Bethlehem Catholic-Palisades reaction

   As many wrestling fans in the know might be aware of by now, Bethlehem Catholic defeated Palisades in last night's District 11-AA quarterfinals, 84-0.
   But it wasn't just any 84-0 shutout. Palisades forfeited the entire match in protest, allowing 14 consecutive Becahi wrestlers to get their hands raised without breaking a sweat on the mat.
   Obviously, the outcome of this match has brought a ton of attention to it in the hours since.
   I heard about what happened through several Twitter postings last night, and my first reaction was that while I didn't agree with abandoning an entire dual meet for any reason, I understood the point that Pirates' coach Omar Porrata was trying to make.
    I tweeted the following: Not sure I agree with Palisades making that move, but I get it. Who can compete with Bethlehem Catholic?
    The original assumption I was going on, through tweets by Ryan Holmes of The Express-Times and Michael Blouse, my former colleague at that same paper who now writes for Allentown's Morning Call, was that Bethlehem Catholic coach Jeff Karam had weighed in mostly a junior varsity squad if not an entire team of backups for the dual.
    Surmising that information, I could understand that Porrata would be upset with that in a "Becahi thinks their so good they can beat us with JV kids" sort of way.
    But after looking through several pieces on the event today, I'm going to say that Porrata was wrong in this instance, whether he decided to do what he did on his own or not, though it was also reported that some Palisades' supporters at the match stood and applauded the move.
    The Express-Times (www.lehighvalleylive.com) has a box score of the match that shows which 14 wrestlers took the forfeits for the Golden Hawks. Here it is:

195 - Jose Ortiz
220 - Andrew Dunn
285 - Paul Aaroe
106 - Sean Redington
113 - Luke Carty
120 - Joey Gould
126 - Andrew Haldaman
132 - Stephen Maloney
138 - Cole Karam
145 - Mason Angstadt
152 - Brandon Gallagher
160 - Adam Soldridge
170 - Nick Cortopassi
182 - Jody Crouse

   By my calculations, nine of those 14 have wrestled at least 20 bouts this season, and several are regular starters. A few are returning state qualifiers and Dunn is a sixth-place state medalist, having lost to Chestnut Ridge's Austin Buttry in the fifth-place bout at 285 last March.
   Certainly, there are some notables missing, including Karam's one son Luke (113) and teammate Zeke Moisey (126), both of whom were state finalists last winter.
   Jeff Karam told Holmes that Luke Karam had missed three days of school and wasn't going to wrestle anyway. He also cited needing to sit a few regulars due to the schedule of district duals, state duals, and end of the year conference meets in a short amount of time.
   Isn't the coach allowed that right to do what he feels best for his team? And if Palisades had wrestled and somehow pulled off the incredible upset, Karam would have had to live with his choice of who to and who not to wrestle.
   I'm sure the opinion that I have here after gathering information isn't popular, and I do understand that the negative perception of many towards Bethlehem Catholic is a weighing factor in their opinions. Honestly, as just a pure fan, I wouldn't mind seeing someone else hoist the Class AA State Duals trophy next Saturday, either.
   There's a lot of angst toward Karam and the Becahi program from inside and outside District 11, over so-called "recruiting practices", whether the school should compete in the PIAA or at least be Class AAA for wrestling, and other things. It's easy to get caught up in that and make assumptions.
   But that's not the argument here in my eyes. We can debate those items another day.
   Should Palisades have sent wrestlers to the circle last night? Yes.
   Because kids should be allowed to compete, coaches should be allowed to coach, and fans should be allowed to cheer positively. And Omar Porrata took that away last night from two schools, whether you like Bethlehem Catholic or not.
   Wrestling, and high school sports in general, doesn't need a black eye like the one that occurred last night.

D5 First Round breakdown

   The District 5 Duals open tonight with two matches. Third seed Berlin hosts sixth seed Northern Bedford, and fourth seed Somerset is home with fifth seed North Star. Both matches are set for 7 p.m.
   Defending champion Chestnut Ridge is the top seed and will host the semifinals and final on Saturday. Bedford is the second seed and also receives a bye into the weekend.
   Below is a closer look at each of tonight's matchups:

(6) Northern Bedford at (3) Berlin
— Northern Bedford wrestlers listed first —
106 - Fr. Zach Clark (9-10) vs. Fr. Kyle Boyce (11-14)
113 - Jr. Trey Childers (11-8) vs. Sr. Tommy DeArmitt (23-5)
120 - So. Jon Raab (6-5) vs. So. Joe Swank (22-2)
126 - Jr. Jared Helsley (18-8) vs. Sr. E.J. Custer (14-7)
132 - Fr. Carter Replogle (12-7) vs. Jr. Kane McKenzie (21-12)
138 - So. Ridge Hershberger (12-8) vs. So. Storm McDonald (17-12)
145 - So. Austin Heck (6-10) or Sr. Collin Sherlock (0-1) vs. So. Braden Fochtman (28-3)
152 - Sr. Chris Eichelberger (14-7) vs. Jr. Taylor Cahill (26-2)
160 - Jr. Ty Bechtel (4-5) or So. Dakota Brunner (1-5) vs. Jr. Bryce Fochtman (24-4)
170 - So. Lucas Kolinchak (18-5) vs. Jr. Trevor Moore (10-7)
182 - So. Mason Guyer (17-7) vs. Jr. Shane Pepper (17-9)
195 - TBA vs. Fr. Toby Cahill (20-8)
220 - TBA vs. Sr. Stew Trulick (21-3)
285 - Jr. Chase Ott (8-11) vs. So. Anthony Collins (21-7)

   Analysis: A weather postponement from Tuesday night allowed North Star, who wrestled and won, to jump Northern Bedford, who didn't and sat tight, into fifth in the seedings, dropping the Black Panthers into a tougher match at Berlin. Straight up, the host Mountaineers would be favorites at 113, 120, 132, 145, 152, 160, 195, 220, and 285. Northern has been forfeiting 195 and 220 recently and didn't have anyone compete there at the Thomas Subaru Tournament last weekend. Hard to see the Bedford County side making this one close, as Kolinchak at 170 might be the Panthers' only clear-cut favorite in the match.
   Prediction: Berlin, 49-14.

(5) North Star at (4) Somerset
— North Star wrestlers listed first —
106 - Sr. Lenny Beeman (15-11) vs. Fr. Quinn Cole (15-7)
113 - So. Eric Colangelo (5-9) vs. Jr. Kat Luteri (3-7)
120 - Sr. Colton Gennett (16-11) vs. Sr. Damian Jano (14-10)
126 - So. Brady Gardner (11-18) vs. Sr. Garret Foster (3-5)
132 - Jr. Michael Baker (15-13) vs. Fr. Austin Hemminger (11-9)
138 - Jr. Tevin Mostoller (25-10) or Fr. Kyle Supanick (1-0) vs. Jr. Jon Fabian (15-6)
145 - Mostoller or Sr. Corey Fritch (23-9) vs. Jr. Sheldon Wagner (13-7)
152 - Fritch or So. Gus Strasiser (25-9) vs. Sr. Mike Laue (13-6) or Jr. Bailey Phillips (3-1)
160 - Strasiser or So. Dillion Charlton (21-6) vs. Laue or Jr. Dan Talley (2-6)
170 - Charlton or Sr. Mason Jamieson (3-3) vs. Sr. Landon Lohr (14-4)
182 - Jr. Hunter Connor (22-9) vs. Sr. Casey Pyle (4-10)
195 - Sr. Kevin Horner (18-12) vs. Jr. Logan Eller (17-3)
220 - Sr. Thomas Miller (7-7) vs. Fr. Jack Hause (10-8)
285 - Jr. Brady Vinisky (11-18) vs. Jr. Jarrett McKenzie (0-1)

   Analysis: This should be a pretty interesting match. The lower weights on paper appear to be a lot of toss-ups, as are a couple up top. North Star had Mostoller, Fritch, Strasiser, and Charlton from 145-170 in that order at last weekend's Thomas Subaru Tournament. North Star's Colangelo didn't compete at the event, while Somerset's McKenzie didn't either. The Cougars should have the edge at 182, while the Golden Eagles would at 195. I haven't seen much of either team this year, but I'll take the visitors here.

