EBENSBURG — Philipsburg-Osceola’s Caleb Hummel and Bald Eagle Area’s Caleb Close captured titles at the second Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference Championships in different ways on Saturday, Jan. 4, at Central Cambria High School.
Hummel had to take Bishop McCort’s Jack Silfies down right before the final buzzer to win, 7-5, to earn the 121-pound title.
Close was in control all 6 minutes of his 6-1 win over Tyrone’s Kyle Scott in the 189-pound title bout. Both Close and Hummel were runners-up in the tournament last season.
Penns Valley’s Max Dinges appeared he would join his Centre County counterparts as he held a 5-3 lead over Chestnut Ridge’s Easton Mull in the 114-pound title bout. But Mull reversed Dinges to his back for 4 points right before time expired to win, 7-5.
Four other Centre County wrestlers ran into beasts in the finals and had to settle for second. Bellefonte’s Ezra Swisher (152) and Noah Weaver (160) were runners-up, as were Penns Valley’s Erik Carlile (127) and Bald Eagle Area’s Caden Judice (133).
Chestnut Ridge’s two-time state runner-up Dominic Deputy earned a 16-1 technical fall over Carlile in 3:54. Deputy was later voted the tournament’s Outstanding Wrestler.
Bishop McCort’s returning state champion Jax Forrest rolled to a 19-4 technical fall over Judice in 1:25.
Bishop McCort’s Devon Magro rolled to a 19-4 technical fall in 1:41 over Swisher at 152 pounds.
McCort returning state champ and the nation’s top 160-pounder Melvin Miller beat Bellefonte’s Noah Weaver by technical fall, 21-6, in 2:00.
Close (15-1), ranked second in the state by PA Power Wrestling, went 4-0 with three first-period pins. Close made the LHAC finals last season, but he lost to Huntingdon’s eventual state champ Andrew McMonagle.
Close was able to get a takedown of the sixth-ranked Scott in the first period. He added an escape 51 seconds into the second period. After Close got a stalling point in the third, the sixth-ranked Scott escaped with 35 seconds left. A late stalling point set the final score, and Closes handed Scott his first loss.
Hummel went 3-0, reaching the finals with a technical fall and a pin in 3:45. After a scoreless first period, Silfies got a reversal before Hummel escaped. Silfies scored a takedown to take a 5-1 lead into the third period.
Hummel received a stalling point 26 seconds into the third and escaped 8 seconds later to make the score 5-3. With time winding down, he got another stalling point with 9 seconds left and took Silfies down before the buzzer, thrilling the P-O contingent.
McCort assistant coach Howard Forrest disputed the call and the official took a team point away.
Bellefonte (144 points), Penns Valley (136.5) and Bald Eagle Area (131) finished fourth through sixth in the 20-team tournament. P-O was 10th with 84.5 points.
National power Bishop McCort won the team title by 117.5 points, 302.5-185, over second-place Clearfield, had six champions, two runners-up and 12 placers in the top four of their weights.
A total of 29 Centre County wrestlers earned medals in the tournament.
The Red Raiders had eight placewinners. Also placing were Cameron Garcia (third, 139), Luke Hockenberry (third, 189), Wyatt Long (fifth, 127), Jackson Long (fifth, 172), Logan Rarrick (sixth, 285) and Andrew Gall (seventh, 145).
The Rams also had eight placers. Joining their finalists with medals were Brayden Lisowski (third, 160), Landon Hess (fifth, 215), Sawyer Fetterolf (sixth, 145), Robert Martin (sixth, 172), Tripp Watson (seventh, 133) and Conner Myers (eighth, 121).
The Eagles had seven wrestlers earn medals. Joining Close and Judice as medalists were Tanner Guenot (third, 127), Dawson Lomison (fourth, 139), Gage Gardner (fifth, 285), Ty Corey (sixth, 107) and Alex Surovec (seventh, 160).
The Mounties had six medalists, including Hummel. Ace Foster (fourth, 133), Connor Guenot (fifth, 139), Averi Gable (sixth, 127), Bradley Peters (eighth, 107) and Evan Eichenlaub (eighth, 215) also earned medals.
The Eagles and Mounties were to wrestle on Tuesday, Jan. 7, at P-O. BEA was also set to wrestle in Mid-Winter Mayhem on Friday, Jan. 10, and Saturday, Jan. 11, at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
Bellefonte was to host Jersey Shore on Tuesday, Jan. 7, before taking part in the Southern Tier Memorial Tournament on Friday, Jan. 10, and Saturday, Jan. 11, in New York.
Penns Valley will also wrestle in the Southern Tier Memorial Tournament. The Rams were also scheduled to host Huntingdon on Tuesday, Jan. 7, and visit Mifflin County on Thursday, Jan. 9.Results of the matches were not available prior to The Gazette’s publication deadline.
After wrestling BEA, the Mounties will host the Mountaineer Duals on Saturday, Jan. 11.
LITTLE LIONS LOSE HEARTBREAKER
State College lost a 33-31 heartbreaker to Mifflin County on Thursday, Jan. 2, at home.
The dual meet between the Little Lions and Huskies was tied three times, including 21-21 with four bouts left. Mifflin County’s Colby Seiler gave his team the lead for good with a pin in 2:54 at 152.
State College’s Xavier Zeruth followed with a 9-1 major decision over Brayan Aurand to make it 27-25. Reese Christine’s pin in 3:41 at 172 secured the win for the Huskies. Little Lion star Asher Cunningham closed the meet by moving up to 189 and getting a pin in 4:24.
State College’s Izaiah Zeruth (215) also had a pin in the first bout.
The 2-3 Little Lions were to wrestle on Tuesday, Jan. 7, at Williamsport. Results of the match were not available prior to The Gazette’s publication deadline.
BEA’S CRESTANI FINISHES SECOND
Bald Eagle Area’s Grace Crestani finished second at 170 in the talent-laden Curwensville Girls Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 4.
Crestani was pinned by Punxsutawney’s Jael Miller in 59 seconds in the finals.
Philipsburg-Osceola’s Kendyl Meersand (136) and Daisy Glessner (235) finished fourth, as did BEA’s Cameron Corl-Alton (155).
P-O’s Veda Kephart (106) and Bellefonte’s Carly Bair (118) placed fifth, while BEA’s Eden Eveleth (106) and Shaylin Harter (190) and Bellefonte’s Bailee Scott (170) finished sixth.
BEA finished tied with General McLane for eighth with 63 points in the 24-team tournament. P-O (36) was 17th, while Bellefonte (22) was 21st. Corry Area won the team title by 10.5 points over Hickory, 147-136.5.
The Lady Eagles were to wrestle at P-O on Tuesday, Jan. 7, before wrestling in the Mid-Winter Mayhem on Saturday, Jan. 11, at IUP.
Bellefonte was scheduled to host Jersey Shore on Tuesday, Jan. 7. Results of the match were not available prior to The Gazette’s publication deadline. State College is also set to take part in the Juniata Girls Duals on Sunday, Jan. 12.
