Chestnut Ridge wins sixth straight crown
JOHNSTOWN — The beat goes on for the Chestnut Ridge High School Lions wrestling program.
No pun intended, but the Lions earned the lion’s share of laurels at the District 5 wrestling championships held Saturday at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown’s Sports Complex.
Chestnut Ridge earned its sixth consecutive District 5 team championship, crowning three individual champions in junior Justin McCoy (145 pounds), senior Morgan Deremer (160), and sophomore Jared McGill (170), and advanced 11 wrestlers overall to next weekend’s Southwest AA Regional Tournament at Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s Kovalchik Center.
McCoy and Northern Bedford senior Zach Clark, the titlist at 126 pounds, both earned their third individual district championships.
McCoy (35-3 this season) ripped through three opponents on his way to the 145-pound title, pinning the first two in just over a minute before winning the championship match by 19-4 technical fall in 3:56 over Hope for Hyndman senior Tristen Graeff.
To top off Ridge’s fantastic day, Greg Lazor was again named the District 5 Coach of the Year.
“Every year, the team sets new goals, and when they reach those goals, it’s always exciting for the program,” Lazor said. “Sending 11 to regionals is a great opportunity for these boys. Everybody will be excited to see how they can do.”
Joining McCoy, Deremer, McGill and Clark as individual champions in the tournament were three champions from Everett – sophomore Garret Cornell (113 pounds), junior Liam Flaherty (132), and senior Wes Graham (182).
Ridge advanced 11 wrestlers to regionals who finished third or better at the district tournament. Junior Caleb Holderbaum (106), sophomore Dylan Williams (113), junior Scott Miller (132), and sophomore Austin Crouse (195) each took second place, while junior Cody Brown (120), junior Seth Harbaugh (126), junior Levi Hobson (152), and junior Phillip Dull (182) all placed third.
Everett is sending six to the regional. Along with the three champions, the Warriors are moving on sophomore Macen Akers (138) and seniors Gavin Wills (170) and Kyle Peterson (285), each of whom placed second.
Bedford will have three regional qualifiers — senior Brandon Greise, a runner-up at 170, and third-place finishers Nathan Gabriel, a sophomore 138-pounder, and senior 195-pounder Vincent Fernandez.
Northern Bedford will move champion Clark and third-place finisher Alex Fouse, a 132-pound sophomore, to the regional, while Tussey Mountain will be represented at the regional by sophomore Brady Villa, a third-place district finisher at 113.
McCoy had no problem winning his third district title in three years, and took home the OW award to boot.
“Last year, I wrestled safe, and I wrestled tense,” said McCoy, who still placed seventh at the Class AA state tournament last March. “This year, I’ve been practicing hard, trying to turn it up more, and trying to score as many points as possible.”
Ridge’s Deremer (32-5 this season) won the 160-pound title with a 16-0, 3:52 technical fall over Conemaugh Township’s Brandon Stahl, while McGill (35-4) won the 170-pound championship with a 3:47 fall over Everett’s Wills.
Deremer and McGill, like McCoy, were state medalists a year ago.
“Those three have been wrestling together since they were little kids,” Lazor said. “They really push each other.”
Everett’s Graham (28-3) repeated as the tournament’s 182-pound champion by making a first-period takedown stand up for a 3-1 win over Meyersdale senior Christian Hutzell.
Flaherty (28-4) major-decisioned Ridge’s Miller in the 132-pound title match, while Cornell (28-2) pounded out a 6-4 decision over Chestnut Ridge’s Williams in the 113-pound title bout.
“Wesley Graham is super on his feet, and he wrestles with a lot of confidence,” Everett coach Rob Ripple said. “Liam Flaherty is a real scrapper, and so is Garret Cornell. All of the kids who are moving on to the regional tournament are hard workers who believe in themselves.”
So is Northern Bedford senior Clark, who, like McCoy, is now a three-time district champion.
