Update: Conemaugh Township Holiday Tournament results

Eight teams, including seven from District 5 or 6, kicked off their seasons at the Conemaugh Township Holiday Tournament in Davidsville on Saturday. It's not the strongest field by any means, but it's a good opportunity for fans to see a number of local teams in action and a great chance for coaches to see how their wrestlers, especially the inexperienced ones, stack up.

Team champions
I'm not sure who I would have picked to win the team title, but it probably wouldn't have been North Star. But that's exactly what happened. The Cougars had three champions - Corey Fritch (152), Dillon Charlton (170) and Hunter Connor (182) - but it was their depth that delivered the team championship.

North Star won the team title thanks to 13 placewinners.

Fritch and Connor are known commodities at this point, but it was Charlton, a sophomore wrestling varsity for the first time, that impressed me. Unfortunately, I didn't get to see his 4-0 victory over top-seeded Nick Torsell of Bellwood-Antis. Torsell is a solid-looking 170-pounder who won 17 matches last season, so that's a nice win for the North Star sophomore.
Tevin Mostoller (145), who is arguably the Cougars' best wrestler, finished second after losing to Tyrone's Jason Schopp in the final round. Mostoller led 2-0 after a period but made the always dangerous decision to choose bottom against Schopp and paid the price for it, giving up three backpoints before eventually getting a reversal. Mostoller led 4-3 heading to the third period. It wasn't enough, as Schopp got a reversal and two late backpoints for a 7-4 victory.

Tyrone's Jared Beckwith holds off a scoring
attempt by United's Tyler Oliver.

Highlight match
There weren't many matches that had the look or feel of a district championship bout, but the final round at 195 did. United's Tyler Oliver was in the district finals last season while Tyrone's Jared Beckwith didn't get the chance to compete in the postseason. Beckwith was injured in an automobile accident and couldn't get cleared for the District 6 tournament.
The early portion of Saturday's match didn't quite live up to the hype, as there weren't many scoring opportunities. Oliver was in deep on a shot at the end of a period (first, I think). They traded escapes in periods 2 and 3, which sent the match to overtime.
Beckwith came up with a takedown midway through the overtime period that left Oliver not only beaten, but also bloodied. I'm not sure what happened, but Oliver suffered a cut near his eye that left him covered in blood.

Best match
The 106-pound match between Conemaugh Township's Nathaniel Thomas and North Star's Lenny Beeman was an interesting one. In a matchup of youth (Thomas) vs. experience (Beeman), the freshman beat the senior 2-1 in ultimate tiebreaker. Beeman led 1-0 going into the third period, but Thomas kept moving throughout the third. Thomas drew one stalling call but couldn't get a second, making it look like Beeman was going to hold him down for the win. But Thomas came up with a big move at the buzzer that could have been called a reversal, an escape or nothing at all. In the end, it was deemed to be an escape, sending it to overtime. Neither wrestler could score in the first overtime period, or the tiebreaker. Beeman chose bottom in the ultimate tiebreaker but couldn't escape, as Thomas held on for the win.

Outstanding wrestler

Westmont's Logan Blackburn picks up backpoints on
West Greene's Sheldon Phillips.

Westmont Hilltop's Logan Blackburn took home the award after going 5-0 with three pins, a major decision and a win by injury default at 120 pounds. In the final round Blackburn beat West Greene's Sheldon Phillips 10-2. Phillips was a regional qualifier and 25-match winner at 106 last season.
"I watched him wrestle throughout the day and he looked pretty good," Blackburn said. "I know he wrestled one of my teammates from last year and did pretty good against him, so I was expecting a good match."
After going a combined 44-16 in his first two seasons, Blackburn slipped to 17-13 last year. This tournament was a good start in putting last year behind him.
"It was real good," Blackburn said. "I was hoping I'd put out a good performance. Last year didn't go as well as I wanted it to, so I wanted a good start to the year."

Conemaugh Township's Austin Griffith turns Westmont
Hilltop's Devon Gilbert during their 113-pound bout.

Strong showing
Conemaugh Township finished fourth, thanks in part to championships at 106 and 113 pounds. I detailed Nathaniel Thomas' victory over Lenny Beeman above, but 113-pounder Austin Griffith also had a good tournament. After going 8-17 as a freshman last season, Griffith nearly matched his win total in just one day. It wasn't a particularly strong weight class, but it's an encouraging sign for the Indians to get titles from those two as well as 132-pounder Kody Ofsanko.

