SPRING MILLS — On paper, the dual meet between the 2-2 Clearfield Bison and the 9-0 Penns Valley Rams appeared to be a mismatch. Once the wrestlers hit the resilite, though, it was a different story as the visiting Bison stampeded out to a 25-0 lead, only to see it disappear and turn in to a 42-31 win for the host Rams.
The match started at 120 – right at the strength of the Clearfield lineup.
Sophomore Noah Cline (11-5) gave the Bison a 6-0 lead with his half Nelson and fall at the 3:53 mark over Kolton Confer (2-9).
At 126 Bison senior Dylan Graham (12-2) used seven takedowns, and only allowed escapes in return, in a 15-5 major decision over Jacob Confer (7-7) to up the Bison lead to 10-0.
Undefeated senior Christian Stone (13-0) , fresh off of his Outstanding Wrestler Award at the Tool City tourney, wasted little time in pinning Matt Hosterman (6-8) in 52 seconds.
Teammate Jon Sponler (3-7) at 138 also picked up a first period fall, this one in 1:35 over Kyler Confer (1-3) to give the Bison a 22-0 bulge.
The marquee match of the night was at 145 where Bison senior Nolan Barger, 11-1 coming in, faced off with Penns Valley’s 10-1 Seth Decker. After a scoreless first period, Barger picked up an escape to hold a slim 1-0 lead heading to the third and final period. Decker played to Barger’s strength by taking the down position – where Barger turned the Ram twice and picked up a penalty point to win 7-0, giving Clearfield their largets margin of the night, 25-0.
The momentum shifted to Penns Valley at 152 where 12-1 Cole Confer made short work of Bison Grant Climie in 17 seconds.
Ram Corey Hazel (11-1) picked up a second period fall in 3:33 after picking up a 7-1 first period lead over Clearfield’s Mike Beck to cut the Bison lead almost in half at 25-12.
Josh Kennedy (1-3) ran into 11-2 Andrew Hurd at 170 but gave the Ram all he wanted as it was surprisingly 2-2 going to the final two minutes. Hurd eked out the 5-2 win after picking up a penalty point and a reversal to inch the Rams closer at 25-15.
At 182 undefeated Ram wrestler Mike Rogers (12-0) figured he’d have an easy time of it against Bison Jake Verchick (4-6). That was not the case as Rogers only picked up a physical 7-3 win, which included a penalty point for Verchick after Rogers didn’t play by the rules of sportsmanship in the first period.
The Bison then held a precarious 1-point lead at 25-24 after forfeiting to Maverick Swartz at 195.
Back-to-back pins at 220 and 285 finally gave the Rams their first lead of the night. After a scoreless first period at 220, Mike Mundt (7-4) reversed and pinned Shane Billings in 3:15. At 285, Ram Michael Confer pancaked Curt Mignot to his back and pinned the Bison in 37 seconds.
After making the turn back to the lightweights, the Bison were still alive after Logan Gilbert (8-6) disposed of fellow freshman Isac Bierly in 54 seconds to set the score at 36-31 Penns Valley.
Needing a pin at 113 to upset the undefeated Rams, Bison Josiah McClarren (3-7) was underdog to Curtis Decker (10-4). Decker didn’t disappoint the home crowd as he built up a 12-3 lead before earning the fall at 4:44 and setting the final team score at 42-31.
The Bison (2-3) will next be in action on Janury 19 when they host their annual 10-team Bison Duals tourney at the Arthur J. Weiss Gymnasium.
Bout by bout results (Clearfield wrestler listed first):
120: Noah Cline wbf 3:53 over Kolton Confer 6 – 0
126: Dylan Graham wbmd 15-5 over Jacob Confer 10 – 0
132: Christian Stone wbf :52 over Matt Hosterman 16 – 0
138: Jon Sponsler wbf 1:35 over Kyler Confer 22 – 0
145: Nolan Barger wbd 7-0 over Seth Decker 25 – 0
152: Grant Climie lbf :17 to Cole Confer 25 – 6
160: Mike Beck lbf 3:33 to Corey Hazel 25 – 12
170: Josh Kennedy lbd 5-2 to Andrew Hurd 25-15
182: Jake Verchick lbd 7-3 to Mike Rogers 25 – 18
195: Forfeit to Maverick Swartz 25 – 24
220: Shane Billings lbf 3:15 to Mike Mundt 25 – 30
285: Curt Mignot lbf :37 to Mike Confer 25 – 36
106: Logan Gilbert wbf :54 over Isac Bierly 31 – 36
113: Josiah McClarren lbf 4:44 to Curtis Decker 31 – 42
Bison Scoreboard:
| Date | Opponent | Score | Record |
| 12/07,08 | @ Top Hat Tourney | 11th | 0 – 0 |
| 12/11 | DUBOIS | 21 – 56 | 0 – 1 |
| 12/13 | @ Bald Eagle Area | 28 – 37 | 0 – 2 |
| 12/18 | CENTRAL | 42 – 37 | 1 – 2 |
| 12/20 | PUNXSUTAWNEY | 63 – 12 | 2 – 2 |
| 01/04,05 | @ Tool City Tourney | 10th | 2 – 2 |
| 01/08 | @ Penns Valley | 31 – 42 | 2 – 3 |
| 01/19 | CLFD BISON DUALS |