CLARION — Two-time Class AAA champion Shae Bloom of Curwensville added a District 9 Class AA gold medal to his collection with one of the four falls in the finals and was named the Outstanding Wrestler of the District 9 Class AA Wrestling Tournament in Clarion University’s Tippin Gym Saturday night.
The top-seeded junior 138-pounder capped a very impressive title run by rolling up an 8-1 lead against No. 7 seed Adam Shunk of Smethport before turning him with a half-nelson and ending the bout at the 3:02 mark.
Senior 152-pounder Jake Lancaster and junior 182-pounder Ben Junod claimed bronze medals for first-year coach Dean Swatsworth’s Golden Tide, which finished seventh with 84 points in their best overall showing since 2009.
Swatsworth was elated to see his first district champion become the fifth Curwensville wrestler to be honored with the Joseph J. Kata OW Award, citing stiff competition outstanding end-to-end tourney performances by four other gold medalists.
“I was very happy for him,” the first-year Golden Tide coach said. “I felt his bracket was one of the toughest, and Shae pinned his way through it.”
Bloom, who won championships at 106 and 126 for DuBois the last two years, totally dominated a weight class that had seven contenders with at least 20 wins.
The lone gold medalist to pin every opponent, he surrendered only two escapes while registering two takedowns in each of his three matches.
In the morning’s semifinals, Bloom was ahead 11-1 when he flattened Keystone’s fourth-seeded Nick Baughman with 30 seconds remaining in the third period.
Bloom now is 28-2 and just two wins away from joining the Century Club for his career.
He joins Dave Irwin (1980), Bryan Wetzel (1988), Jason Clark (1991) and Nick Sipes (2007) on the Curwensville list of 9-AA’s Joseph J. Kata Award recipients.
Lancaster, the gold medalist at 126 as a sophomore, was denied his second appearance in the Parade of Champions when No. 1 seed and eventual titlist Jimmy Miller of Brookville cradled him at 3:11 in the semifinals.
Lancaster (13-5) responded with two convincing wins for his second 9-AA medal.
The No. 4 seed gained sweet revenge against Brockway’s No. 6 seed Cody McClintick in a 14-10 barn-burner to reach the third-place bout, where he headlocked No. 3 seed Gage Arnold for a 45-second fall.
The consy semifinal was the third wild bout between Lancaster and McClintick, who pinned the Golden Tide matman after trailing 9-0 at one point in the finals of the Big Dog Tournament Dec. 29 and again after being down 5-0 in the Feb. 12 dual meet.
Lancaster pancaked the Rover twice in the first period but had to fight off his back, too. McClintick reversed in the middle period to close the gap to 10-7, but Lancaster came off the bottom for a four-point move early in the third period. Those proved to be the winning points as McClintick answered with a reversal and two-point near fall.
“After that loss (to Miller), Jake knew had to go,” Swatsworth said. “One more loss and he was out. He was determined to go to regionals again, so that was a big win for him.
“It was a back-and-forth battle. He was on his back and bridged up and put the kid on his back. Then, in the third period, he hit his pancake again.”
Junod’s effort was a very pleasant surprise.
Pinned by eventual champ Michael Martino in the preliminaries, the No. 7 seed won three matches in the wrestlebacks to give the Golden Tide a third Northwest Region Tournament qualifier.
Junod was the only Golden Tide winner in consolation quarterfinals, where the season ended for seven of his teammates.
He edged No. 6 seed Devon Brown of Smethport 4-3, clinched a trip to regionals by pinning Kane’s Drake Mericle at 3:45 and then bested No. 4 seed Alex Burkhart of Clarion 6-5 with a takedown and two reversals.
In the medal match, Junod (13-15) gained a measure of revenge for the Jan. 13 dual meet bout, when Burkhart had pinned him in 41 seconds.
“Like I told our kids, a one-point win is as good as a pin at the district level,” Swatsworth said. “The goal is to move on.
“Ben was one of the kids I though could get through. He’s had some losses to very good wrestlers and I knew he was gonna have a tough road, but he wrestled extremely well, better than he has in the past.
“He was so aggressive and beat some kids that I don’t think he was expected to beat. His only loss was to the kid who won it. He had the best tournament I’ve seen him wrestle, and I‘m excited to see what he can do next week.”
Unseeded senior Sam Bressler (145) and No. 7-seeded sophomore Kaleb Witherite (170) suffered tough defeats to No. 6 seeds in the consy quarterfinals.
