WILLIAMSPORT – After the first day of competition at the 2024 Tom Best Top Hat Tournament, the Clearfield wrestling team is right in the thick of things with six wrestlers in the quarterfinals and six more still alive in the consolation bracket, putting the Bison in second place in the team race, trailing leader Saucon Valley by just one point (70.5-69.5). Easton is tied with Clearfield in second place.

The 13-man Bison squad went 18-8 on the day, racking up 14 pins and a technical fall. The 14 total pins by Clearfield is the most by any team on Day 1. Saucon Valley and Southern Columbia are next with 10 apiece.

Bo Aveni (114), Colton Bumbarger (145), Colton Ryan (152), Brady Collins (172), Carter Freeland (189) and Nick Bailor (285) all advanced to the quarterfinal round. Bumbarger and Freeland each went 2-0, while Aveni, Ryan, Collins and Bailor all had a first-round bye followed by a victory.

Freeland’s two wins were both first-period falls, while Bumbarger picked up a decision and a pin. Bo Aveni, Ryan, Collins and Bailor followed up their first-round byes with pins in the Round of 16. Collins is the top seed at 172, Bailor is the No. 2 seed at 285 and Ryan is seeded third at 152.

Also still wrestling in the consolation bracket are Xavier Lutz (107), Connor Peacock (127), Bryndin Chamberlain (133), Cash Diehl (139), Ty Aveni (160) and Ryan Ludwig (215). Peacock, Diehl, Aveni and Ludwig all went 2-1 on the first day of wrestling.

Ty Aveni, Diehl and Ludwig all have two pins, while Chamberlain recorded a major decision and a pin.

Bison 121-pounder Dakota Shugarts was eliminated after going 1-2, his win a 13-3 major decision over Palisades’ Malaki Moore.

Saucon Valley (70.5), Clearfield (69.5), Easton (69.5), Connellsville (66.5) and Central Mountain (62.5) are the Top 5 teams in the standings out of 24 heading into Day 2.

Tom Best Memorial Top Hat Tournament Results for Clearfield Area Hs – courtesy of TrackWrestling

107 Xavier Lutz

• Champ. Round 1 – Xavier Lutz (Clearfield Area Hs) 19-19 received a bye () (Bye)
• Champ. Round 2 – Ethan Ritchey (Central York Hs) 2-0 won by fall over Xavier Lutz (Clearfield Area Hs) 19-19 (Fall 3:00)
• Cons. Round 2 – Xavier Lutz (Clearfield Area Hs) 19-19 received a bye () (Bye)

114 Bo Aveni

• Champ. Round 1 – Bo Aveni (Clearfield Area Hs) 35-6 received a bye () (Bye)
• Champ. Round 2 – Bo Aveni (Clearfield Area Hs) 35-6 won by fall over Sawyer Wolfkiel (Titusville Hs) 34-14 (Fall 3:32)

121 Dakota Shugarts

• Champ. Round 1 – Logan Maher (Emmaus Hs) 1-2 won by decision over Dakota Shugarts (Clearfield Area Hs) 22-19 (Dec 2-0)
• Cons. Round 1 – Dakota Shugarts (Clearfield Area Hs) 22-19 won by major decision over Malakai Moore (Palisades Hs) 0-2 (MD 13-3)
• Cons. Round 2 – Jacksin Smith (Halifax Area Hs) 24-12 won by major decision over Dakota Shugarts (Clearfield Area Hs) 22-19 (MD 8-0)

127 Connor Peacock

• Champ. Round 1 – Connor Peacock (Clearfield Area Hs) 15-8 won by tech fall over Payten Thomas (Halifax Area Hs) 8-16 (TF-1.5 3:04 (15-0))
• Champ. Round 2 – Bradyn Schadel (Line Mountain Hs) 27-15 won by major decision over Connor Peacock (Clearfield Area Hs) 15-8 (MD 15-2)
• Cons. Round 2 – Connor Peacock (Clearfield Area Hs) 15-8 received a bye () (Bye)

