With 28 wrestlers in the room, including 12 letter winners and five returning District 9 AAA champions, the 2015-16 edition of the Clearfield Bison wrestling team is expecting big things.
Under the tutelage of 16th year Head Coach Jeff Aveni, the Bisons are looking to improve upon their 7-9 dual meet record and second place finish to St. Marys in the D9-AAA Team Duals of a year ago.
After losing just three seniors off of last year’s team – Noah Cline, Grant Climie, and Brian Thorpe – this year’s senior-laden team is poised to do just that.
The Bison open their season this Friday with their usual season-opening trip to Williamsport High School for the Top Hat Tournament. The schedule for this season is similar to year’s past, except the West Branch Ultimate Warrior Tournament will replace the New Oxford Tourney.
There is one major change to the schedule – as Clearfield High School will host the District 4-9 AAA and District 9 AA Championships on February 26 and 27. That, plus the five returning champs, makes Clearfield the early favorite to defend their individual team title of a year ago.
The five returning district champs are Josiah McClarren, Logan Gilbert, Luke McGonigal, Travis Ogden, and Nate Lash.
This year’s line-up, at least at the beginning, will boast seven seniors, the most for Clearfield in quite some time.
The starting line-up (subject to change) for the Top Hat looks like this:
106 – Matt Ryan, sophomore; 113 – Jude Pallo, freshman; 120 – Alec Graham, sophomore; 126 – Quentin Edwards, sophomore; 132 – Hunter Blake, senior; 138 – Josiah McClarren, senior; 145 – Logan Gilbert, senior; 152 – Tallin Norris, senior; 160 – Zane Morgan, junior; 170 – Levi Wisor, senior; 182 – Luke McGonigal, sophomore; 195 – Travis Ogden, senior; 220 – Hunter Bumbarger, junior; 285 – Nate Lash, senior.
With plenty of depth at most weight classes, and the two-pound weight allowance after January 1, the line-up could alter greatly depending upon match-ups in the dual meets.
Assisting Coach Aveni this year will be Brent Lykens, Andy Squires, Myles Caragien, and Nate Sipes.
Roster (*- denotes letter winner)
Seniors: Hunter Blake, Josiah McClarren*, Tallin Norris*, Logan Gilbert*, Scott Kessler, Levi Wisor*, Corey Shimmel, Travis Ogden*, Nate Lash*
Juniors: Christian Leigey, Thayne Morgan*, Jacob Carter, Jarrett McCracken*, Steven Sawyer*, Zane Morgan*, Seth Caldwell, Trey Carruthers, Hunter Bumbarger, Richard Massimino
Sophomores: Matt Ryan*, Alec Graham, Quentin Edwards, Dylan Wilt, Colton Probst, Hunter Wright, Luke McGonigal*
Freshmen: Cole Smay, Jude Pallo
Bison Schedule:
| Date | Opponent |
| 12/04 & 05 | Top Hat Tourney @ Williamsport |
| 12/08 | BALD EAGLE AREA |
| 12/15 | @ Central |
| 12/17 | @ Punxsutawney |
| 12/22 | @ DuBois |
| 01/05 | PENNS VALLEY |
| 01/08 & 09 | Tool City Tourney @ Meadville |
| 01/12 | @ Huntingdon |
| 01/14 | @ St. Marys |
| 01/19 | BELLEFONTE |
| 01/23 | CLEARFIELD BISON DUALS |
| 01/26 | TYRONE |
| 01/29 & 30 | @ West Branch Tourney |
| 02/02 | @ Philipsburg-Osceola |
| 02/06 | District 9 Team Duals |
| 02/26 & 27 | District 9 Champs @ Clfd HS |
| 03/04 & 05 | Northwest Regionals @ Altoona |
| 03/10-03/12 | PIAA States @ Hershey |
