Team effort highlights Bald Eagle Area wrestling’s District 6 2A quarterfinals win
Wrestling is very much an individual sport, but when the team aspect gets added it rises to a whole new level.
After Bald Eagle Area’s 57-10 victory over Marion Center in the District 6 Class 2A quarterfinals, Eagles coach Ron Guenot applauded how his entire team performed in the lopsided victory.
“As a coaching staff, you know it’s just not about 3, 4, 5 or 6 kids. It’s about the 13 kids and then some in your bench, your JV kids, it’s about everybody,” Guenot said. “We try to instill that, ‘Hey, your time could be tonight. If you don’t win tonight, your time is on Saturday.’ Everybody on this team is just as important as the next person.”
BEA dropped the first bout of the dual, and two others, but after that first loss it was nothing but bonus points that built momentum — from one guy to the next.
In the span of four bouts, the Eagles went from being down 3-0 to leading 24-3. They got forfeits for Gage Gardner (285 pounds), Tyler Corey (107) and Liam Corey (121).
Liam Purcell needed just 33 seconds to pin the Stingers’ Colton Blazavich between the Corey’s forfeits.
Tanner Guenot bumped up to 127 pounds to face Marion Center’s top wrestler in Griffin Tinsman. Guenot is ranked No. 3 in the state at 121 according to PA Power Wrestling and Tinsman is No. 16 at 127.
Guenot used three takedowns to rack up an 11-2 major decision on Tinsman.
“That was a good match. He looked solid. He wrestled well over the weekend at the Ultimate Warrior, taking first there,” coach Guenot said. “He took that into today and wrestled a tough kid in Tinsman. He really looked dominant out there.”
Caden Judice and Dawson Lomison kept the bonus-point train rolling for BEA.
Judice gave up the first takedown in his bout with Landon Spence. After that, he rattled off 20 points thanks to four takedowns and two sets of nearfall points in a 23-6 technical fall in 2 minutes, 17 seconds.
Lomison built up a 7-0 lead on Josh Schleicher early in the second period, before flattening Schleicher with a cradle in 2:35.
The teams traded wins over the next four bouts with the Eagles’ Alex Surovec (152) and Chayse Kellander (172) collecting falls.
The dual closed out with newly minted all-time wins leader Caleb Close receiving a forfeit. It was the senior’s 158th career victory, but during the Ultimate Warrior tournament over the weekend, he got win No. 157, which allowed him to surpass former BEA and Penn State great Quentin Wright.
“I’d like to say congratulations to Caleb Close with being the winningest wrestler in Bald Eagle history, that’s pretty amazing. A lot of great kids have come through this program,” Guenot said. “For him to win 157 matches and to do what he has done, what else can you say? Shout out to him, I just really think what a career, so proud of him.”
No. 2 Bald Eagle Area 57, No. 10 Marion Center 10
Tuesday at Wingate
215: Carter Knox, MC, dec. Kyle Watson, 10-8
285: Gage Gardner, BEA, won by forfeit
107: Tyler Corey, BEA, won by forfeit
114: Liam Purcell, BEA, pinned Colton Blazavich, :33
121: Liam Corey, BEA, won by forfeit
127: Tanner Guenot, BEA, major dec. Griffin Tinsman, 11-2
133: Caden Judice, BEA, tech. fall Landon Spence, 23-6 (2:17)
139: Dawson Lomison, BEA, pinned Josh Schleicher, 2:35
145: Tyler Phillips, MC, major dec. Easton Grimes, 17-7
152: Alex Surovec, BEA, pinned Michael Fabbri, 3:09
160: Noah Filipovich, MC, dec. Nick McCully, 1-0
172: Chayse Kellander, BEA, pinned Aiden Buford, 2:45
189: Caleb Close, BEA, won by forfeit
Takedowns: MC 8, BEA 12
Records: Marion Center (9-3), Bald Eagle Area (10-3)
Next match: Bald Eagle Area at District 6 Class 2A semifinals, TBD, Saturday, TBD
