MORRISDALE — After one evening of wrestling at West Branch’s Ultimate Warrior Tournament, the Clearfield Bison wrestlers hold a slim two-and-a-half point lead over runner-up Altoona 89.5 to 87. With six wrestlers in Saturday morning’s 11:00 semifinals and another seven remaining in the 9:00 consolation quarterfinals, the Bison will have plenty of opportunities to add to their lead.
The rest of the top-5 in the team race are Brockway in third with 79.5 points, the host West Branch Warriors in fourth with 73, and fifth place belongs to a third District 9 team, along with Clearfield and Brockway, Ridgway with 71 points.
The Bison semifinalists are Matt Ryan (18-7) at 106, Josiah McClarren (15-9) at 132, Logan Gilbert (15-10) at 138, Luke McGonigal (22-2) at 170, Travis Ogden (21-1) at 195, and Nathan Lash (17-9) at 220.
Ryan picked up a first round fall and an entertaining quarterfinal victory over West Branch’s Tyler Denochick 10-7. The first period saw both wrestlers fight off of their back, with Ryan holding a slim 6-5 lead after the first two minutes. Ryan will face Freedom’s ZJ Ward (14-4) in the semifinals
McClarren had a fall and then defeated West Branch’s Dylan Confer 3-2 to advance and will see Brockway’s Mason Lindenmuth (20-1) in the semis.
Top seeded Logan Gilbert notched two falls and has Jerrell Kephart (9-6) from Altoona for his next match.
Sophomore top-seed Luke McGonigal also picked up two falls for the Bison and will face Brockway’s Michael Matino (8-1), who also had two fall Friday evening, in Saturday morning’s action. McGonigal gave up the opening takedown in his quarterfinal match and was knotted up at two apiece at the end of one. It was all McGonigal after though, as he held a 10-2 lead after two before picking up the third period fall.
Odgen, the third Bison top seed, had a short night as he had a first round bye and a first period fall. He will meet Jerry Moore (16-3) of Blairsville in the semis.
And Lash, the last Bison semifinalist, also kept the bonus points coming with two falls. Lash will face Vince McDowell (20-1), who suffered his lone defeat at the Bison Duals last weekend, from West Branch in the semis.
Picking up first round wins, and then were defeated out in the quarterfinals were Jude Pallo (14-11) at 113, Tallin Norris (12-12) at 145, Zane Morgan (12-14) at 152, Levi Wisor (13-9) at 182, and Hunter Bumbarger (10-7) , who actually had a first round bye at 285.
Losing in the first round, and then picking up consolation round wins Friday night were Hunter Blake (14-7) at 126 and Hunter Wright (7-5) at 160.