The Clearfield Bison wrestling team lost its first match of the year Tuesday night, falling to one of the state’s best teams, the Central Mountain Wildcats, 44-15. The Bisons, wrestling shorthanded with senior Shane Peters out of the line-up due to illness, managed to win only four bouts against the powerful Wildcats.
The dual meet started at 125 with Clearfield’s Frankie Aveni losing a 4-0 decision to Chad Reese before Nolan Barger was able to pull the Bisons even with a 9-7 overtime victory over Troy Rupert at 130.
Leading 5-4 after two periods, Barger reversed Rupert early in the third but gave up his own reversal later in the period. Clinging to a one point lead with under five seconds to go, Barger surrendered a penalty point to Rupert sending the bout into overtime tied at seven. Barger was able to score a winning takedown early in the extra frame to win 9-7 and tie the team score 3-3.
The Wildcats then ran off five straight victories to lead 23-3 before Derek Danver halted their momentum with a 5-3 decision over Nathaniel Powers at 171.
Central Mountain would put the match out of reach, 44-6, by registering two pins, another decision and a forfeit in the next four bouts.
The most exciting bout of the night came in this stretch when Clearfield’s Cliff Hill bumped up a weight class to take on Central Mountain’s big 285 pounder, Zach Corl. Outweighed by nearly 70 pounds, Hill went right after the state-ranked Wildcat and gave him all he could handle for six minutes before losing 13-6.
The Bisons would win the last two bouts in the dual meet as Christian Stone decked Cole Hanley in 4:31 at 112 and Dylan Graham bested Logan Bechdel, 7-4, at 119 to make the final score 44-15.
The Bisons will next be in action this weekend as they make their annual appearance at the Tool City Tournament in Meadville.
Bout Recap Team Score
125 Frankie Aveni, LBD, 4-0, to Chad Reese CM 3-0
130 Nolan Barger, WBD, 9-7(ot), over Troy Rupert 3-3
135 Troy Danver, LBD, 6-2, to Joey Miller CM 6-3
140 Cody Lansberry, LBMD, 11-3, to Dillon Gavlock CM 10-3
145 Andrew Hill, LBD, 5-1, to Logan Struble CM 13-3
152 Shane Harper, LBMD, 14-1, to Brian Brill CM 17-3
160 Curtis Owens, LBF, 1:22, to Tyler Buckwalter CM 23-3
171 Derek Danver, WBD, 5-3, over Nathaniel Powers CM 23-6
189 Jacob Verchick, LBF, 3:26, to Blaze Buckwalter CM 29-6
215 Jordan Lancaster, LBF, 2:38, to Mark Renzo CM 35-6
285 Cliff Hill, LBD, 13-6, to Zach Corl CM 38-6
103 Zach Knepp won by forfeit CM 44-6
112 Christian Stone, WBF, 4:31, over Cole Hanley CM 44-12
119 Dylan Graham, WBD, 7-4, over Logan Bechdel CM 44-15