Wildcats Advance Three to Regional Semifinals

ALTOONA – Three Central Mountain wrestlers are one semifinal win away from the state wrestling tournament after Friday’s first day of the PIAA Northwestern Regionals at the Altoona Field House.

Derek Keen at 113 pounds, Caleb Porter at 170 and Nik Miller at 195 all advanced through the first two rounds of the state qualifier while nine other Wildcats fell in either the first round or the quarterfinals that followed. Those nine will start action at 10 a.m. Saturday, followed by the semifinals.

The top-seeded Keen had a first round bye, followed by a first period pin in the quarterfinals. He will meet Philip Stark of Erie Prep in the semifinals.

Caleb Porter trailed 5-0 in his first match before rebounding for a pin. In the quarters he had a pin in 0:43. Porter will wrestle defending state champion Trey Kibe of Mifflin County Saturday afternoon.

Nik Miller piles up two major decisions, 12-1 and 14-5, to reach the semifinals. He will next wrestle top-seeded Garrett Eddy of Punxsutawney.

The Wildcats are in sixth place in the 28 team tourney. Mifflin County leads with 52 points, Bellefonte second with 46 and Erie Prep third with 43.5.

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