SHARON — Curwensville Area High School junior wrestler Shae Bloom fell short of one goal, becoming a region champion in both AAA and AA, but realized two others at the Northwest Region Class AA Tournament Saturday in Sharon High School.
He rolled up a 15-0 technical fall against Luke Gallo of Redbank Valley in the morning semifinals for his 100th win, and that milestone victory guaranteed him a trip to the PIAA Tournament at Hershey for the third year in a row.
However, Bloom wasn’t able to add a Class AA gold medal to the Class AAA one he earned last year as a two-time District 9 champion for DuBois.
He had to settle for silver as Saegertown standout Tyler Vath (40-6) prevented him from getting into his offense and won their much-anticipated 138-pound Northwest Region Class AA title bout 9-1.
Bloom’s only point was the result of an illegal slam call on the initial takedown attempt by Vath, who was not to be denied his fourth region crown to go with four District 10 titles.
The Edinboro University recruit took the lead with a takedown late in the first period, but it wasn’t until the waning seconds of the middle period that he had a comfortable lead.
After escaping earlier for a 3-1 lead, Vath countered a Bloom takedown attempt for a five-point move.
“It was close until Shae tried a throw and got stuck on his back,” Curwensville coach Dean Swatsworth explained. “It was one of those situations where he thought he had an opportunity, and he took it. He wasn’t forcing anything. He was just wrestling.
“You wrestle a quality kid like that and give up five points, that‘s tough to recover from.”
Bloom (30-3) chose the top position for the third period but was unable to turn Vath, who made it a major decision by standing for an escape as the clock ran down toward the 20-second mark.
“They had us pretty well scouted,” Swatsworth added. “Shae tried to shoot a couple times and couldn’t reach him because he kept his one leg back.
“He (Vath) secured his fourth title and that shows he’s that good.”
In the semis, Bloom shut out Gallo for the third time this season, the previous two being major decisions.
The Golden Tide matman shot in for a quick takedown and later turning the Bulldog senior with a bar for a 5-0 lead.
He added takedowns and near falls in each of the last two periods for a technical fall at the buzzer.
Swatsworth expects Bloom to refocus and make a good showing in the three-day PIAA Class AA tourney that begins Thursday in the Giant Center.
“We think he has a real good shot to be on the podium,” Swatsworth said.
The other two Curwensville qualifiers were eliminated in the consolation quarterfinals.
Senior 152-pounder Jake Lancaster’s second trip to the regionals ended with a 16-6 loss to Eisenhower junior Louis Head, the D-10 fourth placer.
The D-9 bronze medalist hit a pancake for two-and-two, but Head reversed and took control of the match and made it a major decision with turnovers.
Lancaster, who won a D-9 gold medal at 126 as a sophomore, had a career record of 54-30.
“We were hoping for something better, but it just didn’t work out for Jake,” Swatsworth said.
Golden Tide junior 182-pounder Ben Junod had the misfortune of bumping into D-9 champ Michael Martino of Brockway.
The Rover junior, bouncing back from a somewhat surprising 9-0 loss to D-10 sixth placer Hunter Cox of Cambridge Springs in the quarterfinals, defeated Junod for the third time this season, 5-3. The previous two bouts also were close, 4-0 and 4-2.
Martino scored all of his points in the second period with two takedowns and an escape.
Junod reversed after the first takedown but couldn’t penetrate Martino’s defense for a tying takedown after escaping in the third period and finished 13-17.
“It was good experience for Ben, because he can come back next year,” Swatsworth said. “He’s gonna know what to expect and what to do.”
District 9 had a good showing with six champions, three from Brookville, and five runners-up.
Gavin Park (106), Taylor Ortz (120) and Jimmy Miller (152) were the Raider titlists. Ortz reigned last year at 113.
Also claiming crowns were Smethport’s James Duffy (145), Redbank Valley’s Keshon Truitt (160) and Cameron County’s Jack Karsten (285).
Perennial District 10 power Reynolds had three champs, Seth Hogue at 126, Michael Millero at 170 and Cole Rickert at 220, and walked off with its 18th team title with 135 points.
Vath was one of five Saegertown finalists, with 195-pounder Dylan Reynolds (46-0) climbing to the top of the medal stand for the third time, as the Panthers finished second with 112 points.
Rounding out the top five were Brookville (98.5), Greenville (98) and Redbank Valley (62).
In addition to Ortz, Rickert and Fort LeBoeuf’s Jarrette Carter (132) also won their second gold medals.
The other champs were Faris Messai of Jamestown at 113 and Dakota Geer of Franklin at 182.
With six bronze medalists and six fourth placers, District 9 will be represented by 23 wrestlers at the state tourney.
TEAM KEYS
Brockway (Bw); Brookville (Bv); Cambridge Springs (CS); Cameron County (CC); Clarion (Cl); Cochranton (Coch); Commodore Perry (CP); Conneaut (Con); Cranberry (Cran); Curwensville (Cur); Eisenhower (E); Fort LeBoeuf (FL); Franklin (Fr); Greenville (Gr); Hickory (Hi); Jamestown (Jam); Kane (K); Keystone (Key); Lakeview (L); Mercer (Mer); North East (NE); Port Allegany (PA); Redbank Valley (RV); Reynolds (Rey); Ridgway (Ridg); Saegertown (Sae); Seneca (Sen); Sharpsville (Sv); Sharon (Sha); Smethport (Sm); West Middlesex (WM).
