Wildcats Win D6 Wrestling Crown; Andrus Champ at 132
ALTOONA – The Central Mountain wrestling team used overall team balance to put up a glittering 13-2 regular season record and used that same balance in defending its District 6 AAA Championship crown in Altoona Saturday night.
The Wildcats placed 13 wrestlers overall, 11 finishing in the top four and qualifying for next week-end’s Northwestern Regionals, in piling up 205 points. That was more than enough to outdistance second place finisher Mifflin County, the Huskies with 190. Phlipsburg-Osceola was a surprise third with 177.5 points, Bald Eagle Area fourth with 156.5. CM was again buoyed by its pin power, piling up 17 falls in the daylong competition.
In addition to Andrus, the Wildcats had one other first seed going in, fellow senior Asher Corl at 160 pounds. But Corl, bothered with a nagging knee injury, injury-defaulted at the outset of his final to number two seed Ian Barr of State College. Corl did pick up two falls in his two earlier bouts and is now 23-7 this year.
Head coach Biff Walizer was well pleased with the Wildcat showing: “From top to bottom, we performed well.” He noted the work of two ‘Cats who exceeded their seeds: junior Alonzo Henry, a six seed, finished fourth at 152 pounds and freshman Gage Sutliff, filling in for the ill
Austin Confer, also finished fourth, this at 182 pounds.
Other Wildcat place-winners: Jason Rinker, fifth at 103; Johnny Shreffler, third at 113; Dalton Bechdel, fifith at 120; Cody Coleman, third at 138; Logan Long, second at 145; Tanner Weaver, second at 170; Tanner Riggle, fourth at 195; and second place finishers in Mahlik Houtz and Jake Edwards at 220 and 285 pounds respectively.
Central Mountain’s Brett Kleckner was named as the District 6 junior high coach of the year for leading the young Wildcats to an undefeated season. Mifflin County coach Kirby Martin took the coaches award at the high school level and his 152 pound freshman Trey Kibe was named outstanding wrestler for his dramatic 5-4 overtime win over top-seeded Gage McClenahan of Bald Eagle Area.
A former Lock Haven High School wrestler, the late Len Vuocolo, was among those inducted into the District 6 Hall of Fame prior to the final round. Vuocolo was a PIAA runner-up in 1956 and later wrestled at the University of Pittsburgh. Family members attended to receive the award; they included brother Steve Vuocolo from Mechanicsburg.
| Championship First Round |
|---|
| 160 – Asher Corl, Central Mountain, received a bye. |
| 170 – Tanner Weaver, Central Mountain, received a bye. |
| 285 – Jacob Edwards, Central Mountain, received a bye. |
| Championship Quarterfinal Round |
|---|
| 106 – Nicholas Bryan, Philipsburg-Osceola, pinned Jason Rinker, Central Mountain, 2:58. |
| 113 – Johnny Shreffler, Central Mountain, dec. Damion Finnegan, Altoona, 3-1. |
| 120 – Owen Woolcott, State College, dec. Dalton Bechdel, Central Mountain, 5-1. |
| 126 – Cody Dively, Hollidaysburg, dec. Davis Seyler, Central Mountain, 6-0. |
| 132 – Seth Andrus, Central Mountain, received a bye. |
| 138 – Cody Coleman, Central Mountain, pinned Cole Hoover, Philipsburg-Osceola, 1:15. |
| 145 – Logan Long, Central Mountain, pinned Gavin Wagner, Altoona, 0:50. |
| 152 – Matt Johnson, Philipsburg-Osceola, major dec. Alonzo Henry, Central Mountain, 11-2. |
| 160 – Asher Corl, Central Mountain, pinned Richard Taylor, BEA, 0:26. |
