HYDE — In the first ever match up between two of the most storied programs in Pennsylvania wrestling history, the undefeated District 10 champion Reynolds Raiders (16-0) held serve and bested the host and District 9 champion Clearfield Bisons (16-6) 37-24 inside the Arthur J. Weiss Gymnasium on Tuesday night.
The Reynolds Raiders have the most PIAA Team Wrestling titles with eight, while Clearfield has the most individual PIAA State Champions with 41.
On the line Tuesday night was advancement to the PIAA AA quarterfinals at the Summit Arena in Johnstown on Friday evening.
The match started at 127 and Reynolds was forced to send out first, which they did by sending two-time state placewinner Logan Stewart (36-2) to the mat. Clearfield Bison Head Coach Jeff Aveni decided the best strategy for his team to win the dual meet would be to forfeit to Stewart and bump a couple of his wrestlers up a weight class.
So, down 6-0 in team score to start, Clearfield’s Bo Aveni (29-9) went out at 133 to face Sabatino Sciullo (25-11). After almost hitting his patented lefty headlock, Aveni headed to the second period in a scoreless tie. Sciullo opened the scoring with an escape and eventual takedown in the second to take a 4-0 lead to the final period. Another escape made it 5-0. Aveni just couldn’t quite hit the big throw that he needed and Sciullo hit a late 7-point move, and almost pinned Aveni shortly before the buzzer, in a 12-0 major decision that gave the visitors an early 10-0 lead. The Bison strategy was the correct one, but it also ultimately backfired on the Bisons with Sciullo’s bonus point win.
At 139, Clearfield’s Bryndin Chamberlain (31-8) breathed some life into the Bison faithful with a 17-4 major decision against Hudson Wolbert (17-11). Chamberlain had five takedowns and a reversal, while Wolbert scored all four of his points on escapes.
Fellow senior Cash Diehl (28-8) at 145 one-upped Chamberlain by earning a five point bonus win 16-1 over Emmett Floch (16-15). Diehl was up 7-0 after one, and 11-0 after two periods before getting the tech with a reversal and then, after giving up an escape, another takedown at the 4:45 mark to bring the Bisons within one point at 10-9.
An entertaining match at 152 eventually bumped the Raiders lead to 13-9 in the team score when Greydon Gustas (33-5) shutout Colton Bumbarger (23-11) by a 5-0 count. Bumbarger worked all match trying to get a big move against the favored Gustas, but a five point second period proved to be the difference in the match.
Colton Ryan (27-8) actually gave the hosts the lead, 14-13, as he used six takedowns in only 3:44 to win 19-4 over Elijah Miller (13-16) at 160.
Coming in as a slight underdog record-wise didn’t deter Clearfield’s Tim Taylor (18-15) in his match with fellow sophomore Chris Elliott (17-11) at 172. Taylor was dominant on his feet, scoring a takedown in each period in a much needed bonus point win, 10-2, that put the Bisons up 18-13.
Unfortunately for the home squad, Reynolds had the advantage in the heavyweights as they swept 189, 215, and 285 to take a lead they would not relinquish even after the match turned the corner to the lightweights.
Clearfield’s Brayden Wills (24-12) put up a valiant effort against Reynolds state qualifier Emery Johnson (31-5), but Johnson was able to score a late takedown to get a bonus point win 12-4 that brought the visitors to within one at 18-17.
Reynolds finally got the lead back for good at 215 when Rocky Floch (25-6) shut out Clearfield’s Ryan Ludwig (19-13), who also put up a valiant effort against a favored opponent, 5-0. A third period takedown sealed it for Floch after a scoreless first period and a reversal for Floch in the second period gave him his other two points.
Up 20-18, Reynolds sealed the deal with what turned out to be mismatches on paper, and on the mat, at 285 and 107.
Colton Tupper (32-4) scored 20 points in the first period, via four takedowns and three sets of nearfall points, in a 20-3 tech fall in 1:52 over Matthew Peace (21-14).
