COAL TOWNSHIP - Last time Travis Erdman saw the gym at Shamokin Area, he was in street clothes with an orange cast on his arm watching the District 4 South Sectional from the bleachers.
What a difference a year makes.
Erdman is back on the mat for Line Mountain, although he spent just a total of 5 minutes, 55 seconds there on his way to a gold at the sectional and his third trip to the district meet.
But Erdman isn't just happy to be back, there's a glint in his eye that goes all the way to Hershey.
"This was Travis' first sectional title," Line Mountain head coach Lon Balum said. "As good as he is, it's unbelievable."
The Line Mountain senior has always been a good wrestler. He put in the time in during the offseason,
traveling hither and yon for tournaments, but there's a noticeable intensity in Erdman this year.
Much like his brother, Tyler, did during his journey to a state title three years ago, Travis is out the door and running by 6 a.m. before school, and working out again after school.
"I'm taking it a lot more seriously, knowing that it is my last year," Erdman said. "I run every morning at 6 o'clock, and I run every day after school. After that it's about doing my schoolwork and getting my rest."
So far, it's paid off. Erdman is 37-0, and ranked No. 2 in the state at 140. It's five pounds less than he wrestled for most of the season.
"He seems very focused," Balum said. "He knows you only have so many years and your term expires, and this is it. It's his last year and he's trying to make the best of it."
Taking another cue from his older brother, Travis has committed to Shippensburg University to wrestle and intends to join the Army ROTC program.
But before any of that happens, the District 4 tournament starts Friday in Williamsport.
An obvious obstacle at 140 pounds for Erdman is Montoursville's Luke Frey.
Frey, ranked No. 1 in the state, took home a silver at 135 last year and won gold as a freshman.
"My coaches and I talked, and 140 was the way to go," Erdman said. "Frey is No. 1 in the state and I'm No. 2. I guess I'm the underdog."
If it wasn't Frey at 140, it would have been someone at 145 sooner or later, and that's the nature of wrestling, particularly when you get to Hershey.
"When you look across the state there are good guys at every weight," Balum said. "He was down for the New Oxford Tournament, so he could give that a shot and see how he felt. No one likes losing weight, but you get a leaner, get a little faster and see what happens. We wanted to give Travis the best opportunity to do well at states."
Frey and Erdman aren't strangers. The two wrestled on the same team over the summer at Disney, although Frey was two weights below Erdman.
If everything plays out the two should be butting heads for the next two weeks at the District 4 and Northeast Regional tournaments.
"Frey is good," Balum said. "We hope they'll wrestle several times."