CHAMPIONSHIPS
(District-Place, Name, Grade, Record, Team)
106 – (9-1) Gavin Park, 10, (30-7), Bv, dec. (10-1) Abe Guariello, 11, (37-7), FL, 4-3.
113 – (10-2) Faris Messai, 11, (31-1) Jam, dec. (9-2) Ryan Carlson, 11, (27-5), Bw, 5-3.
120 – (9-1) Taylor Ortz, 11, (37-2), Bv, dec. (10-1) Cole Matthews, 9 (39-6), Rey, 4-2.
126 – (10-1) Seth Hogue, 11, (38-5), Rey, dec. (9-1) Tanner Altobelli, 11, (31-7), RV, 4-2.
132 – (10-3) Jarrette Carter, 11, (30-6), FL, dec. (9-1) Mason Lindenmuth, 11, (29-3), Bw, 5-3 (OT).
138 – (10-1) Tyler Vath, 12, (40-6), Sae, major dec. (9-1) Shae Bloom, 11, (30-3), Cur, 9-1.
145 – (9-1) James Duffy, 11, (33-1), Sm, dec. (10-1) Nick Monico, 11, (23-5), Sae, 5-4.
152 – (9-1) Jimmy Miller, 12, (34-6), Bv, dec. (10-1) Blake Reynolds, 10, (32-6), Gr, 6-4.
160 – (9-1) Keshon Truitt, 12, (32-4), RV, dec. (10-1) Cody Mulligan, 9, (40-6), Sae, 5-3.
170 – (10-1) Michael Millero, 12, (33-10), Rey, dec. (10-2) Dan Simmerman, 11, (36-10), Sae, 11-4.
182 – (10-1) Dakota Geer, 11 (33-1), Fr, dec. (10-2) Garrette Reinwald, 12, (35-8), FL, 1-0.
195 – (10-1) Dylan Reynolds, 12, (46-0), Sae, dec. (10-2) Zach Miller, 12, (34-4), Gr, 11-6.
220 – (10-2) Cole Rickert, 10, (33-9), Rey, dec. (10-1) Zach Stafford, 11, (32-3), CS, 2-1.
285 – (9-1) Jack Karsten, 12, (30-1), CC, dec. (9-2) Tyler Beal, 11, (34-5), Key, 4-3 (UTB).
CONSOLATION FINALS
106 – (10-2) Sam Sallott, 9, (27-5), Ha, pinned (10-4) Justin Hicklin, 10, (34-6), Sh, :40.
113 – (10-1) Greg Bayless, 10, (33-11), Rey, dec. (9-1) Casey Vollmer, 12, (27-5), PA, 3-2.
120 – (10-2) Justin Walter 12, (27-9), Hi, dec. (10-3) Michael Lineman, 10, (26-12), Gr, 5-2.
126 – (9-2) Cole Aaron, 11, (28-10), Bv, dec. (9-3) Jack Glasl, 12, (28-10), Bw, 2-1.
132 – (10-1) Michael Bartolo 12, (36-5), Rey, dec. (10-2) Jude Mattocks, 10 (27-19), Sae, 4-2.
138 – (10-3) Luke Walter, 12, (32-7), GC, dec. (9-2) Adam Shunk, 11, (26-6), Sm, 3-2 (UTB).
145 – (10-3) Gavin Wilkerson, 10, (28-4), Gr, dec. (10-2) Adam Fish, 11, (29-7), Sen, 5-2.
152 – (9-2) Paul Zacherl, 11, (32-4), Cran, dec. (10-3) Gavin Krosen, 12, (30-9), WM, 6-3.
160 – (9-3) Caleb Hetrick, 9, (19-12), Bv, dec. (10-4) Colton Shilling, 12, (10-6), Gr, 4-1.
170 – (9-1) Anthony Benson, 12, (32-3), Bw, dec. (10-3) Chris Enos, 12, (24-5), Sv, 6-4 (OT).
182 – (10-3) Gage Gladysz, 11, (37-2), Gr, pinned (10-6) Hunter Cox, 11, (32-12), CS, 2:51.
195 – (9-1) Zach Sintobin, 11, (29-7), Cl, dec. (9-2) Ryan Geyer, 12, (24-7), Ridg, 7-3.
220 – (9-1) Ethan Budd, 11, (31-1), PA, pinned (9-3) Cal Haines, 12, (28-11), RV, 2:28.
285 – (10-1) Gene Ringer, 11, (38-8), Rey, dec. (9-3) Brylee Shumaker, 11, (34-3), RV, 3-2.
CONSOLATION SEMIFINALS
106 – Sallot, Ha, dec. (10-3) Josh Farmer, 9, (24-12), Sen, 6-0; Hicklin, Sh, pinned (9-2) Alex Struble, 11, (27-9), Cl, 4:25.