The match at 107 didn’t go a full period either, as Nico Lomonte (15-13) built up a 6-0 lead and then pinned Jahaziah Dorsey (6-20) in 1:50 to give Reynolds their biggest lead of the night at 31-18, mathematically eliminating the Bisons with just two bouts to go.
At 114, Matt Rowles (26-3) ended the 4-bout winning streak by the Raiders with the quickest pin of the night in 55 seconds after getting an early 6-1 lead against Parker Grosse (9-13).
The match ended at 121 when Reynolds’ Waylon Waite (23-6), a former state qualifier, pinned Clearfield’s Paxton Parada (9-20) in 2:27 after only leading 3-0 after the opening period.
With the result, the Clearfield Bisons ended their dual meet season with a 16-6 overall record and will look forward to the individual District 9 Wrestling Championships on February 20 and 21 at Clarion University, while the 16-0 Reynolds Raiders will put their undefeated season on the line against undefeated Bishop McDevitt (17-0) on Friday in the PIAA quarterfinals.
CLEARFIELD BISON SCOREBOARD:
| Date | Opponent | Score | Record |
| 12/5 & 6 | @ Top Hat Tourney (Williamsport) | 137 pts. | 6th place |
| 12/9 | @ DuBois | 38 – 31 | 1 – 0 |
| 12/11 | PHILIPSBURG-OSCEOLA | 40 – 27 | 2 – 0 |
| 12/18 | ST. MARYS | 44 – 25 | 3 – 0 |
| 12/27 & 28 | @ Wheeling Park Duals (WV) | Â | Â |
| 12/27 | vs. John Glen (OH)Â | 59 – 9 | 4 – 0 |
| 12/27 | vs. Waynedale (OH) | 32 – 33 | 4 – 1 |
| 12/27 | vs. Oak Glen (WV) | 58 – 21 | 5 – 1 |
| 12/27 | vs. Herbert Hoover (WV) | 50 – 30 | 6 – 1 |
| 12/28 | vs. Loveland (OH) | 53 – 27 | 7 – 1 |
| 12/28 | vs. Solon (OH) | 52 – 18 | 8 – 1 |
| 12/28 | vs. St. Xavier (OH) | 30 – 44 | 8 – 2 |
| 12/28 | vs. Carrollton (OH) | 49 – 23 | 9 – 2 |
| 1/2 & 3 | @ LHAC Championship (Central Cambria) | 159 pts. | 4th place |
| 1/6 | BALD EAGLE AREA | 42 – 19 | 10 – 2 |
| 1/13 | @ Huntingdon | 39 – 30 | 11 – 2 |
| 1/15 | @ Bellefonte | 34 – 35 | 11 – 3 |
| 1/17 | BISON BISON DUALS | Â | Â |
| 1/17 | vs. Central Clarion | 63 – 9 | 12 – 3 |
| 1/17 | vs. General McLane | 28 – 32 | 12 – 4 |
| 1/17 | vs. Williamsport | 63 – 8 | 13 – 4 |
| 1/17 | vs.Cranberry | 60 – 12 | 14 – 4 |
| 1/20 | @ Penns Valley | 23 – 38 | 14 – 5 |
| 1/23 & 24 | @ Thomas Automotive Tourney (Bedford) | 141.5 pts. | 5th place |
| 1/31 | District Duals @ Brookville | Â | Â |
| 1/31 | vs. St. Marys | 46 – 23 | 15 – 5 |
| 1/31 | vs. Brookville | 51 – 18 | 16 – 5 |
| 2/3 | PIAA Team Wrestling | Â | Â |
| 2/3 | vs. Reynolds | 24 – 37 | 16 – 6 |
| 2/20 & 21 | D9 Championship Tourney @ Clarion | Â | Â |
| 2/27 & 28 | NW Regional Tourney @ Sharon | Â | Â |
| 3/5 – 7 | PIAA State Tourney @ Hershey | Â | Â |
