Bison Wrestlers Come Up Short in Upset Bid at BEA

WINGATE — Off of their strong showing at the season-opening Top Hat Tournament, the Clearfield Bison wrestling team looked to kick off their dual meet season in winning fashion, but with the daunting task of facing the Bald Eagle Area Eagles on the road in Wingate.

The Bison Bison could not have gotten off to a better start than they did.

Karson Kline gave the Bison an early 6-0 lead (Photo by Eve Siegel)

Up 7-0 after the opening period, Bison sophomore Karson Kline at 138 needed only 25 seconds of the second period to turn and press BEA’s Kevin Taylor to give the visitors the early lead in the dual.

At 145, the momentum really swung the Bison’s way when Justin Hand, after giving up the opening takedown, escaped then took down Garrett Burns and pinned him just five seconds before the period ended as the Bison raced out to a 12-0 lead.

The hosts then ran out former state placewinner Gage McClenahan, who missed all of last season due to injury, at 152 who built up a 13-4 lead over Luke Freeland before pinning him at the 2:55 mark to cut the Bison lead in half, 12-6.

Drew Koleno drew the Eagles even at 12-12 with a first period fall over Izak Thompson at 160.

The Bison’s lone returning state qualifier Mark McGonigal made it five pins in a row to start the dual, getting the fall just past the halfway mark of the match in 3:19 over Matthew Knepp, making it 18-12 Clearfield.

The first bout to go the distance came at 182 when BEA’s Noah Foltz turned a 4-0 third period deficit in to a 6-4 win over Hayden Kavolick with a takedown and two sets of 2-point nearfalls, the second set possibly of the phantom variety.

At 195 senior Brett Zattoni solidified his early case for most improved wrestler by earning a 9-4 workmanlike victory over Chandler Burns to put the Bison up 21-15.

Newcomer Matt Bailor picked up his varsity win the easy way when he received a forfeit at 220 to give the Bison a 27-15 lead.

Bison sophomore Oliver Billotte then bumped up to 285 to face the much stockier David Close. Billotte never came close to giving up a point and won a 3-0 match that wasn’t that close.

With the Bison lead at 30-15, the match turned the corner to 106 where the Bald Eagles had a decided edge.

The Bison forfeited to 106 pounder Coen Bainey, then put up good fights the rest of the way, but the Eagles ran off four consecutive wins to complete their comeback and the send the Bison back down Interstate-80 on the short end of a 39-30 final.

In an entertaining bout at 120, Bison Derrick Bender was edged 13-12 after 14 points were scored in the final period.

The Bison (0-1) will look to even their season record when they host the DuBois Beavers on Friday night in the annual Pete Morrelli Memorial match.


	Bout by bout summary:	BEA	C
138	Karson Kline (Clearfield) over Kevin Taylor (Bald Eagle Area) (Fall 2:25)	0	6
145	Justin Hand (Clearfield) over Garrett Burns (Bald Eagle Area) (Fall 1:55)	0	12
152	Gage McClenahan (Bald Eagle Area) over Luke Freeland (Clearfield) (Fall 2:55)	6	12
160	Drew Koleno (Bald Eagle Area) over Izak Thompson (Clearfield) (Fall 1:05)	12	12
170	Mark McGonigal (Clearfield) over Matthew Knepp (Bald Eagle Area) (Fall 3:19)	12	18
182	Noah Foltz (Bald Eagle Area) over Hayden Kavolick (Clearfield) (Dec 6-4)	15	18
195	Brett Zattoni (Clearfield) over Chandler Burns (Bald Eagle Area) (Dec 9-4)	15	21
220	Matt Bailor (Clearfield) FORFEIT	15	27
285	Oliver Billotte (Clearfield) over David Close (Bald Eagle Area) (Dec 3-0)	15	30
106	Coen Bainey (Bald Eagle Area) FORFEIT	21	30
113	Jeffrey Piffer (Bald Eagle Area) over Evan Davis (Clearfield) (Fall 1:30)	27	30
120	Gabe Millward (Bald Eagle Area) over Derrick Bender (Clearfield) (Dec 13-12)	30	30
126	Cooper Gilham (Bald Eagle Area) over Nolan Barr (Clearfield) (Fall 3:59)	36	30
132	Drake Holderman (Bald Eagle Area) over Peyton Smay (Clearfield) (Dec 6-1)	39	30

Bison Wrestlers Come Up Short in Upset Bid at BEA

Jay Siegel

Bison Cagers Victorious in Mountain League Opener

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