Penns Valley’s balance too much for Philipsburg-Osceola on the high school wrestling mat
Tuesday night’s matchup between Penns Valley and Philipsburg-Osceola marked the second time this season the pair faced off on the wrestling mat.
The Rams and Mounties squared off for the Babbit Duals title at the beginning of the season at Blairsville High School.
Penns Valley cruised to a victory at that time, and it did it again on Tuesday, this time to the tune of 51-14. The win kept the Rams perfect on the year at 10-0, and 6-0 in the Mountain League.
“From beginning to end, I’m super critical, so I’m picking us apart. There are things that I know we’ve been working on,” Penns Valley coach Joel Brinker said. “I want to see us progressing toward that. I saw some of that tonight. It was a collective win. Philipsburg is decent. They are young, and going to be fine. It is a great program here. I’m glad to get the win.”
P-O coach Justin Fye knew what his team was up against, but the team did improve slightly from that 55-10 loss earlier in the year to the Rams. He felt with where the dual started on Tuesday, his team could make some moves.
The dual started at 121 pounds, which on paper would’ve slated the Mounties’ Sam McDonald against Brayden Lisowski. However, Fye decided to bump right away, and Lisowski received a forfeit.
Fye’s plan backfired.
Penns Valley’s Wyatt Homan, who won a wrestle off to start, took on McDonald at 127. Homan tallied the first takedown 30 seconds into the first period.
McDonald collected a reversal and nearfall points, but Homan earned one more reversal to tie the bout up 4-4 after one period. McDonald put Homan in a spladle to collect some nearfall points, but Homan got out for a reversal and stuck McDonald on his back for a fall in 3 minutes, 12 seconds.
“I knew he was a little anxious tonight. He did a great job of sticking with it and getting the fall,” Brinker said. “I’m proud of him. He’s a tough kid. He battles in practice. He’s really improved from day one. He hasn’t wrestled since I don’t even know what grade in elementary.”
The Rams’ Colten Shunk kept things rolling at 133 pounds. Shunk built up a 14-0 lead on Hunter Kephart before pinning him in 3:59.
Penns Valley led 18-0 early.
“We thought making the move to 127, we were in good position, but ended up getting pinned,” Fye said. “We really thought we could win six matches. We won four, but if we win six matches, the scoreboard looks a little different. Penns Valley is tough. They don’t really have any weaknesses through their lineup.”
Fye’s squad stopped the bleeding momentarily at 139 and 145, which were weights he thought bonus points would come from.
Ben Gustkey topped Max King in rideouts. The pair traded escapes and Gustkey had two cautions over the first three periods of wrestling, but no one got anything in sudden victory.
Gustkey had a full period rideout on King, who had the choice. In the second rideout, Gustkey escaped 4 seconds into the period, and came away with a 2-1 win.
Nate Fleck has been solid for the Mounties all season long in what Fye noted is Fleck’s first real season with varsity action. Fleck took on Chase Fleshman, and went right to work right away.
Fleck recorded four takedowns — two alone in the third period — to secure a 10-4 win. P-O was within 18-6, the closest it would be all night.
“We really thought we could get bonus points at 39 and 45. Ben is our leader, on the mat and in the room. He gutted that one out,” Fye said. “ He had a couple of cautions quick there. You go into the rideout with two cautions, and you have to wait for the whistle. For him to be able to score and get a rideout, were really important.
“Nate Fleck had a good match. He keeps getting better and works hard every day. I can put him with anybody in the room, and they are getting a hard workout. He’s going to go hard the whole time. He was someone last year that didn’t really start until districts when everyone dropped weights. He won a couple of matches at districts. To come out this year in his first experience on varsity, and do what he is doing, is great. It’s all because of the work that he’s putting into the room. It’s great to see him having the success he has.”
The teams traded bonus-point wins.
Penns Valley’s Ty Watson pinned Dawson Snyder at 152 pounds in 57 seconds. P-O’s Marcus Gable bumped up from 152 to earn a 10-0 major decision over David Martin.
The Rams went on a run to blow the dual open even more.
Ethan Fetterolf collected a 10-4 win over Matt Rowles at 172, in a bout that appeared as though Fetterolf was going to get a fall. Brandon Corl did pick up a pin for Penns Valley at 189 in 5:27 to give his team a 33-10 lead.
Kollin Brungart followed Corl with another fall in 3:00. Then, Landon Hess received a forfeit at 285 to have the Rams hold a 45-10 lead with two bouts left.
“Momentum is a true thing. When you can get some wins going, they feed off each other,” Brinker said. “This team works that way. They want to be a team player and not be the guy that loses. They all compete hard and appreciate it. They are a great group of guys. They challenge each other every wrestle off. They don’t hide from wrestle offs. They want to compete. They are close and support each other.”
The Mounties’ Caleb Hummel picked up that last win for his team by racking up a 14-2 major decision.
The Rams’ Jack Darlington closed the dual out by earning a pin in 1:30.
Penns Valley remained undefeated with the win, and is in the driver seat when it comes to the district dual championships that are slated to start in about two weeks. Brinker is unsure of how far his team can go, but it isn’t something they are always discussing either.
“You want to be on the optimistic end. Let’s try to get to the state duals, and see what happens,” he explained. “Our district is tough. We know these teams are tough. We just compete and do the best we can. We don’t really dwell on that. It’s just one match by one match. Wherever the chips fall, that’s where they do.”
Penns Valley 51, Philipsburg-Osceola 14
Tuesday at Philipsburg
121: Brayden Lisowski, PV, won by forfeit
127: Wyatt Homan, PV, pinned Sam McDonald, 3:12
133: Colten Shunk, PV, pinned Hunter Kephart, 3:59
139: Ben Gustkey, P-O, dec. Max King, 2-1 (UTB2)
145: Nate Fleck, P-O, dec. Chase Fleshman, 10-4
152: Ty Watson, PV, pinned Dawson Snyder, P-O, :57
160: Marcus Gable, P-O, major dec. David Martin, 9-0
172: Ethan Fetterolf, PV, dec. Matt Rowles, P-O, 10-4
189: Brandon Corl, PV, pinned Andrew Hensal, 5:27
215: Kollin Brungart, PV, pinned Trevor Cort, 3:00
285: Landon Hess, PV, won by forfeit
107: Caleb Hummel, P-O, major dec. Conner Myers, 14-2
114: Jack Darlington, PV, pinned Ace Foster, 1:30
Takedowns: PV 9, PO 10
JH Final: PV 56-26
Records: Penns Valley (10-0, 6-0 Mountain League), Philipsburg-Osceola (9-6, 1-6 Mountain League)
Next match: Hollidaysburg at Penns Valley, Tuesday, 7 p.m.; Philipsburg-Osceola at Juniata Duals, Saturday, 9 a.m.
