9 Centre County wrestlers claim District 6 crowns, BEA earns team title, coach of year
Bald Eagle Area coach Ron Guenot set a goal for his team at the beginning of the week.
Win the District 6 Class 2A team title.
The Eagles didn’t just win it. They dominated to win it.
“We left no doubt there. We’re excited about that,” said Guenot, who was named the Class 2A Coach of the Year. “I think the whole way through from the first whistle to the last whistle, the kids wrestled really hard, had a lot of fight and a lot of heart.”
BEA finished with three individuals champions — the most of all the teams. It had 201.5 points to out pace Huntingdon, who was the runner up with 158 points.
Guenot mentioned that assistant coach Kyle Wallace set a goal of the team recording 25 pins. The Eagles finished with 22, just shy, but they got the ultimate prize.
It was the first team title in 17 years according to Guenot. It was like a sense of relief that BEA finally pulled that feat off.
“We’ve been close so many times. We’ve been second, second, second, third,” he said. “It’s exciting to get over that hump. We talk about making memories, and we made one this weekend that these kids and fans will never forget.”
Here’s a look at how all the teams finished in Class 2A and Class 3A:
CLASS 2A
Bald Eagle Area
Team score: 1st, 201.5 points
Champions: Lucas Fye (121), Coen Bainey (127), Caleb Close (172)
Regional qualifiers: Alex Surovec (6th, 139), Mason Reese (6th, 145), Jeffre Pifer (5th, 152), Cameron Dubbs (2nd, 189), Gage Gardner (5th, 215)
Other placewinners: Kayson Tice (7th, 114), Connor Maney (7th, 133)
Eliminated: Liam Purcell (3-2, 107), Shawn Knepp (1-2, 160), Eric Clark (3-2, 285)
Recap: The Eagles had a tremendous tournament that culminated with three champions and another that made the finals as a No. 7 seed.
They were able to advance eight of their wrestlers to the PIAA Southwest Regional tournament in two weeks back at Altoona’s Fieldhouse.
This district tournament marked the last one of Bainey’s career.
However, he dominated in it just as he did the previous tournaments and became just the third BEA wrestler to claim the title of four-time District 6 champion. He joined Quentin Wright and Brandon Guenot on that list.
“I don’t like how I ended it, to be honest. I wanted the pin, but I couldn’t get it. It’s awesome,” Bainey said with a laugh. “Only three of us in Bald Eagle history have ever had four district titles and to be one of them, and compare myself to those two that are above me, it’s unspeakable. If you told little Coen that you are going to be a four-time district champ back in fifth grade, not even making it to states, you tell him that, he’s going to think you’re crazy.”
The senior claimed his title in similar fashion to the others with a bunch of bonus points.
For his career, Bainey finished the District 6 tournaments with 10 pins, two major decisions and a technical fall.
He made the finals by pinning Philipsburg-Osceola’s Ben Gustkey in 52 seconds. In the finals, as Bainey said, he tried his hardest to get the pin on Mount Union’s Jacik Hess, but ultimately settled for a 13-1 major decision.
The finish in the finals is going to fuel him for the regional championships.
“Two weeks, everyone knows what’s coming. The region is tough. I’ve never won a regional title,” he said. “I want that this year. I’m going to put in the work and do everything I possibly can to get on the top of that podium this year. I don’t want no super regional title, I want the regional title.”
Fye bonused his way to the finals as well. On Friday, he collected an 8-0 major decision to setup Saturday.
He opened his day with a 12-2 major decision over Mount Union’s AJ Chilcote to make the finals. Fye grinded out a 5-4 win over United’s Gideon Bracken, using a full third-period ride to secure the win.
“I just wanted to win and do whatever it took to win. I wasn’t feeling the best,” Fye said. “I’m dealing with a sinus infection, so conditioning isn’t quite there. A lot of hard work and dedication went into it in the offseason.”
There’s a common theme to these champions: bonus points.
Close pinned his way into the semifinals. He used a 16-0 technical fall in 4 minutes, 35 seconds to make the finals.
In the finals, the sophomore took Southern Huntingdon’s Tommy Cohenour down late in the first period. Cohenour shrieked out in pain, grabbing his one shoulder.
He was unable to finish off the bout, and Close won by injury default at 1:22.
