Bellefonte wrestling has perfect day, tops P-O as highlight of Mountaineer Duals title run
Bellefonte had a rough welcoming back to the competitive mat after the holiday break.
The Red Raiders got walloped by Mountain League foe Penns Valley, 51-15, on Wednesday and fell to 0-3. This caused coach Mike Maney and his staff to have a tough conversation with their squad.
“We didn’t have a practice where we punished them or anything like that. Some times people think they have a hard practice after a dual meet,” Maney explained, “but we just had a real heart-to-heart talk with them. It came down to care. There is a standard in Bellefonte wrestling. Their job is to keep that standard. We set that message and worked on some things, but the biggest thing was care and fight.”
Bellefonte looked like a completely different team on Saturday as it went 5-0 to win the 20th Annual Mountaineer Duals.
The Red Raiders opened by beating Glendale, 43-30. They followed by edging West Branch, 38-30, and then pummeled Altoona, 46-27.
In the fourth round of matchups, Bellefonte pulled away late for a 37-22 win over Philipsburg-Osceola, which was 3-0 on the day at that point too. The Red Raiders finished the day by throttling Punxsutawney, 53-18.
“It was a total team effort. It is a huge turnaround from earlier in the week,” Maney said. “We needed it. Some times that first win is the toughest to get. When you get some momentum going, and you have that first loss and the second one, it’s sometimes hard to right the ship. It speaks to the character of the team. They came and fought for each other.”
The dual with the Mounties was the key one on the day as both teams were undefeated at that point.
It began at 145 pounds with Bellefonte’s Gage Long, who was one of four Red Raiders to amass five wins, sticking Haydn Kephart in 3:50. P-O responded with two bonus-point victories.
Ian Phillips, who was one of two Mounties to collect five wins, used five takedowns to rack up a 12-3 major decision over Jack McHail. Marcus Gable then pinned Isaac Gall in 1:06 as P-O claimed a 10-6 lead.
“We were trying to maneuver guys around. We were hoping to get the matchup with Marcus and Maxwell (Murray),” Mounties coach Justin Fye said. “We were trying to get that matchup because we thought we could win the match after that one and the one after that.”
Bellefonte came back with four straight victories after Gable’s win — three with bonus points.
Murray, who moved to the area from Mifflinburg, was another Red Raider to claim five wins, but bumped up to 172. He hung a 15-5 major decision on Dylan Koptchak thanks to three takedowns, a reversal, an escape and two sets of nearfall points.
Grady Garrison also was bumped to 189 from 172. He earned a 2-0 win over Andrew Hensal, which gave the Red Raiders a 12-10 lead in the dual.
“Grady Garrison had a big win up top, giving up a good amount of weight at 189,” Maney said. “He technically could be weighing in at (1)60, but weighs in at (1)72. It was a pretty impressive performance by him against a tough guy in Hensal.”
Nash Irwin and Addison Shawley, who was making his season debut, followed Garrison with back-to-back pins to blow open Bellefonte’s lead. Irwin quickly took down Jake Shaw at 215 pounds, and flattened the P-O wrestler in 1:22.
Shawley has been out as he suffered a break on the lower part of his right knee cap during the football season. He had two matches and pinned both of his opponents, which one was the Mounties’ Trevor Cort in 1:53.
“It’s really mat time right now. As a senior that can do some great things here,” Maney said of plans for Shawley, “we are easing him into it. He’s going to fight through. He was excited to get back on the mat.”
P-O’s Caleb Hummel received a forfeit at 107. The forfeit was followed by Ace Foster using a reversal with 3 seconds left in the second period, and a full period ride out in the third to edge Wyatt Long.
The victories got the Mounties to within 24-19, however Bellefonte pulled away again.
Cameron Garcia received a forfeit at 121 pounds. Ezra Swisher, who had five wins on the day, earned a 5-1 win over Ben Gustkey.
Jackson Long then racked up a 9-0 major decision on Hunter Kephart thanks to three takedowns, an escape and a set of nearfall points.
The dual was finished up with a nice matchup of the Red Raiders’ Noah Weaver and P-O’s Nate Fleck, who was the other Mountie to have five wins. Fleck earned a 4-1 win.
“When we turned that corner and came back through, Ace Foster had a big win. At 121, we didn’t have Sammy McDonald today. He’s a little banged up,” Fye said. “After that match (121), we came back and lost a couple of tough matches, but finished with Nate Fleck’s win, that was good and important win for him.
“Coach Maney always has a good team together. Even when they’re young or in a rebuilding year, he has quality guys. Those guys that might not be their top guys, still give 100 percent effort out there. It was a good dual meet. There was a lot of good matches and close matches. Maybe we’ll get to wrestle them later down the year. Maybe we’ll have our guys and maybe that comes out differently.”