| 170 – Tanner Weaver, Central Mountain, pinned Ryan Kunz, State College, 1:52. |
| 182 – Gage Sutliff, Central Mountain, dec. Jacob Krepps, Mifflin County, 3-1. |
| 195 – Tanner Riggle, Central Mountain, pinned Austin Smith, Bellefonte, 2:55. |
| 220 – Mahlik Houtz, Central Mountain, pinned Asher Burkett, BEA, 1:32. |
| 285 – Jacob Edwards, Central Mountain, pinned Kurt Hall, BEA, 0:50. |
| Consolation First Round |
|---|
| 106 – Jason Rinker, Central Mountain, received a bye. |
| 120 – Dalton Bechdel, Central Mountain, received a bye. |
| 126 – Alex Holt, BEA, pinned Davis Seyler, Central Mountain, 5:37. |
| 152 – Alonzo Henry, Central Mountain, pinned Andrew Beach, Altoona, 1:30. |
| Championship Semi-Final Round |
|---|
| 113 – Christian Fisher, Mifflin County, dec. Johnny Shreffler, Central Mountain, 5-1. |
| 132 – Seth Andrus, Central Mountain, pinned Jordan Wagner, Altoona, 1:42. |
| 138 – Nathan Swartz, Hollidaysburg, major dec. Cody Coleman, Central Mountain, 16-2. |
| 145 – Logan Long, Central Mountain, pinned Ethan Richner, Bellefonte, 3:19. |
| 160 – Asher Corl, Central Mountain, pinned Nathan Fisher, Hollidaysburg, 5:55. |
| 170 – Tanner Weaver, Central Mountain, pinned Ian Klinger, Philipsburg-Osceola, 2:58. |
| 182 – Mason McCready, Hollidaysburg, pinned Gage Sutliff, Central Mountain, 3:22. |
| 195 – Cole Urbas, State College, pinned Tanner Riggle, Central Mountain, 3:59. |
| 220 – Mahlik Houtz, Central Mountain, dec. Josh Hubler, Philipsburg-Osceola, 6-1. |
| 285 – Jacob Edwards, Central Mountain, pinned Jordan Smith, Philipsburg-Osceola, 3:36. |
| Consolation Semi-FInal Round |
|---|
| 106 – Colin Smilnak, Hollidaysburg, pinned Jason Rinker, Central Mountain, 4:30. |
| 113 – Johnny Shreffler, Central Mountain, major dec. Aaron Foster, 12-1. |
| 120 – Cole Stewart, Bellefonte, dec. Dalton Bechdel, Central Mountain, 4-2. |
| 138 – Cody Coleman, Central Mountain, pinned Jason Dry, State College, 3:37. |
| 152 – Alonzo Henry, Central Mountain, dec. Lance Urbas, State College, 3-1. |
| 182 – Gage Sutliff, Central Mountain, dec. Devon York, Altoona, 13-8. |
| 195 – Tanner Riggle, Central Mountain, dec. Dylan Grassmeyer, Mifflin County, 7-2. |
| Championship Finals |
|---|
| 132 – Seth Andrus, Central Mountain, major dec. Logan Wise, Mifflin County, 10-1. |
| 145 – Garrett Rigg, BEA, pinned Logan Long, Central Mountain, 3:35. |
| 160 – Ian Barr, State College, wins by injury default. |
| 170 – Trent Hidlay, Mifflin County, tech fall Tanner Weaver, Central Mountain, 4:33 (21-6). |
| 220 – Parker McClellan, Altoona, pinned Mahlik Houtz, Central Mountain, 3:09. |
| 285 – Nate Simmers, Altoona, pinned Jacob Edwards, Central Mountain, 1:13. |
| Consolation Finals for Third Place |
|---|
| 113 – Johnny Shreffler, Central Mountain, dec. Garrett Giedroc, BEA, 3-0. |
| 138 – Cody Coleman, Central Mountain, pinned John Rutherford, Mifflin County, 2:42. |
| 152 – Matt Johnson, Philipsburg-Osceola, major dec. Alonzo Henry, Central Mountain, 16-2. |
| 182 – Jacob Krepps, Mifflin County, dec. Gage Sutliff, Central Mountain, 4-2. |
| 195 – David Close, BEA, dec. Tanner Riggle, Central Mountain, 7-1. |
| Consolation Finals for Fifth Place |
|---|
| 106 – Jason Rinker, Central Mountain, pinned Aaron Little, Bellefonte, 0:51. |
| 120 – Dalton Bechdel, Central Mountain, pinned Andrew Simpson, Hollidaysburg, 1:47. |
