THE YEAR'S TOP MOMENTS/STORYLINES - PART 6 (2024-07-21)

BY CHRIS MANNING
Northern Tier Sports Report
Getting down to the top three moments/storylines of this past season as this one features two of the most exciting moments for fans in the past few years.

3. Towanda edges Canton to claim NTL wrestling title: Towanda coach Bill Sexton described it best when he called his team’s 34-27 win over Canton a ‘hell of a high school match.’ Towanda was enjoying their best season in decades, but the defending league champions, Canton, weren’t going to go down without a fight. It was standing room only in the Canton gym as the two teams battled back and forth - no team won more than two weights in a row - while Towanda’s anchors of Rylee Sluyter and Riley Vanderpool came through with back to back wins to secure the win, and send the Knights to their first league title in 10 years. The key match was at 160 where Towanda’s Tahshon Garner, losing to Aydin Holcomb, pulled off a 5-point move to take control and eventually win 13-5. However, 152 and 139 were one and two point matches, while Towanda fought off bonus points at 172, 114, and 127. This was part of a renaissance season for the Knights, who went on to take third at the District IV Duals, and claim the North Section title. Canton, though, continued to be a force, finishing top six at the District IV Duals, as both teams sent three wrestlers to states and ended up with one medalist. While lopsided matches have become the norm in recent years, this was a throw back to an old fashion slugfest. 

2. Wyalusing walks off Calvary Christian to reach state semifinals: The Rams were having a postseason to remember, winning their second straight district title and their first state game since the 1990’s. But breaks appeared to going against them in the state quarters with Calvary Christian. They were struggling to hit their pitcher, while Calvary had just tied the game up at 1-1. Wyalusing then got a break, as a high fly ball by Kenny Mapes fell in the outfield, allowing Isaac Shaffer to score with two outs and give them the walk-off win. They dusted off Trehnon Hugo, who struck out nine in 6 1/3-innings of work, while Mapes drove in both Wyalusing runs, the first a double that scored Hugo, and then the error that allowed Shaffer to score. The one thing that stood out for the Rams, though, was defense, as they turned to big 4-6-3 double plays to end Calvary Christian threats, and Shaffer threw out a runner at third base. This was the peak of a season that saw Wyalusing find their best form when they needed it most, winning five straight must win games to reach the state semifinals. They didn’t quite break new ground, but they added a chapter all their own.

Print Friendly Version