9-0 Wildcats Grapplers Host State Saturday
‘Cats Take Round 1 from Mifflin County; Place 3 at the Rock
by John Lipez
BALD EAGLE TOWNSHIP – A solid dual meet win over District 6 foe Mifflin County and a balanced team showing at the Escape the Rock tournament look to set up the Central Mountain wrestling team for a host of fast approaching February obstacles.
The Wildcats last week won the first of two anticipated dual meets with rival Mifflin County, the final score 39-24 before a large crowd at the Central Mountain gym.
Central Mountain came from seven points down and ran the last four weights with three falls, Bryce Hanley (15-6), Geo Barzona (10-8) and Chris Confer (2-3) and one major from Keanan Bottorf (12-6), picking up 22 points and the win.
Barring an upset the Wildcats (9-0) and the Huskies (17-3) likely will meet Saturday, Feb. 1 in the finals of the District 6 AAA dual meet tournament for the right to advance to the PIAA Team Duals the following weekend in Hershey.
Wednesday of this week was the cutoff date for district seeding purposes and the Wildcats and Huskies were running one-two, Bellefonte third and Philipsburg-Osceola fourth.
Central Mountain used its patented pinning power in the win over Mifflin County, racking up four while yielding one.
The Wildcats continued with numerous falls in an eleventh place finish at the 33-team Escape the Rock tournament at Council Rock South High School last weekend.
Central Mountain finished with 14 falls, third overall, paced by Gavin Caprio’s four, Hanley’s three and Chad Reese’s two.
In all 12 of the Wildcats’ 14 entries contributed team points, led by Reese (19-5) with a third place finish, a fifth from Demetri Probst (13-7) and a seventh from Caprio (18-5).
Central Mountain is scheduled to host an improved State College team (10-8) this Saturday night.
The Little Lions earlier this month pushed Mifflin County, falling 36-30, and last Saturday lost to Bellefonte by a 38-30 score; the Wildcats defeated the Red Raiders by a 39-22 score.
State has a nucleus of winning wrestlers in Mike Kauffman (sr. 12-2, 138 pounds), Anthony Myers (soph. 13-2, 126 pounds), Derek Horner (sr. 10-3, 152 pounds), Will Roeshot (soph. 10-5, 152 pounds) and Daniel Sills (sr. 12-3, 120 pounds).
After State comes to the ‘Cat gym Saturday, only one more home dual remains, next Tuesday with Shikellamy (6-6), followed by the team duals next weekend in Tyrone.
