Wildcat wrestlers avenge another loss, thump Seals, 45-18
BALD EAGLE TOWNSHIP, PA – The Central Mountain wrestling team lost four dual meets in an uncharacteristic 10-4 season a year ago. At the end of that campaign, head coach Biff Walizer said his team would work to not let that happen in the 2022-23 season.
So far, so good. Off to a 2-0 start in dual meets this season, the Wildcats have already avenged three of last year’s losses. Mifflin County beat Central Mountain twice a year ago; the Wildcats answered back this past December with a 46-21 win over the Huskies. And Thursday the ‘Cats beat visiting Selinsgrove by a 45-18 score, retribution for the Seals’ first win ever over the Wildcats a year ago.
Coach Walizer said he reminded his team of that result from a year ago just before they left the wrestling room and headed into the crowded gymnasium. His team responded, taking nine of the 13 bouts, six by falls. CM wrestlers contributed up and down the lineup which featured wrestlers at all 13 weights for the first time this season.
The dual meet started at 145 pounds and two bouts in, CM had a 12-0 lead on first period pins from Luke Simcox at 145 and Griffin Walizer at 152. Jacob Weaver had a decision win at 172 and at 189 Rocco Serafini was solid with an 8-1 over state-ranked Seal Tucker Teats, CM up 18-3 at that point.
The home team got a key win from Dakota McDermott at 285 when he pulled out a 5-3 sudden victory thriller over the Seals’ Steven Miller who had posted a fall in the Seal win a year ago; the Wildcats up 21-6.
The Wildcats all but wrapped up the dual with falls from freshmen lightweights Collin Bauman and Jaggar Pardoe at 107 and 114 respectively, the score 33-6 after Pardoe overcame a 9-7 deficit to pick up a second period pin.
After a couple Seal wins at the next two weights, the Wildcats finished with two first period falls: at 133 from freshman Carnell Noone in his varsity debut and at 139 from defending state champion Dalton Perry.
Three losses avenged from a year ago, the Wildcats this Saturday will have a chance to answer the fourth from last season. CM will wrestle Williamsport as the Wildcats host the PHAC Duals, featuring the Millionaires, Jersey Shore and Shikellamy. Williamsport beat Central Mountain by a 41-28 score last season. Wrestling begins at 10 a.m. and the Wildcats open with ‘Shore, followed by Williamsport and the Braves.
There will also be a junior high PHAC dual tourney at the same time with the same teams at the Wildcat gym Saturday. The CM junior high team stayed undefeated Thursday with a 54-21 win over their Seal counterparts.
Varsity bout results:
145: Luke Simcox (CM) fall in 1:30 over Matt Snook
152: Griffin Walizer (CM) fall in 1:33 over Sylvan Martin
160: Garett Paradis (S) dec 5-2 over Gino Serafini
172: Jake Weaver (CM) dec 13-8 over Jarod Bullington
189: Rocco Serafini (CM) dec 8-1 over Tucker Teats
215: Jack Peters (S) dec. 4-1 over Brayden Blackwell
285: Dakota McDermott (CM) dec. 5-3 SV over Steven Miller
107: Collin Bauman (CM) fall in 1:19 over Mike Zettlemoyer
114: Jaggar Pardoe (CM) fall in 3:25 over Anthony Snook
121: Nathan Martin (S) fall in 1:35 over Kipper Samaniego-Miller
127: Landyn Lukes (S) fall in 1:14 over Zachary St. Clair
133: Carnell Noone (CM) fall in 1:01 over Ryan Harpster
139: Dalton Perry (CM) fall in 1:44 over Trent Turner