Clark (27-1 this season) pounded out a 9-3 championship victory over Berlin Brothersvalley freshman Tristan Pugh on the strength of two near-fall tilts from the top position that produced five points in the third period.
“This year, the top has been a pretty strong area for me,” Clark said. “I’ve worked hard on that in practice, and I’m trying to be strong in all areas.”
Northern Bedford coach Brian Dutchcot said that Clark has been a very good role model for his younger teammates.
“He’s worked hard ever since he was a freshman, and winning three district titles is a great accomplishment for him,” Dutchcot said of Clark. “He’s everything that you want out of a wrestler, and the younger kids on the team look up to him because of his hard work and dedication.”
Bedford is moving three wrestlers on to the regional tournament, including Greise, a senior 220-pounder who led his championship match, 3-2 against North Star junior Mason Augustine before Augustine came up with a double-leg takedown in the final seconds to prevail, 4-3.
“We’re proud to get him to the finals — he’s been wrestling well,” Bedford coach Brian Creps said of Greise. “There were a lot of tough weight classes in this tournament, and we lost several close matches, but we still got three kids through.”
Meet notes: Ridge compiled 196.5 team points, while North Star was second with 142.5 … District 5 Hall of Fame inductees honored before the championship matches included former Bedford wrestlers Barry Burtnett, Emory “Pete” Howsare, and Dick Johnson, as well as former Chestnut Ridge wrestler Doug Fochtman. Johnson actually competed for both Bedford and Chestnut Ridge during his high school days.
FINALS
106–Clayton Lee (Berlin) DEC Caleb Holderbaum (Chestnut Ridge), 6-4; 113–Garret Cornell (Everett) DEC Dylan Williams (Chestnut Ridge), 6-4; 120–Keaton Furry (North Star) DEC Brian Dawson (Hyndman), 4-1; 126–Zach Clark (Northern Bedford) DEC Tristan Pugh (Berlin), 9-3; 132–Liam Flaherty (Everett) MD Scott Miller (Chestnut Ridge), 12-3; 138–Austin Lee (Berlin) MD Macen Akers (Everett), 11-1; 145–Justin McCoy (Chestnut Ridge) TF Tristen Graeff (Hyndman)
152–Alec Supanick (North Star) DEC Shaun Berzonski (Conemaugh Township), 2-1; 160–Morgan Deremer (Chestnut Ridge) TF Brandon Stahl (Conemaugh Township); 170–Jared McGill (Chestnut Ridge) F Gavin Wills (Everett), 3:47; 182–Wes Graham (Everett) DEC Christian Hutzell (Meyersdale), 3-1; 195–Hunter Tremain (North Star) F Austin Crouse (Chestnut Ridge), 1:38; 220–Mason Augustine (North Star) DEC Brandon Greise (Bedford), 4-3; 285–Toby Cahill (Berlin) F Kyle Peterson (Everett), 1:45
Third-Place Matches