Both had leads, Bressler losing 8-6 on a late takedown by Justin Westerburg of Kane and Witherite a 9-6 victim of a comeback by Evan Redding of Keystone. Westerburg went on to place third while Redding finished fourth.
Bressler, who was third at 106 in 2013, finished his Golden Tide career with 70 wins.
Anthony Winebold (106), Seth Woolcock (113), Jeremy Gardner (120), Jake Stiles (195) and Seth Connors (285) were fall victims in Saturday’s first session.
Swatsworth was pleased with the Golden Tide’s total effort as 10 of the 12 entries won at least one match.
“We had a couple of disappointments, but I saw a lot of improvement,” he said. “One thing I really was happy for was that we won all three matches in the finals.
“That was a great ending to the day.”
Brookville had the team title locked up after the morning session, winding up with 10 region qualifiers and 189 points.
Three Raiders were crowned champs, with junior Taylor Ortz (120) joining the ranks of three-timers and sophomore Gavin Park (106) and Miller (152) improving on last year’s runner-up finishes. Ortz, ranked No. 1 in the state by Off The Mat, reigned at 106 two years ago and 113 last year.
Brockway also had a trio of gold medalists in Mason Lindenmuth (132), Anthony Benson (170) and Martino (182). Benson’s title was his second; he also was the 170 champ in 2013 and lost in the finals last year.
Tanner Altobelli (126) and Keshon Truitt (160) won titles to boost Redbank Valley past Brockway for second place, 142.5-140, after four Bulldogs made it possible with wins in the consy finals.
The other gold medalists were Casey Vollmer of Port Allegany at 113, James Duffy of Smethport at 145, Zach Sintobin of Clarion at 195, Ethan Budd of Port Allegany at 220 and Jack Karsten of Cameron County at 285.
All of the champs were No. 1 seeds except Vollmer, Martino and Budd, who were rated No. 2 by the head coaches.
Vollmer and Budd, the lone unbeaten at 28-0, rated consideration for the OW Award after defeating returning champions, as did Ortz with two falls and a technical fall and Lindenmuth with four shutouts, including three technical falls.
Brookville’s Dave Klepfer was named Class AA Coach of the Year. The Lenny Ferraro Award was his fifth in the last seven years.
TEAM STANDINGS AND KEY
1. Brookville (Bv), 189 points; 2. Redbank Valley (RV), 142.5; 3 Brockway (Bw), 140; 4. Port Allegany (PA), 115; 5, Clarion (Cl), 112; 6. Ridgway (R), 91.5; 7. Curwensville (Cur), 84; 8. Smethport (Sm), 73.5; 9. Cameron County (CC), 72; 10. Cranberry (Cran), 67; 11. Keystone (Key), 59; 12. Kane (K), 41; 13. Johnsonburg (J), 20; 14. (tie) Coudersport (Cou) and Sheffield (Sh), 17; 16.Oswayo Valley (OV), 6.
CHAMPIONSHIPS
(Wrestler’s name preceded by seed and followed by grade and record)
106 – (1) Gavin Park, 10, (27-7), Bv, dec. (2) Alex Struble, 11, (26-7), Cl, 9-3.
113 – (2) Casey Vollmer, 12, (25-3), PA, dec. (1) Ryan Carlson, 11, (25-4), Bw, 6-4.
120 – (1) Taylor Ortz, 11, (34-2), Bv, pinned (3) Drew Baumgratz, 10, (25-4), 2:39.
126 – (1) Tanner Altobelli, 11, (29-6), RV, dec. (2) Cole Aaron, 11, (25-9), Bv, 9-3.
132 – (1) Mason Lindenmuth, 11, (27-2), Bw, dec. (2) Brandon Saline, 12, (28-3), CC, 7-0.
138 – (1) Shae Bloom, 11, (28-2), Cur, pinned (7) Adam Shunk, 11, (24-4), Sm, 3:02.
145 – (1) James Duffy, 11, (30-1), Sm, pinned (7) Colton Rapp, 9, (27-10), Cl, 3:47.
152 – (1) Jimmy Miller, 12, (31-6), Bv, major dec. (2) Paul Zacherl, 11, (29-3), Cran, 10-2.
160 – (1) Keshon Truitt, 12, (29-4), RV, dec. (3) Mac Tanner, 11, (6-1), PA, 4-2.