   Prediction: North Star, 31-24.

District Duals talk

   There's been a lot of talk in the last few hours about the District 5 Dual Meet standings, how things are calculated, and maybe how they should be.
   From reading postings today at Knop's Knotes and Bleacher Coaches, there was some ire directed to comments made by Eric Knopsnyder regarding Bedford, and whether dual meet tournaments should count toward the standings, which they currently do not.
   You can check out the above links to view them, and Eric has since clarified things in his most recent post, but I think most of us can agree that there is no system that is going to please everyone.
   I have long advocated that there needs to be a human element involved in the process, not just taking what each team does during the counted duals and figuring out the math to determine seeding based on a points system.
   In this year's case, the official seedings have Chestnut Ridge, Bedford, and Berlin in that order at the top. As noted by Odoyel Rules on Bleacher Coaches, if dual meet tournaments would have counted, the top three would be Berlin, Bedford, and Chestnut Ridge.
   My so-called human element would take in head-to-head matchups for example. Chestnut Ridge owns wins over Berlin and Bedford, and thus that would be factored in. In a perfect world, I think strength of schedule should have some weight, but that can be difficult to determine. It's easy to say the Brookville Ultimate Duals is perhaps the best dual meet tournament in Pennsylvania, and the Lions could be rewarded for a 3-2 record there if the system added dual meet events.
   But was Berlin's Mountaineer Duals better than Towanda's Dandy Mini Mart Duals, or the Line Mountain Duals, or vice versa either way? That's hard to calculate what teams that participate deserve in the points system in my opinion for wins, because team rankings of opponents are just that — rankings that give the sport something great to talk about. Nothing more, nothing less.
   Beginning recently, Tom Elling's PA Wrestling began calculating (based on the PIAA Football points system), purely unofficially, a team ranking for each district as well as a statewide ranking in both Class AA and AAA. You can find his most recent listing here for District 5 (District 5 Rankings). It is based on input into the NWCA Scoreboard by coaches. As of Tuesday's report, which does include any dual meet tournaments entered into NWCA, the District 5 top three order would be Bedford, Chestnut Ridge, and Berlin.
   Elling says that there is no "weighted factor" to those rankings, and that things like strength of district, etc. are not under consideration right now. Still, I believe that system could be an eventual barometer to figure it all out.
   But with that also said, over the years, I've talked to many coaches across the state and in others that believe more in going to individual tournaments with their eyes on the individual postseason. I find nothing wrong with that, and should their teams be hurt in the team rankings because of it? It's not any team's fault that their respective league might be in a downward year also.
   There are also districts which are going to determine "true" placewinners, in a better way of determining state team qualifiers. I've applauded that move and wrote about it before the season began on this blog. It's a shame in District 3-AA that Boiling Springs and Bermudian Springs, both highly regarded in state rankings, are likely semifinal opponents because of points, and only one of them will get to go to the PIAA Tournament next week. Of course, I'm basing that perception on the rankings and I could be completely underestimating Hamburg or Northern Lebanon.
   District 5 doesn't have that sort of problem, as only the champion moves on to Hershey, but I still believe the system could be tweaked. But how we do it and who factors in (current coaches, retired coaches, media, others, or a combination thereof) is the big question.
 

Thomas Subaru Tournament Outlook

    Ok, the seeds and brackets are out for the 26th annual Thomas Subaru Tournament that begins on Friday morning at Bedford High School. All seeded wrestlers with at least a .500 record are listed below with an outlook for each weight. Earlier this week, I posted the teams and the schedule and you can find that further down in my blog. Of course, be sure to get a copy of the Bedford Gazette all weekend long for full coverage of the tournament. 

106 - 1. Aaron Burkett, Chestnut Ridge, Soph., 22-2; 2. Sammy Hepler, Tri-Valley, Fr., 17-4; 3. Mason Madden-Edwards, North Schuylkill, Fr., 18-4; 4. Andrew John, South Fayette, Jr., 20-5; 5. Joey Couteret, West Branch, Soph., 17-3; 6. Nolan Link, Penn Cambria, Jr., 18-5; 7. Nathaniel Thomas, Conemaugh Township, Fr., 10-4; 8. Oaklee Brode, Tussey Mountain, Soph., 9-4; 9. Quinn Cole, Somerset, Fr., 10-5; 10. Devin Wilhelm, Northern Garrett, Fr., 15-7; 11. Jordan Musselman, Claysburg-Kimmel, Jr., 7-4; 12. Jordon Grey, Newport, Fr., 11-7; 13. Lenny Beeham, North Star, Sr., 11-9.

   Breakdown: Burkett has been wrestling well and I like his chances to do a lot this weekend. I don't know much about seeds 2, 3, and 4. Keep an eye on lower seeds Couteret and Link.

113 - 1. Brendan Howard, Jefferson-Morgan, Jr. 18-3; 2. Jonathan Gabriel, Bedford, Soph., 14-3; 3. Thomas DeArmitt, Berlin Brothersvalley, Sr., 20-3; 4. Brock Biddle, Central, Fr., 11-0; 5. Blake Dunlap, Chestnut Ridge, Soph. 12-5; 6. Wyatt Sankey, West Branch, Sr., 17-3; 7. Trey Childers, Northern Bedford, Jr. 10-6; 8. Jasper Wolfe, South Fayette, Soph. 14-7; 9. Ben Clay, Newport, Sr., 12-4; 10. Dalton Klotz, Everett, Soph., 8-6; 11. Aaron Griffith, Conemaugh Township, Soph., 12-4; 12. Kyle Stephen, Tri-Valley, Jr., 13-11; 13. Dakota Walter, Claysburg-Kimmel, Jr., 11-5; 14. Steven Yutzy, Nothern Garrett, Fr., 12-5; 15. Mason Craig, Mount Union, Jr. 7-4; 16. Mike Dautlick, Cambria Heights, Jr. 8-5; 17. Brent Leabhart, Tussey Mountain, Sr., 5-4; 18. Dilian Jeffery, Burrell, Fr., 9-9.

   Breakdown: Good weight here, though a Howard-Gabriel final is a solid bet. Those two split a pair of 106-pound encounters last season. Gabriel won the Thomas by pinning Howard after trailing in the bout. At the Southwest Regional, Howard got his revenge by knocking Gabriel out of the tournament in a brutal bracket.

