Wildcat wrestlers crown two champs, send four to states

ALTOONA, PA – “Well pleased,” that’s what Central Mountain wrestling coach Biff Walizer said in response to several questions Saturday night, shortly after his Wildcat team finished a solid third in the PIAA Northwestern AAA tournament at the Altoona Field House.

The Wildcats finished in third place in a tight race for the team title, Williamsport on top with 153 points, Mifflin County second with 149, then Central Mountain third with 147. The team championship was not decided until the night’s final bout, when Williamsport heavyweight Charles Crews notched a 3-2 win to give his Millionaires four more team points to edge Mifflin County.

Meanwhile Central Mountain brought nine wrestlers to the two day tourney and placed eight of them, including four Wildcats advancing to the PIAA tourney starting next Thursday in Hershey. The state qualifiers are champions Dalton Perry (126 pounds) and Luke Simcox (132 pounds), second place finisher Taylor Weaver at 138 and  Griffin Walizer, third at 145.

The freshman Perry, now 37-2, had the field house rocking as he defeated defending state champion Jake VanDee (17-1) from Erie Prep. VanDee had an escape and takedown in period two for a 3-0 lead, Perry then escaping in the period and trailing 3-1. In the third period Perry picked up a stalling point and an escape to knot the score at 3-3 and send it overtime. It didn’t take long for the CM frosh to send the Wildcat following into a frenzy. He head-locked the taller VanDee to his back for the fall in 6:24.

Next up, sophomore Simcox matched up with Williamsport senior standout Braden Bower (34-3). After a scoreless first period, Simcox chose down, worked an escape and then used a standing merkle for a takedown and turned it into two back points for a 5-0 lead. Bower picked up an escape in period three to put the final at 5-1 for Simcox. A state place-winner a year ago, Simcox will take a 35-4 mark to Hershey.

The Wildcats’ third state qualifier was senior Taylor Weaver (26-10). He ran into a buzz-saw in State College sophomore Pierson Manville ( 34-3) who picked up a 12-2 major decision. Earlier in the tourney Weaver garnered his 100^th career win, the 25^th Clinton County wrestler to achieve that milestone.

The fourth qualifier was sophomore Griffin Walizer (27-11)  who scored the crucial points late to secure a 6-4 win over Steffan Lynch (14-6), the District 10 champ from Erie Prep. Walizer had edged Lynch 2-1 earlier in the tourney.

Another Wildcat sophomore, Rocco Serafini ( 14-14), fell one win short of advancing to states. He was edged 3-2 by District 10 champ Caleb Butterfield ( 31-8) in the third place match.

Other Central Mountain placers were Luke Ananea, sixth at 120, Braylen Corter, sixth at 152, Damien Galentine, sixth at 189, and Brayden Blackwell, fifth at 285.

Coach Walizer had words of praise for his team’s showing, a mostly young squad with a high upside for the future.
Championship match results:

106	Aiden Beimel, St. Mary’s, dec. Luke Hileman, Altoona, 8-5 SV
113	Cael Nasdeo, Williamsport, dec. Nic Allison, Mifflin County, 6-4
120	Asher Cunningham, State College, maj. dec. Casey Smith, Juniata, 16-3
126	Dalton Perry, Central Mountain, pinned Jacob Van Dee, Erie Cathedral Prep, 6:24
132	Luke Simcox, Central Mountain, dec. Braden Bower, Williamsport, 5-1
138	Pierson Manville, State College, maj. dec. Taylor Weaver, Central Mountain, 12-2
145	Jude Swisher, Bellefonte, dec. Riley Bower, Williamsport, 7-0
152	Luke Sipes, Altoona, dec. Kaemen Smith, Erie Cathedral Prep, 3-2
160	Kyler Everly, Mifflin County, dec. Roman Morrone, Williamsport, 2-1
172	Waylon Wehler, St. Mary’s, dec. Mark McGonigal, Clearfield, 3-2
189	Trey Shoemaker, Mifflin County, maj. dec. Carter Chamberlain, Clearfield, 11-2
215	Nick Pavlechko, State College, dec. Anson Wagner, Mifflin County, 4-3
285	Charles Crews, Williamsport, dec. Oliver Billotte, Clearfield, 3-2 Third place match results:

 

106	Keagan Oler, Erie Cathedral Prep, dec. Landyn Lukens, Selinsgrove, 6-4
113	Evan Davis, Clearfield, dec. Dysen Gould, Punxsutawney, 6-2
120	Hunter Johnson, Mifflin County, dec. Cyrus Hurd, Erie Cathedral Prep, 5-2
126	Brady Collins, Clearfield, dec. Taylor Smith, Juniata, 10-6
132	Aidan O’Shea, Bellefonte, dec. Isaac McGregor, Shikellamy, 1-0
138	Brett Thompson, Bradford, dec. Jacob Cunningham, Mifflin County, 4-3
145	Griffin Walizer, Central Mountain, dec. Steffan Lynch, Erie Cathedral Prep, 6-4
152	Aiden Gaugler, Selinsgrove, dec. Carter Weaver, Williamsport, 8-7
160	Caleb Butterfield, Erie McDowell, dec. Rocco Serafini, Central Mountain, 3-2
172	Kelyn Blossey, Erie Cathedral Prep, dec. Braden Newby, State College, 9-5
189	Griffin Buzzell, Meadville, pinned Tucker Teats, Selinsgrove, 1:49
215	Troy Peterson, Erie McDowell, dec. Hayden Kovalick, Clearfield, 8-5
285	Wilson Spires, General McLane, pinned Jack Sroka, Erie McDowell, 4:39