By Kenny Varner
WINGATE – Every point counted.
The Penns Valley and Bald Eagle Area wrestlers met up for a Mountain League showdown that would go down to the wire.
It was a back-and-forth battle throughout.
Penns Valley would come out the victors, winning 31-27.
There were a lot of fighting by us tonight and a lot on their team as well in a couple areas. In a couple areas maybe not as much fight as we’d like to see“ said Bald Eagle Area coach Ron Guenot. “That was the difference in the dual meet. What a match. It doesn’t get much better than that for a high school wrestling match.”
Starting off the night at 133, Bald Eagle would open with a win. Coen Bainey took home a Technical fall over Chase Fleshman, 20-5 at 4:51.
Penns Valley’s Colton Shunk copied Bainey’s performance picking up a technical fall of his own 17-0, topping Hunter Ishler tying things at five in the 139-pound weight class.
Bald Eagle regained the lead at 145 Mason Reese picked up the match’s first pin-fall pinning Max King at 1:24.
Trailing 11-5, the Rams’ Ty Watson did his share to tie the contest back up as he quickly pinned Alex Surovec at 1:23.
For the third time in the contest, the Eagles took back the lead. In the 160 – pound match, the Eagles’ Jeffre Pifer outlasted David Martin by a 10-6 decision.
Anything the Eagles did, the Rams had an answer for.
At 172, Penns Valley’s Ethan Fetterolf was able to muscle his way over Cameron Dobbs by a 6-2 decision.
The excitement kept coming as the Eagles once again took back the lead when 189 – pounder Caleb Corl pinned Brandon Carl (PV), :38.
With the win at 189, Bald Eagle led 20-14.
However, the lead would not stay very long.
Penns Valley’s Kollin Brungart put his team in a tie with the Eagles pinning Nate Fry at 1:43 at 215 pounds.
Penns Balley took the lead at 285. Landon Hess won by major decision over Gage Gardner 9-3. The win would make it a 24-20 advantage.
107 – pounder Conner Myers put his team up by seven after defeating over Liam Purcell (BEA), 10-6.
114 – pounder Jack Darlington put the Rams a secure lead as he picked up a major decision over Kayson,11-1.
Trailing by 12 at 121, Bald Eagle Area’s Lucas Fye chipped away at the Penns Valley lead winning by a major decision over Brayden Liowski,12-3.
Rounding out the contest at 127, Bald Eagle cut into the Rams lead when Conner Maney defeated Zachery Rummel in a 6-4 decision.
Despite the win, the Eagles came up a little short, falling to the Rams by four.
Penns Valley 31, Bald Eagle Area 27
133 – Coen Bainey (BEA) over Chase Flesman(PV), tech fall 4:51.
139 – Colton Shunk (PV) over Hunter Ishler (BEA) by Tech. fall 17-0.
145 – Mason Reese (BEA) pinned Max King (PV), 1:24.
152 – Ty Watson (PV) pinned Alex Surovec,(BEA), 1:23.
160 – Jeffre Pifer (BEA) over David Martin (PV), decision 10-6
172 – Ethan Fetterolf (PV) over Cameron Dobbs (BEA), dec. 6-2
189 – Caleb Corl (BEA) pinned Brandon Carl (PV), :38.
215 – Kollin Brungart (PV) pinned Nate Fry (BEA), 1:43.
285 – Landon Hess (PV) over Gage Gardner (BEA), major decision 9-3.
107 – Conner Myers (PV) over Liam Purcell (BEA), 10-6.
114 – Jack Darlington (PV) over Kayson Tice, Major dec. 11-1
121 – Lucas Fye (BEA) over Brayden Liowski, Maj. Dec. 12-3.
127 – Conner Maney (BEA) defeated Zachery Rummel (PV), 6-4 decision.