133 Bryndin Chamberlain

• Champ. Round 1 – Luke Garman (Central Mountain Hs) 9-4 won by decision over Bryndin Chamberlain (Clearfield Area Hs) 26-20 (Dec 7-6)
• Cons. Round 1 – Bryndin Chamberlain (Clearfield Area Hs) 26-20 won by fall over Ty King (Hempfield Area Hs) 0-2 (Fall 3:29)
• Cons. Round 2 – Bryndin Chamberlain (Clearfield Area Hs) 26-20 won by major decision over Blake Anderson (Central York Hs) 15-20 (MD 12-0)

139 Cash Diehl

• Champ. Round 1 – Cash Diehl (Clearfield Area Hs) 33-13 won by fall over Wyatt Snyder (Easton Area Hs) 1-1 (Fall 3:36)
• Champ. Round 2 – Xyler Sallit (Emmaus Hs) 27-3 won by fall over Cash Diehl (Clearfield Area Hs) 33-13 (Fall 5:46)
• Cons. Round 2 – Cash Diehl (Clearfield Area Hs) 33-13 won by fall over Dakota Marsh (Halifax Area Hs) 5-15 (Fall 2:31)

145 Colton Bumbarger

• Champ. Round 1 – Colton Bumbarger (Clearfield Area Hs) 24-18 won by fall over Gavin Ballay (Tri Valley Hs) 0-2 (Fall 1:38)
• Champ. Round 2 – Colton Bumbarger (Clearfield Area Hs) 24-18 won by decision over Brendan Bowman (Easton Area Hs) 4-4 (Dec 6-0)

152 Colton Ryan

• Champ. Round 1 – Colton Ryan (Clearfield Area Hs) 33-13 received a bye () (Bye)
• Champ. Round 2 – Colton Ryan (Clearfield Area Hs) 33-13 won by fall over Logan Armstrong (Emmaus Hs) 9-16 (Fall 2:39)

160 Ty Aveni

• Champ. Round 1 – Ty Aveni (Clearfield Area Hs) 39-22 won by fall over Leroy Corey (Hempfield Area Hs) 0-2 (Fall 3:10)
• Champ. Round 2 – Curtis Conrad (Halifax Area Hs) 15-8 won by decision over Ty Aveni (Clearfield Area Hs) 39-22 (Dec 12-6)
• Cons. Round 2 – Ty Aveni (Clearfield Area Hs) 39-22 won by fall over Caius Morrow (Southern Columbia Area Hs) 18-13 (Fall 1:39)

172 Brady Collins

• Champ. Round 1 – Brady Collins (Clearfield Area Hs) 47-4 received a bye () (Bye)
• Champ. Round 2 – Brady Collins (Clearfield Area Hs) 47-4 won by fall over Rodrigo Rodriguez-Teodoro (Cumberland Valley Hs) 0-1 (Fall 1:04)

189 Carter Freeland

• Champ. Round 1 – Carter Freeland (Clearfield Area Hs) 15-12 won by fall over Nick Sheasley (Saucon Valley Hs) 1-2 (Fall 1:22)
• Champ. Round 2 – Carter Freeland (Clearfield Area Hs) 15-12 won by fall over Nicholas Seese (Connellsville Area Hs) 1-1 (Fall 0:32)

215 Ryan Ludwig

• Champ. Round 1 – Ryan Ludwig (Clearfield Area Hs) 32-4 won by fall over Coy Campbell (Titusville Hs) 0-2 (Fall 4:37)
• Champ. Round 2 – Austin Johnson (Muncy Hs) 32-2 won by tech fall over Ryan Ludwig (Clearfield Area Hs) 32-4 (TF-1.5 3:20 (22-6))
• Cons. Round 2 – Ryan Ludwig (Clearfield Area Hs) 32-4 won by fall over A`aison Graham (Williamsport Area Hs) 0-2 (Fall 1:32)

285 Nick Bailor

• Champ. Round 1 – Nick Bailor (Clearfield Area Hs) 20-18 received a bye () (Bye)
• Champ. Round 2 – Nick Bailor (Clearfield Area Hs) 20-18 won by fall over William Barrett (Cumberland Valley Hs) 2-1 (Fall 0:56)