Clarion Varsity Wrestlers Drop Match to Brockway, 44-30 (02/03/14)

Clarion Wrestlers Record Five Pins

(By Kenn Staub)

On the last Thursday in January (01/30/2014) the Clarion Varsity Wrestling Team was in Brockway for a match against the Rovers. Though Head Coach Rob Sintobin would see five of his wrestlers post wins via pinfall, it wasn’t enough for a team victory as the Bobcats fell 44-30.

The evening began ominously for the Bobcats when junior Addison Hockins was forced to forfeit his 160lb. bout against sophomore Michael Martino after getting hurt in the third period. Hockins was leading 3-1 when he suffered an upper body injury during a Martino takedown and was unable to continue. Brockway extended this early advantage to 12-0 with a Clarion forfeit to junior Anthony Benson at 170lbs.

Sophomore Will Staub would score Clarion’s first points of the evening, and his first victory of the 2013-14 season, when he came back from a 4-1 deficit to pin junior Austin Steele in the second period of their 182lb. bout (2:52). Bobcat sophomore Alexander Burkhart (195lbs.) followed suit with a second period pin of his own against sophomore Zach Tyler (3:00). Clarion’s Zach Sintobin (220lbs.) made it a Bobcat threepeat when he stuck junior Hunter Richardson in first period (1:41). This three match pinning spree allowed the Bobcats to jump ahead of the homestanding Rovers 18-12.

(Photos by Kenn Staub)
Will Staub (182lbs.) wrestles for control

Clarion’s lead would be short lived, however, as Brockway would reel off seven consecutive victories starting with a Bobcat forfeit at heavyweight to Jr. Gavin Yahner. In order Clarion sophomore Alex Struble (106lbs.) was pinned by sophomore Ryan Carlson, Bobcat sophomores, Caleb Bailey (113lbs.) and Adrian Weber (120lbs.) lost major decisions to junior Wyatt Caruso and sophomore Mitchell Overbeck respectively, Clarion senior Tristan Shaffer (126lbs.) came out on the short end in a very closely and hotly contested bout with junior Jack Glasl, Rover sophomore Mason Lindenmuth scored a technical fall of sophomore Leo Aiello (132lbs.), and Bobcat sophomore Prince Brooks (138bs.) lost a major decision to sophomore Dustin Jamison.

Zach Sintobin (220lbs.) with a headlock on his way to victory

Bobcat senior Co-Captain Riley Gunter (145lbs.) would stop the Rover winning streak with a first period pin of junior Lucas Levinson (1:21). Clarion junior Jacob Troutman (152lbs.) would also make quick work of his Brockway opponent, sticking junior Brandon Little in 1:08 to make the final team score closer at 44-30.

Coach Sintobin described the evening as “a rough night in terms of circumstances”, noting that “losing at 160lbs. due to injury and not having our starting heavyweight in the lineup cost us the match.” He did acknowledge some “fantastic individual performances starting with Will Staub who earned his first varsity fall.” Also receiving praise from the head coach for their victories by fall were Burkhart, Sintobin, Gunter, and Troutman.

Riley Gunter (145lbs.) in the process of pinning his opponent

The Bobcat varsity wrestlers have a busy week ahead, traveling to Knox on Tuesday, February 4, hosting Redbank Valley in their first home dual meet of the season on Thursday, February 6 and wrestling in the Penn Hills Invitational on Saturday, February 8. Thursday evening’s match up against Redbank Valley will also be Senior Night.

(Thanks to Kenn Staub for this article.)

Jacob Troutman (152lbs.) uses a tight waist to control his opponent