Tuesday Night Recap 1/31/2012

Here's a look at what I know so far from Tuesday night:

District 6 Class AAA Duals

Westmont Hilltop 37, Bald Eagle Area 27

220-Nathan Sharkey, BEA, dec. Don Shovestull, 5-3.
285-Josh Duplin, WH, pinned Ryan Hicks, :10.

106-Logan Blackburn, WH, dec. Travis Giedroc, 5-0.
113-Drake Dorian, WH, dec. Jacob Noll, 8-4.
120-Stephen Zipf, WH, maj. dec. Cody Stine, 11-0.
126-Clint McCaslin, BEA, pinned Nick Mical, 3:12.
132-Justin Mills, WH, forfeit.
138-Mike Walsh, WH, forfeit.
145-Ian Helsel, WH, dec. Matthew Dillon, 4-3 (2OT).
152-Tanner Patton, WH, dec. Tyler Baney, 4-0.
160-Dustin Coakley, BEA, pinned Jonah Cramer, 3:09.
170-Jacob Taylor, BEA, pinned Colin Barron, 2:49.
182-Ryan Burnheimer, WH, dec. James Grieb, 9-2.
195-Aaron Varner, BEA, pinned Eric Kowalewski, :36.


Analysis: The big guys have carried Westmont Hilltop to a 9-2 record this season, but Matt Beaujon's squad had to rely on the lightweights for this victory.
The Hilltoppers outscored BEA 28-6 from 106 though 152. Two forfeits helped of course, but so did big victories by Drake Dorian and Stephen Zipf as well as Ian Helsel's double-overtime win over Matt Dillon at 145. Tanner Patton also turned in an impressive 4-0 win over Tyler Baney. Throw in the usual victories by Ryan Burnheimer and Josh Duplin and the Hilltoppers are headed back to Tyrone for the semifinals on Saturday.

Chip Minemyer covered this for The Tribune-Democrat.

Somerset 36, North Star 21

195-Jon Baer, S, dec. Max Strasiser, 10-4.

220-Patrick Blough, S, dec. Brett Benedict, 5-2 (RO).

285-Jake Hayman, S, dec. Shane Supanick, 5-0.

106-Colton Gennett, NS, dec. Garret Foster, 9-4.

113-Damian Jano, S, pinned Lenny Beeman, :47.

120-Nick Roberts, NS, pinned Tyler Walker, :38.

126-Sheldon Wagner, S, dec. Tayte Mostoller, 4-3.

132-Jon Fabian, S, dec. Tevin Mostoller, 4-2.

138-Mike Laue, S, dec. Luke Lepley, 4-2.
145-Landon Lohr, S, dec. Austin Connor, 10-8.

152-Mason Jamison, NS, forfeit.

160-Michael Sutton, S, dec. Tanner Revak, 5-2.

170-Neil Yoder, NS, forfeit.

182-Logan Eller, S, inj. def. over Thomas Miller, 2:00.

Analysis: Somerset locks up the No. 2 seed in the District 5 Class AA dual-meet tournament with the victory. The Golden Eagles will host No. 7 Northern Bedford on Thursday. The loss assures North Star of the sixth seed and a trip to No. 6 Chestnut Ridge on Thursday.
As for Tuesday's action, it often had the feeling of a college match - and that's not necessarily a compliment. As so often is the case in college matches, this was determined from the neutral position. There were plenty of close matches - nine decisions, two pins, two forfeits and an injury default - that weren't always exciting. A big crowd was on hand, but the gym was often very quiet.
Somerset had a 14-6 edge in takedowns, which went a long way toward the dual-meet win for the injury-ravaged Golden Eagles. Although each team recorded a pin, Somerset didn't get a set of backpoints in the final 12 weight classes and North Star had just one all night.
North Star coach Pat Berzonski also wasn't happy with how the Cougars performed, as a whole, at the end of matches.
"A whole lot of third periods that we lost," he said. "I'm absolutely appalled. I mean, one of the hallmarks I think built my career on was always having a lot of gas tank in the third period, and our guys didn't have any gas tank in the third period."
The pure numbers weren't that bad: Somerset won the third period in three matches and North Star won it in two. But the Golden Eagles won the third period in the first three matches, each of them Somerset wins, and two of them in dramatic fashion.
Jon Baer trailed 3-1 in the third at 195 pounds before outscoring Max Strasiser 9-1 in the final 1:55. Patrick Blough scored a third-period escape, then went to rideout with Brett Benedict at 220 pounds before scoring three backpoints for a 5-2 victory.
The formula for Somerset throughout most of the night was get a takedown or two in the first and second periods and avoid going on the mat with the Cougars whenever possible.
Somerset built a 27-9 lead before forfeiting two of the final four matches because of injuries to Josh Darr and Jacob Nickelson.
"We're still sore from the weekend and prior weekend," Somerset coach Brian Barron said. "These guys know we're hurting, sore, but you still have to come out and work together as a team and pick up as many points as you can when you can."
Barron said he hopes that his wrestlers will be healthy by Thursday but that his main concern is making sure they are ready for the individual postseason tournaments.

Cambria Heights 47, United 23

182-Tyler Crawford, CH, pinned Charles Hropovich, 1:51.

195-Jake Beach, CH, def. Tyler Oliver, 6-3.

220-Aaron Gill, CH, pinned Ryan Snyder, :39.

285-Ben Mountan, U, pinned Dominic Novella, 5:01.

106-Mike Dautlick, CH, forfeit.

113-Ryan Dupas, CH, tech. fall Seth Knapic, 15-0, 3:36.

120-Seth Graham, CH, pinned Warren Lowter, 3:32.

126-Brad Thomas, CH, pinned Brant Ingalls, :19.

132-Gaige George, U, dec. Raymond Niebauer 9-7, OT.

138-Troy Matson, U, forfeit.

145-Tyler Mack, U, pinned Travis Yahner, 1:35.

152-Drew Hollern, CH, forfeit.

160-Dalton Waksmunski, CH, dec. Miles Stahl, 7-6.

170-John Blankenship, U, dec. Ross Inzana, 5-3.
Records: Cambria Heights 9-5; United - not reported.

Analysis: Talk about saving the best for last - John Blankenship vs. Ross Inzana was the matchup of the night. And, judging by the score, it looks like it was worth the wait. I've heard that Blankenship is dropping to 160 - which will make an unbelievable District 6 bracket with Forest Hills' Cody Law and Central Cambria's Tony Risaliti also in the mix. Good to see that Cambria Heights got some of its injured starters back, including Ryan Dupas. The Highlanders will need all hands on deck for tomorrow night's trip to Mount Union in what has turned into a bit of a grudge match with the top-seeded Trojans in the District 6 Class AA duals. Jake Beach and Tyler Oliver looks like it was a decent matchup at 195 pounds, as was Dalton Waksmunski and Miles Stahl at 160.

Other scores
District 6 Class AA Quarterfinals
West Branch 39, Moshannon Valley 29
No report - will be updated on Wednesday, if possible
Greater Johnstown at Altoona, 6:30 p.m.
Portage at Bellwood-Antis, 7 p.m.
Ligonier Valley at Northern Cambria, 7 p.m.