Wildcats Rally to Top Huskies, 37–28
By Joseph Walker
MILL HALL – Coming off a fourth place finish in the Top Hat Tournament, the young Central Mountain Wildcat quad faced District 6 rival Mifflin County and when these two teams get together it is always a tough match. This year’s season dual meet opener for the Wildcats was just that, as they got falls from Todd Caris and Hayes Henry in the last two bouts to pull out a 37-28 win.
The Wildcats trailed 28-25 going into the final two bouts and trailed in bouts won by a 6-5 margin. Sophomore Caris went out and pinned the Huskies Adrian Griffin in 1:03 of the first period to put the Wildcats up 31-25 going into the final 285 pound bout.
Sophomore Hayes Henry was coming off a Top Hat Tournament title and found himself in a 1-0 bout in the final period, before coming up with a takedown and then recorded a fall with 38 seconds left in the bout to secure the win for the Wildcats.
The two teams were tied 6-6 in bouts won up to that point and if Henry had lost a regular decision the score would have been tied at 31-31, thus Mifflin County would have won the dual on criteria with a 7-6 edge in bouts won.
The Wildcats had the edge in falls, as they had the 5-2 edge in falls recorded, as Gavin Heverly (121), Aiden Kunes (145) and Luke Garman (152) all joined Caris and Henry with wins by fall. Patrick Tarantella registered the Wildcats’ other win, as the Bucktail junior posted a 9-0 major decision at 133 pounds.
The Huskies’ Ethan Johnson and Reese Christine recorded the falls, while Tyler Williams won by major decision and Reese Fisher had a big regular decision win, along with Jake Knable. The Wildcats forfeited 114 to standout Andrew Alexander and that was the original plan after they won the flip of the disk to choose which bouts the teams would send their wrestler out first.
The Wildcats, now 1-0, will host the Shikallemy Braves on Thursday night in their Heartland Conference opener. The Central Mountain girls team will make their season dual meet debut with the Lady Braves, as the night gets started with the boys Junior High dual meet at 5 pm,
followed by the Lady Wildcats around 6 pm, then wind up the evening with the boys varsity match.
Central Mountain 37, Mifflin County 28
107 – Ethan Johnson (MC) pinned Hunter Nace, 3:40 (0-6)
114 – Andrew Alexander (MC) won by forfeit (0-12)
121 – Gavin Heverly (CM) pinned Colton Leister, :18 (6-12)
127– Reece Fisher (MC) dec. Collin Bauman, 11-4 (6-15)
133 – Patrick Tarantella (CM) maj dec Bentley Felmlee, 9-0 (10-15)
139 – Jake Knable (MC) dec. Hayes Donley, 7-2 (10-18)
145 – Aiden Kunes (CM) pinned Layten Bowersox, 3:50 (16-18)
152 – Luke Garman (CM) pinned Camden Kauffman, 1:35 (22-18)
160 – Tyler Williams (MC) maj dec Hayes Miller, 13-4 (22-22)
172 – Dalton McDermott (CM) dec. Brayan Aurand, 6-1 (25-22)
189 – Reese Christine (MCH) pinned Tanner McCall, 1:15 (25-28) 215 – Todd Caris (CM) pinned Adrian Griffin, 1:03 (31-28) 285 – Hayes Henry (CM) pinned Dekker Pietzsch, 5:22 (37-28)
