Bobcat Varsity Wrestlers Take Two, Finish the Season 8-5 in Dual Meets (02/18/14)
(Photos and article by Kenn Staub)
The Clarion Varsity Wrestling Team closed out its 2013-14 dual meet season with a pair of home victories on Thursday, January 13th, a 72-9 defeat of the Johnsonburg Rams and 49-21 triumph over the Cranberry Berries. Sos. Adrian Weber (120lbs.) and Zach Sintobin (220lbs.) along with Sr. Tristen Shaffer (126lbs.) each had two wins on the mat as the Bobcats improved their season record to 8-5.
Clarion vs. Johnsonburg
Clarion clinched a winning record for the season with their opening match victory over an out manned Johnsonburg Rams team. Though the Bobcats definitely benefitted from Johnsonburg’s eight forfeits in their 72-9 victory, they more than helped themselves out on the mat by winning four of the six contested bouts, all by pinfall.
Wrestling began at 126lbs. with Shaffer recording the Bobcats’ first pin of the evening, stopping So. Chris Kennedy in the second period (2:28). Sos. Leo Aiello (132lbs.) and Prince Brooks (138lbs.) each received forfeits before Rams Sr. Alex Zimmerman (145lbs.) scored a 7-6 decision to put Johnsonburg on the board, making the match 18-3. Clarion Jr. Jacob Troutman (152lbs.) collected a forfeit in advance of teammate Addison Hockins (160lbs.) taking the mat and dispatching fellow Jr. Mason Wazelle in the second period (2:46).
Addison Hockins takes his opponent to the mat
Ram Sr. Matthew Reeves scored a pin at 170lbs. prior to Bobcat Sos. Will Staub (182lbs.) and Alexander Burkhart (195lbs.) accepting forfeits to put Clarion ahead 42-9. Zach Sintobin dominated Johnsonburg Sr. Justin Haupright (220lbs.) on his way to a second period pin (3:48), after which Sos. Zach Huet (HWT), Alex Struble (106lbs.), and Caleb Bailey (120lbs.) received forfeits to pull Clarion ahead 66-9. In the final bout of the contest Bobcat Adrian Weber duplicated Shaffer’s opening bout by pinning his Ram opponent, Jr. Cody Duchi (120lbs.), in an identical time of 2:28, closing out the match 72-9 in Clarion’s favor.
Clarion vs. Cranberry
The Bobcats won nine of the thirteen contested bouts against the Cranberry Berries to finish the evening with a 49-21 win. Five of Clarion’s victories came via pinfall, with another the product of a major decision.
Brooks opened the match by scoring a 12-3 major decision over Berries’ Fr. Zachary Huegel (138lbs.), with Sr. Riley Gunter (145lbs.) putting the Bobcats’ up 10-0 with a second period pin (2:18) of So. Channing McKissick. Cranberry won the next bout, an 8-7 decision by So. Paul Zacheral (152lbs.), but then forfeited to Clarion’s Hockins at 170lbs., giving the Bobcats a 16-3 lead.
Prince Brooks uses a headlock to score back points
The Berries narrowed Clarion’s margin to 16-15 when Srs. Tyler Glass (170lbs.) and Zach Bruce (185lbs.) scored consecutive pins, following which the Bobcats went on a three bout win streak. In a match that did not lack for action, Burkhart decisioned Berries’ Sr. Justus Burk (195lbs.) 6-2. Sintobin scored his second pin of the evening, sticking Cranberry Sr. Kaleb Tucker (220lbs.) with time running out in the second period (3:53), and was followed by Huet, who pinned Fr. Robert Fattler (HWT) in the first (1:08).
With Clarion leading 31-15 the match swung around to the lightweights and Cranberry’s last win of the match, a pin by Fr. Joshua Hancock at 106lbs. The Bobcats proceeded to finish strong, taking the last four bouts of the contest to win the match 49-21. Bailey decisioned Fr. Keenan Harrison (113lbs.) 8-2, Weber picked up his second pin of the evening when he stopped Jr. Kyle Bryan (120lbs.) in the third period (4:55), Shaffer followed with another win of his own by shutting out Fr. Samuel Lander (126lbs.) 6-0, and Aiello made quick work of Fr. Noel Brannon (132lbs.) with a pin at 0:36.
Clarion Head Coach Rob Sintobin felt his team performed above expectations, noting the coaching staff was pleased by their strong showing and continued development throughout the season. Far from being finished for the season, Coach Sintobin reported “We are going to grind through some tough practices in the next week in preparation for a similar performance in the district tournament.”
The District 9 Class AA wrestling tournament will take place this coming weekend (Friday, January 21st and Saturday, January 22nd) at Tippin Gymnasium on the campus of Clarion University.
(Thanks to Kenn Staub for this article and photos. Congratulations to the Bobcat Wrestlers On A Winning Dual Meet Season!!!! Go Get ‘Em At Districts!!!!)