As for the rest of P-O’s results on Saturday, it opened by routing Punxsutawney, 58-15. The Mounties then topped Glendale, 45-25, and in the third round took care of cross-town rival West Branch, 42-32.
After the loss to Bellefonte, P-O finished the day off with a 34-24 victory over Altoona.
Maney and Fye both mentioned how Saturday was a great step in the right direction for where their teams want to be, which is in the district dual tournament come February.
Now, they are just focused on continuing the winning ways and working toward that end goal.
“At this point of the season, we are in the dual meet swing of it. Our goal No. 1 is to get into the district duals,” Maney said, “whatever seed that may be. No. 2, I think if we keep progressing maybe a team won’t want to wrestle us as a low seed. We start clicking, we are possible to make some noise. We can’t be confident with today, we got to get back to work and see what happens.”
Fye added: “I thought we had a good tournament. Our effort has been great. We had a really good week of practice. We were 5-1 this week, so that was a good week for us coming off the holiday break. It was a really good day of wrestling. It’s all about building for the end of the year. It’s always about taking steps forward. We have a couple of tough duals coming up. Those experiences are going to help us to keep getting better. Our guys had good matches today. They were tested. There was not one kid that didn’t get tested throughout the day. It was a good experience for them. Now, we are getting ready for Tuesday with Huntingdon.”
Mountaineer Duals
Saturday at Philipsburg
Round 1
Philipsburg-Osceola 58, Punxsutawney 15
127: Ben Gustkey, P-O, pinned Nick Motter, 1:19
133: Hunter Kephart, P-O, won by forfeit
139: Nate Fleck, P-O, major dec. David Kunselman, 8-0
145: Ian Phillips, P-O, pinned Ezekial Bennett, 2:18
152: Marcus Gable, P-O, won by forfeit
160: Dylan Koptchak, P-O, won by forfeit
172: Grant Miller, P, pinned Jake Bainey, 1:57
189: Landon Martz, P, dec. Matt Rowles, 7-4
215: Andrew Hensal, P-O, pinned Austin Fischer, 1:39
285: Trevor Cort, P-O, pinned Aiden Shaffer, 3:29
107: Caleb Hummel, P-O, pinned Hunter Dobson, :24
114: Ace Foster, P-O, pinned Nina Twigg, 1:55
121: Jordan Rutan, P, won by forfeit
Records: Punxsutawney 5-5, Philipsburg-Osceola 6-3
Bellefonte 40, Glendale 30
127: Jackson Long, B, pinned Ryder Krise, 1:23
133: Dylan Fyock, G, pinned Gavin DuFour, 5:20
139: Noah Weaver, B, pinned Dayton Johnson, 2:31
145: Gage Long, B, pinned Malachi Richards, :15
152: George Campbell, G, pinned Jack McHail, 1:26
160: Zeke Dubler, G, pinned Isaac Gail, :13
172: Max Murray, B, pinned Brady Vereshack, :39
189: Grady Garrison, B, major dec. Dravin Beatty, 10-0
215: Britton Spangle, G, pinned Nash Irwin, 1:10
285: Daniel Williams, G, pinned Colton Perryman, :40
107: Wyatt Long, B, won by forfeit
114: Cameron Garcia, B, dec. Ethan Gilbey, 2-1
121: Ezra Swisher, B, pinned Nate Storm, :44
Records: Bellefonte (1-3), Glendale (5-6)
Round 2
Philipsburg-Osceola 45, Glendale 24
133: Kephart, P-O, dec. Fyock, 3-1
139: Fleck, P-O, pinned Johnson, 5:39
145: Phillips, P-O, pinned Richards, 1:22
152: Gable, P-O, dec. Campbell, 6-1
160: Dubler, G, pinned Koptchak, 1:53
172: Rowles, P-O, pinned Brady Vereshack, 1:40
189: Hensal, P-O, pinned Beatty, 1:03
215: Spangle, G, pinned Cort, :50
285: Williams, G, won by forfeit
107: Foster, P-O, won by forfeit
114: Hummel, P-O, major dec. Gilbey, 18-4*
121: Nate Storm, G, won by forfeit
127: Gustkey, P-O pinned Ryder Krise, 3:52
* — Glendale deducted a team point
Records: Philipsburg-Osceola (7-3), Glendale (5-7)
Bellefonte 38, West Branch 30
