Curwensville Wrestlers Lose 51-18 to Clarion

CURWENSVILLE — Curwensville Area High School coach Dean Swatsworth came into the season knowing dual meet wins would be hard to come by because of a lack of numbers, but he couldn’t mask his disappointment after Clarion handed the Golden Tide a 51-18 setback in Patton Hall Monday night.

“We didn’t show up,” he said. “We didn’t wrestle well at all.”

The Golden Tide mustered only two narrow decisions in the upper weights to go with two forfeits in the lower weights.

The outcome already had been determined before third-period points enabled 182-pounder Kaleb Witherite and heavyweight Steven McClure to have their hands raised.

Blake Passarelli and Dylan Myers were the beneficiaries of forfeits at 113 and 126, respectively.

Weight issues prevented the Golden Tide (2-7) from keeping the score more respectable.

“We had kids not make weight or not make weight where they needed to be,” Swatsworth said. “I know it’s a Monday match, but there’s no excuse for not making weight.

“You’ve gotta be somewhat disciplined. Coaches can only do so much. The kid has to do the rest. That just is maturing as a wrestler.”

The Bobcats were victorious in five of the seven contested bouts, including four by first-period falls.

They got off to a good start when Riley McMasters cradled Anthony Winebold in 16 seconds at 138 and Sterling Connor turned a 2-1 duel into an 8-3 decision by coming off the bottom to catch Cole Bressler on his back for a five-point move.

Following forfeits awarded to Elijah Monrean at 152 and Mike LeFay at 160, Colton Rapp locked up a cradle from the neutral position to pin Mason Lancaster at the 1:15 mark, thereby assuring the Bobcats of their 13th victory in 18 matches since they led 27-0 with two more forfeits coming and no bout at 120.

Witherite finally erased the home team’s goose egg, but not before having to register a pair of takedowns in the final 1:27 to slip past Seth Nellis 6-4.

Clarion picked up 12 more points in a hurry for a 39-3 bulge as Ben Smith posted a fall over Nick Stewart in 1:07 at 195 and Justin Goodman received a forfeit at 220.

McClure, No. 9 in last week’s Off The Mat Class AA state rankings, got a battle from Tommy Wurster, riding the Bobcat 285-pounder through the middle two minutes and finally standing for an escape with 31 seconds remaining to win 1-0.

The forfeit total climbed to seven, Logan Dehner (106) claiming Clarion’s fourth before Passarelli and Myers accounted for Curwensville’s final points.

Bobcat 132-pounder Frank Weber punctuated the 45-minute meet by pinning Ethan Collins in 1:03 with a double-leg grapevine.

Curwensville will close the regular season with two more home meets, Tuesday against Indiana and Thursday against Brockway.

CLARION 51, CURWENSVILLE 18

138 – Riley McMasters, Cl, pinned Anthony Winebold, :16. (6-0)
145 – Sterling Conner, Cl, dec. Cole Bressler, 8-3. (9-0)
152 – Elijah Monrean, Cl, won by forfeit. (15-0)
160 – Mike LeFay, Cl, won by forfeit. (21-0)
170 – Colton Rapp, Cl, pinned Mason Lancaster, 1:15. (27-0)
182 – Kaleb Witherite, Cur, dec. Seth Nellis, 6-4. (27-3)
195 – Ben Smith, Cl, pinned Nick Stewart, 1:07. (33-3)
220 – Justin Goodman, Cl, won by forfeit. (39-3).
285 – Steven McClure, Cur, dec. Tommy Wurster, 1-0. (39-6)
106 – Logan Dehner, Cl, won by forfeit. (45-6)
113 – Blake Passarelli, Cur, won by forfeit. (45-12)
120 – No bout.
126 – Dylan Myers, Cur, won by forfeit. (45-18)
132 – Frank Weber, Cl, pinned Ethan Collins, 1:03. (51-18)

Referee – Nick Sidorick.

Golden Tide Scoreboard: