Wildcats Win Round Two Over Huskies, 41-21

Round Three Set for Feb. 3

BALD EAGLE TOWNSHIP – The Central Mountain wrestling team piled up four falls and won most of the close individual bouts in a 41-21 Senior Night win over Mifflin County on Wednesday.

The victory was the second in 10 days over the Huskies (40-24 on Jan.13) and word following the match was the same two teams will meet again, Saturday, Feb. 3 at the District 6 team dual semifinals in Tyrone. It was revealed the “cutoff date” for districts was Tuesday of this week and the seedings at that point had undefeated Bald Eagle Area first, Central Mountain second, Mifflin County third and Bellefonte fourth. So the Wildcats and Huskies will go again a week from this Saturday on Tyrone High’s one mat while BEA and Bellefonte match up on the other, winners meeting for the dual meet crown, the district champion advancing to the PIAA Team Duals in Hershey starting Feb. 8.

Wednesday’s dual meet started at 138 pounds and Wildcat freshman Lane Porter (1-0) ignited the crowd as he made his varsity debut a successful one, aggressive from the start in using a three-quarter nelson for a fall in 34 seconds. The Wildcats took three of the next four to open a 21-3 lead. Logan Long (20-6) followed Porter with a first period fall, back-up Alonzo Henry (3-5) picked up a key 12-8 decision and CM led 15-0. The Huskies’ standout frosh Trey Kibe (23-4) put the visitors on the board, using a final period reversal and back points to knock off Wildcat Asher Corl (19-6) by an 8-3 score but Tanner Weaver (22-4) picked up the third of the four ‘Cat pins, all in the first period, to make it 21-3.

Mifflin County would bounce back with a major and a technical fall (the latter from defending state champion Trent Hidlay (23-0) to close to 21-12. But Central Mountain swept the next three bouts to break things open. Mahlik Houtz (13-7) edged Huskie Kross Todaro (14-7) by a 3-2 score at 220 pounds, Jake Edwards (19-4) earned a 5-3 win at heavyweight and Jason Rinker (6-3) turned the lineup over with a 14 second pin to make it 33-12 CM.

Perhaps the best bout of the night followed at 113 pounds when the Wildcats’ Johnny Shreffler (14-10) went round and round with Mifflin County’s returning state place-finisher Christian Fisher (19-5), Fisher emerging with a 6-4 overtime win. The Wildcats’ Dalton Bechdel (16-10) avenged an earlier loss to Derek Burk (11-8) with a final period reversal and back points for a 4-1 win (a turn-around acknowledged by coach Biff Walizer). Central Mountain’s final bout win came at 132 pounds when Seth Andrus (22-3) piled up a 22-6 third period technical fall, the 98th of his career.

Coach Walizer said his team put up a “good fight” in the win, noting the two teams get to do it all over again on Feb. 3. He lauded Shreffler’s performance, even in defeat, stating his showing against a returning state place-winner should be a confidence builder. And the bonus points earned praise from the ‘Cat coach: four falls and one technical fall.

Seniors honored before the match were: Austyn Carson (injured), Corl, backup heavyweight Matt Probst (who earned an exhibition win), Weaver, Long, Andrus and Houtz along with team manager Ellison Porter.

The Wildcat junior high team stayed undefeated with a 59-27 win. In other varsity action Wednesday night, Bald Eagle Area stayed undefeated with a 60-8 rout of Penns Valley.

Central Mountain will be right back in action Thursday night at Williamsport, the varsity start listed at 7 p.m.

MIFFLIN COUNTY – 21 CENTRAL MOUNTAIN – 41
138 – Lane Porter, Central Mountain, pinned John Rutherford, Mifflin County, 0:32.
145 – Logan Long, Central Mountain, pinned Brian Smink, Mifflin County, 1:39.
152 – Alonzo Henry, Central Mountain, dec. Brycen Hassinger, Mifflin County, 12-8.
160 – Trey Kibe, Mifflin County, dec. Asher Corl, Central Mountain, 8-3.
170 – Tanner Weaver, Central Mountain, pinned Anthony Fultz, Mifflin County, 1:51.
182 – Jacob Krepps, Mifflin County, major dec. Austin Confer, Central Mountain, 15-4.
195 – Trent Hidlay, Mifflin County, tech fall Tanner Riggle, Central Mountain, 5:12 (22-7).
220 – Mahlik Houtz, Central Mountain, dec. Kross Todaro, Mifflin County, 3-2.
285 – Jacob Edwards, Central Mountain, dec. Bronson Smith-Price, Mifflin County, 5-2.
106 – Jason Rinker, Central Mountain, pinned Andrew Weaver, Mifflin County, 0:14.
113 – Christian Fisher, Mifflin County, Johnny Shreffler, Central Mountain, 6-4 OT.
120 – Dalton Bechdel, Central Mountain, dec. Derek Burk, Mifflin County, 4-1.
126 – Logan Wise, Central Mountain, pinned Kayden Busey, Central Mountain, 5:39.
132 – Seth Andrus, Central Mountain, tech fall Josh Snook, Mifflin County, 5:52 (22-6)