Penns Valley wrestling pins its way past Philipsburg-Osceola, moves to District 6 2A semis
The No. 1 seed in any tournament is the spot to be in because the path to a title is easier.
Penns Valley showed why they have a 12-2 mark on the season and was the top team in the District 6 Class 2A dual championships in a 57-15 rout of Philipsburg-Osceola Wednesday.
The Rams had six pins — closing out the dual with four straight — while watching 121-pounder Conner Myers get a monumental victory. It was a match that took less than 40 minutes to complete.
“It was complete, yeah, pretty solid from top to bottom. There’s been a few others this year that I’d say we we looked sharp and good,” Penns Valley coach Joel Brinker said. “It was a huge win for Myers at 21.”
The Rams jumped out to a 12-0 lead early as Shane Rimmey got a forfeit at 189 pounds to start the dual. Then, Landon Hess followed up with a pin of Conner Eichenlaub in 2:41.
The Mounties’ (11-7) Evan Eichenlaub stopped the bleeding momentarily with a pin of Ty Steiger in 2 minutes, 49 seconds.
However, Penns Valley got back to back forfeits to push its lead out to 24-6.
Then came Myers’ moment against Bloomsburg commit Caleb Hummel at 121 pounds.
The pair wrestled to a scoreless first period, but a late flurry sent the crowd into a roar as excitement began to grow. The second period saw Myers collect a late reversal, but Hummel got an escape to make it 2-1.
In the third period, all the action occurred with just under 20 seconds remaining. Myers had a solid ride the entire period, but Hummel found a way to tally a reversal. However, there was just enough time left for Myers to get the reversal right back for a 4-3 victory.
“I needed to stay calm and collected. I knew that I just had to get to that last period, and get the points that was needed to win in the end,” Myers said. “It was crazy to me to finally get the victory that I’ve been waiting for, for the last few years with the rivalry with him. Overall, it was really good match.”
Erik Carlile barely broke a sweat after Myers’ victory in a 15-seconds pin of Averi Gable to make it 33-6 for Penns Valley.
P-O was able to get back-to-back wins at 133 and 139 pounds.
Ace Foster built up a 9-1 lead after two periods of wrestling thanks to a pair of takedowns and a set of nearfall points. He did give up a takedown late to Tripp Watson in an 11-4 win.
Conner Guenot got an initial takedown of Zach Rummel. He slowly cranked Rummel to his back for a fall in 1:50.
“Ace had another really good win and has been wrestling really well. I know Tripp Watson is a tough wrestler. Ace did a good job of staying controlled, dictating the pace and scoring when he had openings,” Mounties coach Justin Fye said. “Connor Guenot went out and had a big pin for us there. We knew coming into Penn Valley this was going to be a tough haul for us. But once again, the effort was there. I didn’t see anybody not give their full effort, and that’s all we can ask for as a coach right now.”
Following those wins for P-O, it turned into a pin parade for the Rams.
Sawyer Fetterolf (145 pounds), Seth Fetterolf (152), Brayden Lisowski (160) and Robert Martin (172) needed just under five minutes of wrestling to close out the dual.
Lisowski’s fall was the fastest in 39 seconds. Martin’s was next at 1:15 with Sawyer Fetterolf coming in at 1:29, and Seth Fetterolf’s pin came at 1:32.
The Rams will host the semifinals at 10 a.m. on Saturday, facing No. 5 Huntingdon. The other semifinal is No. 2 Bald Eagle Area against No. 3 Bishop McCort.
“What we’re talking about is consistency. This time of year, you want to be wrestling your best, and want to be consistent,” Brinker said, “that’s in your preparation, training, diet and things. Hopefully, coming in on Saturday, they won’t change anything. We’ll just wrestle like we’ve been, see where the chips fall.”
Mounties rally past Mo Valley
Even though the night didn’t end like P-O would’ve liked, they still showed a lot of grit in their first round match against Moshannon Valley.
The Mounties trailed by 25 points at one point, before storming back for a 39-34 win over the Black Knights (15-4) to make the quarterfinals.
“Moshannon Valley has a great team. They have good kids all throughout their lineup,” Fye said. “They’re not 15 and three or whatever without being good. Coach (Todd) Walstrom and his staff do a great job.”
