HYDE — After dropping their first two dual meets of the season, the Clearfield Bison got off the schneid with a 42-33 win over the visiting Central Dragons Tuesday night at the Athur J. Weiss Gymnasium.
The Central Dragons were dropped to 3-5 on the year with the loss after winning their first three of four matches, but have now lost four in a row.
The Bison led from the outset as the dual started with the first of the Senior Big 3, Dylan Graham at 132. Graham (6-1) racked up five takedowns and turned Dragon senior Terry Albright (4-3) twice for a 16-5 major decision.
Senior Christian Stone then turned in a near identical performance as Graham at 138 when he also picked up five takedowns to major sophomore Nick Hoenstine (6-2) 16-4 to give the Bison an early 8-0 lead. Stone climbd to 7-0 with his dominating performance.
At 145 Bison Zach Fox stepped on to the mat to try and widen the lead. Fox picked up the opening takedown, as did 10 of the 13 Bison that took to the mat against the Dragons. Fox (0-2) gave up a reversal to Trae Shirey (4-4), but jumped out to a 5-2 lead in the second period after an escape and another takedown. Unfortunately for Fox, Shirey reversed Fox and pressed him to the mat at the 3:20 mark to cut the Bison lead to 8-6.
The last of the Senior Big 3 took to the resilite at 152 in the person of Nolan Barger. Barger (6-1) held a narrow 2-0 lead after one period against a game Mike Mock (5-3). Barger jumped out to a 6-0 lead early in the second after an escape, a penalty point and a takedown. Barger then hit Mock with cross-face cradle and ended the match at the 3:49 mark to swing the momentum back the Bison way.
Mike Beck upped his record to 2-3 at 160 when he made short work of Lane Kreider (0-1) after he stacked him up at the 1:25 mark to up the Bison lead to 20-6.
Sophomore Josh Kennedy (1-2) Â picked up his varsity win with a 12-1 major decision over Dragon Blake Burkett (4-4) at 170 that was highlighted by six nearfall points and an illegal slam against Kennedy.
Clearfield forfeited at 182 and moved Jake Verchick up to 195 to face off with Isaac Little (2-6). The moved turned out to be a good one as Verchick (2-4) took Little down twice and pinned him in 1:08 to give Clearfield back their 18 point lead.
Shane Billings gave up the opening takedown to Robbie Weitzel, but then Billings (0-2) reversed Weitzel and put him to his back for a 5-2 lead. Weitzel picked up a penalty point after received too hard of a crossface from Billings, the returned the favor with a rev ersal and back points of his own to end the first period up 8-5. Weitzel picked up a fall at the 2:43 mark to close the gap to 30-18.
At heavyweight, two wrestlers were looking for their first win of the season. Dragon Wes Hueston edged Bison Curt Mignot by a 4-3 score after picking up a penalty point for interlocking and two stall points.
After turning the corner to 106, the Bison held a precarious nine point lead.
Freshman Logan Gilbert (5-4) jumped the Bison lead to 15 with a 26 second fall over fellow freshman Kayron Joseph (3-5).
Dragon Kale Burkett (8-0) returned the favor at 113 by building up an 11-1 lead and finally picking up a fall in 5:07 over Josiah McClarren (1-4), who fought off his back for quite a while.
Bison sophomore Noah Cline (6-2) iced the first Bison win of the year with a 29 second pin over Collin Ulery (3-5) at 120.
The match ended with a fall in 4:28 for Dragon Jordan Quarello (6-1) over Bison Jon Sponsler (2-4) at 126, setting the fianl at 42-33.
Clearfield will host the Punxsutawney Chucks (1-0) on Thursday night December 20 in their next dual meet.
Bout-by-bout Results: (Clearfield wrestler listed first)
132: Dylan Graham wbmd 16-5 over Terry Albright  4 – 0
138: Christian Stone wbmd 16-4 over Nick Hoenstine  8 – 0
145: Zach Fox lbf 3:20 to Trae Shirey  8 – 6
152: Nolan Barger wbf 3:49 over Mike Mock  14 – 6
160: Mike Beck wbf 1:25 over Lane Kreider  20 – 6
170: Josh Kennedy wbmd 12-1 over Blake Burkett  24 – 6
182: Forfeit to Jared Ponder  24 – 12
195: Jake Verchick wbf 1:08 over Isaac Little  30 – 12
220: Shane Billings lbf 2:43 to Robbie Weitzel  30 – 18
285: Curt Mignot lbd 4-3 to Wes Hueston  30 – 21
106: Logan Gilbert wbf :26 over Kayron Joseph  36 – 21
113: Josiah McClarren lbf 5:07 to Kale Burkett  36 – 27
120: Noah Cline wbf :29 over Collin Ulery  42 – 27
126: Jon Sponsler lbf 4:28 to Jordan Quarello  42 – 33