PERRY NOW HAS FOUR STATE MEDALS

By Joe Walker

HERSHEY – Dalton Perry’s Central Mountain High School career came to end early Saturday evening with a second place finish in the 145 pound weight class of the PIAA Class AAA State Individual Championships, as he dropped a tough 1-0 decision to Eren Sement in the title match. 

Although a second state title eluded Perry, it can not overshadow one of more outstanding careers in the state let alone one of the all-time best in Clinton County. The Silver Medal was the second for Perry, as he finished in second last season after winning a state title as a freshman and taking third as a sophomore. Central Mountain wrestling had two place winners this season and they both are Bucktail students. 

The Penn State bound Bucktail senior finished the season with a 42-4 record and an outstanding career mark of 161-16, while adding 97 career falls. Perry finishes his career as the third winningest wrestler in Clinton County history, as his career record only trails the twin brother duo of Andrew Alton (178-9) and Dylan Alton (176-5). Brian Brill (156-12) and Jordan Rich (156-29) round out the top five all-time. 

Perry’s 97 career falls tie Central Mountain grad Zach Corl for fourth place in Clinton Couty, as Andrew Alton recorded 122 falls to lead the pack, while Brian Brill was second with 109 and Dylan Alton finished with 101 career falls. 

Perry finished in seventh place in the District 6 career win mark, Andrew Alton (178-9) and Dylan Alton (175-5) lead the list, but Bald Eagle Area senior Caleb Close finished his career with a 171-24 mark for third. Juniata’s Zach Beitz was 169-13, while Shane Valko of Forest Hills finished with a 164-17 mark and teammate Jake Strayer 161-7 is in sixth place.. 

Sophomore Aiden Kunes turned another very good season as he finished 38-12 on the season and was just one win short of place at the state tournament, as he went 2-2 to set his career mark at 73-27 heading into his junior season next year. 

Bethlehem Catholic won another state team title at the tournament, as it finished with 88 points and Thomas Jefferson took second with 75 points. Nazareth finished third with 72.5 points, while Connellsville was fourth with 71 points and Northampton rounded out the top five with 66 points. The Altoona Mountain Lions took a sixth place finish with 57 points. 

Besides Perry, other place winners from District 6 were State College’s Asher Cunningham (170) won his second state title, while his teammate James Whitbred (152) finished in sixth. Altoona had three place winners in runner-up Luke Sipes (160), third place finisher Braiden Weaver (121) and Gavin Ciampoli (139) finished in seventh. 

Mifflin County Peyton Kearns placed fifth at 285, while Bellefontes’ Esra Swisher placed 8th at 139 pounds. Shikellemy had the only two place winners from District 4, as Connor Wetzel placed fourth at 172 and Brody Rebuck took an eight place at 215 pounds.

In Class AA it was a three team race, as Faith Christian Academy won the team title with 232.5 points with four champs and two runner-ups. Bishop McCort was second with 218.5 points and four champions, while Bishop McDevitt came in a distant third with 140.5 points with one champ and three runner-ups. 

Locally the Eagles of Bald Eagle Area had three place winners, as Caleb Close took second at 189 pounds, while Caden Judice placed fourth at 133 pounds and Tanner Guenot finished in eighth place at 121 pounds. Penns Valley standout freshman Max Dinges took a third place finish at 114 pounds. 

CLASS AAA CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS: 

