TYRONE — The Bald Eagle Area wrestling team rebounded from finishing second in the District 6, Class 2A Duals by hammering District 7 third-placer Quaker Valley, 55-9, on Feb. 5 at home in the preliminary round of the PIAA Duals.
With the win, the 12-2 Eagles advanced to the first round of the PIAA Duals on Feb. 8 at the Giant Center in Hershey.
The Eagles were to open the PIAA Duals at 4 p.m. Thursday in the first round against District 11 champion Notre Dame-Green Pond.
The Eagles racked up five falls against Quaker Valley. Dawson Lomison (127), Cameron Dubbs (189), Caleb Close (215), Eric Clark (285) and Liam Purcell (121) had pins. Kayson Tice also had a major decision, and Shawn Knepp (172) and Caden Judice (114) won by forfeit.
Top-seeded Bald Eagle Area won its showdown against Penns Valley, 43-18, in the semifinals of the District 6, Class 2A Duals on Feb. 3 at Tyrone High School.
The bad news, though, is that the Eagles ran into a buzz saw in second-seeded Bishop McCort in the championship finals. The Crimson Crushers rolled to their first District 6, Class 2A Duals title with a 58-15 romp over the Eagles.
The 15-0 Crimson Crushers breezed to a 54-18 win over Huntingdon in the semifinals.
In the true second match, BEA qualified for Monday’s PIAA Duals preliminary match with a 37-30 win over Huntingdon. Huntingdon (20-4) won the third-place match, 35-33, over Penns Valley (10-4).
BEA held a 22-18 lead over the Rams going into the final four bouts, but the Eagles swept those weights with three pins and a decision. Shawn Knepp (189), Close (215) and Tanner Guenot (107) had pins in that run, and Gage Gardner edged Landon Hess, 2-1, at 285.
Connor Maney (139) and Mason Reese (145) also had pins for BEA. Jack Darlington (121) and Ty Watson (160) recorded falls for Penns Valley.
Close (189) had the only mat win for the Eagles against McCort, earning a 13-6 decision over Owen McMullen. Guenot (107) and Judice (114) won by forfeit to close the match.
BEA held a 1-point lead going into the final bout against Huntingdon, but Judice (121) ended the drama with a pin in 1:40. Lucas Fye (127), Reese (145), Close (215) and Guenot (114) also had pins for BEA.
The Rams jumped out to a 27-6 lead over Huntingdon after the first six bouts, getting pins from Darlington (121), Colten Shunk (133), Brayden Lisowski (145) and Watson (152).
But the Bearcats won six of the final seven bouts, racking up three pins, two major decisions and Lincoln Miller’s 3-1 decision over Hess at 285. They forfeited to PV’s Erik Carlile at 114 to end the meet.
Bishop McCort’s first-round opponent in the PIAA Duals at the Giant Center will be the winner of today’s preliminary round matchup between District 11 runner-up Saucon Valley and District 3 third-placer West Perry.
LITTLE LIONS FALL TO WILDCATS
Fourth-seeded State College lost to top-seeded and eventual District 6, Class 3A champion Central Mountain, 50-23, in the semifinals on Feb. 3 at Central Mountain High School.
Jon Whitbred (114), James Whitbred (133) and Pierson Manville (145) had pins for the Little Lions, while Nick Pavlechko (285) won by forfeit. State College star Asher Cunningham wasn’t in the lineup against the Wildcats, who recorded six pins.
Central Mountain then won its second straight District 6, Class 3A Duals title and ninth overall with a 36-18 win over Mifflin County in the championship final.
The Wildcats were to wrestle District 3 runner-up Boiling Springs on Thursday, Feb. 8, at the Giant Center in Hershey in the first round of the PIAA Duals.
The Little Lions finished the regular season with a 4-5 record. They’ll now prepare for the District 6, Class 3A tournament on Feb. 17 at the Altoona Fieldhouse.
P-O HONORS COACHIING GREAT CASLOW
Philipsburg-Osceola went 1-1 in the District 6, Class 2A Duals on Jan. 30 at Huntingdon before routing West Branch, 61-9, and honoring legendary coach Dave Caslow on Feb. 2 at home.
The Mounties beat Forest Hills, 39-24, before losing to Huntingdon, 34-27, in the quarterfinals.
Marcus Gable (145), Nate Fleck (152), Caleb Hummel (107) and Connor Guenot (121) had pins against West Branch, which forfeited five weights.
A large crowd celebrated longtime coach Dave Caslow being honored before the West Branch match. Caslow, who amassed 378 of his 405 wins at P-O, and the late assistant coach Dick Condo are the first two members of the newly-formed Philipsburg-Osceola Wrestling Hall of Fame.
The Mounties (9-9) were to finish the regular season on Feb. 6 at home against DuBois.
BELLEFONTE GOES 1-1
Bellefonte went 1-1 last week, winning 55-15 at Central on Feb. 2 and losing 44-20 on Jan. 30 at Clearfield.
The Red Raiders amassed six falls against Central, including five straight from Jack McHail (172), Luke Hockenberry (189), Logan Rarrick (215), Ian Valimont (285) and Wyatt Long (107). Nolan Weaver (121) also had a pin.
The Red Raiders fell into a 27-0 hole against Clearfield and couldn’t get out. Long (107) had the only fall.
Bellefonte (10-6) was to close the regular season on Feb. 7 at home against North Penn-Liberty.
DUVALL AND HUNT WIN TITLES
Philipsburg-Osceola’s Isabella DuVall and Charli Hunt won titles at 124 and 136 pounds, respectively, at the Lady Mountie Invitational on Feb. 3 at P-O.
DuVall pinned Curwensville’s Savannah Carfley in 3:00 in the finals, while Hunt pinned Curwensville’s Gabrielle Bambarger in 49 seconds.
P-O’s Halee Grubb (112) and Daisy Glessner (170) finished second after getting pinned in the finals. Teammates Veda Kephart (118) and Annabella Hunt (142) finished third, while Marleana DuVall (130) was fourth.
State College’s Anna Lackey (106) placed third.
P-O, State College and Bald Eagle Area will open the postseason on March 2 in the Central Regional at Milton High School.