120 - 1. Caleb Bordner, Tri-Valley, Jr., 21-2; 2. Joe Swank, Berlin Brothersvalley, Soph., 18-2; 3. Sage Moist, Mount Union, Sr., 18-1; 4. Stephen Rouser, Richland, Jr., 17-4; 5. Shane McGrath, North Schuykill, Soph., 20-4; 6. Pat O’Toole, Newport, Soph., 12-5; 7. Damian Jano, Somerset, Sr., 11-6; 8. Dylan Park, Tussey Mountain, Sr., 9-4; 9. Hunter Parks, West Branch, Fr., 11-9; 10. Kyle Mehle, Bedford, Jr., 6-2; 11. Ben Stover, Everett, Soph., 9-6; 12. Colton Gennett, North Star, Sr., 12-9; 13. Jon Raab, Northern Bedford, Soph., 5-3.

   Breakdown: Top seed Bordner is a returning state placewinner and a former Thomas Tournament champion. Swank is one of the rising young stars in District 5, while Moist is a proven senior at the third seed. If I had to pick a lower seed to do well, I'd go with McGrath based purely on record.

126 - 1. John Demaske, Jefferson-Morgan, Sr., 21-0; 2. Adam George, Richland, Jr., 16-2; 3. Joe Davis, Cambria Heights, Sr., 9-1; 4. Mike Novak, Mount Pleasant, Soph., 9-3; 5. Jake Boozel, Mount Union, Soph., 16-3; 6. Jason Opel, Northern Garrett, Jr., 20-1; 7. Kody Ofsanko, Conemaugh Township, Sr., 14-3; 8. Ethan Kennedy, Central, Fr., 11-3; 9. Jabel Warren, Bedford, Sr., 8-5; 10., Zachary Stevens, Penn Cambria, Soph., 17-7; 11. Morgan Deremer, Chestnut Ridge, Fr., 12-7; 12. Jake Brown, West Branch, Sr., 12-8; 13. Edward Custer, Berlin Brothersvalley, Sr., 11-5; 14. Jared Helsley, Northern Bedford, Jr., 13-6; 15. Jess Wetzel, North Schuylkill, Jr., 13-9; 16. Scott Rzepecki, South Fayette, Jr., 8-8.

   Breakdown: Demaske made the drop from 132 for this weekend. Hard to pick against the returning state medalist here, though George, Davis, Novak, Boozel, Opel and others could make it one of the more wide open races to be a finalist. Davis, back recently after feared lost for the season, is a former Thomas champion.

132 - 1. Ryan Easter, Bedford, Sr., 14-2; 2. Mike Carr, South Fayette, Soph., 19-0; 3. J.R. Andrejcik, Burrell, Sr., 11-6; 4. Tanner Hetrick, Meyersdale, Sr., 25-4; 5. Sam Shank, Chestnut Ridge, Sr., 12-10; 6. Austin Hemminger, Somerset, Fr., 9-6; 7. Carter Replogle, Northern Bedford, 11-5; 8. Kane McKenzie, Berlin Brothersvalley, Jr., 16-9; 9. Aleic Hunter, Tyrone, Jr., 9-6; 10. Michael Baker, North Star, Jr., 12-10.

   Breakdown: Could be a repeat of last year's 120-pound final, when Easter pinned Carr in the third period to secure his first Thomas championship. Andrejcik should have something to say about it from Carr's half of the bracket. Easter beat the Burrell wrestler earlier this season at the King of the Mountain. 

138 - 1. Derrick Claar, Chestnut Ridge, Jr., 20-4; 2. Chase Schaeffer, Tri-Valley, Soph., 17-5; 3. Garrett Thomas, Bedford, Sr., 12-3; 4. Nick Hoenstine, Central, Jr., 10-1; 5. Dalton Klinger, Newport, Soph., 14-2; 6. Jason Schopp, Tyrone, Sr., 14-4; 7. Brady McKenzie, Meyersdale, Jr., 26-5; 8. Jon Fabian, Somerset, Jr., 10-4; 9. Kody Osselburn, Northern Garrett, Sr., 20-0; 10. Shane Ging, South Fayette, Soph., 19-7; 11. Ridge Hershberger, Northern Bedford, Soph., 10-6; 12. Storm McDonald, Berlin Brothersvalley, Soph., 14-10; 13. Kaleb Quick, West Branch, Sr., 11-9; 14. Raymond Niebauer, Cambria Heights, Sr., 5-5.

   Breakdown: Here's where it starts to get really interesting. Claar is the top seed, and seeded above two returning champs in Schaeffer and Thomas. I think the two finalists will come from those three, but don't sleep on fourth seed Hoenstine.

145 - 1. Hunter Harner, Tri-Valley, Jr., 16-6; 2. Corey Falleroni, Burrell, Sr., 18-6; 3. Austin Mears, Mount Pleasant, Jr., 19-4; 4. Braden Fochtman, Berlin Brothersvalley, Soph., 25-2; 5. Nick Naglic, Richland, Sr., 17-3; 6. Trent Crouse, Chestnut Ridge, Jr. 17-6; 7. Anthony Welsh, Beth-Center, Soph., 19-2; 8. Parker Bumbarger, West Branch, Sr., 20-0; 9. Toby Brett, Bedford, Sr., 6-5; 10. Seth Deist, Meyersdale, Sr., 18-5; 11. Brett Beltz, South Fayette, Jr., 17-3; 12. Sheldon Wagner, Somerset, Jr., 11-4; 13. Tevin Mostoller, North Star, Jr., 19-8; 14. Colby Stroup, Newport, Soph., 15-2; 15. Chris McCann, Northern Garrett, Sr., 16-6; 16. Mike Eckenrode, Penn Cambria, Jr., 14-7; 17. Quinn Barnett, Tussey Mountain, Jr., 11-3; 18. Joe Alexander, North Schuylkill, Fr., 12-10; 19. Casey Berchick, Conemaugh Township, Jr., 12-10; 20. Trae Shirey, Central, Sr., 7-5; 21. Trevor Kniha, Jefferson-Morgan, Soph., 18-12; 22. Tyler Long, Mount Union, Sr., 6-6.

   Breakdown: In short, what a weight! 22 kids have at least a .500 record. The top four are very caliber wrestlers, though I'll focus here on some of the others. Naglic is the fifth seed but a returning champion. Crouse, the sixth seed, is a former champion and a two-time finalist. I've heard good things about seventh seed Welsh, while eighth seed Bumbarger is unbeaten at 20-0. Even Brett at 9 and Deist at 10 can't be counted out for a high placement.

152 - 1. Steve Edwards, Burrell, Sr., 20-3; 2. Taylor Cahill, Berlin Brothersvalley, Jr., 23-1; 3. Ethan Charlesworth, Mount Pleasant, Jr., 19-6; 4. Jason Stay, Beth-Center, Jr., 15-6; 5. Luke Slippey, West Branch, Jr., 19-1; 6. Grant Fetchet, South Fayette, Sr., 19-1; 7. Corey Fritch, North Star, Sr., 19-7; 8. Anthony Snyder, Tri-Valley, Jr., 18-6; 9. Mike Mock, Central, Jr., 10-1; 10. Colby Hillegass, Chestnut Ridge, Jr., 13-8; 11. Mike Laue, Somerset, Sr., 10-4; 12. Ryan Miller, Northern Garrett, Sr., 19-3; 13. Dominic Farabaugh, Penn Cambria, Jr., 17-6; 14. Chris Eichelberger, Northern Bedford, Sr., 11-4.