Dubbs was that No. 7 seed to reach the finals, which made him the lowest seed to make the finals of the whole tournament. He upset the No. 2 seed on Friday night, 4-3.
On Saturday, Dubbs took out the No. 3 seed in Penn Cambria’s Braeden Oravecz, 3-2. In the finals, the junior’s run ended with a 2-0 loss to Mount Union’s Josh Ryan.
Dubbs estimated he was giving up 30 pounds in the match.
“It was a gutsy move for him giving up some weight. We talked about him moving up there. He was fine with it and into it,” Guenot said. “It showed today. I’m proud of him and the effort that he put in. This is what this team is all about. They are selfless and do whatever it takes to help the team out.”
Penns Valley
Team score: 3rd, 143 points
Champions: Ty Watson (152)
Regional qualifiers: Jack Darlington (3rd, 114), Braydon Lisowski (5th, 121), Colten Shunk (2nd, 133), David Martin (5th, 160), Kollin Brungart (3rd, 215)
Other placewinners: Brandon Corl (8th, 189)
Eliminated: Ethan Fetterolf (1-2, 172)
Recap: The Rams had two finalists in Watson and Shunk.
For one, it was a return trip, and for the other it was the first time being there. Nevertheless, they each put their best effort forward.
Watson came away with his second title, but had to take care of a familiar opponent in the process.
“It feels good. Like I said to the other guy, ‘It’s just another stepping stone closer to the big goal that I want to achieve,’” Watson said. “Last year was kind of eye opening. Now, I’m used to it, but I still have to keep reaching toward my biggest goal.”
After topping fellow county wrestler Pifer, 6-3, in the semifinals, the junior had to face off with P-O’s Marcus Gable.
The duo squared off two other times this season with Watson winning in identical fashion, 7-4.
Saturday night was a little tighter.
The Rams wrestler used a late takedown in the second period and a full period ride out in the third period to secure a 3-0 win.
“I kind of didn’t open up in the match. It is what it is, but I still got the win,” Watson said. “The last match, he did reverse me twice, so I was kind of surprised. This time, I just rode him on top and just do what I do.”
Shunk, like Watson, had to go through a fellow county wrestler in P-O’s Nate Fleck to make the finals. He snuck by, 6-5, in a match that he never led until the end.
In the finals, the Rams wrestler took on Forest Hills’ Hunter Forcellini in a clash of identical styles. The two were basically built the same and roughly the same height.
Forcellini came out firing off the whistle to the tune of two quick takedowns, which seemed to surprise Shunk. He escaped twice, but Forcellini’s top game kept Shunk from scoring in the second period.
Forcellini added an escape in the third period for a 5-2 victory.
“I think he got taken out of the match right away. In the first minute, the kid really came hard and a lot of intensity,” Penns Valley coach Joel Brinker said. “Shunk was kind of playing catch-up the rest of the match. He’ll learn from it. A guy came at him, so we got to be ready.”
Bellefonte
Team score: 4th, 130 points
Champions: None
Regional qualifiers: Cameron Garcia (6th, 114), Ezra Swisher (4th, 121), Jackson Long (4th, 127), Noah Weaver (4th, 139), Gage Long (3rd, 145), Max Murray (4th, 152), Addison Shawley (3rd, 189)
Other placewinners: Wyatt Long (8th, 107)
Eliminated: Grady Garrison (1-2, 160), Nash Irwin (1-2, 172)
Recap: The Red Raiders have a young squad. However, they seemed to mature really quickly during this tournament.
Bellefonte started the day with all of its wrestlers but three in the consolation bracket. Those three were Weaver, Gage Long and Shawley — who each already knew what it was like to wrestle in the postseason.
The others had to kind of figure it out with a trial-by-fire approach, but coach Mike Maney felt they did well.
“There are some areas that we need to work on at the end of periods and at the end of matches, just be a little smarter. It just comes with experience. We just need to stress to know the situations. It just comes with new mat time and experience. I know those guys will make the corrections and be better for it.”
Long and Shawley had the highest finishes on the team with third places. It comes as no surprise that they were the lone seniors of the placewinners.
Long was pinned in his semifinals match by the eventual champion in Penn Cambria’s Trent Hoover. Long rebounded by gutting out a 4-2 sudden-victory over Westmont Hilltop’s David Ray in the consolation semifinals.
