‘Team Effort’ Leads Wildcats to District 6 Team Dual Title

TYRONE — In a post-tourney interview, the first thing Central Mountain coach Biff Walizer said was the Wildcats’ two-match sweep to the District 6 AAA team dual title was a “team effort.”

Runners-up a year ago, Central Mountain won back the title Saturday night with a hard-earned 33-24 win over Bellefonte. With the victory the Wildcats moved to 14-0 on the year and into the PIAA State Team Duals starting next Thursday night at the Giant Center in Hershey.

Walizer said nothing but good things about his squad: “very pleased; a pleasure to coach; a group that works hard.” Fans knew going in the team’s strength was its balance, as evidenced by the title match win over the Red Raiders and a semi-final victory over Bald Eagle Area by a 45-14 score.

13 different Wildcats contributed at least one victory; six of them went 2-0: Caleb Turner picked up two falls to move to 21-7 on the season; Geo Barzona (25-1) was 2-0 with two major decisions; Seth Andrus (22-6), a technical fall and a decision; Tanner Weaver (24-6), two decisions; Mahlik Houtz (21-8) with a fall and a forfeit; and Richie Thompson ( 26-5) two decisions.

Walizer noted the importance of Houtz’s fall in the Bellefonte match after the Red Raiders had closed to a 20-15 deficit with five weights to go. The Wildcat coach said Houtz, a junior, had spent some time in the wrestling room recently drilling with former CM coach Doug Buckwalter. Walizer also cited the seasonal debut of Austyn Carson. The Wildcat junior suffered a knee injury on the first day of practice in November and was not cleared to return to the line-up until recently. He responded with a key decision win early on in the Bellefonte dual.

Another highlight for the Wildcats was veteran Colton Weaver’s 6-2 semifinal round takedown of BEA phenom Gage McClenahan, the Eagle frosh 25-2 coming into the event.

For Central Mountain it was the Wildcats’ tenth straight trip to the district team dual finals and their seventh title. They trail only BEA which had claimed eight overall crowns better than a decade ago.

It will get tougher for the Wildcats as they head to Hershey for a Thursday night match against the winner of a Monday pigtail contest between Bethlehem Catholic (losing to Nazareth in the District 11 championship) and Cumberland Valley, the fourth place finisher in District 3. CV fell to rival Central Dauphin by a 32-31 score in the D-3 consolation final.

BALD EAGLE AREA 14 CENTRAL MOUNTAIN 45
120 – Cody Coleman, Central Mountain, tech fall, Drew Koleno, BEA, 4:42 (15-0).
126 – Geo Barzona, Central Mountain, major dec. Lucas Holderman, BEA19-7.
132 – Seth Andrus, Central Mountain, dec. Clayton Giedroc, BEA, 5-2.
138 – Garrett Rigg, BEA, pinned Logan Long, Central Mountain, 4:37.
145 – Seth Koleno, BEA, tech fall Alonzo Henry, Central Mountain, 4:46 (19-3).
152 – Colton Weaver, Central Mountain, dec. Gage McClenahan, BEA, 6-2.
160 – Asher Corl, Central Mountain, pinned Bailey Irvin, BEA, 0:23.
170 – Tanner Weaver, Central Mountain, dec. Dylan Bisel, BEA, 6-2.
182 – Caleb Turner, Central Mountain, pinned Andrew Cohen, BEA, 3:35.
195 – Tanner Riggle, Central Mountain, dec. David Close, BEA, 3-1.
220 – Mahlik Houtz, Central Mountain, received a forfeit.
285 – Richie Thompson, Central Mountain, Kurtis Hall, BEA, 7-1.
106 – Garrett GGiedroc, BEA, dec. Johnny Shreffler, Central Mountain, 4-3.
113 – Dalton Bechdel, Central Mountain, dec. Aleck Nyman, BEA, 5-3 SV.

BELLEFONTE 24 CENTRAL MOUNTAIN 33
126 – Seth Andrus, Central Mountain, tech fall Nate Wert, Bellefonte, 5:51 (21-6).
132 – Keegan Rothrock, Bellefonte, major dec. Seth Reese, Central Mountain, 14-4.
138 – Logan Long, Central Mountain, dec. Keegan Rothrock, Bellefonte, 6-0.
145 – Austin Carson, Central Mountain, dec. Zach Rosenberger, Bellefonte, 5-3.
152 – Brock Port, Bellefonte, tech fall Asher Corl, Central Mountain, 5:00 (16-0).
160 – Chase Gardner, Bellefonte, dec. Colton Weaver, Central Mountain, 5-1.
170 – Tanner Weaver, Central Mountain, dec. Lukas McClure, Bellefonte, 8-2.
182 – Caleb Turner, Central Mountain, pinned Mason Cooper, Bellefonte, 0:51.
195 – Brien McChesney, Bellefonte, dec. Tanner Riggle, Central Mountain, 3-0.
220 – Mahlik Houtz, Central Mountain, pinned Sean Irvin, Bellefonte, 2:46.
285 – Richie Thompson, Central Mountain, dec. Max Money, Bellefonte, 6-1.
106 – Alex Coppola, Bellefonte, dec. Johnny Shreffler, Central Mountain, 4-2, SV.
113 – Cole Stewart, Bellefonte, pinned Dalton Bechdel, Central Mountain, 2:26.
120 – Geo Barzona, Central Mountain, major dec. Ryan Smith, Bellefonte, 11-2.