finish at PIAA championships despite knee injury

Mar. 22, 2026 at 3:22pm

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Braden Todora, a sophomore wrestler from Parkland High School, earned his first state medal at the PIAA wrestling championships in Hershey, Pennsylvania, despite having to medically forfeit his final two bouts due to a knee injury. Todora secured a sixth-place finish at 114-pounds after winning key matches against tough opponents.

Why it matters

Todora's accomplishment marks an important milestone for the Parkland wrestling program, which is looking to build on its recent success and establish itself as a powerhouse at the state level. The program's ability to send multiple wrestlers to the state championships also signals a bright future ahead.

The details

Todora won a 3-2 victory over Thunder Beard of Central Dauphin in the third round of consolations to guarantee a spot on the podium, scoring the winning takedown with seconds left in the match. He then pushed things to the limit in his next consolation bout for another 3-2 victory, scoring the winning takedown with 25 seconds left. However, Todora's right knee swelled up on Friday night, forcing him to medically forfeit his final two bouts and settle for sixth place.

  • Todora competed at the PIAA wrestling championships in Hershey, Pennsylvania on March 20-22, 2026.
  • Todora secured his sixth-place finish on March 21, 2026.

The players

Braden Todora

A sophomore wrestler from Parkland High School who earned his first state medal at the PIAA championships, finishing in sixth place at 114-pounds despite a knee injury that forced him to medically forfeit his final two bouts.

Eddie Keichel

The head coach of the Parkland High School wrestling team, who was thrilled to see Todora bring home the program's only medal from the tournament this year.

Thunder Beard

A wrestler from Central Dauphin High School who Todora defeated 3-2 in the third round of consolations to guarantee a spot on the podium.

Luis Moya

A Parkland wrestler who competed at 107-pounds but had his tournament cut short after losing his first two bouts.

Jorge Moya

A Parkland wrestler who competed at 160-pounds and pushed it to the brink, losing in the final blood round to Jack White of Norwin 11-4 to fall one win shy of securing a spot on the podium.

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What they’re saying

“That win was definitely one of the better ones in my career. Beating someone with 170 career wins and going to a Division-I school, getting gritty and getting a takedown at the end to get a state medal means a lot.”

— Braden Todora

“It's tough to end this way because I wonder what if, because I know I could beat those kids to get a higher place. But there's nothing I can do about it. I just need to let my knee rest.”

— Braden Todora

“Securing your first state medal at the 3A level is a massive accomplishment. It's a lot of time, effort and energy from him to get there and a lot of people around him.”

— Eddie Keichel, Head Coach, Parkland High School

“It kind of redefines the program and shows the level of success that can happen. It sets a standard where we go from here and keep getting multiple wrestlers out here each year. I personally think that's where we're heading. Our junior high program is very successful. We have a lot of talent coming and we return a lot of guys. So, I think this can be a moment we can look back on and say this is where it started.”

— Eddie Keichel, Head Coach, Parkland High School

“Last year, I didn't even get out of districts. If I make those same jumps I did as last year, I think I can be a state champ one day.”

— Braden Todora

What’s next

The Parkland wrestling program will look to build on Todora's success and send more wrestlers to the state championships in the coming years, with the goal of producing a state champion.

The takeaway

Braden Todora's first state medal, despite a knee injury, represents an important milestone for the Parkland wrestling program and signals a bright future ahead as the team continues to develop young talent and establish itself as a powerhouse at the state level.