By Kenny Varner

ALTOONA – Friday the next stage on the road to a PIAA wrestling championship stopped at Altoona where the SW Class AA Regional took place. Four locals competed in front of a packed house in the two-day wrestling classic.

Juniata High School was represented by 285 pounder Kelton Bonnell and the 152-pound Ryder Smith both looking to keep their season alive and advance to Chocolatetown aka Hershey for the PIAA championships.

At 152, Smith started, the sixth seed  his night with a bye into the final 16. In the battle in the 16 top wrestlers in their weight class Smith faced off against Calio Zanella of Burrell. Zanella came into his match with Smith sporting a 30-12 record while Smith came in with a season record of 24-6.

Starting at the seventh seed, the Indians’ heavyweight also picked up a first round bye. But in the second round Bonnell went up against 10th seeded Parker Cunningham from South Park. Cunningham went into the match with a solid 26-7 record while Bonnell tallied a 23-7 season record.

Mount Union was also represented by two of its own. At 160 pounds Micah Atherton wrestled Alek Palko from Jefferson Morgan in his first match of the night.

Teammate Josh Ryan, who came into the tournament sporting a record of 40-5 went up against Burrell’s Luke Borland at 215.

In day one of competition, first up was Juniata’s Smith who found himself in a very tough match against Burrell’s Zanella.

In the first period, both wrestlers battled for leverage and positioning to get the edge on the other but it would remain a stalemate as neither was able to chalk up a takedown.

Smith started the second period in the down position. Zanella controlled from the top position all period as Smith wasn’t able to escape taking the match into the final period at a scoreless tie.

Smith was able to control Zanella early on but he was called for a penalty, giving Zanella the first points of the bout.

Minutes later, Zanella was able to escape Smith grasp pulling off the escape. That would be all Zanella needed as he escaped with the 2-0 victory.

Mount Union’s Micah Atherton didn’t fare as well in his opening round match with Palka.

Atherton started out strong picking up an early takedown, leading 3-0.

But Palka escape and turn the momentum in his favor by picking up a takedown of his own to give him a 4-3 advantage.

Going into the second, Palka from the down position was able to reverse the momentum with the 2-points and then rally to record the pin with 23 seconds left in the second.

At 215, Mount Union picked up the victory on a 9-2 victory for Josh Ryan. Ryan went up against Luke Boylan of Burrell.

Ryan opened the first with an early takedown and worked on him trying to tire him out by putting pressure on him. Leading 3-0, he was able to keep Boylan in check taking a 3-0 advantage into the second period.

In the second, Ryan was able to add to his lead getting another takedown after starting the period in the neutral position.

Boylan managed to pick up an escape point late in the period, making it a 6-1 advantage going into the final stanza.

In the third, Boylan, starting from the down position notched a second escape, cutting it to a 6-2 contest. But a late takedown and escape point, made it a Ryan 9-2 victory.

At 285-pounds, Kelton Bonnell went up against Parker Cunningham from South Park.

This match would belong to Cunningham as he notched a second period pin on Bonnell.

Ryan punched his way into the semi-finals with a hard earned 3-0 victory over Kaden Shannon ending the night’s activities for the locals.

All four will be back in action Saturday morning as they resume their quest for a trip to Hershey.