   Breakdown: This weight also very good and fronted by returning state placer Edwards and state qualifier Cahill. Slippey and Fetchet could be the sleepers here.

160 - 1. J.J. Walker, South Fayette, Jr., 20-1; 2. Bryce Fochtman, Berlin, Jr., 21-3; 3. Ryan Zalar, Jefferson-Morgan, Sr., 17-1; 4. Levi Niebauer, Cambria Heights, Jr., 15-1; 5. Nico Brown, Beth-Center, Jr., 17-8; 6. Dylan Smith, Mount Union, Sr., 17-2; 7. Garet Grove, North Schuylkill, Sr., 20-1; 8. Jacob Driskel, Penn Cambria, Soph., 17-6; 9. Gus Strasiser, North Star, Soph., 18-7; 10. Clayton Green, West Branch, Soph., 16-4; 11. Derrick Beattie, Burrell, Sr., 15-9; 12. Christian Hutzell, Meyersdale, Fr. 16-6; 13. Daniel Brett, Bedford, Soph., 9-6; 14. Bryson Day, Northern Garrett, Soph., 16-6; 15. Jacob Grosik, Conemaugh Township, Fr., 12-8; 16. Dakotah Feathers, Claysburg-Kimmel, Jr., 10-7; 17. Wes Graham, Everett, Fr., 8-7.

   Breakdown: Another group of strong wrestlers at the top of this weight. Walker and Fochtman are likely finalists in my opinion. Zalar, who has wrestled well and not so well in events I've seen him at, is the wild card.

170 - 1. Nico Pecora, Richland, Sr., 17-0; 2. Auston Hummel, North Schuylkill, Sr., 20-1; 3. Landon Lohr, Somerset, Sr., 11-1; 4. Bill Bowlen, Jefferson-Morgan, Soph., 21-3; 5. Lucas Kolinchak, Northern Bedford, Soph., 13-3; 6. Kyle Winegardner, Chestnut Ridge, Sr., 15-7; 7. Dillion Charlton, North Star, Soph., 16-4; 8. Nick Pattock, Burrell, Sr., 15-9; 9. Conor Myers, West Branch, Jr., 15-5; 10. Blake Burket, Central, Sr., 11-3; 11. Justin Hammel, Claysburg-Kimmel, Sr., 11-5; 12. Devon Kylor, Mount Union, Sr., 12-7; 13. Dalton Waksmunski, Cambria Heights, Jr., 11-5; 14. Matt Wyland, Penn Cambria, Sr., 11-8; 15. Trevor Moore, Berlin Brothersvalley, Jr., 7-5; 16. Jack Previte, South Fayette, Sr., 5-2.

   Breakdown: Pecora looks improved from last year and has the top seed this weekend. He owns a pair of wins over Lohr recently. Remember that records for the wrestlers are taken from what is given to them by the bracket, so example there is Lohr at 11-1. Bowlen and Kolinchak are sophomores who seem to have taken a big step forward from freshmen debuts last year.

182 - 1. Gavin Berkley, Meyersdale, Sr., 22-1; 2. Conner Buttry, Chestnut Ridge, Soph., 21-3; 3. Hunter Connor, North Star, Jr., 19-5; 4. Rausaun Culberson, South Fayette, Soph., 13-5; 5. C.J. Steinhilber, North Schuykill, Soph., 9-3; 6. Mason Guyer, Northern Bedford, Soph., 14-5; 7. Dennis Link, Cambria Heights, Soph., 15-5; 8. Chance Williams, Bedford, Sr., 9-6; 9. Shane Pepper, Berlin Brothersvalley, Jr., 16-7; 10., Robbie Pearce, West Branch, Sr., 14-6; 11. Jason Perkins, Jefferson-Morgan, Sr., 13-12; 12. D.J. Bookwalter, Mount Union, Soph., 9-7; 13. Jared Ponder, Central, Sr., 8-5; 14. Alex Moses, Burrell, Soph., 3-1.

   Breakdown: Looks here like 1, then 2, then a dropoff. No disrespect to anyone 3 and lower, that's just how I see this one shaking out.

195 - 1. Jared Beckwith, Tyrone, Sr., 16-1; 2. Logan Eller, Somerset, Jr., 13-1; 3. Phil Kyle, Mount Union, Sr., 15-4; 4. Alek Hummel, North Schuylkill, Jr., 19-3; 5. Toby Cahill, Berlin Brothersvalley, Fr., 17-6; 6. Vince McDowell, West Branch, Soph., 16-4; 7. Mason White, Tri-Valley, Sr., 16-9; 8. Kevin Horner, North Star, Sr., 14-8; 9. Anthony Mezzelo, Cambria Heights, Jr., 12-5; 10., Spencer Girman, South Fayette, Sr., 10-6; 11. Tristan Deal, Meyersdale, Soph., 12-6; 12. Robert Scherer, Burrell, Soph., 13-10; 13. Tyler Elder, Claysburg-Kimmel, Soph., 8-6; 14. Jeff Jento, Jefferson-Morgan, Sr., 11-9; 15. August Snyder, Newport, Soph., 9-9.

   Breakdown: Beckwith and Eller both come in with good records, as do others in Hummel, Cahill, Kyle, etc. Don't know enough about Hummel so he could be a player here.

220 - 1. Buzzy Maines, West Branch, Jr., 20-0; 2. Stew Trulick, Berlin Brothersvalley, Sr., 18-2; 3. John Wilkinson, Penn Cambria, S., 15-3; 4. Josh Lind, Mount Pleasant, Soph., 17-8; 5. Ty Smith, Meyersdale, Jr., 24-6; 6. Darrian Stapleton, Mount Union, Sr., 16-3; 7. Shane Davis, Chestnut Ridge, Jr., 8-1; 8. Bryce Christoff, South Fayette, Sr., 11-8; 9. Trenton Yorty, Northern Garrett, Sr., 11-4; 10. Austin Conrath, Central, Sr. 7-2; 11. Anthony Patterson, Jefferson-Morgan, Jr., 7-3; 12. Zach Svencer, Conemaugh Township, Sr., 11-9; 13. Dane Tarantelli, North Schuylkill, Soph., 11-9; 14. Jack Hause, Somerset, Fr., 6-6.

   Breakdown: A lot of solid wrestlers here as well, though I believe Maines is a cut about the rest. I like Smith to finish higher than his seed. Locally, Davis has wrestled well so far for Chestnut Ridge.

285 - 1. Al Beattie, Burrell, Jr., 19-4; 2. Nik Smith, Mount Union, Sr., 17-2; 3. Morgan Selepack, West Branch, Sr., 15-2; 4. Aaron Gill, Cambria Heights, Sr., 14-0; 5. Nate Gadinski, North Schuylkill, Jr., 21-1; 6. Devin Reed, Everett, Jr., 13-2; 7. Anthony Collins, Berlin Brothersvalley, Soph., 18-5; 8. Ian Wolfe, Jefferson-Morgan, Jr., 18-4; 9. Josh Bower, Newport, Jr., 13-4; 10. Nate Shoemaker, Bedford, Jr., 8-5.

