Review and Preview - Jan. 4

  There's plenty to review in local wrestling after the holiday tournaments and a few dual meets sprinkled in are now in the books.
   Between a lot of travel and my son's birthday, I wasn't able to attend much or put anything on here in the past two weeks. I did see a pair of dual meets that involved two of the better teams in District 6-AA — Central's 43-24 win at Northern Bedford, and Mount Union's 51-18 victory over Everett.
   Though Huntingdon is probably still the favorite to win D6, Central and Mount Union are surely worth keeping an eye on. The Scarlet Dragons are getting stronger with Braeden Swab's return (didn't wrestle at Northern, but took a forfeit at 126 against Bellwood last week), and the fact that a few football players are rounding more into wrestling form.
   Mount Union looked sharp at Everett. Other than Jake Boozel, the Trojans may not have as many standout individuals as some other teams, but it's a solid lineup from top to bottom. The best bout of the night was Josh Boozel's 4-3 win over Garret Cornell at 106 pounds. Boozel, a sophomore and returning regional qualifier, is ranked 11th in the state by PA Power Wrestling.
    Tournaments of course took the major news during the school break. Chestnut Ridge's Aaron Burkett wasn't that far away from becoming the Lions' first Powerade winner in the team's third trip to the prestigious event, only to fall just short in a 4-3 loss to Penn Trafford's Job Chishko. Burkett held a 3-0 lead in the second period. Teammate Conner Buttry finished sixth after dropping a decision to Montoursville sophomore Gavin Hoffman for fifth place. Buttry and Hoffman could very well see each other again in either or both of the state tournaments in Hershey.
   Bedford's Jonathan Gabriel placed second in the Manheim Tournament after Palisades' Jacob Wasser won the 132-pound final, 3-2. Wasser was a state placewinner three seasons ago as a freshman. The Bisons also had sixth-place efforts from Vinny Fernandez and Brandon Greise at 220 and 285, respectively.
   Northern Bedford tallied six placewinners at the Southmoreland Holiday Classic, the highest being Zach Clark taking fourth at 120.

This Week's Action
Tuesday
   Richland at Bedford
   Moshannon Valley at Northern Bedford
   Claysburg-Kimmel at Glendale
   Everett at Bellwood-Antis
   HOPE for Hyndman at Portage

Thursday
   Chestnut Ridge at Claysburg-Kimmel
   Southern Garrett (Md.) at HOPE for Hyndman
   Juniata Valley at Northern Bedford
   Bellwood-Antis at Tussey Mountain
   Bedford at North Star

Friday
   Northern Bedford at Chestnut Ridge

Saturday
   Bloody Run Duals at Everett

State Rankings
   Here are the District 5 and 6 wrestlers in the PA Power Wrestling's Class AA rankings:
106
   1. Aaron Burkett, Chestnut Ridge
   6. Derrick Christie, Westmont-Hilltop
   11. Josh Boozel, Mount Union
   HM. Chase Proudfit, Penn Cambria
113
   15. Keaton Furry, North Star
   19. Dylan Williams, Chestnut Ridge
120
   9. Darren Yearick, Penns Valley
   10. Hunter Campbell, Cambria Heights
   11. Bryton Stidfole, Mount Union
   12. Devon Brown, Tyrone
   13. Zach Clark, Northern Bedford
126
   2. Max Murin, Central Cambria
   13. Liam Flaherty, Everett
   15. Joey Couteret, West Branch
   HM. Braeden Swab, Central
   HM. Izac Benson, Huntingdon
132
   4. Jared McGill, Chestnut Ridge
   5. Jonathan Gabriel, Bedford
   8. Collin Glorioso, Huntingdon
   14. Carnell Andrews, Westmont-Hilltop
   16. Brock Biddle, Central
   18. Ian Ostrowski, Central Cambria
138
   3. Justin McCoy, Chestnut Ridge
   7. Jake Boozel, Mount Union
   10. Joey Swank, Berlin
   18. Tyler Scott, Huntingdon
145
   11. Tommy Opdenhoff, Central Cambria
   12. Curtis Decker, Penns Valley
   14. Seth Baney, Huntingdon
   15. Dalton Clark, Ligonier Valley
152
   1. Robby Patrick, Ligonier Valley
   11. Bryce Biddle, Central
   15. Morgan Deremer, Chestnut Ridge
   HM. Austin Hemminger, Somerset
   HM. Gus Strasiser, North Star
160
   3. Jon Wagner, Huntingdon
   8. Larry Brown, Moshannon Valley
   9. Austin Farabaugh, Penn Cambria
   10. Nate Claar, Bellwood-Antis
170
   1. Jacob Oliver, Huntingdon
   8. Daniel Brett, Bedford
   11. Storm McDonald, Berlin
   20. Dillion Charlton, North Star
   HM. Lucas Kolinchak, Northern Bedford
182
   5. Anthony Walters, Westmont-Hilltop
   11. Wes Graham, Everett
   12. Nathan Trottier, Ligonier Valley
   13. Jacob Driskel, Penn Cambria
   14. Christian Hutzell, Meyersdale
   HM. Logan Fisher, Huntingdon
195
   2. Conner Buttry, Chestnut Ridge
   14. Clayton Green, West Branch
   15. Adam Rigney, Mount Union
   20. Dennis Link, Cambria Heights
220
   3. Josiah Jones, Westmont-Hilltop
   7. Toby Cahill, Berlin
   15. Vince McDowell, West Branch
   HM. Stevie Colyer, Tyrone
   HM. Tyler Elder, Claysburg-Kimmel
285
   8. Anthony Collins, Berlin
   14. Mason Hockenberry, Mount Union
   15. Nick Winfield, Southern Huntingdon