Northern Tier Sports ReportWELLSBORO — Troy’s Carter Austin earned a North Section title on Saturday, while three other Trojans punched their ticket to districts.
Austin (160) went 3-0 to win his title, while Reed Palmer (285), Ryland Breidt (172), and Keagan Kerr (133) all took home bronze.
Austin opened with a fall, then scored a 4-2 win in the semifinals. In the finals he won 13-4 over NEB’s Kale Howland.
“Carter has been a workhorse all season for us,” said Troy coach Garrett Wesneski. “He has been committed since last season ended and has set goals. Last season he fell short and didn’t make it to districts and now a year later he’s winning the section, wrestling confident, and will be ready to make noise in Williamsport next weekend. It’s just very cool to see his work pay off. He’s earned it”
Breidt opened with a fall, then lost by fall in the semifinals. He won his next two bouts with pins to take third.
Palmer opened the tournament with a 4-1 win, then lost by fall in the semifinals. He came back with wins of 7-3, and 4-2 to take third.
Kerr opened with a fall, then lost 11-5 in the semifinals. He came back with wins over 20-4, and a pin to take home third.
“As a staff we are pleased to have four guys moving on,” Wesneski said. “Obviously you’d like to get all your guys through and some of our guys fell a little short today, but very proud of their seasons and overall effort. We always talk as a team that in these individual tournaments, you have to keep your mindset if you get beat; chase the next best thing. Keagan, Rylan, and Reed all did that after taking tough losses in the semis. They came back and finished the tournament with a W and getting 3rd. These four will be ready to compete at Districts. Some of them got there last year and got their feet wet and now they’re hungry to make it back and chase their goals.”
Garret Parks (107) took fifth, going 2-2 on the day, as Wilder Koch (127), Logunn Heasley (139), and Connor Dibble (114) all took sixth. Heasley went 1-3, as Koch, and Dibble went 0-3.
Marcus Frisbie (145), and Bridon Putnam (152) both went 0-2 on the day.
— —
PHOTOS BY CHRIS MANNING