   Breakdown: The big news from this is that Chestnut Ridge's Austin Buttry will not be competing this weekend after suffering an injury at last week's Ultimate Duals. Lions' coach Greg Lazor told me at tonight's seeding meeting that Buttry would have been in the bracket had it been a postseason tournament, and that it was only looking to be a 1-2 week injury healing time. Meanwhile, Beattie should be tough to beat in this field, though Smith is solid and Selepack is a returning state placewinner. Seeded sixth, Reed owns a win over Smith but lost to Selepack, whom he could meet in tomorrow's quarterfinals.

Chat by the Mat

Powered by Blyve

Thomas Subaru Tournament Schedule

   Here is the schedule and teams for the 2014 Thomas Subaru Tournament which takes place this weekend at Bedford High School.

Teams
   Bedford, Berlin, Beth-Center, Burrell, Cambria Heights, Central, Chestnut Ridge, Claysburg, Conemaugh Township, Everett, Jefferson-Morgan, Meyersdale, Mount Pleasant, Mount Union, Newport, North Star, North Schuylkill, Northern Bedford, Northern Garrett (Md.), Penn Cambria, Richland, Shade, Somerset, South Fayette, Tri-Valley, Tussey Mountain, Tyrone, West Branch.

Friday's Schedule
10:30 a.m. - Pigtail Round
12:30 p.m. - Preliminary Round, First Round Consolations
3 p.m. - Second Round Consolations
5 p.m. - Third Round Consolations, Bonus Bouts in Pit
5:30 p.m. - Quarterfinals, Third Round Consolations continued

Saturday's Schedule
9 a.m. - Fourth Round Consolations
10:30 a.m. - Semifinals, Consolation Quarterfinals
12:45 p.m. - Consolation Semifinals, 7th Place Bouts
4 p.m. - 3rd and 5th Place Bouts
5:30 p.m. - Finals

Review and Preview

    Another Monday is here which means another week of wrestling. That said, all eyes locally will be on Bedford High School come Friday for another edition of the Thomas Subaru Tournament. Wrestling begins at 10:30 a.m. in the 28-team, two-day event.
   I'll have more on this as the week continues, and please do me a favor and pick up a copy of Friday's Bedford Gazette, which will feature a special pull-out section on the tournament. I take a lot of pride in putting this together every year, and it will certainly have you all ready for the wrestling. Your 75 cents is well worth it.
Looking back
   My first full day Saturday coverage of the season happened at this past weekend's Brookville Ultimate Duals, and the wrestling didn't disappoint. It was basically much of last year's Class AA State Duals crammed into about 12 hours.
   Chestnut Ridge's 31-29 win over Burrell certainly provided early fireworks, as Lion 220-pounder Shane Davis scored a pin in a bout where he needed at least a technical fall to hand his team the match victory.
   The remainder of the day showed what most of us know in top-level team duals, that it's all about individual matchups: Burrell beat Brookville. Brookville beat Chestnut Ridge. Reynolds hammered both Burrell and Chestnut Ridge. But Brookville beat Reynolds to win the tournament. Here's a link to the results — 2014 Ultimate Duals Results.
   Here's some other quick impressions from the event:
— While I don't expect anyone to seriously contend with Bethlehem Catholic for the Class AA team title, the battle for the other state team medals will be interesting. Certainly Brookville, Reynolds, and Burrell should be in the mix. Whoever comes out of District 5, Chestnut Ridge or Berlin, would likely be a challenger as are District 3 kingpins Boiling Springs and Bermudian Springs. The District 6 contingent, probably some variety of a two-team combination of Huntingdon, Mount Union, and West Branch, should be in it also.
   Boiling Springs beat Bermudian on Saturday night. And kudos to Berlin for a nice win over Greenville at the Mountaineer Duals.
— Chestnut Ridge's Derrick Claar has been wrestling about as well as anyone this winter and I expect him to be a player in the postseason beyond the regional level. Claar notched a very good 4-2 win over Brookville's Dalton Zimmerman, a sixth-place state medalist at 132 last season. Claar's double leg takedown in the third period was as textbook as you could teach it, and he scrambled for another two points for the winning move.
— Speaking of Ridge, here's hoping that Austin Buttry's injury is not serious. After losing 6-2 to Burrell's Allan Beattie, he was tied up early in the first period with Reynolds' Gene Ringer, when the Raider heavyweight got leverage and put Buttry to his back for a surprising pin. Buttry sat out the rest of the day with a shoulder issue. The Lions don't compete until Friday, so Buttry does have time to get ready for the Thomas and a possible rematch with Beattie if he is ok to go. Obviously, having the returning state placewinner in the lineup is key for Chestnut Ridge to defend its Thomas Tournament championship and go after a second straight District 5 Duals title next week.
The week ahead
   With another round of winter weather in the forecast for Tuesday, it looks like that could be a complete wipeout of local matches. But here's the week's outlook as of now.
Tonight
   Southern Huntingdon at Northern Bedford
Tuesday
   Richland at Bedford
   Claysburg at West Branch
   Southern Huntingdon at Everett
   Mount Union at Northern Bedford
   Tussey Mountain at Shade
Wednesday
   HOPE for Hyndman at North Star
Thursday
   Glendale at Claysburg
   HOPE for Hyndman at Portage
Friday
   Thomas Subaru Tournament at Bedford
Saturday
   Thomas Subaru Tournament at Bedford

Weekend Preview

   Here's a closer look at two dual meet tournaments on Saturday that involve three of my coverage area teams:

18th Annual Ultimate Duals @ Brookville HS
Saturday, 8 a.m.

Teams
Brookville
Brockway
Burrell
Chestnut Ridge
Reynolds
Saegertown

Class AA State Rankings (Off the Mat)
2. Reynolds
5. Burrell
6. Brookville
13. Chestnut Ridge

Schedule
8 a.m. - Brockway vs. Saegertown; Burrell vs. Chestnut Ridge
9:30 a.m. - Saegertown vs. Brookville; Chestnut Ridge vs. Reynolds
11 a.m. - Brookville vs. Burrell; Reynolds vs. Brockway
12:30 p.m. - Saegertown vs. Burrell; Chestnut Ridge vs. Brockway
2 p.m. - Reynolds vs. Saegertown; Brookville vs. Chestnut Ridge
3:30 p.m. - Burrell vs. Reynolds; Brockway vs. Brookville
5 p.m. - Burrell vs. Brockway; Chestnut Ridge vs. Saegertown
6:30 p.m. - Brookville vs. Reynolds

   The Ultimate Duals have always been highly regarded as one of the top events in Pennsylvania, and the field this year certainly adds to that tradition. Off the Mat's Mark Dugan has four of the six participants ranked in his top 13 teams, while Saegertown is also strong and has been mentioned highly in other rankings. Another Class AA power, Boiling Springs, was originally entered but had to withdraw due to a scheduling conflict. Brockway is the replacement.
   Five of the six teams were in the PIAA State Duals last year. Reynolds finished second, Chestnut Ridge placed fourth, Saegertown went 3-2, and Burrell was 1-2. Brookville lost to Saegertown in a preliminary round match.
 
