Junior High Wrestling Highlights (01/24/2018)
(By CSZ Sports Writer Kenn Staub)
Clarion vs. Brockway (Wednesday, Jan. 3)
Clarion fell in the three officially contested bouts, but did receive Brockway forfeits at 95- and 210-pounds (Owen Reinsel and Kaoz Baker, respectively). The Bobcats scored a victory in one of the three exhibition bouts, with Kaoz Baker pinning Cole Lunger in the first period.
Breckin Rex ties up against an opponent.
Clarion vs. Kane (Tuesday, Jan. 9)
Though Bobcat wrestlers lost all four officially contested bouts, they did win both exhibitions. Owen Reinsel pinned Kane’s Isaak Johnson and Breckin Rex took a 6-2 decision over the Wolves’ Owen Hilliard in exhibition contests. (Note: Reinsel received an official forfeit at 95-pounds.)
Clarion vs. Johnsonburg…First Match of Cranberry Tri-Meet (Tuesday, Jan. 16)
Owen Reinsel works on a pin.
Clarion posted a single win in the four officially contested bouts, a 15-0 second period technical fall by 95-pounder Owen Reinsel against Rayce Milliard. Bobcat wrestlers won both exhibition bouts. Reinsel stuck Derek Peterson in the first period, a feat duplicated by Carl Welch in his bout against the Rams’ Ian Gorske.
Clarion vs. Cranberry…Second Match of Cranberry Tri-Meet (Tuesday, Jan. 16)
Koaz Baker looks for a takedown.
The junior high grapplers fared much better in the second match of the Cranberry tri-meet, winning three of four contested bouts against the host Berries. At 95-pounds Owen Reinsel faced Cranberry’s Austin Shoup, coming away with a 16-0 technical fall in the third period. Clarion 145-pounder Carl Welch pinned Chase Eakin in the second period. The Bobcats’ Kaoz Baker stuck Nathan Ball in the first period of the 210 pound bout. No exhibitions were wrestled.
Cranberry vs. Punxsutawney (Thursday, Jan. 18)
In their first home action of the 2017-2018 season the Bobcats won two of the four officially contested bouts and picked up an official forfeit at 145-pounds (Carl Welch). Clarion also claimed victory in one of the two exhibition contests.
Owen Reinsel turned in a dominating performance for the Bobcats at 100-pounds, earning a 14-0 major decision against Benjamin Skarbek. Reinsel led 5-0 after the first period, the product of a takedown and three point near fall. He added two more to the scoreboard in the second when he reversed Skarbek from the down position shortly after the period began. Skarbek chose to start the third period in the neutral position, with both wrestlers on their feet. Reinsel took advantage, scoring a takedown and then tilting Skarbek twice for five additional points.
Koaz Baker in a scramble.
Clarion’s Koaz Baker won two bouts on the evening. His first came against Hunter Harris at 210-pounds, which saw the Bobcat grappler score a first period pin.
Baker’s second win came in an energetically fought exhibition against Avery Robinson. The scoreless first period in no way foreshadowed what was to come during the hotly contested second and third, during which both wrestlers, particularly Baker, put on frequent displays of brute force. Avery started the second period in the down position, obtaining his first point of the bout when Baker was called for interlocking hands while attempting to prevent the Punxsutawney wrestler from escaping. Returning to the referee’s position Baker used an arm bar for two near fall points, giving him a 3-1 lead. Avery managed to reverse Baker, making the score 3-2, but then surrendered a point when he was charged with an interlocking penalty of his own. Baker closed out the second period with an escape to make the score 5-3 heading into the final stanza. Beginning the third period on bottom, Baker surrendered a point when he was charged an interlocking hands penalty during an escape attempt. Baker eventually did manage to reverse Avery, but was called yet again for interlocking and assessed a two-point penalty, making the score 7-6. With eight seconds remaining in the bout, Avery reversed Baker to take an 8-7 lead. Baker was not finished, however, out muscling Avery for a reversal with two seconds left in the period to win 9-8.
Upcoming
The junior high wrestling team will close out the 2017-2018 dual meet season with three consecutive home matches as follows:
vs. Curwensville (Tuesday, Jan. 30) *
vs. Ridgway (Thursday, Feb. 8) *
vs. Redbank Valley (Tuesday, Feb. 13) *
* 6:00PM