Wildcat Showdown at Mifflin County Saturday
BALD EAGLE TOWNSHIP – The first of a handful of this season’s battles between District 6 powers Mifflin County and Central Mountain went to the Huskies at last weekend’s King of the Mountain tournament and now both teams gird for Saturday’s regular season dual meet at Mifflin County’s home gym.
The Wildcats and Huskies are both off to great starts, Mifflin County 5-0 heading into a difficult Thursday night home test with Cumberland Valley (2-0), the Wildcats 1-0 and warming up with a trip to Shikellamy High School on Thursday.
The Wildcat wrestling team made its best showing in several years at the annual King of the Mountain wrestling tournament, paced by a third place finish from four-year starter Gavin Caprio at 170 pounds.
The Wildcats placed five wrestlers in all, scored 113.5 points to finish in ninth place, and showed great balance, 13 of its 14 entries winning at least one bout in one of December’s best scholastic wrestling tournaments in the country.
Caprio (10-1) had an outstanding tournament other than one late glitch in his semi-final contest; leading 2-1with less than 10 seconds remaining, the Wildcat senior fell victim to an edge-of-the-mat out-front headlock from Bethlethem Catholic’s Adam Soldridge and ended up losing 3-2.
Otherwise Caprio was dominant, his closest matches two 5-0 wins, including the third place bout victory over Ryan Dailey of Erie McDowell. Caprio was fourth at the KOM a year ago.
Other place-winners were senior Bryce Hanley (10-3), fifth at heavyweight; sophomore Gio Barzona (7-3) at 106 and senior Keanan Bottorf (8-4) at 120, both sixth; and senior Demetri Probst (10-3) at 160, seventh.
The Wildcats had an outstanding Friday round and were tied for second after the first day. The overall ninth place finish was an improvement over a year ago when Central Mountain placed 18th with three place-winners and two years ago when the Wildcats were 25th with one placer.
State Double-A champion Bethlehem Catholic (competing at the Triple-A level this season) took the team title with 198 points, pushed by Greater Latrobe, second with 189 points.
Mifflin County made an even stronger showing in the Saturday rounds to finish in third place with 135 points.
The Huskies were hurt by having no entries at 106 and 285 pounds at the KOM but they have a number of standouts throughout their lineup:
Sophomore Noah Myers, 6-2 at 120 pounds; freshman Logan Wise, 6-3 at 132; freshman Trent Hidlay, 10-2 at 138; older brother and state place-winner Hayden Hidlay, 9-0 at 145; senior Isaac Underhilll, 8-3 at 152; junior Noah Stewart, 10-1 at 160; junior Brandon Wilson, 9-3 at 170; senior Keith Corson, 7-3, at 182; and junior Trey Hartsock, 9-1 at 195 or 220.