Long then used solid defense to earn a 3-0 shut out of Forest Hills’ Dustin Flinn for that third-place finish.
Shawley like Long suffered a loss to the eventual champion in Ryan, 10-6, but used a 1-0 win over the No. 2 seed in Glendale’s Britton Spangle to make the consolation finals.
The senior again used a one-point win, 3-2, over Penn Cambria’s Braeden Oravecz to claim his third-place finish.
In the end, the Red Raiders had six make the consolation finals of their weights, and came away with seven regional qualifiers in their first District 6 Class 2A tournament.
“Probably on paper, maybe five (would get through). I think in most cases we wrestled at our seeds or above,” Maney said. “We got a couple of weeks, which this is a whole new thing for us, we can work on those things that are correctable, and need to be corrected as these matches are important.”
Philipsburg-Osceola
Team score: 9th, 93 points
Champions: None
Regional qualifiers: Caleb Hummel (3rd, 107), Ben Gustkey (3rd, 127), Nate Fleck (3rd, 133), Marcus Gable (2nd, 152)
Eliminated: Sam McDonald (1-2, 114), Ian Phillips (1-2, 145), Matt Rowles (1-2, 160)
Recap: The Mounties started the day with seven wrestlers still alive; four made it to the semifinals.
Those four in Hummel, Gustkey, Fleck and Gable were the lone guys able to advance to the regional tournament.
Gable was the only P-O wrestler to make the finals as he edged Glendale’s George Campbell, 1-0, to set up his third matchup of the year with Watson.
The other three got kicked into the consolation bracket, but they weren’t deterred.
Hummel used a 15-0 technical fall in 2:35 to make the consolation finals. He then shut out United’s Jacob Sombronski, 4-0, and finished third.
Gustkey pinned Claysburg-Kimmel’s Brodie Soler in 2:54 to make the consolation finals. He faced off with Jackson Long, and used a late reversal that collected nearfall points to secure a come-from-behind, 8-6, win to finish third.
Fleck took out another United wrestler in Michael Monty, 6-2, and made the consolation finals after suffering that heartbreaking loss to Shunk. Fleck then dominated Marion Center’s Cam Stewart in an 8-4 third-place clinching victory.
“I was happy with how they all rebounded. Marcus got us going to start the day as we didn’t win a match until he won,” Mounties coach Justin Fye said. “From there, we kept winning. The guys wrestled hard. It was a great weekend for the team. We were hoping to have four for sure, and hoping to get five or six. Those four guys have put in a lot of hard work.”
CLASS 3A
State College
Team score: 3rd, 174 points
Champions: Hayden Cunningham (127), Pierson Manville (139), Asher Cunningham (145), Carter Weaverling (172), Nick Pavlechko (285)
Regional qualifiers: Mason Sanderson (3rd, 107), Nick Berrena (3rd, 114), Jacob Campbell (2nd, 133)
Other placewinners: Rudi Skucek (5th, 160), Lucas Anderson (4th, 215)
Recap: The Little Lions had a tremendous District 6 Class 3A Championships.
They came away with five champions but had six finalists.
However, State College only came away with a third-place team finish as they only entered 10 wrestlers.
“It happens, when you get to the end of the year, guys are hurt and banged up,” Little Lions coach Ryan Cummins said. “We weren’t able to bring everyone, but the guys we brought were quality. I’m happy with how they did.”
That quality that Cummins talked about turned out to be eight of those 10 guys moving on to next week’s PIAA Northwest Regional Championships back in Altoona.
The five champions all had different ways of winning too, well, except for three. Hayden Cunningham, Weaverling and Pavlechko all pinned their way to titles.
Cunningham, who was in his final district tournament, was unable to go the past two years as he recovered from injuries. He made up for it by opening with a fall in 41 seconds over Central Mountain’s Carnell Noone in the semifinals.
In the finals, Cunningham needed 44 seconds to stick Altoona’s Caleb Fasick.
“It’s fun. I’m glad that I got to do it with the team that I’m on,” Cunningham said. “I’m looking forward to the next couple of weeks. I’m excited for states.”
Weaverling, who was an under-the-radar type No. 1 seed, opened his day by sticking Altoona’s Matthew Riccio in 46 seconds. He dispatched Mifflin County’s Avery Aurand with 6 seconds remaining in the first period.
