HERSHEY — All four members of the Clearfield Bison wrestling team had their PIAA medal hopes dashed on the first day of action at The Giant Center in Hershey on Thursday.
Unlike the regular season when the Bison lightweights always seemed to provide a spark, they got off to a bad start that just seemed to snowball until the Bisons went 0-8 on the day.
In the opening match of the AAA tourney, Bison senior Shane Peters (31-5) took to the mat against W.C. Henderson’s Jim Long (32-5). Tied 0-0, Long caught Peters and put him straight to his back and before everyone had settled in their seats the match was over in 1:33.
Shortly thereafter at 112 pounds, returning state qualifier Christian Stone (32-6) faced off with an opponent, W.C. Rustin’s Corey McQuiston (40-2), that he had beaten 2-1 earlier in the season. Up 2-0 after getting the opening takedown, Stone was reversed, put on his back, and needed injury time once he got there. What turned out to be a 6-point move because of the injury was the turning point of the bout as the final was 8-2 McQuiston.
Fellow sophomore and returning state qualifier Nolan Barger (29-10) was up next versus Scott Wolfinger (31-6) of Quackertown at 130 pounds. Wolfinger was the superior wrestler on his feet this day as he took Barger down twice in the first period, but only led 4-2 heading to the second period. Wolfinger added to his lead in the second, but Barger was able to fight back with the aid of a stall point in the third to get as close as 9-7 in the eventual 15-9 loss.
With momentum definately not on the Bisons’ side, senior Derek Danver (34-10) had the unenviable task of tangling with undefeated and number one ranked JM Staudenmayer (39-0) of Plymouth Whitemarsh. After a respectable 8-3 loss, Danver and the rest of the Bisons headed to the consolation brackets with their seasons on the line.
Once there, unfortunately, it turned into more of the same.
Peters met Kenny Yanovich (36-10) of Pleasant Valley, a wrestler he had beaten earlier this season 8-2 at the Clearfield Duals. Yanovich scored a 3-1 victory to end Peters’ season and career for the Bisons. As a three year starter Peters posted a 94-26 record.
Stone picked up a win during last year’s PIAA tourney, but that was not the case this year as he was eliminated 13-6 by Mike Domarsky (36-7) of Pittston. Stone will head into his junior year with a 68-15 record, which is on pace to put him at the top of the Clearfield Bison all-time win list.
Barger was then knocked out of his second PIAA tourney by a close 6-4 count to Pleasant Valley’s Michael Dahlstrom (42-6). Barger is just off of Stone’s record win pace at 62-20 after two years.
Derek Danver was then beaten by Hazleton’s Chad Hoffman (33-11) 9-4 to close out the dismal day, and season, for Clearfield. Danver finishes his career fifth on Clearfield’s all-time win list with a final record of 124-45. He’s on the short list with former Bison stars Matt Kyler, Sean Owen, Tommy Barger, and Brad Pataky for career wins.
The rest of District 9 fared a little better than the Bisons. Continuing their hot streak from the Northwest Regionals were the Punxsutawney Chucks who have one in the semis and one left in the consolation bracket. At 125 Kody Young bounced back from an opening round loss to survive and fellow regional champ Seth Spack reached the quarterfinals at 135 with a 2:51 fall over W.C. Rustin’s Steve Quinn. D9 is well represented at 152 as DuBois’ Geno Morelli and Bradford’s Mark Havers each won on opening day. Another win by each would set up a semifinal matchup.
The Northwest Region only has 16 wrestlers left in the championship bracket, while 17 were eliminated, leaving 9 to battle it out for survival in the consolation bracket.
Complete results can be found here coutesy the PIAA: http://www.piaa.org/news/details.aspx?ID=2197