Chestnut Ridge coach Greg Lazor's thoughts on the Ultimate Duals:
   "We're excited. We got it on the schedule because we're trying to get everything we can before the postseason. So when we get to the postseason, whether it's duals or individual stuff, we've seen these guys and we feel comfortable wrestling them — there's not going to be any shock factor. We're going up there to get some real good matches in. I see five tight matches, and it's going to come down to who's wrestling better and who gets more bonus points. Either way it goes for us, it's going to be a lot of fun."

   Spring's Outlook: I like host Brookville to come out on top, though the nightcap match with Reynolds should be interesting. Reynolds had been ranked lower than second in previous polls by both Off the Mat and PA Power, but the Raiders throttled District 10 rival Fort LeBoeuf last week, a team that had been ranked higher, to move up right behind Bethlehem Catholic. Reynolds lost four bouts in overtime to FLB, but still won the dual by 15 points, 34-19. Reynolds is 54-10 all-time at the Ultimate Duals. Brookville has seven kids ranked by OTM, while Burrell, Chestnut Ridge, and Saegertown also have several outstanding individuals. How good might Saegertown have been if Devin Brown and Spencer Lee hadn't transferred to Franklin Regional?

Top Individuals (with Off the Mat rankings)
106
8. Aaron Burkett, Chestnut Ridge
14. Gage Bayless, Reynolds
15. Gavin Park, Brookville
113
7. Taylor Ortz, Brookville
16. Seth Hogue, Reynolds
120
None ranked
126
8. Michael Bartolo, Reynolds
16. Cole Aaron, Brookville
132
4. Dalton Zimmerman, Brookville
5. JR Andrejcik, Burrell
7. Tyler Vath, Saegertown
138
1. Brock Zacherl, Brookville
8. Nick Monico, Saegertown
15. Derrick Claar, Chestnut Ridge
145
3. Levi Stoyer, Reynolds
6. Corey Falleroni, Burrell
8. Matt Humes, Saegertown
152
2. Steven Edwards, Burrell
12. Mason McCollum, Reynolds
160
5. Brodie Zacherl, Brookville
170
8. Zach Vroman, Brookville
182
2. Dylan Reynolds, Saegertown
195
None ranked
220
None ranked
285
2. Allan Beattie, Burrell
4. Austin Buttry, Chestnut Ridge
12. Gene Ringer, Reynolds

—————————
2nd Annual Mountaineer Duals @ Berlin Brothersvalley HS
Saturday, 9 a.m.

Pool A Teams
Berlin
Claysburg
Frankfort, WV
Moshannon Valley

Pool B Teams
Bellwood
Greenville
HOPE for Hyndman
Osbourn Park, VA

Class AA State Rankings (Off the Mat)
10. Greenville
18. Berlin

   This is a round robin tournament where each team wrestles the other three in their pool and then has two placement round matches following. Host Berlin, Bellwood, Frankfort, HOPE for Hyndman, and Osbourn Park return to the event from last year.

   Spring's Outlook: Hard not to see a Berlin-Greenville championship match in this tournament. Claysburg is likely third best in Pool A, and HOPE for Hyndman could be anywhere from 2-4 in Pool B.

Top Pennsylvania Individuals (with Off the Mat rankings)
106
16. Michael Lineman, Greenville
113
None ranked
120
6. Joe Swank, Berlin
126
None ranked
132
None ranked
138
None ranked
145
12. Braden Fochtman, Berlin
152
6. Taylor Cahill, Berlin
160
4. Bryce Fochtman, Berlin
170
None ranked
182
7. Justin Reynolds, Greenville
195
3. Jake Bennett, HOPE for Hyndman
220
None ranked
285
11. Jack Bunnell, Moshannon Valley

Wednesday's Match

   There was one local match tonight. Here is that box score.

BERLIN 65, HOPE FOR HYNDMAN 7

106 - Kyle Boyce, BB, dec. Cameron Gibbner, 5-3.

113 - Tommy DeArmitt, BB, pinned Tanner Clites, 1:00.

120 - Joey Swank, BB, pinned Robby Snyder, 3:10.

126 - E.J. Custer, BB, won by forfeit.

132 - Kane McKenzie, BB, won by forfeit.

138 - Storm McDonald, BB, won by forfeit.

145 - Braden Fochtman, BB, tech. fall Lee Moskey, 18-3, 5:09.

152 - Taylor Cahill, BB, won by forfeit.

160 - Bryce Fochtman, BB, won by forfeit.

170 - Oscar Miller, H, maj. dec. Ryan Custer, 14-5.

182 - Brody Moore, BB, pinned Jonah Kindya, 4:17.

195 - Jake Bennett, H, dec. Toby Cahill, 6-1 2OT.

220 - Stewart Trulick, BB, pinned Chris Merkel, 1:16.

285 - Anthony Collins, BB, dec. Brandon Greise, 13-7.

Tuesday notebook

   As stated in my previous posting below about Tuesday's results, I was on hand at Chestnut Ridge as the Lions roared past Everett, 72-3. I attended this one in order to catch the heavyweight bout between Ridge's Austin Buttry and Everett's Devin Reed.
   Buttry won the bout, 9-3. He scored a takedown with six seconds remaining in the opening period, and all but sealed the victory in the second by turning a 2-1 score into 8-1 with a takedown and then putting Reed in deep trouble with a headlock. An injury timeout was called, allowing the Warrior to get back to his feet. Reed did tally a third period takedown, but that was all he could get.
   What has always impressed me about Buttry is that he gets the most out of what he has. He's never been the most physically imposing wrestler, yet he's tough as nails when it comes down to it. Reed is not only big, but tall also, and he tried valiantly to outmuscle Buttry, who had beaten Reed two years ago at the Chambersburg Duals when Reed was a member of James Buchanan's team.
   Overall offensively though, Buttry was the aggressor as he improved to 16-1, while Reed is now 12-2.
   "I like to go out and wrestle my pace, and don't do anything stupid," he said. "I try to feel guys out in the first period, wrestle smart, and just go from there.
   "I just go to my angles, and once I can get there, I use my muscle. I'm not as strong as most kids, but I look for my angles to get the advantage and score points. An opponent like Reed is better for me and better for our district. The more kids that come out of our district, the better, to show that District 5 isn't a joke and maybe just has one good kid."
Everett Youth Movement
   It's hard to say how junior wrestling translates to the varsity level in many cases, but the future looks bright at Everett, who lost by just four points to a Chestnut Ridge team that has some very good wrestlers coming up through the ranks. Everett's junior high team has some good looking talent, and I've also heard very good things about the elementary level. I chatted about it a bit on Tuesday night with Josh Deputy, who kickstarted Everett's youth program in his time as the varsity head coach. Deputy, now a varsity assistant at Chestnut Ridge, told me that the next few upcoming years were originally targeted as the peak of this turnaround at Everett.

Tuesday's Matches

   Here are results from Tuesday. I attended the Everett at Chestnut Ridge match, to see the heavyweight bout if for no other reason. I will have more on this by sometime tomorrow.

CHESTNUT RIDGE 72, EVERETT 3

170 - Kyle Winegardner, CR, pinned Cody Sheeder, 4:40.

