CLEARFIELD — On Friday night, the Clearfield Bison wrestling team wrestled the last varsity match ever at the Clearfield Middle School, home of Clearfield wrestling back in the 60’s and 70’s.
Unfortunately the visiting Red Raiders of Bellefonte weren’t feeling the nostalgia and pinned a 57-20 loss on their hosts.
The Bison fell behind 6-0, but won four bouts in a row to jump out to a 20-6 lead.
Sophomore Logan Lykens nailed two head locks in his 18-10 major decision at 182. Classmate Travis Ogden then picked up his team-leading 24th win of the year, 14 of them pins, to stake the Bison to a 10-6 lead.
Fellow soph Nate Lash then upped the lead to 16-6 with his first period fall, his 8th of the year out of 12 wins.
Earning the final Bison victory in the fabled Middle School Gym was senior Jake Verchick at 285, via a 9-1 major decision.
The strength of the Bellefonte (15-4) squad was obviously in their light and middle weights, as the Red Raiders ran off eight straight falls to see a 20-6 deficit become a 54-20 lead before a regular decision at 160 set the final.
The Bison finish the 2013-14 campaign with a 9-8 record.
The Bison will now have a week to prepare for the start of the post season, which gets under way at the Waldo S. Tippin Gymnasium on the Clarion University campus Friday night with first round action in the District 4-9 AAA Championships.
Bout by bout results:
170: Austin Cable, B, wbf 2:32 over Tristan Carruthers, C 0 – 6
182: Logan Lykens, C, wbmd 18-10 over Toby Cain, B 4 – 6
195: Travis Ogden, C, wbf 2:43 over Brien McChesney, B 10 – 6
220: Nate Lash, C, wbf 1:13 over Benjamin Putnam, B 16 – 6
285: Jake Verchick, C, wbmd 9-1 over Timothy Benford, B 20 – 6
106: Aaron Witherite, B, wbf 1:13 over Thayne Morgan, C 20 – 12
113: Luke Leathers, B, wbf 3:24 over Logan Gilbert, C 20 – 18
120: Brock Port, B, wbf 1:20 over Zane Morgan, C 20 – 24
126: Chase Gardner, B, wbf 4:53 over Josiah McClarren, C 20 – 30
132: Trevor Corl, B wbf 1:42 over Logan Puit, C 20 – 36
138: Nate Rosenberger, B, wbf 3:38 over Tallin Norris, C 20 – 42
145: Zach Musser, B, wbf :42 over Jaret McCracken, C 20 – 48
152: Tanner Day, B, wbf :52 over Grant Climie, C 20 – 54
160: Dillon Kephart, B, wbd 9-4 over Mike Hadden, C 20 – 57
Bison Scoreboard:
| Date | Opponent | Score | Record |
| 12/06&07 | @ Top Hat Tourney (Williamsport) | 100 pts. | 10th |
| 12/10 | @ DuBois | 45 – 30 | 1 – 0 |
| 12/12 | BALD EAGLE AREA | 33 – 37 | 1 – 1 |
| 12/17 | @ Central | 45 – 25 | 2 – 1 |
| 12/19 | @ Punxsutawney | 37 – 33 | 3 – 1 |
| 01/03&04 | @ Tool City Tourney (Meadville) | 108 pts. | 8th |
| 01/07 | PENNS VALLEY | ppd. | 3 – 1 |
| 01/08 | PENNS VALLEY | 37 – 36 | 4 – 1 |
| 01/18 | CLFD BISON DUALS | ||
| vs. Valley | 45 – 30 | 5 – 1 | |
| vs. West Branch | 18 – 58 | 5 – 2 | |
| vs. Port Allegany | 57 – 18 | 6 – 2 | |
| vs. Southern Huntingdon | 57 – 18 | 7 – 2 | |
| vs. Montoursville | 21 – 51 | 7 – 3 | |
| 01/21 | BELLEFONTE | ppd. | 7 – 3 |
| 01/23 | @ St. Marys | 28 – 48 | 7 – 4 |
| 01/24&25 | @ New Oxford HS Tourney | 87.5 pts. | 13th |
| 01/30 | TYRONE | 54 – 13 | 8 – 4 |
| 02/01 | District 9 Team Wrestling Champs. | ||
| vs. DuBois | 37 – 36 | 9 – 4 | |
| vs. St. Marys | 15 – 51 | 9 – 5 | |
| 02/04 | @ Philipsburg-Osceola | 21 – 53 | 9 – 6 |
| 02/06 | @ Huntingdon | ppd. | 9 – 6 |
| 02/10 | @ Huntingdon | 15 – 63 | 9 – 7 |
| 02/14 | BELLEFONTE | 20 – 57 | 9 – 8 |
| 2/21 & 22 | Districts @ Clarion | ||
| 2/28 & 3/1 | Regionals @ Altoona | ||
| 03/06-08 | States @ Hershey |