106–Eli Brougher (North Star) F Robert Sloan (Tussey Mountain), 1:56; 113–Brady Villa (Tussey Mountain) MD Ian Sherlock (Northern Bedford), 9-1; 120–Cody Brown (Chestnut Ridge) MD Grant Browell (Bedford), 12-3; 126–Seth Harbaugh (Chestnut Ridge) MD Cameron Gibbner (Hyndman), 9-0; 132–Alex Fouse (Northern Bedford) F Bryce Belcher (Berlin), 2:59; 138–Nathaniel Gabriel (Bedford) DEC Tristin Guyer (Northern Bedford), 5-4; 145–Chris Baker (North Star) DEC David Hartman (Bedford), 7-6
152–Levi Hobson (Chestnut Ridge) F Gavin Brick (Hyndman), 1:26; 160–Easton Broadwater (Meyersdale) DEC Austin Mowry (Northern Bedford), 5-4; 170–Tanner Krouse (Meyersdale) F Alex Kichman (Northern Bedford), 2:20; 182–Phillip Dull (Chestnut Ridge) F Levi Sheeler (North Star), 2:31; 195–Vincent Fernandez (Bedford) F Dan Knotts (Meyersdale), 0:39; 220–Dylan Harvey (Meyersdale) F Duane Knisley (Chestnut Ridge), 0:43; 285–Brody Sanner (Meyersdale) DEC Jacob Sirbaugh (North Star), 5-2
Preliminaries
138–Cameron McCabe (Tussey Mountain) F Gage Lewis (Conemaugh Township), 1:01; Cole Pensyl (Hyndman) F Sam Lepley (North Star), 3:30; 152–Damon Lemin (Tussey Mountain) F Noah Kalp (Berlin), 2:29; 160–Jacob Mehle (Bedford) DEC Owen Leydig (Hyndman), 5-2; Clay Hedrick (Everett) DEC Josh Most (Berlin), 7-6; 170–Chris Ellis (Bedford) F Will Rhyner (North Star), 2:17; 182–Alex Gonzales (Tussey Mountain) F Jason Villegas (Berlin), 5:03
Quarterfinals
106 Robert Sloan (Tussey Mountain) MD Zach Reed (Everett), 11-0; 106 Clayton Lee (Berlin) F Garrett Sturtz (Hyndman), 1:05; Eli Brougher (North Star) F Eyziak Cottle (Northern Bedford), 0:41
113–Brady Villa (Tussey Mountain) F Justin Shaffer (Berlin), 0:34
120–Cody Brown (Chestnut Ridge) DEC Grant Browell (Bedford), 7-5; Evan Brennan (Everett) F Drake Gindlesperger (Meyersdale), 5:41; Keaton Fury (North Star) F Christopher Pierce (Tussey Mountain), 1:41
126–Zach Clark (Northern Bedford) F Logan Mckenzie (Meyersdale), 3:39; Cameron Gibbner (Hyndman) DEC Riley Steinbuch (Bedford), 3-0; Seth Harbaugh (Chestnut Ridge) DEC Colton Connor (North Star), 10-5; Tristan Pugh (Berlin) F Colton Riley (Tussey Mountain), 3:35
132–Liam Flaherty (Everett) F Dylan Smith (Conemaugh Township), 0:11; Logan Lisbon (North Star) DEC Brayden Koontz (Bedford), 6-2; Scott Miller (Chestnut Ridge) MD Alex Fouse (Northern Bedford), 17-7; Bryce Belcher (Berlin) DEC Lucas Carnell (Meyersdale), 6-3
138–Austin Lee (Berlin) TF Cameron Mccabe (Tussey Mountain); Tristin Guyer (Northern Bedford) DEC Lyle Moody (Meyersdale), 4-0; Nathaniel Gabriel (Bedford) DEC Ty Claycomb (Chestnut Ridge), 11-6; Macen Akers (Everett) TF Cole Pensyl (Hyndman)
145–Justin Mccoy (Chestnut Ridge) F Dylan Smith (Meyersdale), 1:07; David Hartman (Bedford) DEC Cole Weist (Tussey Mountain), 9-5; Tristen Graeff (Hyndman) DEC Jacob Bonadio (Berlin), 7-1; Chris Baker (North Star) F Dominik Clark (Everett), 1:23
