KUNES WINS TITLE AS WILDCATS TEAM PLACES THIRD
By Joseph Walker
MILLERSVILLE – Junior Aiden Kunes went 5-0 and captured the 145-pound title to lead the Central Mountain Wildcats to a third place team finish at the Penn Manor Holiday Classic Tournament on Saturday. The Wildcats placed six wrestlers in all in the 44-team field.
The second seeded Kunes used a second period escape and takedown to lead him to a 5-2 decision over top seeded Mount Saint Joseph (Md) standout Tyler Stephens. Kunes got into the finals by posting a 7-1 decision over third seeded Bryce Boyer of Kennett High, out of the Philly area.
The Wildcats had three wrestlers make it into the consolation third place matches, as Patrick Tarantella earned a third place finish by winning seven matches in the tournament. The Bucktail junior used a second period escape to edge Jacksin Smith of Halifax by a 1-0 score for third place. Tarantella got into the third place bout by avenging a quarterfinals tech fall loss to Coleton Klipa of Norwin by winning an 8-5 sudden victory decision in consi semifinals.
Todd Caris (215) and Hayes Henry (285) both dropped their championship semifinals bouts, but they both came back to win their consolation semifinal bouts to get into third place bouts. Caris surrendered a second period takedown and that was the difference in falling 5-4 to Rami Ayoub of Coatesville to finish fourth. Henry surrendered a second period escape and a takedown to fall 4-1 to Cody Landis of Eastern Lebanon County to finish fourth as well.
Other place winners for the Wildcats found Gavin Heverly (121) taking a fifth place finish, while Hayes Donley (139) finished in eighth place to round out the Wildcat place winners. Freshmen Hunter Nace (107) and Angelo Tarantella (114) along with junior Luke Garman (145) all finished one win short of placing in the top eight at their weights.
Sophomore Tanner McCall (189) went 2-2 in the tournament, while Jaggar Pardoe was 1-2 and Bucktail junior Cael Dorman (127) was 0-2 to round out the Wildcat entries. The Wildcats did not have anyone entered at 152 & 160 pounds.
The Wildcats finished in third place with 165 points, as Norwin of the WPIAL (Dist 7) won the team title with 214.5 points, two champions and eight total place winners. Maryland power Mount Saint Joseph finished in second with 199.5 points and six place winners. State College finished in fifth place with 157.5 points and five place winners overall.
There was also a JV Tournament held, as each weight was broken into multiple 7 or 8 man brackets. Alton Counsil (145) went 3-0 to win his bracket, while Hayes Miller (160), Jaden Curtis (127) and Thomas Tarantella (189) all took second place finishes. Hayden Hanley (133) finished third with a 3-1 record. Brennan Rice (133) was 1-2, while Josiah Allert (189), Landry Miller (133) 0-2 and Walker Sylvan (215) all were 0-2 at their weights.
The Wildcats will now prepare to host their annual King of The Mountain Tournament on Friday and Saturday, Dec 19th & 20th. There are 32 teams entered in this years’ tournament, as
Altoona, Bald Eagle Area, Bellefonte, Mifflin County, Montoursville, State College, Warrior Run and Williamsport are all the local teams entered in the field.
CHAMPIONSHIP QUARTERFINALS
107 – #7 Luca Butera (Norwin) pinned Hunter Nace (CM), 1:03; 121 – Gavin Heverly (CM) pinned Carter Reyes (Penn Manor), 3:12; 145- Aiden Kunes (CM) dec. Nathan Klingensmith (Norwin), 7-4; 215 – John Boggs (St. Joseph Prep) pinned Todd Caris (CM), 1:08; 285 – Hayes Henry (CM) pinned Jacob Condon (Mount Saint Joseph, MD), 1:14.
CONSOLATION ROUND 5
114 – #4 Angelo Tarantella (CM) pinned James Gibson (Father Judge), :31; 133 – Patrick Tarantella (CM) pinned Josh Kerber (Exeter), 1:26; 139 – #10 Hayes Donley (CM) dec. Cael Warner (Ephrata), 9-2; 145 – #12 Luke Garman (CM) pinned Cameron Small (William Tennett), 2:27; 189 – #12 Noah Williams (State College) dec. Tanner McCall (CM), 8-1
CONSOLATION ROUND 6
107 – #9 Alan Shimp (Ephrata) pinned #2 Hunter Nace (CM), :36; 114 – #3 Noah Young (State College) pinned #4 Angelo Tarantella (CM), :41; 133 – #6 Patrick Tarantella (CM) pinned #12 Maddox Rosenblatt (St. Joseph’s Prep), 2:35; 139 – #10 Hayes Donley (CM) pinned #6 Dominic Spennato (Salesianum, DE), 2:07; 145 – #6 John Rovillard (Sussex Central, DE) maj dec Luke Garman (CM), 13-4; 215 – # 8 Todd Caris (CM) pinned #10 Ian Ellis (Ephrata), 2:29.
CONSOLATION QUARTERFINALS
133 – #6 Patrick Tarantella (CM) tech fall Jon Whitbred (State College), 18-1, 4:02; 139 – #8 Patrick Steuer (Governor Mifflin) maj dec. Hayes Donley (CM), 14-6; 215 – #8 Todd Caris (CM) pinned Peyton Smith (Lampeter-Strasburg), 1:24
CHAMPIONSHIP SEMIFINALS
133 – #10 Luke Young (State College) maj dec #3 Gavin Heverly (CM), 8-0; 145 – #2 Aiden Kunes (CM) dec. Bryce Boyer (Kennett), 7-1; 285 – #7 Kolton Kemp (Manheim Twp) dec. #3 Hayes Henry (CM), 8-2.
CONSOLATION SEMIFINALS
121 – #8 Nathan Matthis (Mount Saint Joseph, MD) dec. #3 Gavin Heverly, 8-2; 133 – #6 Patrick Tarantella (CM) dec. #11 Coleton Klipa (Norwin), 8-5 SV; 215 – #8 Todd Caris pinned #6 Tristen Padget (William Penn), :59; 285 – #3 Hayes Henry (CM) dec. Justin Walker (Father Judge), 7-3.
CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS
145 – Aiden Kunes (CM) dec. Tyler Stephens (Mount Saint Joseph, MD), 5-2
THIRD PLACE
133 – Patrick Tarantella (CM) dec. Jacksin Smith (Hailfax), 1-0; 215 – #7 Rami Ayoub (Coatesville) dec. #8 Todd Caris (CM), 5-4 285 – Cody Landis (Eastern Lebanon Co) dec. Hayes Henry (CM), 4-1.
FIFTH PLACE
121 – #3 Gavin Heverly (CM) dec. #4 Tommy Oswalt (Lower Dauphin), 4-2
SEVENTH PLACE
139 – #9 Brooks Blasko (Norwin) tech fall #10 Hayes Donley (CM), 16-0, 3:54.
