Wildcats strong second at Conestoga Classic
LANCASTER — For the second time in two tourneys this month, Central Mountain had to settle for second place to District 3 foe Exeter.
At the mid-December King of the Mountain tourney the Eagles edged the Wildcats by five points, 138.5 to 133.5. At the Conestoga Valley Holiday Classic completed Friday the Eagles again narrowly topped the Wildcats, finishing with 200.5 points to Central Mountain’s 195.
Each team crowned two champions but Exeter placed nine wrestlers to Central Mountain’s eight, enough to claim the title for the second year in a row, Central Mountain finishing second for the second straight year.
Wildcat champs were Geo Barzona at 120 pounds and Seth Andrus at 126 pounds. Barzona, the top seed, went 4-0 over the two day affair, his victories including his 100th win in his standout 4-year Wildcat career. The ‘Cat senior took the title with a 3-2 win over #2 seed Zurich Storm of New Oxford.
Andrus, a three seed, followed with his crown, knocking off top seed Laken Rouzer of Waynesboro by a 12-6 score; the Wildcat junior finished the tourney at 4-0.
Central Mountain had two runners-up, both of whom exceeded their seeds. Senior Caleb Turner, seeded third, advanced to the 182 pound finals where he fell to Kevin Edwards of Avon Grove by fall. Junior Mahlik Houtz, a four seed at 220 pounds, had advanced to the finals with a 5-2 semifinal win over Philipsburg-Osceola #1 seed Micah Sidorick. He was pinned in the finals by Jersey Shore’s Max Mason, the senior the lone Bulldog to place.
Other place-winners for the Wildcats were Johnny Shreffler, fifth at 103; Colton Weaver, fourth at 145; Tanner Weaver, third at 170; and Richie Thompson, fourth at 285.
Bellefonte finished in fifth place in the team standings with 136.5 points and one champion in Brock Port at 145 pounds. Jersey Shore was 15th in the team race with 81.5 points.
The tourney ended a solid December for Central Mountain: 2-0 in dual meets, first place at the Tom Best Memorial Top Hat tourney and seconds in the King of the Mountain and Conestoga Valley events.
The Wildcats will be back in action Thursday, Jan 5 at Midd-West, returning home a week later for a home dual Jan. 12 with Shikellamy.