“It feels amazing. I haven’t really won a tournament since sixth grade,” Weaverling said. “To finally be on top of the podium for once, just feels good. Being the No. 1 seed, is different for me because I’m never really the No. 1 seed, but it feels good coming in here and proving myself. I feel like a little bit of an underdog even though I am the No. 1 seed.”
Pavlechko need 23 seconds to start his day off with a victory over Hollidaysburg’s Wyatt Maines. In the finals, he took on Mifflin County’s Peyton Kearns.
Pavlechko secured a takedown with 1:22 remaining in the period. He managed to get the fall with 55 seconds left in the first period to earn his second district title.
“He’s a good opponent, but I just got better in the offseason. I got better everywhere,” Pavlechko said. “On my feet, I’ve been working on getting more angles. You have to get those angles to take down these big guys because it’s harder to move them.”
Asher Cunningham and Manville each opened their days with falls.
In the finals, Manville used a third period ride out to secure a 1-0 win over Central Mountain’s Dalton Perry, who is a Penn State commit. Cunningham racked up a 9-5 win over the Wildcats’ Griffin Walizer, who Cunningham edged, 1-0, just two weeks earlier.
Campbell was that other finalist for State College. He faced off with Central Mountain’s Luke Simcox, who pinned Campbell in 2:39.
“He’s like the iron man on the team. We put him wherever we need him, and he does it,” Cummins said of Campbell. “I can’t say enough about how tough he is to be able to do that. He finally gets to wrestle people at his own weight, and look how well he does. I can’t wait to keep watching him here in the postseason.”
District 6 Championships
Saturday at Altoona
Class 2A
Team key: Bald Eagle Area (BEA), Bellefonte (B), Bellwood-Antis (BA), Cambria Heights (CH), Central (C), Central Cambria (CC), Claysburg-Kimmel (CK), Forest Hills (FH), Glendale (G), Huntingdon (H), Juniata (J), Juniata Valley (JV), Marion Center (MC), Moshannon Valley (MV), Mount Union (MU), Penn Cambria (PC), Penns Valley (PV), Philipsburg-Osceola (P-O), Richland (R), River Valley (RV), Southern Huntingdon (SH), Tyrone (T), United (U), West Branch (WB), Westmont Hilltop (WH)
Team scores: 1. Bald Eagle Area 201.5, 2. Huntingdon 158, 3. Penns Valley 143, 4. Bellefonte 130, 5. Tyrone 129, 6. Mount Union 125, 7. United 118, 8. Penn Cambria 95, 9. Philipsburg-Osceola 93, 10. Glendale 90
Finals
107: Mason Beatty, MU, dec. Korry Walls, T, 4-2; 114: Landon Bainey, WB, dec. Josef Garshnick, U, 2-1; 121: Lucas Fye, BEA, dec. Gideon Bracken, U, 5-4; 127: Coen Bainey, BEA, major dec. Jacik Hess, MU, 13-1; 133: Hunter Forcellini, FH, dec. Colten Shunk, PV, 5-2; 139: Liam Cornetto, MC, dec. Taylor Smith, J, 4-3; 145: Trent Hoover, PC, dec. Gage Heilbrun, MC, 5-2; 152: Ty Watson, PV, dec. Marcus Gable, P-O, 3-0; 160: Zeke Dubler, G, dec. Andrew McMonagle, H, 4-3 (UTB2); 172: Caleb Close, BEA, injury def. Tommy Cohenour, SH, 1:22; 189: Josh Ryan, MU, dec. Cameron Dubbs, BEA, 2-0; 215: Mitchell Hart, SH, dec. Mason Raymond, PC, 4-2 (SV); 285: Gunner Singleton, H, dec. Daniel Williams, G, 2-0
