INDIANA — Finally with everyone back from illness and injury, the Clearfield Bison put their strongest team of the year on the mat at the 57-team Mid-Winter Mayhem Tournament at the Kovalchick Convention Center at IUP this past weekend.
The result was a third place finish, only behind state and national caliber Bishop McCort and AAA perennial Central Mountain.
Junior Brady Collins (18-2) led the Bison contingent as he reached the 152 pound championship finals on the strength of a tech fall and four consecutive pins. Collins was denied the title by Bishop McCort freshman Melvin Miller (30-2). After a scoreless first period, Collins scored the opening point with an escape with 40 seconds remaining in the second period, only to be taken down by Miller a few seconds later. Up 2-1 going into the final period, Miller added an escape to set the final at 3-1.
Collins was joined on the medal stand by teammates Carter Chamberlain (10-4), who placed 6th at 215, and Ty Aveni (16-9), who placed eighth at 145.
Two other Bison made it to Saturday’s wrestling, but were defeated in blood round to finish in the top-12. They were fellow sophomores Cash Diehl (10-7) at 121 and Colton Ryan (14-8) at 133.
Curwensville’s Logan Aughenbaugh (21-2) was the lone Tide survivor to Saturday’s wrestling. He ended up seventh at 172 pounds. The Golden Tide finished in 47th place overall.
Clearfield (6-0) will host Bald Eagle Area, sixth at the Mid-Winter Mayhem tourney and also undefeated at 6-0, on Tuesday night, while the Tide (5-7) host Juniata Valley (4-7) the same night.
Complete tourney results, including final team standings, can be found by clicking HERE, courtesy PA-Wrestling.com.