NTL WRESTLING: TOWANDA PINS THEIR WAY PAST HORSEHEADS (December 11, 2025)
Northern Tier Sports ReportHORSEHEADS, N.Y. — Towanda wrestling pinned their way past Horseheads, 48-30, in their season opener during non-league action Wednesday.
The Knights had seven pins out of their nine wins as they held off a late charge from the Raiders.
“I had no idea what we were going to be like on the mat tonight,” said Towanda coach Bill Sexton. “We’re banged up, we’ve got holes in our line-up, we’ve got new kids, but the Kids really stepped up.”
Mason Harbst (103), Jaydon Stranger (126), Bryghton Yale (133), Tanner Vanderpool (138), Gage Evans (150), Kolten McPeak (175), and Dominik Miller (285) all had falls on the day.
Hagen Jones (144) and Reese Sluyter (157) each had crucial decisions to secure the win.
Harbst got a first period fall to give the Knights a 6-0 lead, pinning Trace Woodward in 1:19.
“He’s been underweight his entire life, and he took a beating last year as our seven pounder, but he had a strong finish,” said Sexton. “He won his last match at sectionals, and he’s now a full weight kid, even though he made their weight today, he’s a full weight seven pounder for us this year, and he got us off with a bang. That was a great start from him.”
Josh (110) and Tanner Knapp (118) got back to back forfeits for Horseheads to put them up 12-6, but Stranger tied things up with a fall over Noah Miller in 3:43.
“Jaydon had a rough year last year at the weight he was at, he was up from where he had been and he just wasn’t strong enough,” said Sexton. “This year I think he’s at a more comfortable weight, and he didn’t like the fact that he was behind this time. He battled, he got in there on a couple good shots, and then he got his top work going, I’m very proud of him.”
Seniors Yale and Vanderpool came away with first period falls to extend the lead to 24-12. Yale pinned Damien Saks in 1:02, while Vanderpool pinned Nate Miller in 1:00.
“I can’t be happier with what we did, starting with Bryghton Yale,” Sexton said. “Yale was a letterman for us as a freshman, he couldn’t get in the line-up the last two years. He’s worked extremely hard, that was noticed in the room. The kids picked him as one of our captains this year, and he led not only in the room, he did a real nice job for us. Then we got going, Tanner did a nice job against a tough kid.”
Jones then held on what proved to be a crucial win for the Knights. He went up 3-1 with a first period takedown, then got a reversal for a 5-1 lead.
Gavin Hornsby rallied with a third period takedown to cut it to 5-4. Jones made it 7-4 with a reversal, then Hornsby got an escape, but Jones kept him at bay for the win.
“From what I can tell the Hornsby kid hasn’t had a loss this year,” Sexton said. “I think he won all five of his matches the other day in the duals, and that’s a big win for him. Jonesy was in and out of the line-up last year, kind of got bumped at the end, and he did a good job.”
Evans wasted little time getting a fall over Trent Woodward, pinning him in 2:30, followed by Sluyter’s 9-2 win over Aziz Gafsi.
“Reese is battling,” Sexton said. “He came back, and hit a couple good moves, and was wrestling well, then he came down out of bounds there the one time, and tweaked himself agin. It’s going to be a battle for him. You’ve to be proud of the way he kept persevering. The kid could quit in those situations, and he really battled the whole match. He’s a veteran, a very tough kid. He’s been around wrestling his whole life, and he sucked it up, and got it done for us tonight.”
As for Evans, Sexton is glad to see him back competing after an injury kept him out all of football season.
“He’s still got a ways to go, but he’s an outstanding wrestler, and if he keeps working hard I’m sure he’s going to be back where he needs to be at the end of the season,” he said.
Towanda led 36-12 at that point when Horseheads’ Zachary Schrage pinned Joey Montonya in 1:47 to end the Raiders’ drought.
McPeak came back with a fall over rJames Tousley in 2:56 for a 42-18 lead.
“He’s been battling behind good kids,” Sexton said about McPeak. “He’s been stuck behind Higley, and Sawyer, and Vanderpool, and Sluyter the last two years, but he showed that he could have been in anybody’s varsity line-up the last few years. He just happened to be in the wrong line-up.”
McPeak’s win sealed the match for Towanda.
Horseheads’s Jaxon Burchard got a fall over Dillan Sbragia in 1:15 at 190, while at 215 Connor Warrick pinned Gaby Tenny in 2:33.
In the final match Miller got his first career win with a 42 second fall over Jack Bower.
“Dominic Miller has never been in a wrestling match before,” said Sexton. “Three weeks ago he started the season. He’s a good football player, a 2-way starts for us as a sophomore, a 285-pound kid whose athletic. He’s a good track athlete, has good footwork. I watched him last year doing track, and I said this kid’s got athletic ability, and I think if we can get him to wrestle he could be decent. That’s a tremendous start for him.”
Towanda (1-0) will now host their annual Dandy Duals on Saturday as they get going into full swing.
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TOWANDA 48, HORSEHEADS 30
103: Mason Harbst (T) fall Trace Woodward, 1:19
110: Josh Knapp (H) fft
118: Tanner Knapp (H) fft
126: Jaydon Stranger (T) fall Noah Miller, 3:43
133: Bryghton Yale (T) fall Damien Saks, 1:02
138: Tanner Vanderpool (T) fall Nate Miller, 1:00
144: Hagen Jones (T) dec. Gavin Hornsby, 7-5
150: Gage Evans (T) fall Trent Woodward, 2:30
157: Reese Sluyter (T) dec. Aziz Gafsi, 9-2
165: Zachary Schrage (H) fall Joey Montonya, 1:47
175: Kolten McPeak (T) fall James Tousley, 2:56
190: Jaxson Burchard (H) fall Dillan Sbragia, 1:15
215: Connor Warrick (H) fall Gabe Tenny, 2:33
285: Dominik Miller (T) fall Jack Bower, :42
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PHOTOS BY BRIAN FEES
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