Clearfield Rallies Past Penns Valley 37-32

CLEARFIELD – Utilizing three forfeits, and getting pins in the last two matches of the night, Clearfield was able to eek by Penns Valley 37-32, giving the Bison a three match win streak and putting their record above .500 for the season at 3-2.

The match started at 132 when Bison junior Jude Pallo (4-4) wrestled the Rams’ Clayton Royer. It only took Royer 32 seconds to lock up a near side cradle for the fall, and put the Rams up 6-0.

Bison senior Quentin Edwards (3-5) wasn’t phased by the outcome of his teammate’s performance, and he went on to get a workmanlike victory over the Rams’ Charles Martin at 138. After giving up a takedown in the first period, Edwards was able to work an escape to be down 2-1. Edwards took bottom to start the second period, where he was awarded a point on Martin’s interlock error. Then Edwards got a reversal and a takedown to make the match 6-3 in his favor. In the third period, Edwards showed off his stamina, notching three takedowns for a final score of 12-6. The team score was 6-3, Rams.

At 145, sophomore Nate Barr (3-1) received a forfeit for Clearfield, but the Rams would respond with four consecutive victories.

Bison junior Caleb Freeland (5-3) bumped up to 152 to face off against Clayton Upcraft, but he gassed himself trying to throw too many haymakers throughout the match. Going into the third period, Freeland was up 1-0, but he gave up an escape and a takedown to lose 3-1, and the Rams tied the match at 9-9.

Then Bison Cole Smay (0-1) wrestled his first match of the season against the Rams standout Abraham Allebach, where he was pinned in 3:07 at 160, putting Penn’s Valley up 15-9.

Following that, Bison senior Hunter Wright (2-6) bumped up a class to wrestle the 170 pound Ram Carter Felker. After a scoreless first period, Wright got an escape in the second period, only to be taken down, and in the third period Wright was reversed and rode out to lose the match 4-2, widening the lead the Rams had to 18-9.

Clearfield sophomore Brett Zatoni (1-5) wrestled up to 182 against Penn’s Valley’s Isaac Spotts, and he lost a tough 3-2 match, where he nearly took down Spotts on multiple occasions in the third period. At this point, Clearfield was down 21-9.

Fortunately, Clearfield received forfeits at 195 and 220, with wins going to Brandon Daubs (2-5) and Luke McGonigal (8-0). The crowd booed when Penn’s Valley chose not to send a wrestler out against McGonigal, but the result would have likely remained the same, with Luke bumping up to try and get the best match he could in the first place. This tied the match at 21-21, breathing fresh life into Clearfield.

At 285, Dillion Covalt of Penn’s Valley was able to have his way with Bison junior Avry Gisewhite (5-4), leading 8-0 before turning Gisewhite and pinning him in 4:07. The Rams were leading the way again, up 27-21 with only the light weight bouts remaining.

Luckily for the Bison, Angelo Maines (3-6) was able to take down Justin Darlington at will in their 106 pound bout. The Bison freshman worked two first period takedowns to be up 4-1 at the end of the first. Then, Maines chose neutral and got another takedown and a set of backpoints to be up 9-1 entering the third period, where Darlington rode him out. Maines got valuable bonus points for the Bison, but they were still down 27-25 with three matches remaining.

The Rams’ Baylor Shunk worked Bison junior John Thomas (4-6) for a 17-2 tech fall in 4:48 at 113 pounds, using a variety of moves from slick duck unders to a deadly spread eagle. And with just two bouts remaining, the Rams were up 32-25, meaning the Bison would need bonus points in at least one of their next two matches for a victory.

And bonus points they got.

At 120, sophomore Peyton Smay (4-3) got four takedowns and a set of backpoints before pinning Thomas Dolheimer  in just 1:41. This made the match 32-31, Rams

Then senior Bison Matt Ryan (7-1) took the mat against the Rams’ Haden Stamm, and he worked two quick takedowns of his own before pinning Stamm in 1:42, and giving the Bison the come-from-behind victory.

When the dust settled, Clearfield was able to pull off the win having won only four of the 11 matches wrestled. They will return to action this Friday and Saturday at the annual Tool City Tournament in Meadville.

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