With a huge matchup against the powerful Central Mountain Wildcats looming on the schedule, the Clearfield Bison wrestling team didn’t get caught looking ahead as they stayed undefeated on the year with a 48-17 thrashing of the Punxsutawney Chucks.
The match was never really close as the Bisons won 10 out of the 14 weight classes to improve their record to 3-0.
Nolan Barger got things rolling for the Bisons at 130, with a 4-2 decision over Punxsy’s Neko Cappella. Barger trailed 2-1 after the first period but scored on a quick escape and takedown at the start of the second period, then totally dominated Cappella by riding him out the remainder of the bout.
At 135, Troy Danver pitched a shutout against Caesar Maruca, 8-0, hitting a big 5-point move in the third period to put the bout away. The Chucks were hit with a team point deduction during the bout for unsportsman-like conduct against their bench.
Punxsy would light their side of the scoreboard at 140 as Seth Spack defeated Max Von Gunden by a score of 5-0. The Bisons got six points the easy way thanks to Andrew Hill receiving a forfeit at 145.
If you blinked you might have missed the quickest bout of the night when Clearfield’s Shane Harper at 152 flattened Duell Thompson in just 17 seconds. Harper used an ankle pick right off the whistle to put Thompson on his back for the ultra fast pin.
Punxsy answered with a pin of their own at 160 when Nathan McGregor decked Curtis Owens in the second period.
In a battle of Dereks at 171, Bison Derek Danver earned a 9-1 major decision over Derek Kerr of the Chucks.
At 189, freshman Jacob Verchick dropped a 6-3 decision to Punxsy’s Tige Woodson before Cliff Hill won by forfeit at 215.
Clearfield’s Jordan Lancaster earned his first dual meet victory of the season with a solid 9-3 victory over Tyler Titus at 285.
Clearfield’s first two lightweights stayed perfect on the year as Shane Peters at 103 registered a first period fall over Josh Shuckers in 1:13 and Christian Stone major decisioned Joel Bower, 17-5, at 112.
Punxsy’s fourth win of the night came at 119 where Devan Snyder pinned Clearfield’s Frankie Aveni in 3:30. Aveni was actually leading in the bout when Snyder caught his head and turned him onto his back.
Dylan Graham ended things for the Bisons with a third period fall over Anthony Pascuzzo at 125 to set the final at 48-17.
The Bisons have some time off over the Christmas break, returning to the mat on January 4 with a trip to Central Mountain.
Bout Recap Team Score
130 Nolan Barger, WBD, 4-2, over Neko Cappella C 3-0
135 Troy Danver, WBMD, 8-0, over Caesar Maruca C 8-0*
140 Max Von Gunden, LBD, 5-0, to Seth Spack C 8-2
145 Andrew Hill, WBForfeit C 13-2
152 Shane Harper, WBF, :17, over Duell Thompson C 19-2
160 Curtis Owens, LBF, 2:24, to Nathan McGregor C 19-8
171 Derek Danver, WBMD, 9-1, over Derek Kerr C 23-8
189 Jacob Verchick, LBD, 6-3, to Tige Woodson C 23-11
215 Cliff Hill, WBForfeit C 29-11
285 Jordan Lancaster, WBD, 9-3, over Tyler Titus C 32-11
103 Shane Peters, WBF, 1:13, over Josh Shuckers C 38-11
112 Christian Stone, WBMD, 17-5, over Joel Bowers C 42-11
119 Frankie Aveni, LBF, 3:30, to Devan Snyder C 42-17
125 Dylan Graham, WBF, 5:45, over Anthony Pascuzzo C 48-17
* Punxsutawney received a team point deduction for unsportsman-like conduct