Team standings and key
1. North Star 112.
2. Westmont Hilltop 77.
3. United (UN) 68.
4. Conemaugh Township 67.
5. West Greene (WG) 51.
6. Tyrone (TY) 46.
7. Bellwood-Antis (BA) 34.
8. Greater Johnstown (GJ) 31.

Placewinners
106-1. Nathaniel Thomas, CT. 2. Lenny Beeman, NS. 3. Corey Hunter, TY.
113-1. Aaron Griffith, CT. 2. Devon Gilbert, WH. 3. Eric Colangelo, NS.
120-1. Logan Blackburn, WH. 2. Sheldon Phillips, WG. 3. Justin Rowe, GJ.
126-1. Drake Dorian, WH. 2. Malik Walker, GJ. 3. Sage Dixon, TY.
132-1. Kody Ofsanko, CT. 2. Josh Wilson, BA. 3. Dan Yost, WH.
138-1. Nick Mical, WH. 2. Michael Baker, NS.3. Brandon Stahl, CT.
145-1. Jason Schopp, TY. 2. Tevin Mostoller, CT. 3. Ameer Connor, GJ.
152-1. Corey Fritch, NS. 2. Casey Berchick, CT. 3. Tyler Mack, UN.
160-1. Jeremy Wilson, BA. 2. Gus Strasiser, NS. 3. Tyler Gilbert, WG.
170-1. Dillion Charlton, NS. 2. Nick Torsell, BA. 3. Jesiah Wilson, GJ.
182-1. Hunter Connor, NS. 2. Dalton Wildman, WG. 3. Collin Barron, WH.
195-1. Jared Beckwith, TY. 2. Tyler Oliver, UN. 3. Kevin Horner, NS.
220-1. Seth McLendon, UN. 2. Will Van Norman, WG. 3. Hussein Sbeitan, WH.
285-1. Andrew Deitman, UN. 2. Trevin Bedillion, WG. 3. Brady Binisky, NS.


Round-Robin Results
Round 5
106-Beeman, NS, pinned Rosemas, WH, 1:14; Hunter, TY, maj. dec. Walls, UN, 9-0.
113-Griffith, CT, dec. Gilbert, WH, 7-5; Colangelo, NS, pinned Gunter, TY, 1:00; Walls, UN, pinned Chapman, WG, 2:19.
120-Blackburn, WH, maj. dec. Phillips, WG, 10-0; Gennett, NS, inj. def. over Walls, UN; Rowe, GJ, pinned Steiner, CT, 1:13.
126-Walker, GJ, pinned Dorian, WH, 1:09; Dixon, TY, pinned Richter, WG, 1:57; Jarvis, UN, pinned Blank, CT, :19.
132-Ofsanko, CT, pinned Wilson, BA, 1:04; Yost, WH, pinned Gardner, NS, 1:00; Snyder, TY, pinned Gaines, WG, :38.
138-Mical, WH, dec. Baker, NS, 1-0; Stahl, CT, dec. Hamilton, WG, 8-2; Hall,GJ, pinned Waite, BA, 3:25.
145-Schopp, TY, dec. Mostoller, NS, 7-4; Connor, GJ, dec. Stahl, CT, 4-1; Weaver, WG, dec. Claar, BA, 8-4; Bracken, UN, pinned Cernansky, WH, 3:54.
152-Fritch, NS, dec. Mack, UN, 6-0; Berchick, CT, dec. Knisely, BA, 10-4.
160-Wilson, BA, dec. Strasiser, NS, 9-2; Gilbert, WG, dec. Grosik, CT, 7-4; Ingalls, UN, pinned Geibig, W, 1:59.
170-Torsell, BA, maj. dec. Wilson, GJ, 17-6; Charlton, NS, maj. dec. Michaels, UN, 11-0.
182-Connor, NS, pinned Wildman, WG, :52; Barron, WH, inj. def. over Huff, BA.
195-Beckwith, TY, dec. Oliver, UN, 3-1 (TB); Horner, NS, pinned Buck, WH, :48.
220-McLendon, PC, maj. dec. Van Norman, WG, 10-2; Sbeitan, WH, pinned Burley, 1:01; Jancola, GJ, pinned Nagle, BA, :45.
285-Deitman, UN, pinned Bedillion, WG, 3:20.