152–Shaun Berzonski (Conemaugh Township) F Damon Lemin (Tussey Mountain), 3:15; Chase Eller (Northern Bedford) F Tristan Guthrie (Meyersdale), 0:39; Alec Supanick (North Star) TF George Lang (Bedford); Levi Hobson (Chestnut Ridge) F Gavin Brick (Hyndman), 1:17
160–Morgan Deremer (Chestnut Ridge) F Jacob Mehle (Bedford), 1:57; Austin Mowry (Northern Bedford) F Travis Shaffer (North Star), 4:28; Easton Broadwater (Meyersdale) F Brennen Jones (Tussey Mountain), 1:45; Brandon Stahl (Conemaugh Township) F Clay Hedrick (Everett), 0:51
170–Jared Mcgill (Chestnut Ridge) DEF Chris Ellis (Bedford); Colton Stahl (Conemaugh Township) F Luke Shaffer (Berlin), 0:58; Tanner Krouse (Meyersdale) MD Alex Kichman (Northern Bedford), 17-3; Gavin Wills (Everett) F Nick Thompson (Tussey Mountain), 0:15
182–Wes Graham (Everett) F Alex Gonzales (Tussey Mountain), 0:38; Phillip Dull (Chestnut Ridge) DEC Lee Moskey (Hyndman), 11-7; Levi Sheeler (North Star) F Avery Bryan (Bedford), 3:43; Christian Hutzell (Meyersdale) F Jay Ebersole (Northern Bedford), 1:51
195–Dan Knotts (Meyersdale) MD Anthony Smuro (Conemaugh Township), 8-0; Austin Crouse (Chestnut Ridge) F Levi Hoover (Berlin), 3:03; Vincent Fernandez (Bedford) F Zach Price (Northern Bedford), 0:44
220–Dylan Harvey (Meyersdale) F Rylan Brown (Everett), 3:05; Mason Augustine (North Star) DEC Duane Knisley (Chestnut Ridge), 5-0; Brandon Greise (Bedford) F Shawn Fazenbaker (Hyndman), 2:17; Logan Hoover (Berlin) F Kyle Guyer (Northern Bedford), 5:25
285–Toby Cahill (Berlin) F Kyle Nichols (Chestnut Ridge), 0:55; Jacob Sirbaugh (North Star) DEC Brody Sanner (Meyersdale), 5-4; Kyle Peterson (Everett) F Colton Koontz (Northern Bedford), 0:23; 285 Jorge Canales (Bedford) F Hunter Burkett (Hyndman), 0:38
Semifinals
106–Caleb Holderbaum (Chestnut Ridge) DEC Robert Sloan (Tussey Mountain), 6-4; Clayton Lee (Berlin) F Eli Brougher (North Star), 0:54; 113–Garret Cornell (Everett) MD Brady Villa (Tussey Mountain), 12-0; Dylan Williams (Chestnut Ridge) MD Ian Sherlock (Northern Bedford), 14-3; 120–Brian Dawson (Hyndman) DEC Cody Brown (Chestnut Ridge), 6-2; Keaton Fury (North Star) DEC Evan Brennan (Everett), 2-0; 126–Zach Clark (Northern Bedford) MD Cameron Gibbner (Hyndman), 14-0; Tristan Pugh (Berlin) F Seth Harbaugh (Chestnut Ridge), 3:54; 132–Liam Flaherty (Everett) F Logan Lisbon (North Star), 0:35; Scott Miller (Chestnut Ridge) DEC Bryce Belcher (Berlin), 5-4; 138–Austin Lee (Berlin) F Tristin Guyer (Northern Bedford), 2:48; Macen Akers (Everett) DEC Nathaniel Gabriel (Bedford), 10-8; 145–Justin Mccoy (Chestnut Ridge) F David Hartman (Bedford), 1:26; Tristen Graeff (Hyndman) DEC Chris Baker (North Star), 6-0