182 - Conner Buttry, CR, pinned Waylon Brennan, 0:38.

195 - Jon Heming, CR, pinned Dalton Reed, 0:50.

220 - Shane Davis, CR, pinned Zach Claycomb, 0:28.

285 - Austin Buttry, CR, dec. Devin Reed, 9-3.

106 - Aaron Burkett, CR, pinned Landon Bambling, 0:37.

113 - Blake Dunlap, CR, pinned Dalton Klotz, 5:34.

120 - Dustin Ickes, CR, dec. Ben Stover, 5-1.

126 - Morgan Deremer, CR, pinned Selena Munoz, 3:35.

132 - Sam Shank, CR, won by forfeit.

138 - Derrick Claar, CR, pinned Mahlon Akers, 4:48.

145 - Trent Crouse, CR, won by forfeit.

152 - Colby Hillegass, CR, won by forfeit.

160 - Wes Graham, E, dec. Ben Clark, 2-1.

BEDFORD 48, PENN CAMBRIA 34

160 - D. Farabaugh, PC, pinned Ryan Wertz, 2:47.

170 - Driskel, PC, pinned Dan Brett, 3:16.

182 - Chance Williams, B, won by forfeit.

195 - Wyland, PC, pinned Brayden Crawley, 3:11.

220 - Jo. Wilkinson, PC, pinned Matt Kline, 3:04.

285 - Nate Shoemaker, B, pinned Wineland, 0:39.

106 - Link, PC, pinned Noah Baughman, 3:23.

113 - Jon Gabriel, B, won by forfeit.

120 - Kyle Mehle, B, won by forfeit.

126 - Jake Warren, B, pinned Stevens, 1:14.

132 - Ryan Easter, B, pinned Ja. Wilkinson, 1:10.

138 - Garrett Thomas, B, pinned Myers, 0:22.

145 - Toby Brett, B, pinned Eckenrode, 5:42.

152 - A. Farabaugh, PC, maj. dec. Devon Karns, 11-0.

NORTHERN BEDFORD 59, CLAYSBURG 18

106 - Jordan Musselman, CK, dec. Zach Clark, 3-1.

113 - Trey Childers, NB, pinned Jakob Dodson, 2:59.

120 - Jon Raab, NB, pinned Dakota Walter, 5:21.

126 - Jared Helsley, NB, pinned Trenton Ritchey, 2:36.

132 - Carter Replogle, NB, won by forfeit.

138 - Ridge Hershberger, NB, pinned Cole Hypes, 1:50.

145 - Austin Heck, NB, pinned James Dunmore, 3:02.

152 - Chris Eichelberger, NB, pinned Nic Custer-Sell, 2:48.

160 - Scott Walter, CK, pinned Dakota Brunner, 6:53 OT.

170 - Dakotah Feathers, CK, dec. Ty Bechtel, 7-2.

182 - Lucas Kolinchak, NB, tech. fall Justin Hammel, 15-0, 5:34.

195 - Mason Guyer, NB, pinned Jacob Hypes, 1:07.

220 - Owen Musselman, CK, won by forfeit.

285 - Chase Ott, NB, won by forfeit.

TUSSEY MOUNTAIN 37, JUNIATA VALLEY 32

138 - Wagner, JV, won by forfeit.

145 - Troutman, JV, won by forfeit.

152 - Quinn Barnett, TM, pinned Singer, 3:01.

160 - Dunkle, JV, pinned Skyler Brumbaugh, 5:49.

170 - Jeffries, JV, won by forfeit.

182 - Houck, JV, tech. fall Nick Foster, 20-5, 5:46.

195 - No Match.

220 - Enzo Marin, TM, won by forfeit.

285 - Stewart, JV, dec. Chris Morales, 4-2.

106 - Oaklee Brode, TM, won by forfeit.

113 - Brent Leabhart, TM, won by forfeit.

120 - Dylan Park, TM, dec. Kern, 8-4.

126 - Brennan Price, TM, maj. dec. Fleegle, 11-2.

132 - Shayne Brumbaugh, TM, pinned Spillman, 0:46.

Weekly Preview

   It is late afternoon on Tuesday, so I am a little late on this as I'm sure some of you may already be headed to a wrestling match somewhere tonight. But here's what's happening this week:

Tonight's Matches
Bedford at Penn Cambria
Everett at Chestnut Ridge
Claysburg at Northern Bedford
Juniata Valley at Tussey Mountain
HOPE for Hyndman at Fort Hill Super Duals (continued from January 4)

Wednesday's Match
Berlin at HOPE for Hyndman

Thursday's Matches
Bedford at Somerset
Chestnut Ridge at Claysburg
Central at Everett
Frankfort and Northern Garrett at HOPE for Hyndman

Saturday's Tournaments
Chestnut Ridge at Brookville Ultimate Duals
Claysburg, HOPE for Hyndman at Berlin Mountaineer Duals

   An action packed week here as we head toward some bigger events in the latter part of this month. Things kick into high gear with Chestnut Ridge attending Saturday's Ultimate Duals in Brookville. As long as it falls into place, I am planning on attending to cover for the Bedford Gazette and also for this blog. Frankly, I've had it marked on my schedule ever since Lions' coach Greg Lazor told me months ago that they would be there. Also in the field are host Brookville, Brockway, Burrell, Reynolds, and Saegertown. Brookville, Reynolds, and Saegertown are all rated highly by both Off the Mat and PA Power in Class AA, and Chestnut Ridge isn't far behind them. I am working on a further preview of the event for later this week here on the blog. I also have been gathering information on the Berlin Duals and should have something on it as well.

Northern Bedford at Bedford preview

Northern Bedford (5-3) at Bedford (4-1)

Saturday, 7 p.m.

Probable Lineups (Northern Bedford wrestlers listed first)

106 - Fr. Zach Clark (6-6) vs. So. Noah Baughman (4-6)
113 - Jr. Trey Childers (8-5) vs. So. Jon Gabriel (11-3)
120 - So. Jon Raab (3-2) vs. Jr. Kyle Mehle (4-1) or So. Zach Sipes (0-3)
126 - Jr. Jared Helsley (11-5) vs. Sr. Jake Warren (6-4)
132 - Fr. Carter Replogle (9-4) vs. Sr. Ryan Easter (11-2)
138 - So. Ridge Hershberger (8-5) or Sr. Marcus Crawford (3-6) vs. Sr. Garrett Thomas (9-3)
145 - So. Austin Heck (4-7) or Sr. Collin Sherlock (0-1) vs. Sr. Toby Brett (3-5) or So. Devon Karns (0-3)
152 - Sr. Chris Eichelberger (8-4) vs. So. Ryan Wertz (2-6)
160 - Jr. Ty Bechtel (1-2) or So. Dakota Brunner (1-3) vs. So. Uriah Costal (0-7)
170 - So. Lucas Kolinchak (10-3) vs. So. Dan Brett (8-4)
182 - So. Mason Guyer (11-5) vs. Sr. Chance Williams (8-4)
195 - No entry vs. So. Brayden Crawley (3-6) or So. Matt Kline (5-7)
220 - Jr. Jesse Claar (4-5) vs. Crawley or Kline
285 - Jr. Chase Ott (7-7) vs. Jr. Nate Shoemaker (5-5)

   Analysis: Bedford hosts Northern Bedford on Saturday night in what could be an interesting dual. NBC was waxed by high-powered Chestnut Ridge on Thursday, 64-9, while Bedford coasted past Forest Hills, 62-9. I give Bedford the edge here at 113, 120, 132, 138, 145, and a slight edge at 182 and 285. I give Northern the edge at 106, 152, and 160. That said, the Panthers could be bumping up in the upperweights to avoid giving up a forfeit at either 195 or 220. For the visitors to pull this off, I believe they would probably need at least three wins out of four between 126, 170, 182, and 285. The Bisons will certainly be looking for bonus points from Gabriel, Easter, and Thomas to lead the way. Frankly, Toby Brett's 3-5 record at this point in the season is puzzling given his past credentials. Still, I like his chances to get a "W" against whoever Northern Bedford sends at 145.

