Wildcats Finish Third at KoM
Edwards Champ at 285
BALD EAGLE TOWNSHIP – The Central Mountain wrestling team used its team balance to claim third place in its own 32-team King of the Mountain tournament Saturday night.
The Wildcats placed seven wrestlers in all, led by first-year starter JakeEdwards at 285 pounds. The junior heavyweight, runner-up at the Top Hat tourney last Saturday, went 4-0 at the King of Mountain, earning his title with a 3-1 win over Ryan Crane of Exeter in the finals.
Edwards was backup a year ago to the since graduated Richie Thompson. His KoM performance moved his season record to 8-1. Head coach Biff Walizer said Edwards “put in the time in the off season and it has paid off.” Walizer said Edwards was part of every off-season opportunity, including traveling to the national summer high school tournament in Fargo, noting he had worked out with the best wrestlers in Pennsylvania.
Walizer said overall he was pleased with the Wildcat performance, pointing out virtually all of his 14 starters contributed to the team point total. He liked how the squad bounced back in the tourney’s final round with a 5-2 mark after taking some hits in the semifinal round. But he said his team has “things to work out” at this point in the season.
In addition to Edwards’ title, CM got a third from Seth Andrus at 132 pounds, fourths from Tanner Weaver at 170 and Mahlik Houtz at 220, and sevenths from Johnny Shreffler at 113, Logan Long at 145 and Asher Corl at 160.
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Central Mountain scored 141 points in finishing third. Chestnut Ridge claimed the crown with 168.5 points, Philipsburg, NJ second with 157.5 points.
Bald Eagle Area had one champ in Seth Koleno at 138 pounds and fourths from Garrett Rigg at 145 and Gage McClenahan at152.
Top bout of the night was the championship contest at 182 pounds featuring two returning PIAA champions. AAA champ Trent Hidlay from Mifflin County edged AA titlist Cody Mulligan from Saegertown by a 3-2 score.
The Wildcats will have two dual meets before the holiday break, Thursday, Dec. 21 home with Selinsgrove and Friday, Dec. 22 at Bald Eagle Area.
You can download the final bracket here: http://therecord-online.com/site/wp-content/kom-final-bracket.pdf
TOP 10 TOURNAMENT TEAMS
| ,b.PLACE | SCORE | TEAM |
| 1 | 168.5 | Chestnut Ridge |
| 2 | 157.5 | Phillipsburg |
| 3 | 141.0 | Central Mountain |
| 4 | 137.5 | Seneca Valley |
| 5 | 128.5 | Council Rock South |
| 6 | 120.5 | Mifflin County |
| 7 | 116.5 | Muncy |
| 8 | 114.5 | Boiling Springs |
| 9 | 102.0 | Bald Eagle Area |
| 10 | 100.0 | Northern Lebanon |
