PHILIPSBURG — The Philipsburg-Osceola Mounties and Clearfield Bison wrestling teams, bitter rivals for most of the 77 years they’ve been competing against each other, combined forces on Tuesday night to stage the first Takedown Cancer Match between the two schools.
All proceeds from this event were to go to the Emily Whitehead Foundation. There were all kinds of fundraising to choose from for those that wished to contribute – buying t-shirts, pledging dollar amounts for the number of takedowns, a bake sale, 50-50’s, a Chinese auction, and a silent auction.
It was announced by Philipsburg-Osceola Wrestling Club representative Dave Thompson during the break at the halfway point of the match that the fundraising efforts had raised approximately $20,000 for the worthwhile charity! Also speaking during the intermission was Emily’s father, Tom, who thanked everyone for their support over the years during, and after, his daughter’s illness. Mark McKnight, representing Penn State and the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club, also spoke.
Oh yeah, there was also a wrestling match to be held!
After Emily Whitehead flipped the disc to start the match, action began at 195 pounds.
Senior Levi Wisor (17-10) began the Bison stampede with a fall over Noah Quick (0-3) in 2:25, after building up a 6-2 lead on the strength of three takedowns.
The feature match of the night occurred at 220, where Bison senior Travis Ogden moved up to take on Philipsburg’s winningest wrestler Micah Sidorick (23-7). Sidorick scored that match’s opening takedown and held a slim 3-2 lead head to period number two. Sidorick picked up a reversal to up his lead to 5-2, but from then on it was all Ogden. Ogden, a notorious slow starter, had an escape, a takedown to take the lead, and a 3-point nearfall to lead 8-5 after four minutes. In the third period, Ogden extended his lead to 10-5 with a reversal, then pressed Sidorick to the mat in 4:48.
Nate Lash (20-10), a fellow senior who had four falls at the previous weekend’s Ultimate Warrior tournament, kept his momentum going from the tourney, as he wore down, then pinned Jordan Smith (5-6) in 4:35 after building up a 10-2 lead after a scoreless first period.
Sohomore Matt Ryan (19-10) made quick work of Mountie Braedon Butler (10-13) at 106 pounds with a fall in 1:22 to increase the Bison lead to 24-0.
Freshman Jude Pallo (15-12) had to work a little harder for his fall, which came in 2:37 over Noah Clark (3-5). Pallo held a 6-0 lead at the time of the fall to run the score to 30-0 in favor of the visiting Bison.
Philipsburg’s Noah Twoey (9-12) finally got his squad on the scoreboard with a 3:27 fall over Cole Smay (6-5) at 120 pounds.
The final bout before the intermission was a tussle between Clearfield senior Hunter Blake (14-9) and P-O sophomore Matt Johnson (19-8). Johnson made a first period takedown the difference in the 2-0 victory. Blake rode Johnson the entire two minutes of the second period, then chose neutral to start the third. And neutral is where it ended, as neither wrestler could score during the final period either. So, the match headed to the break at 30-9, favor of the Bison.
After the stoppage, Bryce Bennett (15-10) of the Mounties at 132 pounds was hoping to keep the momentum swinging the home team’s way. And he almost did. After a scoreless first period with Bison senior Josiah McClarren (18-10), Bennett reversed for a 2-0 lead heading to the final period. The always gritty McClarren escaped and picked up a takedown with about 30 seconds in the bout, then rode out Bennett for the exciting 3-2 win and a Bison lead of 33-9.
P-O did manage one last run at the Bison lead, cutting the margin all the way down to 15, at 33-18, after Levi Hughes (21-9) bested Logan Gilbert (16-12) 7-1 at 138 and Dakota Weitosh (22-17) made short work of Tallin Norris (15-16) at 145 with a first period fall.
Any hopes of a Mountie comeback were put to rest by Bison junior Zane Morgan (16-15) at 152. Morgan upped the Bison lead to 21 points with three bouts to go after his 1:21 fall over Payton Moore (3-10).
Nick Patrick (22-7) picked up what proved to be the host’s final points as he took down Steve Sawyer (0-1) nine times on his way to a 22-7 tech fall in 4:59 at 160 pounds.
Hunter Wright (8-6) got all of those points back, plus one, as he had the quickest fall of the Bison’s eight on the night, in 50 seconds over Ian Klinger (11-15).
The bout ended at 182 pounds where sophomore Luke McGonigal punctuated the Bison win with a dominating performance over Brandon Anderson (15-13). McGonigal ended the first period with an 11-3 lead on the strength of four takedowns and closed out the night with a pin in 2;29 to set the final score at 51-23.
Plans are already in the works for next year’s Takedown Cancer match, which will be hosted by Clearfield.
The Bison (12-2 overall, 5-0 Mountain League) return to the resilite on Thursday when they travel to Huntingdon to face the Bearcats in the match that will decide the 2015-16 Mountain League Championship, as Huntingdon is also 5-0 in the league.
195 Levi Wisor, C, pinned Noah Quick, PO 2:25 6 – 0
220 Travis Ogden, C, pinned Micah Sidorick, PO 4:48 12 – 0
285 Nate Lash, C, pinned Jordan Smith, PO 4:35 18 – 0
106 Matt Ryan, C, pinned Braedon Butler, PO 1:22 24 – 0
113 Jude Pallo, C, pinned Noah Clark, PO 2:27 30 – 0
120 Noah Twoey, PO, pinned Cole Smay, C 3:27 30 – 6
126 Matt Johnson, PO, decisioned Hunter Blake, C 2-0 30 – 9
132 Josiah McClarren, C, decisioned Bryce Bennet, PO 3-2 33 – 9
138 Levi Hughes, PO decisioned Logan Gilbert, C 7-1 33 – 12
145 Dakota Weitosh, PO, pinned Tallin Norris, C 1:19 33 – 18
152 Zane Morgan, C, pinned Payton Moore, PO 1:21 39 – 18
160 Niack Patrick, PO, tech falled Steve Sawyer, C 22-7 4:59 39 – 23
170 Hunter Wright, C, pinned Ian Klinger, PO :50 45 – 23
182 Luke McGonigal, C, pinned Brandon Anderosn, PO 2:29 51 – 23
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 51 – 23 12 – 2
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