   Prediction: Bedford, 35-22.

Thursday's Matches

CHESTNUT RIDGE 64, NORTHERN BEDFORD 9

145 - Trent Crouse, CR, pinned Collin Sherlock, 3:46.

152 - Colby Hillegass, CR, major dec. Austin Heck 14-2.

160 - Chris Eichelberger, NB, pinned Josh McGill, 2:53.

170 - Ben Clark, CR, pinned Dakota Brunner, 1:30.

182 - Lucas Kolinchak, NB, dec. Kyle Winegardner, 2-0.

195 - Conner Buttry, CR, pinned Mason Guyer, 5:01.

220 - John Heming, CR, won by forfeit.

285 - Shane Davis, CR, pinned Chase Ott, 4:58.

106 - Aaron Burkett, CR, pinned Zach Clark, 1:48.

113 - Blake Dunlap, CR, dec. Trey Childers, 7-3.

120 - Dustin Ickes, CR, pinned Jon Raab, 5:05.

126 - Morgan Deremer, CR, dec. Jared Helsley, 1-0.

132 - Sam Shank, CR, pinned Carter Replogle, 0:49.

138 - Derrick Claar, CR, pinned Ridge Hershberger, 4:39.

CLAYSBURG 43, EVERETT 24

152 - Scott Walter, CK, pinned Gavin Wills, 3:59.

160 - Wes Graham, E, pinned Nick Custer-Sell, 1:25.

170 - Dakotah Feathers, CK, pinned Seth Mantia, 1:59.

182 - Justin Hammel, CK, tech. fall Waylon Brennan, 17-2, 4:57.

195 - Cody Sheeder, E, pinned Jacob Hypes, 3:53.

220 - Owen Musselman, CK, won by forfeit.

285 - Devin Reed, E, won by forfeit.

106 - Jordan Musselman, CK, pinned Landon Bambling, 1:59.

113 - Dalton Klotz, E, dec. Dakota Walter, 8-3.

120 - Jakob Dodson, CK, tech. fall Selena Munoz, 17-2, 3:57.

126 - Ben Stover, E, dec. Trenton Ritchey, 4-0.

132 - No Match.

138 - Cole Hypes, CK, dec. Mahlon Akers, 9-7.

145 - James Dunmore, CK, won by forfeit.

BEDFORD 62, FOREST HILLS 9

106 - Noah Baughman, B, pinned Gage McCall, 2:42.

113 - Jon Gabriel, B, tech. fall Tanner McCall, 18-2, 4:17.

120 - Kyle Mehle, B, pinned Jake Kelper, 2:35.

126 - Triston Law, FH, dec. Jake Warren, 5-0.

132 - Ryan Easter, B, pinned Evan Wess, 0:42.

138 - Garrett Thomas, B, pinned Josh Gould, 1:28.

145 - Ravis Templeton, FH, dec. Toby Brett, 8-3.

152 - Ryan Wertz, B, pinned Jacob Sewalk, 0:34.

160 - Ian Shugars, FH, dec. Uriah Costal, 4-0.

170 - Daniel Brett, B, pinned Blake Custer, 1:02.

182 - Chance Williams, B, dec. James Nevins, 5-1.

195 - Brayden Crawley, B, won by forfeit.

220 - Matt Kline, B, pinned Jeff Leach, 1:36.

285 - Nate Shoemaker, B, pinned Zack Kline, 0:42.

BELLWOOD-ANTIS 42, TUSSEY MOUNTAIN 34

220 - Hunter, BA, pinned Marin Enzo, 1:48.

250 - Nagle, BA, dec. Chris Morales, 8-7.

106 - Oaklee Brode, TM, won by forfeit.

113 - Brent Leabhart, TM, won by forfeit.

120 - Roy Reichard, TM, won by forfeit.

126 - Dylan Park, TM, major dec. Hollen, 12-4.

132 - Jo. Wilson, BA, pinned Brennan Price, 1:31.

138 - Shayne Brumbaugh, TM, pinned Waite, 2:16.

145 - Claar, BA, won by forfeit.

152 - Je. Wilson, BA, dec. Quinn Barnett, 5-2.

160 - Skylar Brumbaugh, TM, pinned C. Knisely, 2:51.

170 - Torsell, BA, pinned Nick Foster, 1:55.

182 - Huff, BA, won by forfeit.

195 - B. Knisely, BA, won by forfeit.

Wednesday's Matches

HOPE FOR HYNDMAN 40, SMITHSBURG (Md.) 30

170 - Kondo, S, pinned Jonah Kindya, 0:12.

182 - Oscar Miller, H, pinned Mulkern, 1:50.

195 - Jake Bennett, H, maj. dec. Scott, 12-3.

220 - Chris Merkel, H, won by forfeit.

285 - Brandon Greise, H, dec. Deffenbaugh, 4-1.

106 - Cameron Gibbner, H, pinned Cantner, 0:29.

113 - No Match.

120 - Tanner Clites, H, inj. def. Bryce, 3:21.

126 - Robby Snyder, H, dec. Aleshire, 8-4.

132 - Janisko, S, won by forfeit.

138 - Ringquest, S, won by forfeit.

145 - Lee Moskey, H, pinned Hopkins, 1:46.

152 - Boylan, S, won by forfeit.

160 - Kolich, S, won by forfeit.

   Notes - Congratulations to HOPE for Hyndman's Jake Bennett on his 100th career win. The Hornets also wrestled Fort Hill in the nightcap of a tri-meet in Cumberland, but the final score and results were not immediately available.

NORTHERN BEDFORD 48, BELLWOOD-ANTIS 18

285 - Chase Ott, NB, pinned Hunter, 2:29.

106 - Zach Clark, NB, won by forfeit.

113 - Trey Childers, NB, won by forfeit.

120 - Jonathan Raab, NB, won by forfeit.

126 - Jared Helsely, NB, tech. fall Hollen, 15-0, 5:40.

132 - Carter Replogle, NB, dec. Jo. Wilson, 4-2.

138 - Ridge Hershberger, NB, pinned Waite, 3:14.

145 - Claar, BA, pinned Austin Heck, 5:49.

152 - Chris Eichelberger, NB, dec. Je. Wilson, 3-0.

160 - C. Knisely, BA, inj. def. Ty Betchel.

170 - No match.

182 - Lucas Kolinchak, NB, major dec. Huff, 9-0.

220 - Mason Guyer, NB, dec. B. Knisely, 4-1.