CURWENSVILLE — The final score doesn’t exactly reflect how the Curwensville Area High School wrestling team battled once-beaten Brookville, the No. 3 team in Off The Mat’s latest state Class AA rankings, in a 48-25 loss at Patton Hall Tuesday night.
The Golden Tide won five of the 12 contested bouts and received one forfeit in posting more points than 14 of the Raider’ previous victims.
However, all seven of the Raiders’ winners recorded falls as the District 9 power reached the 20-victory plateau for the fourth consecutive season.
Curwensville (4-9) had one fall — senior Jake Lancaster returning from the injury list to end the 152-pound bout in 28 seconds — a major decision by Seth Connors at 285 and hard-earned decisions by Shae Bloom at 138, Sam Bressler at 145 and Kaleb Witherite at 170.
“We knew they were tough,” Golden Tide coach Dean Swatsworth said. “I told the kids before the mat, ‘This is the kind of team you strive to be like.’
“I also said, ‘These are the kind of matches that are going to get you a better seed in districts.’”
Swatsworth liked what he saw from his young, improving team.
“So far, that’s the best we’ve wrestled,” he said. “I’m proud of the kids.
“The big thing we did was we wrestled with heart. And I’ve been preaching that forever. Win or lose, you go out there and wrestle for six minutes. We never gave up. That’s what makes a team.”
To begin the meet, Swatsworth bumped up Ben Junod from 182 to 195, and the Golden Tide junior stayed right with Tyler Cook until the Raider took him down with 19 seconds left in the second period for a 3-0 lead. Cook increased the margin to 7-2 in the third period before tightening up a headlock for a fall with just 20 seconds remaining.
With defending district champ Bryce Town nursing an injury, the Raiders opted to forfeit to Jake Stiles, moved up a weight at 220, and send Chris Burchard out at heavyweight.
Connors foiled that strategy, making good use of his height and weight advantage to headlock the Raider for two-and-three in the first period and adding escapes and takedowns in the last two periods for the 12-0 bonus win that put the Golden Tide in front 10-6.
Brookville’s lightweights, featuring a pair of state-ranked matmen, quickly changed the complexion of the match with four falls.
Keelan Kunselman (17-2) led Anthony Winebold 15-1 when he hooked up a cradle for his fourth turnover and the pin at 4:59 of the 106 bout.
Raider 113-pounder Gavin Park (19-7), ranked No. 6 at 106, was ahead 4-0 when he pinned Seth Woolcock with a front headlock at the 3:32 mark.
Freshman Stephen Sorbin (15-6) built a 13-0 cushion before catching Golden Tide 120-pounder Jeremy Gardner on his back and using a reverse half nelson and press for a pin in 4:59.
At 126, two-time district champ and returning Northwest Region titlist Taylor Ortz (26-2) showed why he is ranked No. 3 by pinning Ethan Collins in 1:17 to complete the lightweight sweep. The win was the 97th by the Raider junior.
Cole Aaron had no opponent at 132, pushing the Brookville bulge to 36-10, before Curwensville’s middleweight trio closed the gap to 36-22.
No. 6-ranked Bloom (21-2) overcame several stoppages because of a bloody nose to edge Cole Clever (19-6) in a rough-and-tumble 3-1 match. The difference was a near fall at the second-period buzzer as Bloom finally was able to turn the Raider with a double arm bar.
Takedowns early in the first and third periods gave Bressler (17-7) a 5-1 victory over Devin Joiner.
“We expect big wins from them every week,” Swatsworth said.
After being sidelined for three weeks, Jake Lancaster (8-3) made his return to the lineup a brief appearance by cradling Caleb Hetrick.
Three-time district placewinner Jimmy Miller (23-5) halted the Golden Tide rally and clinched the win for the Raiders with a 47-second pin via a cradle against Hunter Lancaster at 160.
The 170 bout turned into a thriller in the third period, with Witherite outlasting Xavier Molnar 7-5. The Golden Tide soph owned a 4-0 lead after two periods, but Molnar closed the gap with an escape and takedown. The Raider freshman released Witherite midway through the period, hoping to draw even with another takedown, but Witherite engineered the two-pointer for the winning points with 38 seconds left. Molnar reversed 10 seconds later but couldn’t turn Witherite.
