GROVE CITY — Two Curwensville lightweights advanced to the semifinals, while three Golden Tide heavyweights were awaiting quarterfinal matches when the first session of the 22-team Fred Bell Invitational in the Grove City High School was halted because of the late hour Friday night.
Third-seeded 103-pounder Derek Brothers and 112-pounder Tyler Peters won a pair of bouts apiece. Brothers pinned Titusville\’s Jason Drake in 42 seconds and major decisioned Erie McDowell\’s Shawn Stancliff 16-7, while Peters shutout Attica\’s 4-0 and beat Washington\’s Pat Gouin 5-1.
Hoping to join them in the Saturday morning semis will be trio that engineered first period falls in the preliminary round. Top seed Nick Sipes pinned West Middlesex\’s J.J. Rodgers in 50 seconds at 189, Nathan Russell flattened Cochranton\’s Bill Holzer in 22 seconds at 215 and Nick Caldwell decked Warren\’s Josh Watson in 2:36 at 285.
Six Golden Tide matmen still are alive in the consolations. They are fourth seed Brett Sutika (119), Kristi Newpher (125), fifth seed Jeff Thomas (130), Brett McCracken (145), Matt Holland (152) and Jarrett Sloppy (160).
Sutika decisioned Franklin\’s Travis Adams 6-2 and lost 7-1 to Sharpsville\’s Darren McAninch.
Newpher was pinned in 26 seconds by Cochranton\’s Brad Peters but rebounded to pin Lakeview\’s Aaron Arborgast in the first period for her first win of the year.
Thomas lost 10-1 to Commodore Perry\’s Brandon Thomas and then posted a 19-3 technical fall over Slippery Rock\’s Kyle Brendlinger.
After being edged 5-3 by Erie Prep\’s Jordan Easter, McCracken came back with two wins, pinning Sharpsville\’s Zack Bress in 3:21 and major decisioning West Middlesex\’s Casey Phillips 9-1.
Holland was pinned by Attica\’s Pat Carter in 1:56 and then pinned Commodore Perry\’s Jordan McCartney in 3:38.
Sloppy pinned Commodore Perry\’s Kyle Myers in 1:12 before being pinned by Oil City\’s Brian Ochalek in 50 seconds.
Three Curwensville wrestlers were 0-2. Justin Johnston (135) lost major decisions to Sharpsville\’s Adam Zola 13-0 and Redbank Valley\’s Casey Haines 9-0. Justin Smith (140) was pinned by Franklin\’s Brian Greenlee in 1:22 and lost to West Middlesex\’s Cody Sutton. Brandon Padgett (171) was pinned by Jamestown\’s Mack McElhaney and decisioned by Oil City\’s Tim Myers 7-5 in overtime.
Coach Duane Wriglesworth\’s Golden Tide was eighth going into the semifinals.
Consolation finals for third place and fifth place will precede the championship bouts Saturday evening
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