Wildcats Go 0-2 in PIAA Preliminary Round

HERSHEY – The preliminary round in the 81st annual PIAA wrestling championships was not kind to the Central Mountain Wildcats.

First up was Tanner Weaver (33-7) at 170 pounds. He fell to Steve Newell (40-3), the Northeastern fourth place finisher by a 4-1 score. The loss drops Weaver into the first round of consolations to begin at 8:15 p.m. against an opponent to be determined.

Fellow senior Mahlik Houtz (23-11) lost his opener at 220 pounds. John McCarthy (33-6) from Delaware Valley, a Northeast four place finisher, downed Houtz by a 7-2 score. That means Houtz will wrestle Thursday night in the first round of consolations, opponent to be determined.

Three more Wildcats are set to participate in the tourney’s first round now underway. They are Johnny Shreffler at 113 pounds, Seth Andrus at 132 pounds and Logan Long at 145 pounds.

The tourney is double-elimination. Quarterfinals and second round consolations are scheduled for 2:15 p.m. Friday, third round consolations at 5 p.m. The tourney will continue into Saturday, semifinals at 9 a.m. and the championships at 7 p.m.