INDIANA, PA — The Clearfield Bison and Curwensville Golden Tide wrestling teams made their first ever appearances at the Mid-Winter Mayhem Tournament on the campus of Indiana University of Pennsylvania on Friday night.
Despite being short two starters, the Bison will send six wrestlers to Saturday morning’s semifinals, still have one left in the wrestlebacks, and sit in second place in the team race, just one point behind Quakertown.
The Tide on the other hand, also short handed, didn’t have anyone make it through Friday’s grueling opening day of action. The Tide could only send eight to the tourney, with three of them picking up two wins before bowing out.
Damian Brady at 106, Ryder Kuklinskie at 132, and Zach Shaffer at 145 each went 2-2. Trenton Guiher went 1-2 at 215, while JD Strong at 160, Chase Irwin at 172, and Alex Shaffer at 189 each went two and through.
The Tide are in 25th place out of 30 teams with 22 points.
Bison 113 pounder Evan Davis went 2-0 with two first period falls to reach the semifinals. The number three seed, he’ll face the number two seeded Weston Pisarchick of Brockway.
Freshman 126 pounder Brady Collins, the number four seed, went 3-0 with two pins and will face top seeded JoJo Przbycien of Fort LeBoeuf.
The Bison heavyweights have been a Murderers Row thus far this year and they did not disappoint during the first day of the Mayhem, as they have semifinalists at the last four weight classes.
Third seeded Mark McGonigal at 172 went 2-0 to up his career win total to 95 and will face Tucker Hogan, the number two seed from Daniel Boone High School.
Carter Chamberlain, the four seed at 189, went 3-0 with three falls and will face top seeded Danny Church from Fort LeBoeuf.
At 215, the number two seed Hayden Kovalick was 2-0 on the day and will meet North Allegheny’s third seeded Alden Buggey.
And 285 pounder Oliver Billotte remained the lone undefeated Bison as he went 3-0 with two falls and a tech fall. The top seed, Billotte will meet Brockway’s Gavin Thompson Thompson, the four seed.
Nolan Barr, at 132, is the lone Bison in the consolations and is guaranteed a podium spot as well. The nine seed, Barr was 3-1 and will face the five seed, Todd McGann of team leading Quakertown.
Luke Freeland was 3-2 at 145 with three falls, Wyatt Ryorda was 2-2 at 160, Adam Rougeux at 120 and Ty Aveni at 138 each went 1-2. Karson Kline at 152 lost his first match and forfeited out due to sickness after that.
Team Standings Courtesy Flo Arena