Wildcats ‘Toona Bound for Districts
BALD EAGLE TOWNSHIP — The much anticipated individual postseason wrestling trail is about to begin in Altoona this Saturday, the District 6 tournament all about extending the season, working to advance to the Regionals the following week and then for the survivors, the ultimate destination the PIAA tourney in Hershey in early March.
While Central Mountain earlier this season won the district team dual title, reclaiming the district individual crown will be difficult, chief opposition from defending champion Mifflin County (17-5) and fast-finishing Bellefonte (15-4).
The Wildcats (16-3) won the team dual championship from Mifflin County by scoring bonus points and not giving up too many bonus points; they’ll likely need to flex their perennial pinning power in the effort to outscore the Huskies.
Central Mountain returns two district champs in senior Chad Reese (160 lbs.; 29-5) and junior Gavin Caprio (170; 29-5). Other placers back are junior Keanan Bottorf (120; 22-7), third a year ago; junior Loc Long (195; 16-6), third a year ago; senior Cameron Porter (220; 21-9), a runner-up last year; and junior Bryce Hanley (285; 23-8), a sixth place finisher in 2013.
Mifflin County brings back district winners in three sophomores: Hayden Hidlay (138 lbs.; 29-2); Noah Stewart (152; 28-6); and Brandon Wilson (160; 1-1), Wilson just back in the lineup after offseason knee surgery and ticketed for a likely title match with fellow defending district champ Reese.
The Huskies have a returning runner-up in junior Isaac Underhill (132 lbs.; 18-8) and a fourth place finisher in senior Kyle Kahley (220 lbs., 8-3).
Bellefonte brings back one champ in junior Trevor Corl (132 lbs., 26-3).
Central Mountain leads all District 6 teams with the most top seeds for Saturday, five in all, including Reese, Caprio, Porter and Hanley, plus the addition of Bucktail co-op wrestler Demetri Probst (145 lbs.; 21-9).
Mifflin County has two No. 1s in Hidlay and senior Tim Pierce (195 lbs., 26-7).
Bellefonte has two top seeds in Corl and freshman standout Brock Port (120 lbs., 26-3).
Other 2014 first seeds are freshman Cole Manley from Altoona (106 lbs., 23-5); senior Damian Huff from Hollidaysburg (113 lbs., 15-6); sophomore Anthony Myers of State College (126 lbs., 20-3); junior David Hollingshead (152 lbs., 27-2); and senior Dennis Lumadue (182 lbs., 24-6) from Philipsburg-Osceola.
An interesting sidebar on Saturday’s event is the path Central Mountain and Mifflin County have taken to Altoona: Central Mountain has kept busy with dual meets before and after their foray into the state team duals earlier this month; Mifflin County, which had preseason expectations of advancing to the PIAA team duals, decided to leave its schedule empty over the last several weeks.
So while the Huskies have been in the wrestling room for three weeks, Central Mountain has been busy with the PIAA team duals and several dual meets, the most recent a makeup on Monday of this week, a 53-12 win over Jersey Shore; that victory was marked by four Wildcat falls, including number 20 on the season from Caprio. Others were contributed by Reese, Cameron Porter and Chris Confer (7-9).
The District 6 individual tournament will be conducted all in one day on Saturday.
With nine teams in the field, district officials have set a preliminary round for 9 a.m., followed by the quarterfinals at 9:30 a.m., consolations at 11:30 a.m., semifinals and a round of consolations at 2:30 p.m.
The field house will then be cleared of spectators, doors reopening at 4:45 p.m. and consolation finals at 5:45 p.m., followed by the championship finals at 7 p.m.
Four mats will be in use; district officials said they would try to follow the time schedule, noting the semifinals will not start before 12 noon but could start after that depending on rest restrictions for the participants.
Top four wrestlers at each of the 14 weights will return to Altoona the following weekend for the Northwestern Regional tournament, a two-day affair, Feb. 28 and March 1.
