TYRONE - The Mount Union High School wrestling team had its eye on the District 6-AA Team Duals championship entering the 2011-12 season.
But now that the Trojans have accomplished winning that, they're certainly not content to rest on their laurels.
"Winning this was one of this team's goals at the beginning of the season, but we can't stop now,'' Mount Union coach Corey Wertz said Saturday night after his unbeaten squad (26-0) won the 6-AA duals title with a 43-15 victory over West Branch in the championship match at the Tyrone Area High School gymnasium. "We're hoping to go down to states, win some more matches, and get a team medal.''
Mount Union punched its ticket to next Thursday's PIAA Class AA state team duals at Hershey's Giant Center by defeating West Branch for the District 6 title after topping Huntingdon, 46-21 in the semifinal round.
As the second-place team finisher in the district, West Branch (24-4) also advanced to Monday's pigtail round matchup of the state tournament against Langley of District 8. Huntingdon (14-5) finished third in the tournament, defeating Juniata (48-30) after losing to Mount Union in the semis.
Mount Union won four tight bouts that were decided by two points or less in the championship round against West Branch, after getting six falls to defeat Huntingdon in the semis.
"They're a very good team,'' Huntingdon coach Jon Mykut said of Mount Union. "Our kids gave a good effort, but we gave up way too many falls. [Mount Union] is not 26-0 for nothing.''
Huntingdon got falls from Zach Romano (170 pounds), Nathan Shope (182), and Mitchell Lauer (195) while building an 18-0 lead en route to defeating Juniata for third place. Josh Bafia (160) and Josh Gutshall (152) had falls for the Bearcats against Mount Union.
Huntingdon won the District 6 team duals title a year ago.
"Our goal was to get to Hershey again this year,'' Mykut said. "But all you can do is wrestle as hard as you can, and that's what our kids did today.''
CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
MOUNT UNION 43, WEST BRANCH 15
170-Miles, WB, dec. Hess, 13-9. 182-Kyle, MU, dec. Pearce, 9-2. 195-Stapelton, MU, pinned English, 5:41. 220-House, MU, dec. Maines, 4-2. 285-Smith, MU, pinned Selepak, 2:35. 106-Moist, MU, maj. dec. Sankey, 10-2. 113-Albright, WB, dec. Foor, 4-0.
120-Knable, MU, dec. Fisch, 3-1. 126-Wilson, MU, dec. Bumbarger, 5-3. 132-Hayles, WB, dec. Aurand, 7-2 OT. 138-Long, MU, pinned Quick, 1:04. 145-L. Slippey, WB, pinned Tress, :58. 152-Smith, MU, de. E. Slippey, 3-1. 160-Kylor, MU, pinned Kristofits, 3:29.
THIRD-PLACE MATCH
HUNTINGDON 48, JUNIATA 30
170-Romano, H, pinned Giarratana, :13. 182-Shope, H, pinned Shertzer, 2:25. 195-Lauer, H, pinned Forry, 2:23. 220-Fitzgerald, J, pinned Wholaver, 1:52. 285-Powell, J, pinned Summers, :37. 106-Butts, H, pinned Walters, 1:32. 113-Harris, J, pinned Wilson, 1:28.
120-Green, H, pinned White, 5:23. 126-Russell, H, dec. D. Beitz, 6-4. 132-Lynn, H, dec. Nanna, 3-1. 138-Rowles, J, pinned D. Peters, :50. 145-Z. Beitz, J, pinned O. Peters, :34. 152-Bafia, H, pinned Hershey, 1:30. 160-Gutshall, H, won by forfeit.
SEMIFINAL ROUND
MOUNT UNION 46, HUNTINGDON 21
160-Bafia, H, pinned Hess, 2:46. 170-Kylor, MU, dec. Romano, 3-2 OT. 182-Shope, H, dec. Kyle, 11-5. 195-Stapleton, MU, pinned Lauer, 1:14. 220-House, MU, pinned Wholaver, 3:33. 285-Smith, MU, pinned Kocik, 1:42. 106-Moist, MU, pinned Dubbs, :25.
113-Wilson, H, dec. Foor, 4-2. 120-Knable, MU, pinned Green, 2:18. 126-Wilson, MU, maj. dec. Russell, 14-6. 132-Aurand, MU, dec. Lynn, 4-2 OT. 138-Long, MU, pinned D. Peters, 2:28. 145-O. Peters, H, dec. Tress, 4-0. 152-Gutshall, H, pinned Smith, 5:54.
WEST BRANCH 37, JUNIATA 22
160-Kristofits, WB, won by forfeit. 170-Miles, WB, dec. Giarratana, 11-5. 182-Shertzer, J, maj. dec. Pearce, 12-3. 195-English, WB, pinned Forr, 1:53. 220-Fitzgerald, J, dec. Maines, 11-7. 285-Powell, J, dec. Selepak, 11-8. 106-Sankey, WB, pinned Walters, :35.
113-Albright, WB, dec. Harris, 7-3 OT. 120-Fisch, WB, dec. White, 6-4. 126-Bumbarger, WB, dec. D. Beitz, 6-3. 132-Hayles, WB, dec. Nanna, 1-0. 138-Rowles, J, pinned Quick, :18. 145-Z. Beitz, J, pinned L. Slippey, 2:26. 152-E. Slippey, WB, maj. dec. Hershey, 12-4.
Records: Mount Union (26-0); West Branch (24-4); Huntingdon (14-5).