133: Jake Mann, WB, pinned DuFour, 2:56
139: Weaver, B, pinned Hunter Schnarrs, 3:36
145: Long, B, pinned Reed Yingling, :56
152: Aaron Myers, WB, dec. McHail, 15-12
160: Murray, B, pinned Carter Yingling, :47
172: Logan Folmar, WB, dec. Garrison, 8-2
189: Tyler Biggans, WB, pinned Irwin, 2:25
215: Addison Shawley, B, pinned Austin Keirn, 1:23
285: Scott Smeal, WB, pinned Perryman, 3:05
107: Long, B, pinned Bryce English, 3:20
114: Landon Bainey, WB, pinned Garcia, 1:35
121: Swisher, B, major dec. Kaleb Sallurday, 14-1
127: Long, B, major dec. Drake Taylor, 8-0
Records: Bellefonte (2-3), West Branch (2-2)
Round 3
Philipsburg-Osceola 42, West Branch 32
139: Fleck, P-O, pinned Schnarrs, 4:13
145: Phillips, P-O, pinned Yingling, 1:01
152: Gable, P-O, pinned Nick Parks, :58
160: Myers, WB, pinned Koptchak, :43
172: Folmar, WB, pinned Bainey, 1:38
189: Rowles, P-O, pinned Biggans, 3:39
215: Hensal, P-O, pinned Keirn, 1:14
285: Smeal, WB, pinned Cort, 3:49
107: Hummel, P-O, won by forfeit
114: English, WB, dec. Foster, 9-4
121: Bainey, WB, won by forfeit
127: Sallurday, WB, tech. fall Kephart, 19-2 (6:00)
133: Gustkey, P-O, pinned Mann, 3:27
Records: Philipsburg-Osceola (8-3), West Branch (2-3)
Bellefonte 46, Altoona 27
139: Weaver, B, major dec. Wyatt Young, 10-0
145: Long, B, pinned Eli Wisor, :57
152: Luke Sipes, A, pinned Isaac Gall, 3:17
160: Murray, B, pinned Hayden McMillon, :19
172: Garrison, B, pinned Julian Fetter, 1:02
189: Irwin, B, pinned Evan Boose, 1:51
215: Michael Riccio, A, pinned Perryman, 1:36
285: Hayden Speece, A, won by forfeit
107: Long, B, pinned Nick Irwin, 3:55
114: Braiden Weaver, A, dec. Garcia, 6-3
121: Swisher, B, pinned Phillip Sarbo, 1:19
127: Long, B pinned Logan Brandt, 4:36
133: Caleb Fasick, A, pinned DuFour, 1:30
Records: Bellefonte (3-3), Altoona (3-7)
Round 4
Bellefonte 37, Philipsburg-Osceola 22
145: Long, B, pinned Haydn Kephart, 3:50
152: Phillips, P-O, major dec. McHail, 12-3
160: Gable, P-O, pinned Gall, 1:06
172: Murray, B, major dec. Koptchak, 15-5
189: Garrison, B, dec. Hensal, 2-0*
215: Irwin, B, pinned Jake Shaw, 1:22
285: Shawley, B, pinned Cort, 1:53
107: Hummel, P-O, won by forfeit
114: Foster, P-O, dec. Long, B, 3-2
121: Garcia, B, won by forfeit
127: Swisher, B, dec. Gustkey, 5-1
133: Long, B, major dec. Kephart, 9-0
139: Fleck, P-O, dec. Weaver, 4-1
*—Bellefonte deducted a team point
Takedowns: B 13, P-O 7
Records: Philipsburg-Osceola (8-4), Bellefonte (4-3)
Round 5
Philipsburg-Osceola 34, Altoona 24
152: Dawson Snyder, P-O, pinned McMillon, :54
160: Sipes, A, dec. Gable, 7-3
172: Koptchak, P-O, pinned Fetter, :12
189: Rowles, P-O, dec. Boose, 7-5
215: Riccio, A, dec. Hensal, 6-4 (UTB2)
285: Himmelwright, A, dec. Cort, 7-1
107: Weaver, A, dec. Hummel, 4-2
114: Foster, P-O, pinned Irwin, 3:08
121: Sarbo, A, won by forfeit
127: Gustkey, P-O, major dec. Brandt, 9-1
133: Fasick, A, pinned Kephart, 3:23
139: Fleck, P-O, dec. Young, 6-1
145: Phillips, P-O, pinned Wisor, 1:23
Records: Philipsburg-Osceola (9-4), Altoona (4-8)
Next match: Philipsburg-Osceola at Huntingdon, Tuesday, 7 p.m.
Bellefonte 53, Punxsutawney 18
152: Bennett, P, dec. McHail, 7-4
160: Murray, B, won by forfeit
172: Miller, P, pinned Garrison, 1:45
189: Martz, P, won by forfeit
215: Irwin, B, pinned Fischer, :34
285: Schaffer, P, dec. Perryman, 6-0
107: Long, B, pinned Dobson, 1:18
114: Garcia, B, tech. fall Twigg, 15-0
121: Swisher, B, won by forfeit
127: Long, B, won by forfeit
133: DuFour, B, pinned Motter, 1:13
139: Weaver, B, pinned Kunselman, 1:01
145: Long, B, won by forfeit
Records: Bellefonte (5-3), Punxsutawney (5-9)
Next match: Bellefonte at Hollidaysburg, Tuesday, 7 p.m.