170 – (1) Anthony Benson, 12, (29-2), Bw, dec. (3) Jake Troutman, 12, (14-3), Cl, 5-2.
182 – (2) Michael Martino, 11, (21-3), Bw, dec. (1), Zach Stiglitz, 12, (27-4), Key, 21-4.
195 – (1) Zach Sintobin, 11, (25-6), Cl, pinned (3) Tyler Cook, 9, (19-11), Bv, 3:31.
220 – (2) Ethan Budd, 11, (28-0), PA, dec. (1) Bryce Town, 11, (21-6), Bv, 5-0.
285 – (1) Jack Karsten, 12, (30-1), CC, dec. (3) Tyler Beal, 11, (32-4), Key, 4-3.
CONSOLATION FINALS
106 – (4) Bryce Barclay, 9, (17-7), R, dec. (6) Harrison Keenan, 10, (24-6), Cran, 6-4.
113 – (6) Kolbin Altobelli, 12, (31-6), RV, dec. (3) Kai Sorbin, 9, (24-9), Bv, 3-2.
120 – (2) Josh Hancock, 10, (27-5), Cran, dec. (5) Mitchell Overbeck, 11, (16-8), Bw, 5-4.
126 – (4) Jack Glasl, 12, (26-8), Bw, pinned (6) Logan McClain, 9, (24-7), R, 4:01.
132 – (3) Hunter Freer, 12, (25-7), PA, major dec. (5) Jake Zimmerman, 9, (16-15), J, 12-1.
138 – (6) Luke Gallo, 12, (27-11), RV, pinned (2) Cole Clever, 12, (25-10), Bv, 1:47.
145 – (6) Justin Westerburg, 12, (22-8), K, dec. Devin Joiner, 12, (20-17), Bv, 3-1.
152 – (4) Jake Lancaster, 12, (13-5), Cur, pinned (3) Gage Arnold, 10, (25-9), Cou, :45.
160 – (2) Caleb Hetrick, 9, (16-11), Bv, dec. (5) Arate Kindle, 10, (21-10), Sm, 9-1.
170 – (4) Josiah Ramadhan, 11, (26-6), PA, pinned (6) Evan Redding, 11, (25-9), Key, :47.
182 – (7) Ben Junod, 10, (13-15), Cur, dec. (4) Alex Burkhart, 11, (17-11), Cl, 6-5.
195 – (2) Ryan Geyer, 12, (22-5), R, pinned (6) Austin Hulings, 12, (18-10), K, 4:14.
220 – (3) Cal Haines, 12, (26-9), RV, dec. (5) Troy Quail, 12, (23-6), R, 4-1.
285 – (2) Riley Shumaker, 11, (34-3), RV, pinned (4) Dylan Dinch, 11, (20-4), Sm, 1:49.
CONSOLATION SEMIFINALS
106 – Barclay, R, pinned (7) Scott Cokely, 12, (20-13), CC, :39; Keenan, Cran, pinned Dawson Wilson, 10, (5-14), RV, 2:09.
113 – K. Altobelli, RV, dec. (4) David Kudrick, 9, (17-10), Cou, 6-3; Sorbin, Bv, dec. (5) Lucas McClain, 9 (17-9), 6-3.
120 – Overbeck, Bw, dec. (7) Trey Stiles, 9, (19-10), PA, 3-0; Hancock, Cran, major dec. (4) Devon Norlin, 9, (19-6), J, 10-2.
126 – Glasl, Bw, tech fall (3) Ethan Vislay, 9, (25-9), CC, 17-2 (4:15); Lo. McClain, R, pinned (5) Kyle Bryan, 12, (15-14), Cran, 4:27.
132 – Zimmerman, J, dec. (7) Colton Mohney, 10, (13-20), RV, 3-1; Freer, PA, pinned (4) Zach Gilbert, 10, (6-7), Bv, 3:46.
138 – Clever, Bv, dec. (4) Nick Baughman, 11, (27-10), Key, 5-2; Gallo, RV, pinned (5) Jake Kallenborn 9, (20-10), PA, 1:22.
145 – Joiner, Bv, dec. (5) Dylan Baumgarner, 11, (18-9), PA, 6-4; Westerburg, K, dec (3) Chad Rogers, 11, (25-9), Key, 3-2.
