Wildcat Grapplers Finish 4th At Patrick J. Morales Memorial Tournament
Wildcats Logo designed by Clarion Area Alum Karl Jacobson
Photos courtesy of Central Clarion Wildcats Wrestling
The Central Clarion Wildcats finished fourth out of a field of twenty-four teams in the Patrick J. Morales Memorial Wrestling Tournament, held at Falconer (NY) High School on Friday and Saturday, January 12th and 13th.
The tournament included eight teams from Pennsylvania, fifteen from New York and one from Ohio.
The Top 5 Teams included: 1) Corry, 2) Chautauqua Lake (NY), 3) St. Vincent-St. Mary’s (OH), 4) Central Clarion and 5) Southwestern (NY).
Leading the way for the Wildcats were Logan Powell and Mason Gourley who both captured second place finishes.
Logan, wrestling at 131 pounds, posted three pins and a technical fall on his way to the championship match. He fell by only a two-point, 10-8 decision in the final.
After receiving a first round bye, Mason, wrestling at 170 pounds, registered three pins to reach the title match. There he fell by just a 6-1 decision.
Josh Beal finished in fifth place at 285, recording a 3-2 record. All of his wins, including the match for fifth place were by pin.
Wyatt Aaron and Jacob Henry both finished in sixth place. Wyatt went 3-3 at 116, winning one match by fall, one by decision and one by forfeit. He fell in the fifth place match. Jacob took sixth place at 160. Going 4-3, all of his wins were by fall. He lost by decision in the fifth place match.
Grayson Aaron went 2-2 at 124, registering a win by decision and a technical fall. At 138, Brendon Wright went 3-2, recording two pins and a decision for his wins. Ben Aaron carded a 2-2 record at 152, registering a win by fall and another by forfeit. Ethan Rex had two wins by fall, going 2-2 at 160.
Colten Keihl at 170, Jacob Naser at 190 and Matt Alston at 215 each won a match by decision and going 1-2.
Also competing for the Wildcats were Kayden Ferguson at 116 and Gavin Hannold at 215.
(Fine Showing, Wildcats!!!!)
Central Clarion Coach Braun Gourley was very pleased with his team’s outing. “Our goal as a team was to place in the top 5 and have all 15 wrestlers competing on the second day. We accomplished both goals.
“It was good to have Mason and Logan back in the lineup. They wrestled well and each lost a close match in the finals to state ranked opponents.
“Freshman Wyatt Aaron continues to show improvement. He finished 6th in a tough 116 pound bracket.”
Coach Gourley is looking ahead to the Wildcats participating in the Mercer VFW Tournament, at Mercer High School, this coming Friday and Saturday, January 19th and 20th.
The tournament features a fourteen team field. In addition to Central Clarion, Cambridge Springs, Chartiers-Houston, Coudersport, Ellwood City, Fort Cherry, Laurel, Mercer, Sharon, Sheffield, Slippery Rock, West Branch, West Shamokin and Youngsville will be competing.
Coach Gouley said, “We are off the Mercer this Friday and Saturday to compete. Last year we placed second in this tournament as a team. We hope to improve on that this year.”
(Great outing at Falconer, Wildcats!!!! Have A Great Mercer VFW Tournament!!!! Thank you to Central Clarion Wildcats Wrestling for the photos and, as always, thank you to Karl Jacobson for the use of the Wildcats Logo!!)
Complete Central Clarion and complete meet results can be seen by clicking on to this link:
https://www.pa-wrestling.com/hs/teams/centralclarion/tournament_stats.htm?id=6628