BALD EAGLE TOWNSHIP – Central Mountain wrestling coach Biff Walizer said the two-day grind called the King of the Mountain tournament showed where the weaknesses are for the Wildcat program.
While Walizer was not critical of his competitors, noting all 14 entrants contributed team points, he said competition at the level of the KoM can be a positive, stating “We’ll watch the video and move forward to correct the errors.”
Central Mountain had far from a poor tourney, finishing in eighth place in the 32-team field. But the ‘Cats placed but three wrestlers, below the mark in recent years. They were led by two runners-up in Tanner Riggle at 220 pounds and Jake Edwards at 285. Fellow senior Dalton Bechdel finished fourth at 126 pounds. Walizer praised Edwards for his second straight year in the heavyweight final, noted that Riggle did not place a year ago but was second this year, and Bechdel “did an outstanding job” to come back as he did.
Bechdel fell in the third place bout to #3 seed Shane Hanson-Ashworth of Council Rock South by a 10-1 score; Riggle gave up late points and lost to top seed Duane Knisely of Chestnut Ridge, 5-2; and Edwards got caught and pinned in the first period by top seed Colby Whitehill of Brookville. The Wildcats were hurt in the consolations when five team members fell one win short of earning a spot in the top eight.
Council Rock West took the team title with 198.5 points, Seneca Valley second with 189. Wildcat nemesis Mifflin County finished in sixth place, two notches ahead of the tourney hosts. The Huskies did it without a full line-up, Walizer said the Mifflin County team likely to be even stronger when all their starters return. He called the two teams’ dual meet set for Jan. 23 in Lewistown “something to look forward to.”
Meanwhile the Wildcats will get back to dual meet action next week, visiting Jersey Shore on Thursday, Dec. 20 and hosting Bald Eagle Area on Friday, Dec. 21.
| Championship Quarter Final Round |
| 106 – Kai Burkett, Chestnut Ridge, pinned Derek Keen, Central Mountain, 1:47. |
| 120 – Alejandro Herrara-Rodon, Seneca Valley dec. Johnny Shreffler, Central Mountain, 2-0. |
| 126 – Will Betancourt, Manheim Central, pinned Dalton Bechdel, Central Mountain, 1:54. |
| 152 – Luke Phayre, West Chester-Henderson, dec. Alonzo Henry, Central Mountain, 9-2. |
| 220 – Tanner Riggle, Central Mountain, pinned Peyton Kelly, Penn Trafford, 1:48. |
| 285 – Jacob Edwards, Central Mountain, pinned Cody Cruts, Philipsburg (NJ), 1:42 |
| Consolation Third Round |
| 182 – Gage Sutliff, Central Mountain, dec. Braden Macbeth, Brookville, 5-2. |
| 195 – Nikolas Miller, Central Mountain, pinned Cole King, Line Mountain, 0:15. |
| Consolation Fourth Round |
| 106 – James Day, Philipsburg (NJ), dec. Derek Keen, Central Mountain, 12-7. |
| 120 – Garret Thompson, Franklin Regional, dec. Johnny Shreffler, Central Mountain, 7-4. |
| 126 – Dalton Bechdel, Central Mountain, pinned Evan Chapman, Northern York, 3:22. |
| 152 – Noah Linderman, Burrell, dec. Alonzo Henry, Central Mountain, 3-2. |
| 182 – Mike Kustanbauer, Muncy, pinned Gage Sutliff, Central Mountain, 4:39. |
| 195 – Tym Nevadonsky, Pottsville, pinned Nikolas Miller, Central Mountain, 4:37. |
| Championship Semi-Final Round |
| 220 – Tanner Riggle, Central Mountain, dec. David Close, BEA, 3-2 OT RO. |
| 285 – Jacob Edwards, Central Mountain, dec. Damon James, Boiling Springs, 2-0 SV. |
| Consolation Quarterfinal Round |
| 126 – Dalton Bechdel, Central Mountain, dec. Alex Kightlinger, Saegertown, 4-3. |
| Consolation Semi-Final Round |
| 126 – Dalton Bechdel, Central Mountain, dec. Owen Woolcott, State College, 2-0. |
| Championship Final Round |
| 220 – Duane Knisley, Chestnut Ridge, dec. Tanner Riggle, Central Mountain, 5-2. |
| 285 – Colby Whitehille, Brookville, pinned Jacob Edwards, Central Mountain, 1:43. |
| Consolation Final - Third Place |
| 126 – Shane Hanson-Ashworth, Council Rock South, major dec. Dalton Bechdel, Central Mountain, 10-1. |
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