152–Shaun Berzonski (Conemaugh Township) MD Chase Eller (Northern Bedford), 12-3; Alec Supanick (North Star) DEC Levi Hobson (Chestnut Ridge), 10-7; 160–Morgan Deremer (Chestnut Ridge) TF Austin Mowry (Northern Bedford); Brandon Stahl (Conemaugh Township) F Easton Broadwater (Meyersdale), 3:57; 170–Jared Mcgill (Chestnut Ridge) F Colton Stahl (Conemaugh Township), 2:53; Gavin Wills (Everett) F Tanner Krouse (Meyersdale), 1:44; 182–Wes Graham (Everett) TF Phillip Dull (Chestnut Ridge); Christian Hutzell (Meyersdale) F Levi Sheeler (North Star), 1:04; 195–Hunter Tremain (North Star) F Dan Knotts (Meyersdale), 0:46; Austin Crouse (Chestnut Ridge) DEC Vincent Fernandez (Bedford), 8-6; 220–Mason Augustine (North Star) F Dylan Harvey (Meyersdale), 7:19; Brandon Greise (Bedford) DEC Logan Hoover (Berlin), 3-2; 285–Toby Cahill (Berlin) F Jacob Sirbaugh (North Star), 1:02; Kyle Peterson (Everett) DEF Jorge Canales (Bedford)
Third-Place Matches
106–Eli Brougher (North Star) F Robert Sloan (Tussey Mountain), 1:56; 113–Brady Villa (Tussey Mountain) MD Ian Sherlock (Northern Bedford), 9-1; 120–Cody Brown (Chestnut Ridge) MD Grant Browell (Bedford), 12-3; 126–Seth Harbaugh (Chestnut Ridge) MD Cameron Gibbner (Hyndman), 9-0; 132–Alex Fouse (Northern Bedford) F Bryce Belcher (Berlin), 2:59; 138–Nathaniel Gabriel (Bedford) DEC Tristin Guyer (Northern Bedford), 5-4; 145–Chris Baker (North Star) DEC David Hartman (Bedford), 7-6
152–Levi Hobson (Chestnut Ridge) F Gavin Brick (Hyndman), 1:26; 160–Easton Broadwater (Meyersdale) DEC Austin Mowry (Northern Bedford), 5-4; 170–Tanner Krouse (Meyersdale) F Alex Kichman (Northern Bedford), 2:20; 182–Phillip Dull (Chestnut Ridge) F Levi Sheeler (North Star), 2:31; 195–Vincent Fernandez (Bedford) F Dan Knotts (Meyersdale), 0:39; 220–Dylan Harvey (Meyersdale) F Duane Knisley (Chestnut Ridge), 0:43; 285–Brody Sanner (Meyersdale) DEC Jacob Sirbaugh (North Star), 5-2
First-Round Consolations
138–Cole Pensyl (Hyndman) F Gage Lewis (Conemaugh Township), 4:43; Cameron Mccabe (Tussey Mountain) F Sam Lepley (North Star), 3:51; 152–Gavin Brick (Hyndman) F Noah Kalp (Berlin), 0:44; 160–Clay Hedrick (Everett) F Owen Leydig (Hyndman), 3:19; Josh Most (Berlin) F Jacob Mehle (Bedford), 4:07; 170–Will Rhyner (North Star) DEC Nick Thompson (Tussey Mountain), 4-2; 182–Jay Ebersole (Northern Bedford) F Jason Villegas (Berlin), 3:56
Consolation Second Round
106–Garrett Sturtz (Hyndman) F Eyziak Cottle (Northern Bedford), 2:27; 120–Drake Gindlesperger (Meyersdale) TF Christopher Pierce (Tussey Mountain); 126–Riley Steinbuch (Bedford) DEC Logan Mckenzie (Meyersdale), 8-2; Colton Connor (North Star) DEC Colton Riley (Tussey Mountain), 8-7; 132–Brayden Koontz (Bedford) F Dylan Smith (Conemaugh Township), 1:59; Alex Fouse (Northern Bedford) F Lucas Carnell (Meyersdale), 4:11; 138–Cole Pensyl (Hyndman) F Ty Claycomb (Chestnut Ridge), 4:40; Lyle Moody (Meyersdale) DEC Cameron Mccabe (Tussey Mountain), 6-2; 145–Dylan Smith (Meyersdale) MD Cole Weist (Tussey Mountain), 17-9; Jacob Bonadio (Berlin) MD Dominik Clark (Everett), 8-0