152 – Lancaster, Cur, dec. (6) Cody McClintick, 11, (23-10), Bw, 14-10; Arnold, Cou, dec. (5) Eli Knapp,12, (24-10), PA, 5-4.
160 – Kindle, Sm, dec. Brandon Cherry, 9, (14-14), R, 5-1; Hetrick, Bv, major dec. Mike Lefay, 10, (7-8), Cl, 10-1.
170 – Redding, Key, dec. (5) Jamie Lingenfelter, 12, (19-4), 4-2; Ramadhan, PA, dec. (2) Noah Cieleski, 10, (23-6), Bv, 4-2.
182 – Junod, Cur, pinned Drake Mericle, 12, (12-10), K, 3:45; Burkhart, Cl, dec. (3) Xavier Molnar, 9, (16-12), Bv, 9-5.
195 – Hulings, K, pinned (4) Austin Gregerson, 9, (15-13), Sh, 5:23 (OT); Geyer, R, pinned (5) Pat Crawford, 10, (9-14), RV, 1:55.
220 – Quail, R, pinned (6) Josh Miller, 11, (12-13), Key, :43; Haines, RV, pinned (4) Gavin Yahner, 12, (11-9), Bw, 2:17.
285 – Dinch, Sm, pinned (7) Colton McClain, 10, (21-11), R, 1:39; Shumaker, RV, pinned (5) Zack Huet, 11, (17-7), Cl, 2:10.
CHAMPIONSHIP SEMIFINALS
106 – Park, Bv, pinned Barclay, R, 1:21; Struble, Cl, dec. Keenan, Cran, 3-1 (OT).
113 – Carlson, Bw, major dec. Kudrick, Cou, 11-1; Vollmer, PA, dec. Sorbin, Bv, 11-9.
120 – Ortz, Bv, tech fall Overbeck, Bw, 16-1 (2:59); Baumgratz, R, dec. Hancock, Cran, 7-3.
126 – T. Altobelli, RV, major dec. Glasl, Bw, 14-4; Aaron, Bv, pinned Lo. McClain, R, 1:34.
132 – Lindenmuth, Bw, tech fall Zimmerman, J, 15-0 (2:46); Saline, CC, major dec. Freer, PA, 12-1.
138 – Bloom, Cur, pinned Baughman, Key, 5:30; Shunk, Cou, dec. Gallo, RV, 3-2.
145 – Duffy, Cou, pinned Baumgarner, PA, 1:48; Rapp, Cl, dec. Rogers, Key, 5-4.
152 – Ji. Miller, Bv, pinned Lancaster, Cur, 3:49; Zacherl, Cran, dec. Arnold, Cou, 13-10.
160 – Truitt, RV, pinned Kindle, Sm, 4:05; Tanner, PA, dec. Hetrick, Bv, 4-1.
170 – Benson, Bw, dec. Lingenfelter, K, 7-0; Troutman, Cl, pinned Cieleski, Bv, 2:31.
182 – Stiglitz, Key, pinned Mericle, K, 5:07; Martino, Bw, dec. Molnar, Bv, 4-3.
195 – Sintobin, Cl, dec. Gregerson, Sh, 7-0; Cook, Bv, dec. Geyer, R, 2-1 (TB).
220 – Town, Bv, dec. Quail, R, 2-1 (TB); Budd, PA, dec. Haines, RV, 3-2.
285 – Karsten, CC, dec. Dinch, Sm, 4-0; Beal, Key, pinned Shumaker, RV, 3:30.
CONSOLATION QUARTERFINALS
(Curwensville Results)
106 – Wilson, RV, pinned (8) Anthony Winebold, 9, (9-16), Cur, 1:54.
113 – K. Altobelli, RV, pinned Seth Woolcock, 11, (8-22), Cur, 1:45.
120 – Norlin, J, pinned Jeremy Gardner, 10, (4-21), Cur, 4:44.
145 – Westerburg, K, dec. Sam Bressler, 12, (22-10), Cur, 8-6.
170 – Redding, Key, dec. (7) Kaleb Witherite, 10, (20-14), Cur, 9-6.
182 – Junod, Cur, dec. (6) Devon Brown, 10, (13-9), Sm, 4-3.
195 – Crawford, RV, pinned Jake Stiles, 12, (8-13), Cur, 1:15.
285 – Huet, Cl, pinned Seth Connors, 12, (6-13), Cur, :20.