Westmoreland athletes of the week: Derry’s Ty Cymmerman, Southmoreland’s Bailey Kuhns

By: Andrew John
Monday, February 18, 2019 | 1:30 AM

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Ty Cymmerman

School: Derry

Sport: Wrestling

Class: Sophomore

Claim to fame: Cymmerman won the 128-pound WPIAL Class AA title after defeating McGuffey senior Jett Pattison, 8-3, in the finals Saturday at Canon-McMillan. Cymmerman captured the 120-pound title as a freshman.

“There were four WPIAL champions in that single bracket so it was a pretty big win for me and to come out winning another WPIAL title,” Cymmerman said.

What does it mean to you to capture your second WPIAL title?

It means a lot. I didn’t really wrestle any of them during the season. I knew they were tough, and I didn’t know if could win or not. I went out there and won it. This one means more than last year’s because how hard it was.

What does it mean to defeat a former WPIAL champion like Pattison?

It was awesome. I knew it was going to be tough. He’s a tough wrestler. I knew it was close, but I went out there and gave it my all and came out with the victory.

What is your mindset heading into regionals?

My mindset is pretty good right now. I knew at sections I didn’t really look good, but during WPIALs I kept getting better and better.

What was the biggest change for you from the section tournament to WPIALs?

I was just nervous going into the section tournament. I wrestle bad with nerves. As soon it goes away, I start to wrestle better than me with nerves.

What is your prematch routine?

I switch it up. I usually drill before a match to get a good sweat going. I just get in a good mindset heading into my match.

Bailey Kuhns

School: Southmoreland

Sport: Basketball

Class: Freshman

Claim to fame: Kuhns, who is averaging 10.5 points and 7 rebounds, finished with 13 points and 13 rebounds to lead No. 6 Southmoreland (18-5) to a 40-37 win over No. 11 Apollo-Ridge (15-8) in the first round of the WPIAL Class 4A playoffs Monday. Southmoreland will face Blackhawk in the quarterfinals Thursday.

“We did struggle a little bit. We could’ve crumbled, but we pulled together as a team. I was happy we fought through that. I think we’ve been successful because of hard work. We make it hard for teams to do the simple things because of our length,” Kuhns said.

What does it mean to be part of the team that got Southmoreland back in the WPIAL playoffs for the first time since 2008?

It means a ton to me since we haven’t been there since 2008. It’s great to bring it back for the community. This is a brand new thing for me. It means the world to me to be a part of something so awesome.

How did it feel to make big stops at the end to preserve the win?

It was great to see how we pulled together at the end; it made the win taste even sweeter.

What will be the key against Blackhawk in the quarterfinals?

Blackhawk is a really good team. They have a lot of little girls. They like to shoot the 3. We have a great advantage with our length, and we will look to push the ball.

How would describe your style of play?

Aggressive. I’m not the fanciest player on the floor. I play with a lot of heart. I want the ball when it comes to rebounding. I’m going to hustle. My hustle and heart really sets me apart from anyone else on the floor.

Who’s your favorite athlete?

A’ja Wilson (Las Vegas Aces). I like her because she plays my positions, and I like watching her. She’s funny and she doesn’t stress. She has fun on the court. She’s a great individual and great basketball player.

— Andrew John

Tags: Derry Area, Southmoreland