Wildcats Keep Rolling, 62-3 over Milton

MILTON – You know when Central Mountain wrestling coach Biff Walizer begins his post-match interview with, “We’re pleased with the effort,” that the Wildcats did well.

Central Mountain again did very well Thursday night, traveling to Milton for the first-ever meeting with the Black Panthers and returning home with a 62-3 win. The victory put the Wildcats at 4-0 on the dual meet season. The Wildcats have dominated in all four, averaging 60 points per meet so far.

Milton (0-3) was game, but no match for the visitors on their feet, Central Mountain with a 35-1 advantage in takedowns on the way to four falls, two bout terminations, a major decision, two forfeits and four regular decisions.

The lone Wildcat to lose was Dalton Bechdel who led 4-0 over Milton’s T.J. Walter with just seconds to go when Walter reversed and caught Bechdel on his back for a 5-point move and a 5-4 win. But Walizer said he was not upset with the effort, lauding Bechdel for being aggressive, noting he just got caught in a bad position.

Otherwise the Wildcats sailed. The meet started at 195 pounds and Nick Miller picked up the first of two CM forfeits. Tanner Riggle followed at 220 and recorded a second period fall, his ninth of the year, tying him for the team lead with heavyweight Jake Edwards.

Edwards then hooked up in the wildest bout of the night, nearly pinning his Milton counterpart, Nevin Rauch, in the first period, only to have Rauch reverse him to his back for a 5-5 tie after one. The two heavies went back-and-forth until a late Edwards escape pulled out a 10-9 for the Wildcat.

It was back to the top of the line-up and Derek Keen at 106 piled up a 21-5 third period technical fall. Taylor Weaver received a forfeit at 113 and Johnny Shreffler was pushed but responded with a 6-0 win over Milton’s promising sophomore Kyler Crawford. Central Mountain led 29-0 at that point.

Milton earned its only team points with the Walter win at 126 but the Wildcats closed with a rush: a 23-6 technical fall for Kayden Busey, a 7-1 decision for Cody Coleman, a second period fall from Lane Porter, a 16-7 major from Alonzo Henry, a second period pin from Caleb Porter, a 40 second deck job from Austin Confer and a dual meet-ending 13-7 win from Gage Sutliff.

January will get busy next week for the Wildcats: home matches Tuesday, Jan. 8 with Shamokin and Thursday, Jan 10 with Shikellamy. They’ll finish the week Saturday, Jan 12 at the Dallastown Duals where tests are expected from host Dallastown and perennial District 3 power Cumberland Valley.

CENTRAL MOUNTAIN – 62 MILTON – 3
195 – Nikolas Miller, Central Mountain, received a forfeit.
220 – Tanner Riggle, Central Mountain, pinned Brent Mitch, Milton, 3:19.
285 – Jacob Edwards, Central Mountain, dec. Nevin Rauch, Milton, 10-9.
106 – Derek Keen, Central Mountain, tech fall Zane Neaus, Milton.
113 – Taylor Weaver, Central Mountain, received a forfeit.
120 – Johnny Shreffler, Central Mountain, dec. Kyler Crawford, Milton, 6-0.
126 – TJ Walter, Milton, dec. Dalton Bechdel, Central Mountain, 5-4.
132 – Kayden Busey, Central Mountain, tech fall, Colton Taylor, Milton, 5:38 (23-6)
138 – Cody Coleman, Central Mountain, dec. Chase Hoffman, Milton, 7-1.
145 – Lane Porter, Central Mountain, pinned Anthony Ayala, Milton, 3:25.
152 – Alonzo Henry, Central Mountain, major dec. Jason Valladares, Milton, 16-7.
160 – Caleb Porter, Central Mountain, pinned Haiden DeBerry, Milton, 3:25.
170 – Austin Confer, Central Mountain, pinned Nate Scholl, Milton, 0:40.
182 – Gage Sutliff, Central Mountain, dec. Aven Ayala, Milton, 13-7.