Undefeated Penns Valley is putting together a wrestling season for the ages. Last week, the Rams added to a growing list of accomplishments.
The Rams hiked their record to 9-0 with a 31-27 win at Bald Eagle Area on Jan. 10. That victory came less than a week after Penns Valley’s first win over Bellefonte.
The teams were tied, 20-20, after Penns Valley’s Kollin Brungart won by fall in 1:41 at 215 pounds.
With five bouts left, the Rams won three of the five, including two by major decision. PV’s Landen Hess started a three-bout win streak with a 12-3 major decision over Gage Gardner at 285.
At 107, Conner Myers earned a 10-6 victory over Liam Purcell. Jack Darlington followed with an 11-1 major decision over Kayson Tice at 114, making the score 31-20.
The Eagles, who fell to 7-2, needed pins in the last two bouts to win outright, but the Rams avoided giving up falls. BEA’s Lucas Fye earned a 12-3 major decision over Brayden Lisowski at 121, which wrapped up the win for the Rams.
BEA’s Connor Maney followed with a 6-4 win over Zachary Rummel at 127 to close out the meet.
In the first seven bouts, PV’s Ty Watson (152) won by fall, as did BEA’s Mason Reese (145) and Caleb Close (189). BEA’s Coen Bainey (133) and PV’s Colten Shunk (139) began the dual meet with respective technical falls.
Bald Eagle Area’s Jeffre Pifer (160) earned a 10-6 win over David Martin, and Penns Valley’s Ethan Fetterolf (172) followed with a 6-2 decision over Cameron Dubbs.
The Rams were scheduled to visit Philipsburg-Osceola on Jan. 17 in their only dual meet of the week.
The Eagles were scheduled to wrestle at Hollidaysburg, also on Jan. 17, before hosting the Big 7 Tournament at 10 a.m. on Jan. 21.
STATE COLLEGE
After falling to Cumberland Valley, 40-29, on Jan. 11, State College earned four medals in the Escape the Rock Tournament at Council Rock South High School on Jan. 14-15.
Pierson Manville nearly escaped the rock with a championship, but he had to settle with a silver medal. Manville, a returning state champ, dropped a 3-1 decision to Bethlehem Catholic’s returning state third-placer Kollin Rath in the 139-pound finals.
Manville won his first bouts of the tournament, including a 2-1 tiebreaker victory over Alex Nini of Christian Brothers Academy, New Jersey, in the semifinals.
Teammate Nick Pavlechko finished fourth at 285. His two losses were to state champions — two-time New Jersey state champ Jim Mullen, 10-0, in the semifinals and Bishop McDevitt nemesis Riley Robell by forfeit in the third-place bout. Robell had beaten him earlier in the season.
Asher Cunningham (145) finished seventh, while Hayden Cunningham (133) placed eighth. The Little Lions finished 13th in the team standings with 70 points. National power Malvern Prep won the team title with 206.5 points.
Against Cumberland Valley on senior night, the Little Lions (1-7) were within one point, 18-17, going into the final six bouts. Manville (139) won by fall, while Hayden Cunningham (133) and Asher Cunningham (145) had major decisions in the first seven bouts. Mason Sanderson (114) won 3-1 over Owen Whittaker to begin the meet.
In the second half of the dual meet, Carter Weaverling (172) and Pavlechko (285) won by fall, but it wasn’t enough.
The Little Lions are back in action at 10 a.m. on Jan. 21 in the Big 7 Tournament at Bald Eagle Area.
BELLFONTE
Nine Bellefonte wrestlers placed in the top eight of their weight classes in the Southern Tier Memorial Tournament over the weekend at First Arena in Elmira, New York.
Bellefonte’s Gage Long (145) finished fourth, while Wyatt Long (102) placed fifth. Ezra Swisher (118), Maxwell Murray (152) and Nash Irwin (172) finished sixth. Murray and Irwin were semifinalists.
Cameron Garcia (110), Jackson Long (126) and Addison Shawley (189) placed seventh, while William Garrison (160) finished eighth.
The Red Raiders finished third in the team standings with 125 points. Lake Highland Prep, Florida, breezed to the team title with 335 points, while Tioga, New York (198.5) was second.
Last Tuesday, the Raiders dominated at Hollidaysburg, 59-12. Wyatt Long (107), Jackson Long (127), Gage Long (152) and Murray (160) had falls.
Bellefonte was scheduled to host Clearfield on Jan. 18 before wrestling in the Big 7 Tournament at BEA on Jan. 21.
PHILIPSBURG-OSCEOLA
Philipsburg-Osceola ran into a buzzsaw on Jan. 10 at Huntingdon, which rolled to a 45-12 win. Caleb Hummel (107) had P-O’s only pin.
After another brutal matchup against Penns Valley on Jan. 17, the Mounties (9-5) will wrestle in the Juniata Bracketed Duals on Jan. 21.