Round 4
106-Thomas, CT, dec. Beeman, NS, 2-1 (UTB); Walls, UN, pinned Rosemas, WH, 3:54.
113-Griffith, CT, dec. Walls, UN, 4-1; Gilbert, NS, pinned Colangelo, NS, 1:38; Chapman, WG, pinned Gunter, TY, 4:54.
120-Phillips, WG, pinned Rowe, GJ, 1:34; Blackburn, WH, inj. def. over Gennett, NS. Walls, UN, pinned Steiner, CT, 2:49.
126-Dorian, WH, pinned Blank, CT, 1:00; Dixon, TY, pinned Walker, GJ, 2:11; Jarvis, UN, pinned Richter, WG, 2:35.
132-Ofsanko, CT, pinned Gardner, NS, :50; Wilson, BA, maj. dec. Yost, WH, 14-3; Lowther, UN, dec. Snyder, TY, 5-4.
138-Baker, NS, dec. Stahl, CT, 4-2; Mical, WH, pinned Hamilton, WG, :45; Hall, GJ, pinned Walker, UN, 1:36.
145-Mostoller, NS, maj. dec. Connor, GJ, 14-5; Schopp, TY, pinned, Stahl, CT, 3:28; Claar, BA, pinned Bracken, UN, 3:48; Weaver, WG, dec. Cernansky, WH, 5-0.
152-Fritch, NS, pinned Farias, TY, 1:54; Berchick, CT, dec. Mack, UN, 3-0.
160-Wilson, BA, pinned Gilbert, WG, 2:39; Strasiser, NS, dec. Grosik, CT, 9-2; Ingalls, UN, pinned Gomez, GJ, 4:28.
170-Torsell, BA, pinned Griffith, WH, 2:49; Wilson, GJ, dec. Michaels, UN, 3-0.
182-Wildman, WG, pinned Young, UN, 1:07; Connor, NS, dec. Barron, WH, 8-3.
195-Oliver, UN, inj. def. over DeArmitt, CT; Beckwith, TY, pinned Horner, NS, 1:32.
220-McLendon, UN, pinned Sbeitan, WH, 3:18; Van Norman, WG, pinned Burley, NS, 5:03; Svencer, CT, pinned Nagle, BA, :37.
285-Bedillion, WG, pinned Vinisky, NS, 1:13.


Round 3
106-Beeman, NS, dec. Walls, UN, 7-2; Thomas, CT, maj. dec. Hunter, TY, 14-1.
113-Griffith, CT, pinned Colangelo, NS, :22; Gilbert, WH, pinned Chapman, WG, :56; Walls, UN, dec. Gunter, TY, 4-2.
120-Phillips, WG, pinned Gennett, NS, 1:43; Blackburgn, WH, pinned Steiner, CT, :41; Rowe, GJ, pinned Walls, UN, 3:07.
126-Dorian, WH, pinned Dixon, TY, 2:40; Walker, GJ, pinned Jarvis, UN, 3:10; Richter, WG, pinned Blank, CT, :41.
132-Ofsanko, CT, pinned Wilson, BA, 3:57; Yost, WH, pinned Lowther, UN, 3:30; Gardner, NS, pinned Gaines, WG, :54.
138-Mical, WH, pinned Hall, GJ, 2:23; Walker, UN, pinned Waite, BA, 3:59; Hamilton, WG, pinned Stahl, CT, 1:46.
145-Mostoller, NS, pinned Stahl, CT, :34; Claar, BA, dec. Cernansky, WH, 10-3; Schopp, TY, pinned Weaver, WG, :52; Connor, GJ, pinned Bracken, UN, 3:58.
152-Fritch, NS, pinned Berchick, CT, 4:24; Farias, TY, pinned Knisely, BA, 2:59.
160-Wilson, BA, pinned Ingalls, UN, 1:29; Gilbert, WG, pinned Geibig, WH, 1:16; Grosik, CT, pinned Gomez, GJ, 3:12.
170-Torsell, BA, dec. Michaels, 9-4; Charlton, NS, pinned Griffith, WH, 3:27.
182-Wildman, WG, maj. dec. Barron, WG, 10-2; Young, UN, inj. def. over Young, UN.
195-Oliver, UN, maj. dec. Horner, NS, 15-5; Buck, WH, inj. def. over DeArmitt, CT.
220-McLendon, UN, maj. dec. Burley, NS, 11-3; Van Norman, WG, dec. Svencer, CT, 1-0; Sbeitan, WH, pinned Jancola, GJ, 5:20.
285-Deitman, UN, pinned Vinisky, NS, 1:04.