Consolation Finals
107: Caleb Hummel, P-O, dec. Jacob Sombronski, U, 4-0; 121: Ryan Yocum, H, dec. Ezra Swisher, B, 7-2; 127: Ben Gustkey, P-O, dec. Jackson Long, B, 8-6; 133: Nate Fleck, P-O, dec. Cam Stewart, MC, 8-4; 139: Lukas Walk, T, dec. Noah Weaver, B, 4-0; 145: Gage Long, B, dec. Dustin Flinn, FH, 3-0; 152: Kaden Barnhart, RV, dec. Max Murray, B, 4-2; 189: Addison Shawley, B, dec. Braeden Oravecz, PC, 3-2; 215: Kollin Brungart, PV, dec. Karter Quick, CC, 5-4
5th Place Match
114: Ty Biesinger, C, major dec. Cameron Garcia, B, 12-1; 121: Braydon Lisowski, PV, dec. AJ Chilcote, MU, 8-5; 139: Hunter Schnarrs, WB, dec. Alex Surovec, BEA, 5-2; 145: David Ray, WH, dec. Mason Reese, BEA, 6-4; 152: Jeffre Pifer, BEA, dec. George Campbell, G, 4-3; 160: David Martin, PV, dec. Deegan Rittenhouse, MU, 10-5; 215: Gage Gardner, BEA, dec. Tyler Lobb, MV, 2-0
7th Place Match
107: Gaige Sholly, H, dec. Wyatt Long, B, 4-0; 114: Kayson Tice, BEA, dec. Kamden Beatty, MU, 4-2; 133: Connor Maney, BEA, pinned Dom Peruso, H, 1:57; 189: Dylan Stephens, U, pinned Brandon Corl, PV, 3:45
Consolation Semifinals
107: Hummel, P-O, tech. fall Wyatt Taubler, RV, 15-0 (2:35); 114: Darlington, PV, pinned Garcia, B, 1:41; 121: Swisher, B, dec. Chilcote, MU, 6-4 (SV); Ryan Yocum, H, dec. Lisowski, PV, 5-2; 127: J. Long, B, med. forfeit Landon Dunsmore, H; Gustkey, P-O, pinned Brodie Soler, CK, 2:54; 133: Fleck, P-O, dec. Michael Monty, U, 6-2; 139: Walk, T, dec. Surovec, BEA, 4-1; Weaver, B, major dec. Schnarrs, WB, 14-2; 145: Flinn, FH, dec. Reese, BEA, 2-0; G. Long, B, dec. Ray, WH, 4-2 (SV); 152: Murray, B, dec. Pifer, BEA, 10-5; 160: Andrew Weaver, T, dec. Martin, PV, 6-0; 189: Shawley, B, dec. Britton Spangle, G, 1-0; 215: Quick, CC, pinned Gardner, BEA, 4:02; Brungart, PV, dec. Lobb, MV, 2-0
Consolation Quarterfinals
107: Wyatt Traubler, RV, dec. W. Long, B, 3-0; 114: Garcia, B, dec. Kamden Beatty, MU, 4-1; 121: Swisher, B, dec. Logan Rumberger, T, 3-2; 127: J. Long, B, dec. Colton Henning, U, 4-0; 133: Lucas Yarger, MV, dec. Maney, BEA, 3-2; 139: Surovec, BEA, dec. Eric Mykut, H, 4-2; 145: Reese, BEA, pinned Grady Clark, H, 4:59; 152: Murray, B, major dec. Devin Grubb, H, 11-1; 160: Martin, PV, pinned Mason Papinchak, FH, 1:49; 189: Chase Stuchal, RV, dec. Corl, PV, 8-1; 215: Gardner, BEA, dec. Sawyer McGinnis, U, 5-3
Consolation Fourth Round
107: W. Long, B, dec. Anthony Maradiaga, J, 7-5 (SV); Wyatt Taubler, RV, pinned Liam Purcell, BEA, 1:54; 114: Garica, B, pinned Isaiah Chyr, PC, 2:35; Tice, BEA, forfeit Sam McDonald, P-O; 121: Swisher, B, pinned Kaden Horn, C, 2:19; 127: J. Long, B, major dec. T.J. Carroll, FH, 10-0; 133: Maney, BEA, pinned Easton Robertson, R, 4:17; 139: Surovec, BEA, dec. Max King, PV, 3-2; 145: Reese, BEA, pinned Marshall Eckenrode, CH, 4:21; Grady Clark, H, pinned Ian Phillips, P-O, 4:16; 152: Murray, B, pinned Deklan Estep, CC, :21; 160: Deegan Rittenhouse, MU, dec. Matt Rowles, P-O, 8-4; Mason Papinchak, FH, major dec. Shawn Knepp, BEA, 14-3; Martin, PV, pinned Grady Garrison, B, 2:29; 172: Harrison Mummah, J, pinned Ethan Fetterolf, PV, 2:03; Cole Stuchal, RV, dec. Nash Irwin, B, 2-0; 189: Corl, PV, pinned Tyler Biggans, WB, 4:55; 215: Gardner, BEA, dec. Connor Ward, WH, 11-6; 285: Connor Williams, MV, pinned Eric Clark, BEA, 1:48
