BY CHRIS MANNINGNorthern Tier Sports Report
WYALUSING — Wyalusing wrestling fell to a tough Montgomery team, 46-15, in their season opener Wednesday. The Rams won three weights, and found themselves with leads in five other matches, but couldn’t close them out.
“These guys are definitely tough,” Wyalusing coach David Patrick said. “They’ve got some hammers. As far as individuals they’ve got four or five guys that are definitely state bound.”
Cole Patrick (139) got a fall to lead the Rams with Logan Wood (114) getting a forfeit, and Daniel Fox (215) earning a decision.
For Montgomery Carden Wagner (133), Brandt Harer (152), and Josh Knoebel (172) all had falls.
Liam Seeley (127), and AJ Kroft (145) had tech falls with Trace Furman (160), Raiden Felix (189), Evan Hugar (285), and Gabe Oberheim (121) each getting a decision.
The final match of the day - Oberheim over Isaiah Harvey 5-3 - was one of the most exciting bouts.
Harvey got a first period takedown to go up 3-0. In the second Oberheim was able to turn Harvey late for three back points to tie it up going into the third.
In the final period Oberheim got the go ahead reversal, then held on for the win.
“Our last match with Isaiah there was a phenomenal match,” Patrick said. “That’s a kid that I said, ‘you’ll battle him all the way.’ He’s one of the top kids in the state, so Isaiah is right there, and that’s fine.”
As for some of the other close losses, Patrick would like to see his kid buckle down a little more.
“Some of these guys need to be really focusing on their diet a little bit more, and their preparation prior to the match,” he said. “And we’re still early. We’re still dealing with conditioning elements, but overall I feel good. There’s something positive to takeaway in each match.”
Things started at 127 as Seeley used two takedowns to build a 6-1 lead in the first period over Wyalusing’s Bostyn McMicken. He added a reversal, a takedown, and four near points for a 15-2 advantage, then got a takedown in the third for the tech.
At 133 Wyalusing’s Sullivan McCracken scored first, getting a takedown on Wagner. Wagner would get the reversal, then two near points to go up 4-3.
A McCracken escape tied things up, but Wagner came back with a takedown, then pinned him with one second on the clock.
At 139 Cole Patrick wasted little time on Carter Finck, getting the fall in 49 seconds.
“Cole looked good,” said Patrick. “Cole’s been wrestling all summer, so I was hoping he would have a different match.”
At 145 Wyalusing’s Reuben Kinney wrestled Kroft even for most of the first period, only for Kroft to get a last second takedown to go up 3-0.
Kroft got a reversal in the second, then rode Kinney out for a 5-0 lead. Starting on top in the third Kroft turned Kinney three times for the tech.
At 152 defending state champion Harer got the 15 second pin over Wyalusing’s Griffen Sheldon.
At 160 pounds it was Jonathan Earle taking the 3-0 lead with a first period takedown on Furman. Furman then cut it to 3-2 with a reversal in the second.
In the third Earle made it a 4-2 lead with an escape, but Furman was able to get a takedown and four near points in the final minute for the decision.
At 172 Knoebel got the first takedown on Conner Earle, but Earle came back with a reversal.
Earle then opened up the second period with three quick back points to take a 5-2 lead, only for Knoebel to get the reversal that led to the pin in 3:16.
The 189 match got the crowd on their feet as Felix and Holden Patrick went back and forth.
Felix led 3-1 thanks to a first period takedown, but in the second Patrick got a reversal and rode Felix out for a 3-3 score.
Then came the barn burning third period as Felix got a takedown and four near points to build a 10-3 lead.
Patrick came back with a reversal and four near points of his own to make it 10-9.
He let Felix up, then got the go ahead takedown for a 12-11 lead. Felix came back with a late reversal to retake the advantage 13-12.
Patrick kept working for the go ahead reversal, and appeared to hit it, but the buzzer went off just before to give Felix the win.
“Just one position,” coach Patrick said. “We talked about a little bit with the kids, just being too comfortable a little bit too long in some positions, and giving up more than what they should.”
Fox would get the Rams a win with his 14-7 victory over Gage Furman.
Fox used two takedowns and near points to build a 10-2 lead after one, and added an escape and a takedown in the second to go up 14-3.
Furman battled back in the third, getting an escape and a takedown to make it a decision.
“I just talked with Danny, and saying ‘hey, listen, the conditioning may not be there, but we need to finish the match,’” coach Patrick said. “We need to make sure that we’re getting a major decision, and not a decision, and he understands that.”
It was a scoreless first period at 285, while Hugar got a reversal in the second to go up 2-0.
In the third he got a takedown on Wells, then got a stall point late for the 6-0 win.
The two teams then traded forfeits before the final bout.
Wyalusing will be back in action on Saturday as they host the Mark Woodruff Duals with a 9 a.m. start.
“This weekend we ought to rebound, and get some of those matches that are maybe a little more fair,” Patrick said.
— —
MONTGOMERY 46, WYALUSING 15
127: Liam Seeley (M) tech. Bostyn McMicken, 18-3, 4:19
133: Carden Wagner (M) fall Sullivan McCracken, 1:59
139: Cole Patrick (W) fall Carter Finck, :49
145: AJ Kroft (M) tech. Reuben Kinney, 15-0, 5:20
152: Brandt Harer (M) fall Griffin Sheldon, :15
160: Trace Furman (M) dec. Jonathan Earle, 9-4
172: Josh Knoebel (M) fall Conner Earle, 3:16
189: Raiden Felix (M) dec. Holden Patrick, 13-12
215: Daniel Fox (W) dec. Gage Furman, 14-7
285: Evan Hugar (M) dec. Brenden Wells, 6-0
107: Manny Stoltzfus (M) fft
114: Logan Wood (W) fft
121: Gabe Oberheim (M) dec. Isaiah Harvey, 5-3
— —
PHOTOS BY CHRIS MANNING