Rocco Reifer and Gavin Lovell opened the dual by collecting bonus points for Moshannon Valley. Reifer had a forfeit as Lovell racked up a 20-1 technical fall in 2:38.
Evan Eichenlaub used a takedown with 28 seconds left in the match to top Dominic Moore at 215 pounds to get P-O on the board.
However, the Black Knights got bonus-point wins from Tyler Lobb (19-4 technical fall in 4:06), Cooper Keith (forfeit, 107 pounds) and Aaron Cook (forfeit, 114). They led 28-3.
Then, the Mounties began their comeback.
“I told the kids that’s one of the best matches I’ve ever coached, to see the effort for the kids had for each other out there. We knew going in we were going to forfeit three weights at least,” Fye said. “They had to believe. They believed in their abilities, in each other, and had a great win there. Even the kids that didn’t win, the effort was there, just a great team win.”
Hummel received a forfeit at 121 pounds. Gable pinned Brady Mihalko in 2:35.
Memphis Twoey was inserted into the lineup and got a fall in 1:29. After Foster got a forfeit at 139, P-O trailed 28-27, but it didn’t stop there.
Guenot and Hunter Kephart had back-to-back falls to lock the dual up at 39-28 with one bout left.
The Black Knights Evan Krause closed the dual out with a fall in 17 seconds.
“Hunter Kephart, a senior, to end that match, that’s probably one of the biggest wins he’s ever had. It won the dual meet for us,” Fye said. “He works hard every single day. Out of all the years I’ve ever coached, he’s probably the most vocal leader that I’ve ever had. To come out and get that win right there, to help win the duel meet for us, that was great.”
District 6 Class 2A Championships
Wednesday at Spring Mills
Quarterfinals
No. 1 Penns Valley 57, No. 8 Philipsburg-Osceola 15
189: Shane Rimmey, PV, won by forfeit
215: Landon Hess, PV, pinned Connor Eichenlaub, 2:41
285: Evan Eichenlaub, P-O, pinned Ty Steiger, 2:49
107: Evan Lisowski, PV, won by forfeit
114: Max Dinges, PV, won by forfeit
121: Conner Myers, PV, dec. Caleb Hummel, 4-3
127: Erik Carlile, PV, pinned Averi Gable, :15
133: Ace Foster, P-O, dec. Tripp Watson, 11-4
139: Conner Guenot, P-O, pinned Zach Rummel, 1:50
145: Sawyer Fetterolf, PV, pinned Mason Packer, 1:29
152: Seth Fetterolf, PV, pinned Hunter Kephart, 1:32
160: Brayden Lisowski, PV, pinned Brett Hahn, :39
172: Robert Martin, PV, pinned Brody Jasper, 1:15
Takedowns: P-O 4, PV 7
Records: Philipsburg-Osceola (11-7), Penns Valley (12-2)
Next match: District 6 Class 2A semifinals, No. 5 Huntingdon at No. 1 Penns Valley, Saturday, 10 a.m.
1st Round
No. 8 Philipsburg-Osceola 39, No. 9 Moshannon Valley 34
172: Rocco Reifer, MV, won by forfeit
189: Gavin Lovell, MV, tech. fall Jasper, 20-1 (2:38)
215: E. Eichenlaub, P-O, dec. Dominic Moore, 4-1
285: Tyler Lobb, MV, tech. fall C. Eichenlaub, 19-4 (4:06)
107: Cooper Keith, MV, won by forfeit
114: Aaron Cook, MV, won by forfeit
121: Hummel, P-O, won by forfeit
127: Gable, P-O, pinned Brady Mihalko, 2:35
133: Memphis Twoey, P-O, pinned Hayden Orsborne, 1:29
139: Foster, P-O, won by forfeit
145: Guenot, P-O, pinned Alan McCracken, 1:18
152: Kephart, P-O, pinned Wyatt Lamison, 5:03
160: Evan Krause, MV, pinned Hahn, :17
Takedowns: MV 9, P-O 6
Records: Moshannon Valley (15-4), Philipsburg-Osceola (11-6)