152–Gavin Brick (Hyndman) DEC George Lang (Bedford), 11-5; Damon Lemin (Tussey Mountain) F Tristan Guthrie (Meyersdale), 1:21; 160–Brennen Jones (Tussey Mountain) F Clay Hedrick (Everett), 0:35; Travis Shaffer (North Star) F Josh Most (Berlin), 1:44; 170–Alex Kichman (Northern Bedford) DEC Will Rhyner (North Star), 9-4; Chris Ellis (Bedford) F Luke Shaffer (Berlin), 0:40; 182–Avery Bryan (Bedford) DEF Jay Ebersole (Northern Bedford); Lee Moskey (Hyndman) F Alex Gonzales (Tussey Mountain), 0:43; 195–Levi Hoover (Berlin) DEC Zach Price (Northern Bedford), 10-5; 220–Duane Knisley (Chestnut Ridge) DEC Rylan Brown (Everett), 4-2 SV; Kyle Guyer (Northern Bedford) F Shawn Fazenbaker (Hyndman), 2:14; 285–Brody Sanner (Meyersdale) F Kyle Nichols (Chestnut Ridge), 1:54; Hunter Burkett (Hyndman) F Colton Koontz (Northern Bedford), 1:16
Consolation Semifinals
106 Eli Brougher (North Star) F Zach Reed (Everett), 1:30; Robert Sloan (Tussey Mountain) MD Garrett Sturtz (Hyndman), 18-8; 113–Ian Sherlock (Northern Bedford) F Justin Shaffer (Berlin), 0:53; 120–Grant Browell (Bedford) DEC Evan Brennan (Everett), 1-0; Cody Brown (Chestnut Ridge) F Drake Gindlesperger (Meyersdale), 0:51; 126–Seth Harbaugh (Chestnut Ridge) DEC Riley Steinbuch (Bedford), 7-6; Cameron Gibbner (Hyndman) F Colton Connor (North Star), 2:13; 132–Bryce Belcher (Berlin) DEC Brayden Koontz (Bedford), 5-2; Alex Fouse (Northern Bedford) DEC Logan Lisbon (North Star), 4-0; 138–Tristin Guyer (Northern Bedford) TF Cole Pensyl (Hyndman); Nathaniel Gabriel (Bedford) MD Lyle Moody (Meyersdale), 13-0; 145–Chris Baker (North Star) F Dylan Smith (Meyersdale), 1:26; David Hartman (Bedford) DEC Jacob Bonadio (Berlin), 3-1
152–Gavin Brick (Hyndman) DEC Chase Eller (Northern Bedford), 8-2; Levi Hobson (Chestnut Ridge) DEC Damon Lemin (Tussey Mountain), 13-11; 160–Austin Mowry (Northern Bedford) F Brennen Jones (Tussey Mountain), 2:59; Easton Broadwater (Meyersdale) DEC Travis Shaffer (North Star), 8-2; 170–Alex Kichman (Northern Bedford) DEC Colton Stahl (Conemaugh Township), 5-2; Tanner Krouse (Meyersdale) F Chris Ellis (Bedford), 1:28; 182–Phillip Dull (Chestnut Ridge) F Avery Bryan (Bedford), 0:25; Levi Sheeler (North Star) DEC Lee Moskey (Hyndman), 9-7; 195–Vincent Fernandez (Bedford) F Anthony Smuro (Conemaugh Township), 2:25; Dan Knotts (Meyersdale) F Levi Hoover (Berlin), 1:31; 220–Duane Knisley (Chestnut Ridge) DEC Logan Hoover (Berlin), 1-0; Dylan Harvey (Meyersdale) F Kyle Guyer (Northern Bedford), 1:38; 285–Brody Sanner (Meyersdale) FOR Jorge Canales (Bedford); Jacob Sirbaugh (North Star) F Hunter Burkett (Hyndman), 0:40
COMMENTS