BROOKVILLE, Pa. (EYT/D9) — The Clearfield Bison jumped out to a 21-0 lead after four bouts and then fought off occasional surges by the Port Allegany Gators to win the District 9 2A Dual Team finals, 45-24, Saturday at Brookville Jr./Sr. High School.
(Pictured above, the Clearfield wrestling team after winning the District 9 2A Dual Team title)
With the win, the Bison claimed their first district championship since 2016 when they were still competing in 3A, and will next wrestle at the PIAA Team Championship, which starts Thursday at the Giant Center in Hershey.
Clearfield came close to the district 2A championship last season, but lost in the finals to Brookville, 33-26 – a defeat that served as motivation this time out.
“You don’t know how many times we’ve come close (since 2016),” said Clearfield coach Jeff Aveni. “The entire team, even Will Domico who didn’t wrestle last year (in the team tournament), they said when we walked out of here last year, ‘We will win this.’ It was number one on our list and I’m just happy for them.
“We had to show up and do our job. I think that was the biggest thing, to just stay within ourselves, wrestle hard, and compete. We talked a lot about having fun, but sometimes pressure takes away the fun and I think we started having fun (in the finals). We wrestled well, we have some things to work on, but overall a good performance.”
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The result of the final-round match-up was not necessarily unexpected, Clearfield downing Port Allegany, 42-24, two weeks prior (Jan. 20).
Clearfield started off the championship match hot – winning the first four bouts, three by fall, staking itself to a 21-0 advantage.
Wrestling began at 133 pounds, where Colton Ryan got things going for the Bison by pinning Colton Furguson in the first period (1:28).
Colton Bumbarger mimicked his teammate Ryan at 139 pounds, sticking Kelvin Burgess at the exact same time (1:28).
The first match that went the distance occurred next when Bison 145-pounder Ty Aveni won a 2-0 decision over Alden Furgeson, a second-period reversal the difference.
Clearfield returned to its pinning ways at 152 pounds, Brady Collins earning a 33-second fall against Peyton Stiles.
Port Allegany got on the board at 160 pounds, Mason Gordon decisioning Domico, 4-3.
After a scoreless first period, Domico opted to start the second on the bottom, escaping three seconds after the whistle, going up, 1-0. Once on their feet, the grapplers bobbed and weaved until Gordon got to his offense and converted a double leg shot for a takedown, making the score 2-1. Domico didn’t stay down for long, escaping 10 seconds later – the bout heading to the third tied, 2-2.
Gordon decided the best course of action was for a neutral start in the final period. It took three-quarters of the frame, but he finally took Domico down, forging ahead, 4-2. A Domico escape occurred too late to affect the outcome.
With the score 21-3, Aiden Bliss pulled the Gators three points closer with a 5-2 win against Carter Freeland at 172 pounds.
The bout went exactly as the preceding contest, the grapplers entering the third tied, 2-2. Bliss started the third on the bottom, escaping five seconds in and then taking Freeland down with less than a minute remaining, setting the bout score.
Clearfield extended its lead at 189 pounds, 27-6, Carter Chamberlan pinning Juuso Young in 28 seconds.
Port Allegany staged a bit of an uprising after that, winning three of the next four, all by fall.
The Gators had back-to-back first-period pins – Miska Young laying out Hunter Ressler at 215 pounds and Carson Neely flattening Nick Bailor at 285 pounds, both in identical times (1:05).
Almost immediately after the Gators had narrowed the Bison’s lead, 27-18, Clearfield got six of those points back – 107-pounder Xavier Lutz pinning Beau Stauffer in 17 seconds.
Ian Fitzsimmons won Port Allegany’s last bout, pinning Dakota Shugarts during the second period of the 114-pound bout (2:12), the team scored 33-18.
Clearfield set the final score with two consecutive falls to end the contest, Cash Diehl getting the match clincher against Ian O’Shea at 121 pounds (5:31) and 127-pounder Bryndin Chamberlain setting down Isaac Postlewait (0:48).
The Bison reached the finals with a 43-20 semifinal win over St. Marys.
Port Allegany officially ended Brookville’s chance at capturing an 11th consecutive District 9 2A title in the other semifinal, winning 39-21.
In the quarterfinals it was Port Allegany downing Curwensville, 60-15; Brookville over Central Clarion, 52-23; and St. Marys beating Brockway, 35-27.
District 9 wrestling coverage on D9Sports.com/EYT Media is brought to you by Luton’s Plumbing, Heating, and Air Conditioning.
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