HERSHEY — After winning their opening round match on Thursday afternoon over Burgettstown 42-27, the Bison ran into two teams full of buzzsaws on Friday at the Giant Center in Hershey at the PIAA Team Wresting Championships.
They were defeated by the District 3 champion Bishop McDevitt Crusaders (17-0) 35-21 in the quarterfinals, and then were eliminated by the District 4 champion Warrior Run Defenders 29-24 in the second round of consolations.
The 35-21 win over the Bison was the closest dual meet of the year for the undefeated Crusaders as they head into Friday night’s semifinals against Faith Christian Academy.
Picking up wins for the Bison against McDevitt were Nick Bailor at 285 by fall, Bryndin Chamberlain at 127 by regular decision, Brady Collins by fall at 152, and Hunter Ressler by fall at 215.
Out of the 26 wrestlers that took part in the Clearfield-McDevitt match, half were freshman or sophomores and only four were seniors.
Against the 23-1 Defenders, the Bison won the first three bouts to get out to a 12-0 lead.
Xavier Lutz (16-16) won 6-0 over Aaron Crisman (10-20) at 107, Dakota Shugarts (19-13) also had a shut out with a 5-0 win over Ryan Kemock (13-12) at 114, and Cash Diehl (25-9) had a fall in 3:29 against Caden Snyder (18-17).
Warrior Run got on the scoreboard at 127 with a 3-1 Gavin Hunter (20-12) over Bryndin Chamberlain (20-15).
The Defenders then ran out five state qualifiers, including three medalists, over the next six weight classes to take control the the meet.
At 133, Bison Colton Ryan (29-11) was major decisioned 10-0 by Max Wimsberger (36-2), a seventh place PIAA finisher last year.
State qualifier Tyler Ulrich (31-6) brought Warrior Run to within a point at 12-11 with his 13-3 major decision over Colton Bumbarger (20-14) at 139.
Returning state runner-up Reagan Milheim (36-2) gave the defenders the lead 17-12 after the 145 pound match when he pinned Bison Ty Aveni (29-16) in 2:18.
The marquee match up of the dual came at 152 where returning PIAA silver medalist and top ranked Cameron Milheim (36-2) faced off with PIAA fourth place finisher Brady Collins (36-2) of the Bisons.
After a scoreless first period, Collins escaped and then hit a 4-point move to take a 5-0 lead into the final period. Milheim managed an escape and late takedown as Collins held on for the 5-3 victory in the signature win.
17-15 was as close as the Bison would get, as the Defenders won the next two matches and three out of the next four to seal the win with one bout remaining.
Bison Will Domico (20-12) lost a 4-3 heartbreaker at 160 to Eli Butler (23-10), followed by another tight match, a 3-1 loss by Carter Freeland (10-8) to state qualifier Cole Shupp (32-7).
Carter Chamberlain (26-7) defeated Isiah Betz (24-11) 7-2 at 189 to get the Bison within five at 23-18, but Connor Parker (15-4) pinned Hunter Ressler (16-17) at 215 to assure the Warrior Run victory.
Bison heavyweight Nick Bailor (15-15) picked up his second pin of the day in 3:19 against Noah Johnson (4-4) to set the final at 29-24.
The Bison finished their dual meet season at 16-3, as the postponed match against BEA will not be made up.
The Bison now have two weeks to prepare for the 2024 post season which begins Friday February 23 at Clarion University with the PIAA AA District 9 Wrestling Championships.
Bison Scoreboard:
Date Opponent Score Record
12/01 & 02 @ Top Hat Tourney – Williamsport 133.5 pts. 6th place
12/05 ALTOONA 58 – 9 1 – 0
12/07 @ Penns Valley 37 – 24 2 – 0
12/12 PHILIPSBURG-OSCEOLA 42 – 25 3 – 0
12/14 @ DuBois 51 – 15 4 – 0
12/19 @ Brookville 48 – 20 5 – 0
12/21 TYRONE 51 – 20 6 – 0
01/05 & 06 @ Laurel Highlands Tourney – Tyrone 157 pts. 4th place
01/09 ST. MARYS ppd. 6 – 0
01/12 & 13 @ Mid-Winter Mayhem – IUP 138.5 pts. 3rd place
01/16 BALD EAGLE AREA ppd. 6 – 0
01/18 @ Huntingdon 43 – 22 7 – 0
01/20 BISON DUALS
01/20 vs. Kane 74 – 0 8 – 0
01/20 vs. Ridgway 66 – 10 9 – 0
01/20 vs. Union City 65 – 5 10 – 0
01/20 vs. Port Allegany 42 – 24 11 – 0
01/20 vs. Montoursville 31 – 32 11 – 1
01/23 ST. MARYS 48 – 11 12 – 1
01/27 & 28 @ Bedford Tourney 183.5 pts. 2nd place
01/30 @ Bellefonte 44 – 20 13 – 1
02/03 @ Team Districts – Brookville
02/03 vs. St Marys 43 – 20 14 – 1
02/03 vs. Port Allegany 45 – 24 15 – 1
02/09Â @ PIAA Team Duals
02/09 vs. Burgettstown 42 – 27 16 – 1
02/10 vs. Bishop McDevitt 21 – 35 16 – 2
02/10 vs. Warrior Run 24 – 29 16 – 3
02/23 & 24 @ District 9 Tourney – Clarion
03/01 & 02 @ Northwest Regional – Sharon
03/07 – 09 @ PIAA State Tourney – Hershey
