Wildcats Strong Second at King of the Mountain

BALD EAGLE TOWNSHIP – It was a wide-open King of the Mountain wrestling tournament completed Saturday at Central Mountain High School. And the host Wildcats, given little chance at the title going in, almost pulled a stunning upset.

The team crown instead went to Exeter High School, the District 3 school using a win in the heavyweight final to outdistance the second place Wildcats and third place finisher General McLane. The final tally was Exeter, 138.5; Central Mountain, 133.5; General McLane, 132; Bishop McDevitt, 131; and pre-tourney favorite Boyertown and Council Rock South close behind with 129.5 each.

Central Mountain led after day one but took some hits in the early Saturday rounds to fall back to fifth place. But the Wildcats rallied back in the afternoon, ending with six place-winners, paced by thirds from seniors Geo Barzona (120 pounds) and Richie Thompson (285).

Barzona suffered his first loss in the semifinals, upset by McDevitt’s unseeded freshman Tyler Martin by a 10-6 score. Barzona rebounded with two consolation wins, taking his third place match by a 5-2 score over Luke Resnick of Owen J. Roberts.

Thompson, in his first year as a starter, came in unseeded and proceeded to the semifinals where he fell, 11-5, to eventual champion Oscar Daniels of Exeter. But he knocked off two seeded wrestlers in the wrestle-backs, including a 50 second throw and pin of second-seeded Dawson Otis of Wyalusing in the third place bout.

Other Wildcat placers were: Johnny Shreffler, eighth at 106; Seth Andrus, fourth at 126; Logan Long, eighth at 138; and Tanner Weaver, fifth at 170. All 14 Wildcat entries secured at least one win. Five of them fell one win short of placing: Cody Coleman at 113; Colton Weaver at 145; Caleb Turner at 182; Tanner Riggle at 195; and Mahlik Houtz at 220.

Central Mountain has one event remaining before the Christmas break, a home dual with Bald Eagle Area (2-0) next Thursday.