107 – Chase Williams (Central Bucks East) dec Brayden Wenrich (Northampton), 6-0 SV 114 – Willmont Kai (Whitehall) dec Mateo Gallegos (DuBois), 7-3; .. 121 – Nicholas Salamone (Easton) dec Kavin Muyleart (Cedar Cliff), 4-3; .. 127 – Keanu Dillard (Bethlehem Cath) dec Gabriel Ballard (Northampton), 8-2; .. 133 – Anthony Mutarelli (Council Rock South) dec Luke Willochell (Greater Latrobe), 9-3 139 – Tahir Parkins (Nazareth) tech fall Patrick Kelly (Central Bucks West), 20-3 4:31; .. 145 – Eren Sement (Council Rock North) dec Dalton Perry (Central Mountain), 1-0; .. 152 – Maddox Shaw (Thomas Jefferson) dec Evan Petrovich (Connellsville), 4-2; .. 160 – Collin Gaj (Quakertown) maj dec Luke Sipes (Altoona), 11-2 172 – Asher Cunningham (State College) dec Bode Marlow (Thomas Jefferson), 12-6; .. 189 – Tyler Morrison (West Perry) maj dec Brandon Carr (Sun Valley), 10-1; .. 215 – Elijah Brown (Belle Vernon) dec Cooper Roscosky (Kiski Area), 4-3; .. 285 – Dean Bechtold (Owen J Roberts) tech fall Maxwell Roy (St Joseph’s Prep), 18-0 3:16 

CLASS AAA CONSOLATI:ON THIRD PLACE: 

107 – Nicholas Mcgarrity (Peters Township) maj dec Sam Culp (Red Land), 9-0; ,, 114 – Emilio Albanese (Emmaus) dec Thunder Beard (Central Dauphin), 4-1; .. 121 – Braiden Weaver (Altoona) dec Leo Joseph (Greater Latrobe), 5-1; . 127 – Santino Sloboda (Butler Area) dec Aiden Herndon (Cedar Cliff), 4-1; .. 133 – Nico Fanella (Indiana) maj dec Collier Hartman (Canon-McMillan), 13-3; .. 139 – Kai Vielma (Connellsville) maj dec Patrick Woloshyn (Council Rock South), 10-0; .. 145 – Michael Turi (West Scranton) dec Mckaden Speece (Wilson), 7-0; ..152 – Luke Knox (Perkiomen Valley) pinned Chris Dennis (Central Bucks West), 1:46; .. 160 – Charlie Scanlan (Bethlehem Cath) dec Jon Smith (Oxford Area), 7-4; .. 172 – Shane Mcfillin (Bethlehem Cath) dec Connor Wetzel (Shikellamy), 4-0; .. 189 – Hunter Snyder (Greater Latrobe) dec Brayden Zuercher (Nazareth), 6-2; .. 215 – Roman Thompson (Central Catholic) dec Jake Conroy (Ringgold), 5-2; .. 285 – Shepherd Turk (Thomas Jefferson) pinned Guner Hiller (Cedar Cliff), 0:54. 

CLASS AA CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS: 

107 – Braiden Lotier (Bishop McDevitt) dec Carter Chunko (Saucon Valley), 7-1; .. 114 – Freddy Bachmann (Faith Christian) dec Sam Wolford (Northern Lebanon), 4-3; .. 121 – Dominic Deputy (Chestnut Ridge) dec Gauge Botero (Faith Christian), 4-2; .. 127 – Joey Bachmann (Faith Christian) dec Antonio Boni (Central Valley), 7-0 ;; .. 133 – Jax Forrest (Bishop McCort) dec Aaron Seidel (Northern Lebanon), 7-1; .. 139 – Brandt

Harer (Montgomery) dec Camden Baum (Bishop McDevitt), 1-0; .. 145 – Bo Bassett (Bishop McCort) pinned Hudson Hohman (Grove City), 1:52; .. 152 -, Devon Magro (Bishop McCort) maj dec Ryan Lawler (Bishop McDevitt), 10-0; .. 160 – Melvin Miller (Bishop McCort) maj dec Reagan Milheim (Warrior Run), 11-2; .. 172 – Nick Singer (Faith Christian) maj dec Gage Wentzel (Montoursville), 12-3; .. 189 – Adam Waters (Faith Christian) maj dec Caleb Close (Bald Eagle Area), 11-1; .. 215 – Austin Johnson (Muncy) dec Lucas Lawler (Bishop McDevitt), 5-2; .. 285 – Rowan Holmes (Somerset) dec Mark Effendian (Faith Christian), 4-3