MORRISDALE — The Clearfield Bison wrestling team made the first Ultimate Warrior wrestling tournament at West Branch High School a huge success by having nine place winners and winning the team title.
The Bison’s 185 points was enough to hold off Brockway (160.5 points) and the host Warriors (158 points).
Leading the way for the Bison, as they have all season, were sophomore Luke McGonigal and senior Travis Ogden winning individual titles. They were followed by senior runner-up Logan Gilbert, senior third place finishers Josiah McClarren and Nate Lash, senior fourth placer Levi Wisor, junior fifth placer Zane Morgan, and sixth placers sophomore Matt Ryan and senior Tallin Norris.
McGonigal (24-2) cruised to his 170 pound title by getting two falls and two major decisions, including a 14-1 finals victory over undefeated senior Brent Troutman of Juniata Valley. Only up 2-0 after the first period, McGonigal scored three takedowns and tilted Troutman twice for back points over the final two periods. Troutman scored a lone escape in the third period while down 12-0 to get on the board. With still over a month to go in his sophomore season, McGonigal notched his 50th career win in the finals.
The final result was the same, but it wasn’t as easy for Ogden (23-1) to win his title at 195 pounds. Ogden scored two falls to secure his finals spot, but also was injured during his semifinal bout. Once medically cleared, Ogden also faced an undefeated wrestler in the finals, Bryce Shields of Dallastown. Ogden gave up the opening takedown, but reversed to even the score at 2-2. Shields got a late escape to take a 3-2 lead into the second period. Ogden chose down and again reversed to take his first lead of the match at 4-3. Once again Shields escaped to knot the match at 4-4. Ogden then scored his second takedown, only to see Shields get yet another escape, his third of the bout. After escaping three times already, Shields chose the down position to start the final period. Ogden then showed his grit and determination, while not 100%, and rode Shields the entire two minutes for the win. A three year starter, Ogden set his career mark at 83-20 with the victory.
At 138, Gilbert (16-11) just couldn’t generate any offense in his finals match against Marion Center’s Challen Cornetto (17-4). The bout was scoreless after the first period, but Gilbert took a 1-0 lead into the third period after an escape in the second. There, Cornetto scored the bout’s first takedown to take a 3-1 lead. Late in the match, Gilbert did escape to pull to within one point, but a desperate attempt at a takedown at the buzzer was thwarted by Cornetto, who got the takedown himself for a 5-2 final score.
After being defeated 9-4 in the semifinals by Brockway’s Mason Lindenmuth, 132 pound Josiah McClarren (17-10) picked up a 13-0 win in the consolation semifinals, then dominated Logen McClain (21-3) of Ridgway in the third place match 11-4.
Senior 220 pounder Lash (19-10) had a great tourney by picking up four falls. His only loss was a 10-6 semifinal loss to West Branch’s Vince McDowell. In his third place match, he was actually down 1-0 in the third period to Jack Marks (15-11) of Dallastown before turning and pressing him in 3:51. In Lash’s consy semi match he was down 3-0, came back to a 3-3 tie before picking up the fall in the second period at 2;52.
182 pounder Levi Wisor (16-10) lost in his quarterfinal bout on Friday night of the tourney, then ran off three wins in the wrestlebacks to reach the consolation finals. There he was beaten 3-0 by Dallastown’s Cameron Green (18-7), who had also lost in the quarters and fought his way back to third place.
At 152 Morgan evened his record on the season at 15-15 by going 4-2 to place fifth, one spot higher than where he was seeded.
Norris, at 145, maintained his .500 record going in to the tourney by going 3-3 to finish up at 14-14, placing sixth.
And at 106, Ryan (18-10) reached the semifinals, but lost his final three matches to finish sixth.
Clearfield (11-2) will travel to Philipsburg-Osceola on Tuesday night for the “Take Down Cancer” fundraiser match. Proceeds from the match will benefit the Emily Whitehead Foundation.
Click here for complete results of the Ultimate Warrior tourney courtesy Escape Sports.
Bison Scoreboard:
Date Opponent Score Record
12/04 & 05 Top Hat Tourney @ Williamsport 150.5 pts 4th Place
12/08 BALD EAGLE AREA 46 – 26 1 – 0
12/15 @ Central 54 – 18 2 – 0
12/17 @ Punxsutawney 69 – 9 3 – 0
12/22 @ DuBois 51 – 20 4 – 0
01/05 PENNS VALLEY 58 – 20 5 – 0
01/08 & 09 Tool City Tourney @ Meadville 162.5 pts 2nd place
01/12 @ Huntingdon ppd. 5 – 0
01/14 @ St. Marys 15 – 49 5 – 1
01/19 BELLEFONTE 45 – 24 6 – 1
01/23 CLEARFIELD BISON DUALS
01/23 vs. Port Allegany 57 – 16 7 – 1
01/23 vs. James M. Coughlin 63 – 15 8 – 1
01/23 vs. General McLane 46 – 21 9 – 1
01/23 vs. Curwensville 64 – 15 10 – 1
01/23 vs. Montoursville 13 – 57 10 – 2
01/26 TYRONE 75 – 6 11 – 2
01/29 & 30 @ West Branch Tourney 185 pts. 1st place
02/02 @ Philipsburg-Osceola
02/04 @ Huntingdon
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