CURWENSVILLE – Another heartbreaking defeat for the Curwensville Area High School wrestling team Thursday night at Patton Hall as the Golden Tide dropped a tight match to visiting Ridgway, 36-34.
Curwensville, now 0-2 in dual meet action, lost its opening meet a week ago to Brockway, 39-33 in a match decided in the final bout.
Golden Tide head coach Duane Wriglesworth said afterwards, “This match was all about bonus points and we needed some in the lower weights that we just couldn’t come up with. We just didn’t get the falls we needed to win tonight.”
Tide wrestler Tyler Mays started the evening off at 138 with a major decision over Nate Wolfe, 19-6, utilizing eight near fall points on the way to victory.
The Golden Tide pushed the lead to 10-0 as Jake Lancaster was awarded the forfeit at 145.
Ridgway, now 2-2 on the year, got points on the board at 152 when D. J. Pontious pinned a very game Jordan Peters in 3:52. Peters had the lead after the first two minutes, 4-1.
Trey McKenzie, wrestling at 160, picked up three points for the Tide with an 8-4 win over Mike Popson that made it 13-6 in favor of Curwensville.
The Elkers then proceeded to pick up four straight falls – 170, 182, 195 and 220 – to bolt out in front 30-13 before Curwensville mounted a valiant comeback attempt.
Seth Connors gave the Tide some life at 285, earning a 4-2 overtime decision over Troy Quail of the Elkers, which made the score 30-16 still in favor of Ridgway.
At 106 the Tide’s Jeff Harvey received a forfeit inching the home team closer at 30-22.
There was no bout at 113, but Ridgway picked up six points with a forfeit win at 120, which locked up the team victory.
There was no quit in Curwensville though as Sam Bressler pinned the Elkers’ Drew Baumgratz at 126 in 5:02 followed by a forfeit win at 132 to Logan Charles of the Tide, making the final close at 36-34 with Ridgway coming out on top.
Wriglesworth finished with, “I thought we wrestled well in spots and I did see some really positive signs out there tonight.”
Curwensville won the junior high match, 54-34 over the Elkers.
The Golden Tide will be back on the mats after Christmas when they participate in the Big Dog Tourney at Brockway High School on Friday and Saturday, December 27 and 28. Wrestling is slated to start both days at 9 am.
Bout by bout results:
138 Tyler Mays, Cur major dec. Nate Wolfe, Ridg 19-6 4 0
145 Jake Lancaster, Cur won by forfeit 10 0
152 D. J. Pontious, Ridg pinned Jordan Peters, Cur 3:52 10 6
160 Trey McKenzie, Cur dec. Mike Popson, Ridg 8-4 13 6
170 Dalton Sheesley, Ridg pinned Dakota Royer, Cur 1:52 13 12
182 Sam Delhunty, Ridg pinned Jake C. Stiles, Cur :42 13 18
195 Ryan Geyer, Ridg pinned Ben Junod, Cur 4:54 13 24
220 Colton McClain, Ridg pinned Remington McGarry, Cur 1:50 13 30
285 Seth Connors, Cur dec. Troy Quail, Ridg 4-2 (OT) 16 30
106 Jeff Harvey, Cur won by forfeit 22 30
113 NO BOUT
120 Dane Cappielo, Ridg won by forfeit 22 36
126 Sam Bressler, Cur pinned Drew Baumgratz, Ridg 5:02 28 36
132 Logan Charles, Cur won by forfeit 34 36
OFFICIALS: Bob Cogan and Marvin Morris
Golden Tide Scoreboard:
| Date | Opponent | Score | Record |
| 12/07 | @ Mountaineer Tourney (P-O) | 62.5 | 8th |
| 12/12 | @ Brockway | 33 – 39 | 0 – 1 |
| 12/19 | RIDGWAY | 34 – 36 | 0 – 2 |
| 12/27&28 | @ Big Dog Tourney (Brockway) | ||
| 01/02 | PUNXSUTAWNEY | ||
| 01/09 | REDBANK VALLEY | ||
| 01/14 | @ Glendale | ||
| 01/16 | WEST BRANCH | ||
| 01/18 | @ Clearfield Duals | ||
| 01/23 | @ Brookville | ||
| 01/24&25 | @ Fred Bell Tourney (Grove City) | ||
| 01/28 | @ Clarion | ||
| 01/30 | @ Mo Valley | ||
| 02/04 | @ Cameron County | ||
| 02/13 | OSWAYO VALLEY | ||
| 02/21&22 | Districts @ Clarion | ||
| 2/28 & 3/1 | Regionals @ Sharon | ||
| 03/06-08 | States @ Hershey |