Local grapplers participated in holiday tournaments over the holiday break.
Bald Eagle Area
Eagles wrestlers participated in the Manheim Lions Club Holiday Tournament on Dec. 28 and 29. BEA came in second place with 192.5 points, behind the hosts of the tournament.
Garrett Rigg, at 145 pounds, won the weight class’s championship by medical forfeit over Souderton’s Harrison Andrade. Rigg pinned Methacton’s Roman Moser in 3:16 to advance to the finals.
Gage McClenahan (152) won his semifinal bout, while Seth Koleno (138) and Rilee Bechdel (220) made it through the quarterfinals. Lucas Holderman (126) and David Close (195) each won fifth-place titles.
After meeting Tyrone at home Jan. 3, the Eagles have a dual meet with Bellefonte on Thursday, Jan. 4. They then host the Bald Eagle Area Duals tourney Saturday, Jan. 6, followed by a dual-meet with Central on Tuesday, Jan. 9.
Bellefonte
The Red Raiders struggled to get much going at the Conestoga Valley Holiday Wrestling Classic, landing in 19th place with 63 points.
Alex Coppolo, 120 pounds, made it to the championship semifinals before losing a 6-0 decision to Eamonn Logue, of Father Judge. Cole Stewart (126) made it to the consolation semifinals before losing a 3-1 decision to Lake Lehman’s Robert Long.
Ryan Smith (132), Ethan Rossman (170) and Andrew Davidson (220) won their bouts in the third consolation round. Cole Stewart (126) won his consolation round fourth bout by technical fall, while Maximilian Mondy (195) won his by a 3-1 decision.
Bellefonte takes on BEA on Thursday, Jan. 4, followed by the Bald Eagle Area Duals on Saturday, Jan. 6.
Penns Valley
The Rams took on Clearfield in a Dec. 27 dual meet to end a quiet winter holiday.
Penns Valley wrestlers have two dual tournaments scheduled for Saturday, Jan 6. They will participate in the Juniata Duals at Juniata High School, as well as the Anthracite Duals at Panther Valley. After that, they take on Bellefonte at home Tuesday, Jan. 9.
Philipsburg-Osceola
The Mounties wrestling team fought their way into the Top 10 at the Conestoga Valley Holiday Wrestling Classic on Dec. 29 and 30, coming in ninth place with 111 points.
Jordan Smith (285) made it to the championship quarterfinals before falling to Lake Lehman’s Kaleb Konigus by a 5-4 decision.
Cole Hoover pinned Lake Lehman’s Hunter Burke in 2:16 to win seventh place in the 138-pound weight class after being pinned in the second round of the championship.
Kyle Taylor (182) won his first-round bout over Dallas’ Len Kelly by pinfall in 3:11. Hunter Weitosh (126) pinned Father Judge’s John Matthews in 4:42 in the second round. Braedon Butler (132) and Tristan Beausigneur (160) both lost by technical fall in the first and second round, respectively.
P-O also hosted a dual-meet with Central on Dec. 27, and heads Cedar Cliff on Saturday, Jan. 6, to participate in the Bob Craig Duals. The Mounties then head to Tyrone on Tuesday, Jan. 9.
St. Joseph’s Academy
St. Joe’s wrestling enters a nearly month-long break after returning from the Mount Mat Madness tournament in third place. The Wolves scored 158 points, behind host Mount St. Joseph’s 298 and second-place East Fairmount’s 162.
Caleb Dowling (132) and Amonn Ohl (106) each won their weight class championships. All of Ohl’s four victories ended in falls, with him taking down Brendan Barnes, of Benedictine Prep, in 5:22 in the final.
Dowling also won each of his four bouts, recording two pins and a tech fall before his 3-0 decision win over Nick Novarnik, of St. Georges, in the final.
Malachi Duvall (126) and Zach Witmer (120) each placed third in their weight classes, Ethan Kauffman (113) and Jacob Powers (132) each picked up fifth-place victories and Zach Rosenberger (160) finished seventh for the Wolves.
St. Joe’s wrestling doesn’t return to the mat until the Ultimate Warrior Tournament at West Branch High School on Friday, Jan. 26, and Saturday, Jan. 27.
State College
The Little Lions wrestling team came in seventh at the Mustang Holiday Tournament on Dec. 28 and 29, with 128.5 points.
Ian Barr (170) and Cole Urbas (195) both came in second place in their respective weight classes. Barr lost a 5-1 decision to Malvern Prep’s Nick Florschutz, while Urbas lost by technical fall to Michael Beard, also from Malvern Prep.
Along the way, Barr pinned two of his earlier opponents and beat Brock Leinbach, of Neshaminy, by a 12-3 major decision in the semifinals. Urbas pinned all three of his bouts leading up to the final bout.
Lance Urbas (160) won third place in his weight class by a 12-2 major decision over Adonis Mundy, of T. L. Hanna in South Carolina. Also placing for the Little Lions were Clayton Leidy (113) and Owen Woolcott (120), who each earned fifth place.
The State College wrestling team meets up with Carlisle at home Thursday, Jan. 4, for a dual meet, before attending the Central Dauphin Ram Duals on Saturday, Jan. 6.
