Wildcats Roll to 45-15 Victory over BEA

BALD EAGLE TOWNSHIP – It was another workman like performance by the Wildcat wrestling program as they rolled to a 45-15 win over visiting Bald Eagle Area.

The Bald Eagles have a new look at head coach and a positive attitude and showed some of their traditional flair at times but Central Mountain had too much power throughout the lineup for BEA to handle.

The match opened at 182 pounds with senior Wildcat, Caleb Turner putting some of his experience on display as he marched to a 12-2 major decision over Andrew Cohen.The win gave CM a 4-0 lead and that lead would not be threatened the rest of the evening.

Central Mountain’s Tanner Riggle edged BEA’s 3-2 at 195 then the Bald Eagles spotted the Wildcats 6 more points forfeiting to Mahlik Houtz at 220 pounds to give the Wildcats a 13-0 lead after three bouts.

All too often the 285 pound matches can be a bit mundane for wrestling fans as many of the big guys are content to spend their 6 minutes in a back and forth attempt to find a momentary weakness. Not so for Richie Thompson. Thompson seems quite at home being aggressive and not just looking for a quick point or two … but seeking all the marbles early and often in a match.

BEA heavyweight, Kurtis Hall and Thompson did get involved in the traditional ‘dance’ for most of the first period. Then in the closing seconds of the period, Thompson drove into the much taller and heavier Hall for a buzzer-beater takedown to lead 2-0. Thompson then chose down to start the second period. On the whistle, Hall attempted to pull Thompson back looking for a pinning combination. That strategy proved fatal for the Bald Eagle as Thompson rolled through for a reversal and it was Hall on his back yielding the fall at the 2:18 mark.

The fall gave Central Mountain a 19-0 advantage.

At 106, CM’s Johnny Shreffler earned a 9-2 decision over BEA’s Garrett Giedroc.

Then at 113, BEA’s Alek Nyman put up the first team points for the visitors with a 8-3 win over Wildcat, Cody Coleman. Dalton Bechdel steeped back into the Central Mountain varsity lineup, defeating BEA’s Drew Koleno 9-2.

Veteran, Geo Barzona moved up to 126 pounds and put on a takedown clinic as he built a 25-9 tech fall at 5:37 against the Bald Eagle’s, Clayton Giedroc.

Garrett Rigg added to the BEA total with a fall over Wildcat Seth Reese in 4:16.

Seth Andrus jumped up two weight classes to 138 and earned a 16-9 decision over Lucas Holderman of BEA.

At 145 pounds, the bout featured two familiar names to District 6 fans, Seth Koleno for the Bald Eagles and Colton Weaver for the Wildcats. There was plenty of action and savvy execution along with skillful defense that could have earned victory for either wrestler. In the end, Koleno held a 3-2 advantage over Weaver to make the team score 33-12 in favor of the Wildcats.

Gage McClanahan closed out the scoring for BEA with a 10-4 decision over Asher Corl at 162 pounds.

At 160, Central Mountain’s Brandon Miller made short work of BEA’s fall in 0:42 over Joey Gates of BEA.

Then Wildcat, Tanner Weaver duplicated Miller’s effort decking BEA’s Dylan Bisel at the 3:07 mark to close out the dual meet for a 45-15 win for the hosts.

Next up for the Wildcat is a trip to Conestoga Valley for a more tournament action on Dec. 28-29, 2016.

BEA – 15 Central Mountain – 45
182 – Caleb Turner, Central Mountain, major dec. Andrew Cohen, BEA, 12-2.
195 – Tanner Riggle, Central Mountain, dec. David Close, BEA, 3-2.
220 – Mahlik Houtz, Central Mountain, received a forfeit.
285 – Richie Thompson, Central Mountain, pinned Kurtis Hall, BEA, 2:18.
106 – Johnny Shreffler, Central Mountain, dec. Garrett Giedroc, BEA, 9-2.
113 – Alek Nyman, BEA, dec. Cody Coleman, Central Mountain, 8-3.
120 – Dalton Bechdel, Central Mountain, dec. Drew Koleno, BEA, 9-2.
126 – Geo Barzona, Central Mountain, tech fall Clayton Giedroc, BEA, 5:37 (25-9).
132 – Garrett Rigg, BEA, pinned, Seth Reese, Central Mountain, 4:16.
138 – Seth Andrus, Central Mountain, dec. Lucas Holderman, BEA, 16-9.
145 – Seth Koleno, BEA, dec. Colton Weaver, Central Mountain, 3-2.
152 – Gage McClanahan, BEA dec. Asher Corl, Central Mountain, 10-4.
160– Brandon Miller, Central Mountain, pinned Joey Gates, BEA, 0:42.
170 – Tanner, Weaver, Central Mountain, pinned Dylan Bisel, BEA, 3:07.