Semifinals
107: Walls, T, dec. Hummel, P-O, 7-0; 114: Garshnick, U, pinned Darlington, PV, 3:20; 121: Fye, BEA, major dec. Chilcote, MU, 12-2; Bracken, U, dec. Lisowski, PV, 4-2 (SV); 127: Bainey, BEA, pinned Gustkey, P-O, :52; 133: Shunk, PV, dec. Fleck, P-O, 6-5; 139: Smith, J, dec. Weaver, B, 6-1; 145: Hoover, PC, pinned G. Long, 3:53; 152: Watson, PV, dec. Pifer, BEA, 6-3; Gable, P-O, dec. George Campbell, G, 1-0; 172: Close, BEA, tech. fall Logan Folmar, WB, 16-0 (4:35); 189: Ryan, MU, dec. Shawley, B, 10-6; Dubbs, BEA, dec. Braeden Oravecz, PC, 3-2; 215: Raymond, PC, dec. Brungart, PV, 3-1
Class 3A
Team key: Altoona (A), Central Mountain (CM), Hollidaysburg (H), Johnstown (J), Mifflin County (MC), State College (SC)
Team scores: 1. Central Mountain 193.5, 2. Mifflin County 189.5, 3. State College 174, 4. Altoona 134, 5. Hollidaysburg 88, 6. Johnstown 67
Finals
107: Braiden Weaver, A, pinned Collin Bauman, CM, :41; 114: Carson Krupka, H, pinned Styers Oden, MC, 1:25; 121: Hunter Johnson, MC, tech. fall Philip Sarbo, A, 15-0 (5:26); 127: Hayden Cunningham, SC, pinned Caleb Fasick, A, :44; 133: Luke Simcox, CM, pinned Jacob Campbell, SC, 2:39; 139: Pierson Manville, SC, dec. Dalton Perry, CM, 1-0; 145: Asher Cunningham, SC, dec. Griffin Walizer, CM, 9-5; 152: Luke Sipes, A, dec. Parker Kearns, MC, 3-1; 160: Deakon Shaffer, MC, dec. Gino Serafini, CM, 3-2; 172: Carter Weaverling, SC, pinned Avery Aurand, MC, 1:54; 189: Rocco Serafini, CM, pinned Marquan Tisinger, J, 1:34; 215: Giovanni Tarantella, CM, dec. Truitt Davis, MC, 7-3; 285: Nick Pavlechko, SC, pinned Peyton Kearns, MC, 1:05
Consolation Finals
107: Mason Sanderson, SC, dec. Logan Krupka, H, 4-2; 114: Nick Berrena, SC, dec. Jaggar Pardoe, CM, 5-2; 215: Michael Riccio, A, pinned Lucas Anderson, SC, 4:00
Semifinals
107: Weaver, A, pinned Sanderson, SC, 1:08; 114: Krupka, H, pinned Berrena, SC, 3:50; 127: H. Cunningham, SC, pinned Carnell Noone, CM, :41; 133: Campbel, SC, pinned Blake Aumiller, MC, 2:41; 139: Manville, SC, pinned Jorge Morales, J, :28; 145: A. Cunningham, SC, pinned Eli Wisor, A, :10; 172: Weaverling, SC, pinned Matthew Riccio, A, :46; 285: Pavlechko, SC, pinned Wyatt Maines, H, :23
Consolation Semifinals
160: Mitchell Barroner, H, pinned Rudi Skucek, 2:47; 215: Anderson, SC, pinned Rally Hoover, H, 2:08
Quarterfinals
107: Sanderson, SC, pinned Nicolas Taranto, J, 2:19; 114: Berrena, SC, pinned Jaggar Pardoe, CM, 2:36; 160: Alijah Gibson, J, pinned Skucek, SC, 1:44; 215: Riccio, A, dec. Anderson, SC, 11-4
This story was originally published February 19, 2023 at 12:27 AM.
