Lock Haven wrestler, Kiski Area grad Isaac Reid inspires, succeeds

With a small spot of blood visible through a bandage wrapped around his head, a grateful Isaac Reid bowed toward the center of the mat as his Lock Haven wrestling teammates and coaches — and a jam-packed Thomas Fieldhouse — erupted into a wild celebration.

Reid then causally, or maybe tiredly, turned toward his team, flexed and pointed skyward.

Maybe Reid’s celebration was muted given the circumstances. After all, his 14-6 major decision in the 285-pound match over Clarion’s Ty Bagoly lifted Lock Haven to an important 17-16 victory Jan. 22 against its longtime rival and Mid-American Conference foe. But Reid, a former PIAA champion from Kiski Area, is just grateful to be on the mat.

His third comeback has been a long, difficult journey.

“It was a really special night,” Reid said. “I felt before the match started that it was going to be a special night. I almost knew it would happen before it would happen. I went out there, and it wasn’t looking like I was going to get a major decision, but I went after it, and it turned into my vision.”

Reid took a 6-4 advantage into the third period before adding three takedowns, a stalling point and a riding time point to improve to 11-1 on the season — his record was 14-1 before Sunday’s match at Rider — and give Lock Haven (7-5, 3-1 MAC) the dramatic victory.

For Reid, a redshirt sophomore set to graduate this spring with a degree in sports administration, it was a victory nearly four years in the making.

But the beginning of this journey actually started as a senior at Kiski Area.

Reid entered his senior year with championship aspirations after finishing as a PIAA Class 3A runner-up as a junior. Those plans were derailed when, on Dec. 5, 2017, Reid suffered a pulmonary embolism. He thought he was having a heart attack. After being cleared to compete about two months later, Reid became Kiski Area’s second PIAA wrestling champion, finishing with a 23-0 record.

As a freshman at Lock Haven, he competed unattached, compiling a 16-13 record in 2018-19, before misfortune struck again as more clots formed in his lungs.

“It was a rough year,” Reid said. “The Lock Haven coaches really stuck with me through it all. The doctors helped a lot, but I wasn’t cleared to compete until the following year.”

That’s when Reid opened the 2020-21 season against Pitt’s Demetrius Thomas, a two-time ACC champion and 2020 All-American, at the Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic. Reid wowed the crowd with a 4-2 decision, but he did so with a torn rotator cuff and labrum in his right shoulder and a torn LCL in his right knee.

His season was over, but Reid’s goals never wavered despite the seemingly unending adversity. He focused on his diet, conditioning and hydration in hopes of earning a spot in Lock Haven’s lineup — someday.

“I never once thought about quitting. I was fully determined to get back,” Reid said. “I’ve been training since I was 5 years old. It’s just who I am. I’m a warrior.”

He’s also an inspiration to teammates, coaches and more.

“Isaac gives the guys further inspiration to compete hard. He drives the other guys in the same direction he’s going,” Lock Haven coach Scott Moore said. “Having him around, his enthusiasm to compete, it makes a big difference at practice, in the room and at dual meets.”

Moore knows having a wrestler of Reid’s caliber also is a last match-advantage for Lock Haven.

“It’s great knowing one of your best guys is going out there to wrestle last,” Moore said. “He’s going to get the job done.”

It has been more than two years since Reid’s eye-opening win against Thomas, but he’s beginning to gain attention again. Reid was ranked No. 26 in his weight class in the most recent NCAA Division I coaches’ rankings, with opportunities to climb the list ahead.

Moore believes Reid can become the 46th All-American in Lock Haven’s rich wrestling history.

Reid wants that, too, but is focused on having an even better story to tell by the time his collegiate career concludes.

“I want to inspire people with what I’ve overcome. You can overcome anything with the right mindset,” he said. “Being through everything has changed my whole perspective, and I hope it can encourage others through tough times.”