“That was just a big win for Kaleb,” Swatsworth said. “I know that kid’s a freshman, but he’s good. He and Kaleb, throughout junior high, went back and forth.”
Raider 182-pounder Noah Cieleski (18-4) forced a crossface cradle to pin Tristen Bressler at 1:38 in the final bout.
The Golden Tide will be on their home mat again Thursday to take on Moshannon Valley.
“I’m happy where we’re going,” Swatsworth said. “The kids are starting to listen. I think they’re starting to believe if they do the things we tell them in the room, and they practice, they will come out on the right side of bouts. We’re starting to get there.”
Brookville 48, Curwensville 25
195 – Tyler Cook, B, pinned Ben Junod, 5:40. (B 6-0)
220 – Jake Stiles, C, won by forfeit. (6-6)
285 – Seth Connors, C, major dec. Chris Burchard, 12-0. (C 10-6)
106 – Keelan Kunselman, B, pinned Anthony Winebold, 4:57. (B 12-10)
113 – Gavin Park, B, pinned Seth Woolcock, 3:32. (B 18-10)
120 – Stephen Sorbin, B, pinned Jeremy Gardner, 4:59. (B 24-10)
126 – Taylor Ortz, B, pinned Ethan Collins 1:17. (B 30-10)
132 – Cole Aaron, B, won by forfeit. (B 36-10)
138 – Shae Bloom, C, dec, Cole Clever, 3-1. (B 36-13)
145 – Sam Bressler, C, dec. Devon Joiner, 5-1. (B 36-16)
152 – Jake Lancaster, C, pinned Caleb Hetrick, :28. (B 36-22)
160 – Jimmy Miller, B, pinned Hunter Lancaster, :47. (B 42-22)
170 – Kaleb Witherite, C, dec. Xavier Molnar, 7-5. (B 42-35)
182 – Noah Cieleski, B, pinned Tristen Bressler, 1:39. (B 48-25)
Official – Nick Sidorick.
Golden Tide Scoreboard:
| Date | Opponent | Score | Record |
| 12/06 | Mountaineer Tourney @ PO | 4th | 0 – 0 |
| 12/18 | @ Ridgway | 32 – 45 | 0 – 1 |
| 12/23 | JOHNSONBURG | 41 – 19 | 1 – 1 |
| 12/27&28 | Big Dog Tourney @ Brockway | 2nd | 1 – 1 |
| 01/06 | @ Punxsutawney | 48 – 27 | 2 – 1 |
| 01/08 | @ Redbank Valley | 31 – 42 | 2 – 2 |
| 01/13 | CLARION | 18 – 43 | 2 – 3 |
| 01/15 | GLENDALE | 45 – 30 | 3 – 3 |
| 01/17 | Bison Duals @ Clearfield | ||
| 01/17 | vs. Port Allegany | 43 – 29 | 4 – 3 |
| 01/17 | vs. General McLane | 3 – 69 | 4 – 4 |
| 01/17 | vs. Montoursville | 0 – 73 | 4 – 5 |
| 01/17 | vs. West Branch | 18 – 64 | 4 – 6 |
| 01/17 | vs. Coughlin | 30 – 49 | 4 – 7 |
| 01/21 | @ West Branch | ppd. | 4 – 7 |
| 01/22 | @ West Branch | 23 – 56 | 4 – 8 |
| 01/23&24 | Fred Bell Tourney @ Grove City | 18th | 4 – 8 |
| 01/27 | BROOKVILLE | 25 – 48 | 4 – 9 |
| 01/29 | MO VALLEY | ||
| 02/04 | CAMERON COUNTY | ||
| 02/12 | BROCKWAY | ||
| 02/20&21 | District 9 Champs @ Clarion | ||
| 02/27&28 | Nortwest Regionals @ Sharon | ||
| 03/05-07 | PIAA States @ Hershey |