Wildcat Wrestling 4-0 on the Season; Down Seals 44-19

PublisherJanuary 4, 2024Last Updated: January 4, 2024

3 minutes read

By Joe Walker

MILL HALL-The Central Mountain Wildcats won nine bouts to handle the Selinsgrove Seals by 44-19 score in a Heartland Conference dual meet Thursday night. The Wildcats remained unbeaten as they improved to 4-0 on the season, while handing the Seals their first loss of the season.

“We were missing some guys tonight and thus we had to forfeit one weight, but Carnell Noone stepped in again and delivered a nice decision win for us. Jacob Weaver did a nice job after giving up the initial takedown, but then battled back to win his match. It was nice to get Dalton (Perry) back into the line-up tonight. A couple of the guys had some tough matches against guys that they may face again in the Regional tournament, thus now they know what they have to work on and to expect from those guys if they do meet up in the regional tournament” stated Wildcat Head Coach Biff Walizer after the win.

The Wildcats were without the services of Luke Simcox and Aiden Kunes in the dual meet, as both were nursing injuries and took the match off to hopefully get ready for the Mid-Winter Mayhem Tournament on Jan 12-13 at the Convention Complex at Indiana University of PA.

The dual meet got started at 127 pounds and with Kunes out of the line-up, the Wildcats forfeited to the Seals and gave the host a 6-0 lead. Patrick Tarantella (133) cut that lead to 6-3 as he used a 3 point second period and a third period rideout to win a 3-2 decision.

Noone then used a six point third period to walk away with a 9-3 decision win at 139 to tie the dual meet up at 6-6. Perry (145) recorded nine takedowns inroute to a 21-6 technical fall win in 4:25 and gave the Wildcats their first lead of the night at 11-6. Griffin Walizer (152) and Hunter Donley (160) followed up with two first period falls and the Wildcats were quickly up 23-6.

Jacob Weaver (172) gave up the initial takedown in his match, but then battled back with seven points to win a 7-3 decision and the Wildcats were up 26-6. The Seals broke the Wildcats run, Tucker Teats was up 5-1 when he caught Bryce Brungard and recorded the fall in 37 seconds of the second period to make it a 26-12 lead.

Senior Rocco Serafini wasted no time at 215 pounds, as he recorded a fall in 25 seconds of the first period to make it 32-12. The Seals’ Jack Peters used a five point third period to decision the Wildcats’ Giovanni Tarantella by an 8-1 score to make it 32-15.

Freshmen Gavin Heverly (107) and Luke Garman (114) promptly went out and recorded falls and wrapped up the dual meet by giving the Wildcats a 44-15 lead. The Seals’ Anthony Snook then posted a 14-5 major decision over the Wildcats’ Jaggar Pardoe at 121 pounds and set the final score at 44-19.

The Wildcat Junior High team stayed unbeaten at 4-0 as well, as they easily defeated the Little Seals by 57-25 score. Hunter Nace (87), Angelo Tarantella (94), Ashton Falls (122), Dalton Haagen (145), Dakota Packer (155), Kyle Everett (170) and Todd Caris (250) all registered wins with falls. Luke Nonemaker (138) came away with a decision win, while William Stout (80) and Tanner McCall (190) received forfeit wins.

The Wildcats next action will be the weekend of January 12-13, as they will be at the big Mid-Winter Mayhem Tournament at the Kovalchick Convention Complex on the campus of Indiana University of PA. Last year’s tournament had 48 teams.

The Wildcats dual meet that was originally scheduled with Milton on Thursday, January 11, has been moved to Monday, January 22. That dual meet with the Black Panthers still will be at the Milton High School Gym.

Central Mountain 44, Selinsgrove 19

127 – Alex Kadryna (S) won by forfeit. (0-6)

133 – Patrick Tarantella (CM) dec. Nathan Martin, 3-2 (3-6)

139 – Carnell Noone (CM) dec, Ryan Harpster, 9-3 (6-6)

145 – Dalton Perry (CM) WTF Trent Turner, 21-6, 4:25 (11-6)

152 – Griffin Walizer (CM) WBF Hunter Derk, 1:08 (17-6)

160 – Hunter Donley (CM) WBF Luke Smith, 1:00 (23-6)

172 – Jacob Weaver (CM) dec. Ethan Miller, 7-3 (26-6)

189 – Tucker Teats (S) WBF Bryce Brungard, 2:37 (26-12)

215 – Rocco Serafini (CM) WBF Owen Hoffman, :25 (32-12)

285 – Jack Peters (S) dec. Giovanni Tarantella, 8-1. (32-15)

107 – Gavin Heverly (CM) WBF Martin Wilson, :47 (38-15)