Wildcats hold off Selinsgrove to claim Heartland mat crown, 35-25

PublisherJanuary 20, 2021

2 minutes read

285 Gage Sutliff gave away pounds and experience taking on 2019 State Champ Nate Schon. Schon used a Greco move to take Sutliff to his back for the fall.

215 Nik Miller earned a solid 5-1 decision over familiar foe Ryan Aument. Miller had defeated Aument 5-2 in last year’s dual meet.

172 Lucas Porter goes up a weight to take on NW Regional runner-up Coy Bastian. The Seal got the better of it with a tech fall.

132 Luke Simcox upped his record to 6-0 with a shutout over Selinsgrove’s veteran Aiden Gaugler. Gaugler was 12-0 going into the match and was a District 4/9 runner-up last year.

126 Gino Serafini extended his record to 5-0 with a first period fall over Selinsgrove’s Trent Turner. His fall clinched the dual meet for the Wildcats.

120 Zane Cooper, after giving up the opening TD to Leo Martinez, wemt to 6-0 with a 12-2 MD

113 Madison Packer works hard against Selinsgrove’s Ryan Gavason. She lost by TF but prevented giving up the fall that meant a lot in the tight meet.

SELINSGROVE, PA – In the span of four days to start this shortened scholastic wrestling season, the Central Mountain wrestling team faced two early tests and maxed them both: last Saturday the Wildcats held off Williamsport by a 39-30 score. Tuesday night it was 12-0 Selinsgrove with the challenge. But Central Mountain was equal to the task, defeating the Seals by a 35-25 count.

What it all means is that the Wildcats have completed a sixth straight perfect season with a 6-0 run in the Heartland Athletic Conference. Five conference teams, including Williamsport, were defeated last Saturday and Selinsgrove became the sixth and final league foe Tuesday.

It was not easy against the Seals. ‘Cat coach Biff Walizer said the triumph was “a total team effort.” He said the team needed to preserve every team point and all helped, including two, as he said, “did not get their hands raised” in victory. That comment was directed to Lucas Porter and Madison Packer. Although each lost by technical fall to favored opponents, each refused to be pinned, each saving a team point by doing so.

Walizer said, “The rest of the team fed off their effort” as the Wildcats took eight of the 13 weights, including the last three in a row to turn a 25-22 deficit into the 35-25 win. He said his entire squad “rose to the occasion against a very talented opponent.”

The dual started at 138 and ten bouts later the Wildcats found themselves trailing by three heading into those final three. And three young ‘Cats came through like champs to secure the win; and all three remain undefeated on the young season.

Freshman Zane Cooper (6-0) started the comeback with a 12-2 major decision at 120 pounds, putting CM back on top at 26-25; sophomore Gino Serafini (5-0) followed with a first period fall to clinch the win; and freshman Luke Simcox (6-0) added to the margin with a 5-0 win over the Seals’ previously undefeated (12-1) Aiden Gaugler.

Other winners were Taylor Weaver with a first period fall at 138, Griffin Walizer with a clutch 9-4 win at 145, Damien Galentine with a key 11-1 major at 160, Nik Miller with a needed 5-1 win over Ryan Aument (10-3) at 215 and Clayton Foster with a first period fall at 106.

The Wildcats wrestled without starter Caleb Porter, held out in a health-related precaution. Central Mountain also took the junior high match by a 54-20 score.

Now 6-0, the Wildcats turn their attention to District 6 foes, hosting Bald Eagle Area Thursday at 7 p.m. It will be senior night, senior squad members to be recognized prior to the start of the dual. For BEA, it will be the Eagles’ first action this season, the program delayed by a COVID-related school closure.

Central Mountain 35, Selinsgrove 25:

138 – Taylor Weaver (CM) pinned Aaron Mann, 0:52

145 – Griffin Walizer (CM dec Garrett Paradis, 9-4

152 – Josiah Foss (S) dec Rocco Serafini, 9-4

160 – Damian Galentine (CM) dec Cale Bastian, 11-1

172 – Coy Bastian (S) TF over Lucas Porter, 19-4; 2:45

189 – Steve Miller (S) pinned Brayden Blackwell, 1:13

215 – Nik Miller (CM) dec Ryan Aument, 5-1

285 – Naate Schon (S) pinned Gage Sutliff, 0:16

106 – Clayton Foster (CM) pinned Blake Rising, 0:10

113 – Ryan Gavason (S) TF over Madison Packer, 17-2

120 – Zane Cooper (CM) maj dec Lee Martinez, 12-2