Bobcat Wrestlers Finish Third In District Nine Class AA Team Championships (02/05/17)

The Bobcat Wrestling Team had a solid showing at the District Nine Class AA Team Championships, on Saturday (February 4th), finishing third and just missing a trip to the State Tournament.

The Bobcats opened the day with a 37-27 victory over Brockway, in the preliminary round. The Cats built a 25-0 lead, winning the first six bouts. Frank Weber won a 10-2 major decision at 132, Ryley McMaster followed with a 7-1 decision at 138. Sterling Conner won by a 9-7 score at 145, then Mike LeFay pinned his opponent 2:57 of the match at 152.

Colton Rapp received a forfeit win at 160, then Seth Nellis recorded a 5-1 decision at 170.

Brockway won the next five matches to close the Clarion lead to 25-21. TheBobcats won two of the final three matches, with Logan Dehner and Zeke Brewer winning by forfeit to set the 37-31 final. The Cats won five of the nine contested bouts to move on to the semifinals, where they would meet defending district and state champion and eventual champion Brookville.

The Bobcats held a 15-6 lead after four matches, withMcMaster pinning his opponent in 5:10 of the 138 bout,  Conner winning a 4-3 decision at 145 and LeFay winning by a fall at 2:59 of the 160 contest.

Clarion was deducted a team point after the next match and Dehner’s 8-2 decision at 106 was their only other win in the contest, with Brookville coming out on top 59-17.

Clarion downed Redbank Valley 39-32 in the consolation finals. The Bobcats won five of the twelve contested bouts in the encounter. Six of the seven Clarion wins came by way of fall.

Winning by fall were: Conner, in 4:11 at 145; LeFay in :50 at 152; Rapp in 1:41 at 170; Ben Smith in 1:23 at 195; Tom Wurster in 1:01 at 220 and Justin Goodman in 1:10 at heavyweight.

The Bobcats led 36-9, after Goodman’s match, but the Bulldogs narrowed the gap to 36-29, before Weber won a one point 15-14 decision at 132. With that win, the Cats had an insurmountable ten point, 39-29 lead with one bout left, which the Bulldogs won to set the final at 39-32.

Clarion fell to Coudersport 45-27, in the match for true second. A win in that contest would have given Clarion a state berth. Winning bouts for the Bobcats were LeFay, Smith, Wurster, Dehner and Weber.

DuBois won the Class AAA District 4/9 Team Dual Results.

The Bobcats will travel to Ridgway on Thursday (February 9th).

(Fine showing, Cats!!!!)