113 – Bayless, Rey, dec. (9-3) Kolten Altobelli, 12, (32-8), RV, 5-0; Vollmer, PA, dec. (10-3) Garrett Kopp, 9, (24-6), NE, 6-4.
120 – Lineman, Gr, major dec. (9-3) Josh Hancock, 10, (), Cran, 9-1; J. Walter, Hi, dec. (9-2) Drew Baumgratz, 10, (26-6), Ridg, 2-1.
126 – Glasl, Bw, dec. (10-3) Bingbong Elizon, 12, (30-15), Sae, 3-1; Aaron, Bv, dec. (10-2) Preston Hoover, 12, (25-9), Mer, 2-0.
132 – Bartolo, Gr, pinned (10-4) John Mott, 10, (27-8), CP, 2:09; Paxton, Gr, dec. (10-2) Jude Mattocks, 10, (27-18), Sae, 8-5.
138 – L. Walter, GC, dec. (10-3) Luke Gallo, 12, (28-13), RV, 1-0; Shunk, Sm, dec. (10-4) Chaise Hauck, 10, (23-16), Rey, 4-3 (TB).
145 – Wilkerson, Gr, dec. (9-3) Justin Westerburg, 12, (23-10) K, 7-2; Fish, Sen, major dec. (10-6), Tyler Gourley, 12, (19-17), E, 9-0.
152 – Krosen, WM, dec. (10-2) Joel Leise, 10, (11-7), Rey, 5-3; Zacherl, Cran, dec. (10-4) Louis Head, 11, (26-7), E, 9-7;
160 – Shilling, Gr, dec. (9-2) Mac Tanner, 11, (7-3), PA, 6-2; Hetrick, Bv, dec. (10-3) Ty Carey, 11, (32-10), Fr, 3-2 (TB).
170 – Benson, Bw, (9-2) Jake Troutman, 12, (15-5), Cl, 5-2; Enos, Sharp, dec. (9-4) Evan Redding, 11, (27-11), Key, 12-5.
182 – Cox, CS, dec. (9-2) Zach Stiglitz, 12 (28-6), Key, 6-3; Gladysz, Gr, dec. (9-1) Michael Martino, 11, (24-5), Bw, 5-1.
195 – Sintobin, Cl, dec. (10-3) Chris Mueller, 11, (28-7), Sv, 2-1 (TB); Geyer, Ridg, dec. (10-4) Marquis Spence, 12, (29-6) L, 2-0.
220 – Haines, RV, dec. (10-3) Andrew Clayton, 12, (29-10), L, 3-1; Budd, PA, major dec. (9-2) Bryce Town, 11, (22-8), Bv, 8-0.
285 – Shumaker, RV, pinned (9-4) Dylan Dinch, 11, (23-6), Sm, 2:42; Ringer, Rey, dec. (10-2) Evan Miller, 11, (24-11), Coch, 3-2.
CONSOLATION QUARTERFINALS
(Curwensville Results)
152 – Head, E, major dec. (9-3) Jake Lancaster, 12, (13-7), Cur, 16-6.
182 – Martino, Bw, dec. (9-3) Ben Junod, 11, (13-17), Cur, 5-3.
CHAMPIONSHIP SEMIFINALS
106 – Park, Bv, dec. Sallott, , Ha, 5-0; Guariello, FL, pinned Struble, Cl, 3:59.
113 – Carlson, Bw, dec. Bayless, Rey, 1-0; Messai, J, dec. Vollmer, PA, 8-1.
120 – C. Matthews, Rey, major dec. Lineman, G, 16-5; Ortz, Bv, tech fall J. Walter, Hi, 16-0 (4:13).
126 – T. Altobelli, RV, dec. Glasl, Bw, 13-6; Hogue, Rey, pinned. Aaron, Bv, 2:35.
132 – Carter, FL, dec. Bartolo, Rey, 4-2; Lindenmuth, Bv, dec. Mattocks, Sae, 7-3.
138 – Bloom, Cur, tech fall Gallo, RV, 15-0 (6:00); Vath, Sae, pinned Shunk, Sm, 2:32.
145 – Monico, Sae, pinned Wilkerson, Gr, 3:49; Duffy, Cou, dec. Fish, Sen, 5-2.
152 – J. Miller, Bv, dec. Leise, Rey, 2-1; B. Reynolds, Gr, pinned Zacherl, Cran, 1:06.
160 – Truitt, RV, dec. Hetrick, Bv, 8-2; Mulligan, Sae, dec. Tanner, PA, 7-3.
170 – Simmerman, Sae, dec. Benson, Bw, dec. 6-4; Millero, Rey, major dec. Enos, Sv, 13-4.
182 – G. Reinwald, FL, dec. Cox, CS, 5-3; Geer, Fr, dec. Gladysz, Gr, 6-0.
195 – D. Reynolds, Sae, dec. Mueller, Sv, 7-1; Z. Miller, Gr, dec. Spence, L, 2-1.
220 – Stafford, CS, dec. Clayton, L, 10-3; Rickert, Rey, dec. Budd, PA, 3-2.
285 – Karsten, CC, pinned Shumaker, RV, 3:14; Beal, Key, dec. Ringer, Rey, 2-1.