Round 2
106-Huntery, TY, tech. fall Rosemas, WH, 15-0; Thomas, CT, pinned Walls, UN, 2:59.
113-Griffith, CT, pinned Chapman, WG, :51; Gilbert, WH, pinned Gunter, TY, 1:30; Walls, UN, dec. Colangelo, NS, 7-4.
120-Phillips, WG, pinned Steiner, CT, :34; Blackburn, WH, pinned Walls, UN, :30; Gennett, NS, maj. dec. Rowe, GJ, 11-0.
126-Dorian, WH, pinned Jarvis, UN, 3:09; Walker, GJ, pinned Richter, WG, 1:32; Dixon, TY, pinned Blank, CT, 1:10.
132-Ofsanko, CT, pinned Snyder, TY, 1:47; Yost, WH, maj. dec. Gardner, NS, 9-0; Lowther, UN, pinned Gaines, WG, 1:21.
138-Baker, NS, dec. Mical, WH, 5-3; Stahl, CT, pinned Waite, BA, 2:42; Hamilton, WG, dec. Walker, UN, 11-5.
145-Mostoller, NS, tech. fall Claar, BA, 15-0; Stahl, CT, pinned Cernansky, WH, 5:32; Schopp, TY, pinned Bracken, 3:40; Connor, GJ, dec. Weaver, WG, 7-0.
152-Mack, UN, pinned Knisely, BA, 1:48; Berchick, CT, pinned Farias, TY, 1:33.
160-Wilson, BA, dec. Strasiser, NS, 6-4; Grosik, CT, pinned Gilbert, WG, 4:00; Gomez, GJ, pinned Geibig, WH, 2:27.
170-Charlton, NS, pinned Wilson, GJ, 4:47; Michaels, UN, pinned Griffith, UN, 5:59.
182-Connor, NS, dec. Huff, BA, 8-2; Barron, WH, pinned Young, 1:05.
195-Beckworth, TY, pinned Buck, WH, 4:44; Horner, NS, pinned Dearmitt, CT, :28.
220-McLendon, UN, pinned Nagle, BA, :22; Van Norman, WG, dec. Jancola, GJ, 7-0; Sbeitan, WH, dec. Svencer, CT, 5-4 (OT).
285-None.


Round 1
106-Beeman, NS, tech. Fall Corey Hunter, TY, 16-0; Thomas, CT, pinned Rosemas, WH, 1:11.
113-Griffith, CT, dec. Gunter, TY, 9-7; Gilbert, WH, dec. Walls, UN, 5-1; Colangelo, NS, pinned Chapman, WG, :33.
120-Phillips, WG, pinned Walls, UN, :48; Blackburn, WH, pinned Rowe, GJ, 1:41; Gennett, NS, pinned Steiner, CT, 1:40.
126-Dorian, WH, pinned Richter, WG, 1:36; Walker, GJ, pinned Blank, CT, :57; Dixon, TY, pinned Jarvis, UN, :33.
132-Wilson, BA, pinned Snyder, TY, 5:26; Yost, WH, pinned Gaines, WG, :48; Gardner, NS, dec. Lowther, UN, 6-4.
138-Baker, NS, pinned Hall, GJ, 2:27; Hamilton, WG, pinned Waite, BA, 3:30; Stahl, CT, dec. Walker, UN, 8-2.
145-Mostoller, NS, pinned Cernansky, WH, 2:42; Stahl, CT, pinned Claar, BA, 5:39; Schopp, TY, pinned Connor, GJ, 5:55; Weaver, WG, dec. Bracken, UN, 5-2.
152-Fritch, NS, pinned Knisely, BA, :33; Mack, UN, pinned Farias, TY, :58.
160-Strasiser, NS, dec. Ingalls, UN, 2-0; Gilbert, WG, pinned Gomez, GJ, 3:06; Grosik, CT, pinned Geibig, WH, 3:08.
170-Charlton, NS, dec. Torsell, BA, 4-0; Wilson, GJ, pinned Griffith, WH, 1:25.
182-Wildman, WG, dec. Huff, BA, 10-5; Connor, NS, pinned Young, :56.
195-Oliver, UN, pinned Buck, WH, 3:14; Beckwith, TY, pinned DeArmitt, CT, 1:02.
220-Burley, NS, pinned Nagle, BA, 3:49; Van Norman, WG, pinned Sbeitan, WH, 4:55; Svencer, CT, Jancola, 4:53.
285-None.